Michaels — Local services in New York

Review is just for custom framing. Bad experience with two employees there (perhaps one is manager, don’t know). First they couldn’t enter the dimensions of artwork correctly in their system for an hour but not a big deal. Kept calling for help and saying artwork is too large for system to handle. Then kept giving me ever increasing price totals when I asked for how much it costs due to dimensions not being properly reflecting in system. I told them submitting the artwork via their online portal shows price total is more than twice as less - almost identical very elaborate detailed frame ( they didn’t have the one in stock in store). I asked for breakdown of store price and they couldn’t explain how much each item costs so that it sums to their given final price. They didn’t want to honor online price saying online price difference is due to difference in quality of materials and they can’t guarantee it will be archival quality and if acrylic glass will be UV resistant. I told them I will submit online but want to see how it will look before I do so and if they could show me the mats I chose and the frame in store as online it says they are also available in stores. Well, they said that’s not possible. I went to the Brooklyn Michael’s and guess what - first, they had zero problems entering dimensions of artwork in same system; then they showed me exact frame and mats that I chose from online system in store; in addition, quality of materials is same - archival acid free and UV resistant acrylic and last, without even asking them, they offered me to submit the artwork via store instead of online and they will honor online price I have along with my coupon. Not to mention, their system was still showing much lower price then what NYC store was showing… saved a ton ! Just go to different store as these guys don’t know how to use their systems and what their price policy is!! Two stars as rest of store is awesome and...

When dealing with large chain stores I normally expect some uniformity in offerings, stock levels, employee competence (read training), and service. I recently shopped at Michael's in two locations in NYC and my experience could not have been more different. On the upper west side the store was poorly stocked, the shelves in disarray, the cashier lines long and left unmanaged, and there was a general sense from the staff that they were not particularly interested in making things better for the customer (and for themselves). Then I shopped at the store in the Flatiron district. The shelves were well stocked, some of the items on the shelves didn't have the correct shelf tags but the staff was not only available to engage with you, they went out of their way to find what you were looking for, helped to locate the right section of the store where the merchandise was located (the store has a strange floorplan and the isle numbering is not the intuitive), they were not only helpful and knowledgeable but happy to engage, and despite the long line at the cashier there was a supervisor that took it upon himself to manage the flow and kept the line moving smartly. When it was my turn to check out I found out that an item I wanted to buy, despite being in a lose pile on the shelf, could only be purchased as a set. Undaunted both the cashier and the supervisor without any prompting or fuss adjusted things so I was able to purchase the item as a single unit and kept the long checkout line moving while allowing me to avoid any embarrassment. Kudos to the supervisor for his quick thinking and just good common sense all around. Excellent shopping experience, one that I'm looking forward to repeat in a store (the Flatiron district location) that clearly is staffed by professionals dedicated to the needs and the shopping experience of harried NYC hobbists. Well deserved high...

I've never been treated so disrespectfully by a cash out clerk. I think her name was Laura, she had short red hair, tattoos and glasses. There's a line all the time at this store and after waiting to check out, she replied without hesitation that I couldn't use my coupon because "it was too late" I didn't swipe or paid her yet and she was so nasty about redeeming my coupon for a purchase that was under $20. I was very disappointed and felt mistreated because I spent nearly $1300 at the Framing department. So even as a frequent customer and dropping that amount of money and getting on two different lines to pay I felt so mistreated by Laura. After I told her about my large purchase at the framing department she gleefully told me that "COUPONS ARE NOT ACCEPTED AND ITS DIFFERENT FROM THIS REGISTER!" I looked up and politely asked if I can use this coupon and she immediately rejected the coupon and claimed "it was too late!" This woman has the worst attitude and deserves to be re-evaluated. I don't even know who she is given the amount of trips I've made to this store. Everyone tend to be helpful until I met this unfriendly clerk! I will never spend another dime at this store because it hurt me so bad. I nearly cancelled my frame order because of it. She even had the nerve to yell at the end in a mocking tone, "TO HAVE A NICE DAY" I didn't respond because Laura knew how angry I was....