Escondido Ace Hardware — Local services in Escondido

Fatally Flawed - Every visit, the cashier starts the interaction with "Phone number for your Ace rewards?" This is exceptionally rude, as it intentionally makes an assumption the customer has joined their club. Not only are rewards clubs a privacy invasion, they are an attempt to manipulate my behavior, and most importantly (since I'll never join) this slows down the interaction of actually making a purchase and is an entirely unwelcome interruption to my task at hand. If I say "I don't have one" they gleefully waste more of my time trying to get me sign up. If I respond in the same manner as the cashier asked the original question - that is ignoring the goal of the person across from you such as telling them up front you're not interested - they act offended, like a street hustler who believes he has a right to trick you but just got found out!

Dear Ace manager... you should know that if I come in again and my time is yet again wasted with anything to do about your club I will file a BBB report on the issue. Need to satisfy Ace corporate morons pushing the program? Put a sign on the register for the stupid club and leave it at that! I'll even provide a respectful sample cashier script... "Hi, did you find everything you needed today?" .... "thanks for coming in, we hope to see you again soon!" ...and leave it at that. I would actually want to return if I were treated like that! This is your opportunity to train your cashiers to respect others - they came to buy something, and that is all. This behavior ruins an otherwise nice store... more games like this = more Amazon! Love, Alex.

Edit: The store posed as a random user and replied to my post. Classic! Sadly you can't help the...

UPDATE: I spoke with Jamie when I called via the number that was appended to the review. She was unaware of the message or the situation. She claimed that she had instructed the clerk differently. She apologized profusely but honestly, that ship has sailed. If your internal communicatiom is that fraught with problems, I don't want to be involved. Apparently, it wasn't communicated to her what do if I called. Honestly, it was embarrassing for me. I wish Ace Escondido the best of luck in improving their system. For now at least, I'm done with them and I recommend visiting other locations.

ORIGINAL REVIEW: I’ve long been a fan of the Ace in Escondido. When the old one went under I was sad. Then this new one came in and I was glad, for a time.

Here’s the deal. Ace is more expensive than the other chains on most things. In my opinion that was acceptable because I could get competent help and buy single units rather than bulk packs. I try to buy things there when I can to support that.

However, the new owners seem to lost. Ace, like many stores, has incentives for returning customers. I recently received two coupons in the mail. One for a free bucket with any purchase and one for $5 off any purchase over $15. So I grabbed the bucket and my wife chose a swiffer and refill pack (total $24). Got to the counter and the clerk communicated with Jamie who said one coupon per visit.

So here I am willing to pay double for the swiffers because I get five bucks off and a free bucket AND support a store I want to shop at. Clerk said no. So I left without buying anything and deleted the ace app.

I’d avoid Ace until they get mgmt who...

This is the second time Ace had tried to make it at this location and I really wanted to support them in hopes that would be successful this time around. Unfortunately, because Ace stores are individually owned, they get to make up their own policies. I bought a small item from an Ace while in Palm Desert, which turned out to be hanging on the wrong peg and was not what I needed. The Escondido Ace is a mile from my house. I brought the item in to exchange and was going to purchase other items but was told that "this owner" would not accept returns or exchanges from other Ace stores. That is a ridiculous policy. I can buy a product in any Home Depot or Lowe's and return it to my local store or any other of their stores. Evidently, this owner thinks I should drive 3 hours back to the Ace in Palm Desert to exchange it. This is just bad business and isn't a way to gain customers. Good luck competing with the big box stores with these types of policies. I won't be supporting this Ace...