The Kohl's Saga Continues

Not one of the nice people at Kohl's really wants to deal with my concern....er, complaint. I've been kicked all the way up the ladder to the Executive Office. This response was received:

"Response From Kohl's // Patricia Thomas

Discussion Thread

Response Via Email (Bethany W.)

10/08/2012 04:40 PM

Dear Ms. Thomas, Your e-mail was forwarded to my attention in the Executive Office of Kohl's for follow up and resolution. As it is my intent to provide our customers with quality service, I appreciate the opportunity to review your concerns. Kohl’s offers promotional events designed to provide our customers with exceptional value, and we pride ourselves on the incredible savings we offer. Decisions with respect to the establishment of prices for Kohl’s merchandise are made by Kohl’s merchandise buyers from corporate headquarters in Wisconsin. Prices are established on a chain-wide basis. Each Kohl’s buyer is responsible for a very narrow range of merchandise, which allows them to be experts in their product categories. When determining pricing, including any necessary price changes, the buyers consider a number of factors, including the regular prices of Kohl’s competitors for similar merchandise as well as Kohl’s costs for the goods being sold. As is common in the retail industry, from time-to-time, product prices are increased due to production, cotton and other raw material cost increases. When these types of price increases are implemented, it is not possible for our point of sale systems to reflect both the old and the new price. As such, our stores are instructed to re-ticket all items currently in our inventory to match the prices on the tags for all incoming merchandise. New receipts are correctly priced in accordance with our instructions to our vendor, so no re-ticketing of that merchandise is necessary. Changes to Kohl’s "off-sale" prices are infrequently made. While the percentage discount may vary from sale event to sale event, Kohl’s does not raise “Regular” or “Original” prices on a short term basis just for purposes of offering deeper discounts during a future sales event. After receiving your inquiry, I contacted our buying personnel to investigate the pricing of the Rosetti Belinda Belted Braided Tote. They advised that the Tote did go through a price change earlier this year. It is obvious that this particular item's ticket was not correctly reticketed in this price change. Kohl's regrets your frustration and disappointment that resulted from our processing of this item. Pricing accuracy is very important to us, and every effort is made to ensure that all merchandise that is put on the floor and shipped to our customers is correctly labeled. Please also be assured that based on our competitors' pricing for similar products, we are confident that our pricing remains appropriate and consistent with others' pricing. Ms. Thomas, you are a valued customer, and we appreciate you reaching-out to us and raising this issue. We are happy to inform you that you actually received a better discount at the store when they deducted $10.00 versus taking 40% off of the $69.00 price. We hope that you are enjoying your Tote, but in accordance with Kohl's standard practices, and our desire to keep our loyal customers completely satisfied with their shopping experiences, I would be more than happy to facilitate a return and refund if you are not completely satisfied with any of your purchases. Please contact me at 1-262-704-9557 with any further concerns. Sincerely, Bethany Williams Executive Correspondence Advisor"

After several days of pondering what, if any, response I might send along, I returned the email to your right. This should be the last I hear from Kohl's...until they tell me my charge card is no longer welcome there.

Your email is one of the more excellent examples of corporate double-speak that I have ever read.   The purse in question was made and ticketed for Kohl's. To suggest that you have buyers who are experts in their field and know what items should cost doesn't ring true. If that were true, they would simply call China and have them correctly price the merchandise in the first place. That would save Kohl's money by not having to remove tags and re-tag at a higher price...and then give a discount.   Last week I shopped at Kohl's for a pair of jeans because jeans were on sale. Again, the perforated price tags were removed and price stickers affixed. I just smiled.   Mostly I object to your thinking that you have pulled the wool over my eyes and that I am ignorant enough not to notice. I am not. And I do.   Patricia Thomas   My friends laugh at this kind of corporate shenanigan, but they are more alert now also.

Soccer

Safe to say that 18 years ago I knew very little about soccer. Now, four grand daughters, several teams later, our college senior has two more games to go before it all ends. Today was the last game for the high school twin seniors. The oldest sister coached this year. Soon the whole soccer thing  will be history.

Their careers started in southern Indiana. My husband and I were living in Ohio, seven hours away but yet we were able to see a game here or there before we finally moved here ourselves. We made it to a majority of games through the years.

Five-year-olds play a different kind of soccer as they begin to learn the game. A squirrel, butterfly, or long blade of grass can distract a five-year-old even as the ball is careening toward her although in reality, balls at this level do not careen, they roll slowly to a halt. Eleven players on a team, 22 players gathered around the ball. For the first season, we called the game Bunch Ball.

When there was a throw-in girls would turn the other way as if to say, "Don't throw that thing at me." Usually it was no problem as the ball would drop out of their hands maybe a foot inside the playing field, which is called the Pitch.

All that changed with good coaching, encouragement from parents, pixie sticks. Elite travel teams gave all four of the girls an expanding view of the world. Bad coaching helped them grow backbones; wins and losses assisted in building character. Ten other girls helped them learn the principle of  teamwork. Off-season training quickly was understood to have an impact on in-season success.

I estimate that we have watched grand daughters play in 500 games over the years.Rain, snow, heat, and more than a few perfect soccer days - only lightening kept the game from being played.

They quickly became skilled at the game and have been delights to watch. Win or lose, soccer is a game that takes stamina, skill, and teamwork.

Kind of like life. They have learned the basics for being successful in this lifetime. Keep at it, learn all you can about it, and play nice with other people...or play with nice other people (there were some 'take-downs' over the years that brought some wimpy parents on other teams to their feet in protest, but only yellow cards were given).

I will miss almost everything about watching these games. Not the cold for sure (this morning it was freezing); not the losses, but the thrill of seeing the possibilities of youth on the right track. I am so proud of 'my' girls. And I will miss the hot dogs at the concession stand. They were the best.