Possible to lodge a complaint to a chain owned store?

GalaxyRyder · 03-05-2025 07:50PM #1

It's sports direct.

I checked their google maps reviews, so many reflecting my own experience.

There's a sign at the front of the store stating "staff will no tolerate anti-social behaviour", which seems ironic as their behaviour is clearly intended to elicit it.

I'm not sure a formal complain would do anything but it might.

When I was leaving a store during the week a female member of staff muttered that I was a "c**t", lol (which I'm not, of course).

I can't let this slide.

Any thoughts on how to approach this? Clearly google reviews have no effect.

geographica · 03-05-2025 07:59PM

ring whineline

Padre_Pio · 03-05-2025 07:59PM

Why did she call you a c*nt?

kabakuyu · 03-05-2025 08:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058408457/possible-to-lodge-a-complaint-to-a-chain-owned-store

You should have spoken to managervhhere and then,you might be able to progress if you have the staff members name.

GalaxyRyder · 03-05-2025 08:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123415248#Comment_123415248

Curious about that myself.

zell12 · 03-05-2025 08:16PM

Strongly worded rant to the Irish Times letters page is warranted

Kaybaykwah · 03-05-2025 08:27PM

Not too fast.

You may have misheard what she said. It turns out she might have been calling you a count, due to your aristocratic bearing.

Orban6 · 03-05-2025 08:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058408457/possible-to-lodge-a-complaint-to-a-chain-owned-store

Deleted

GalaxyRyder · 03-05-2025 08:41PM

It seems almost every sports direct store has these types of reviews, making up about 50% of the total reviews.

So it's not just me.

No one else has got this?

Murt2024 · 03-05-2025 08:47PM

your life must be fairly petty if you worried about this

SCOOP 64 · 03-05-2025 10:18PM

You should have just shouted back " your the c.…t" and just left it at that.

Pauliedragon · 03-05-2025 10:31PM

Mike Ashley likes to speak to people over about 14 pints and vomiting in a fireplace. I doubt you'd be top of the list of his concerns.

chiefwiggum · 04-05-2025 06:34AM

Didn't happen to be the Wicklow Town store?

GalaxyRyder · 04-05-2025 08:19AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123416243#Comment_123416243

Similar experience?

There's not a Sports Direct store I could locate that doesn't have at least 20 reviews with exactly the same complaint.

Dublin based store for me.

GalaxyRyder · 04-05-2025 08:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123415832#Comment_123415832

Well they have a sign saying "please do not behave in an anti-social manner toward our staff", so they kind of pre-empted that.

Jim_Hodge · 04-05-2025 08:33AM

Why didn't you just turn around and ask for a manager there and then?

Ezeoul · 04-05-2025 12:04PM

Why didn't you say something there and then?

You've left it to late now. It will be your word against theirs anyway, even if you can identify the staff member by name.

And that's if you honestly weren't being a cnut.

I guess you'll just have to be satisfied with leaving another negative google review.

GalaxyRyder · 04-05-2025 02:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123416759#Comment_123416759

My problem is more so that this behaviour seems to be entirely okay in Sports Direct outlets.

And as above, they have a sign at reception saying "we don't tolerate anti-social verbiage directed at our staff", when it's honestly no surprise that every so often a customer will respond to their awful attitude.

I don't necessarily want action taken against a staff member, but rather some action taken by sports direct to address the deplorable behaviour of their staff collectively.

Jim_Hodge · 04-05-2025 03:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123417232#Comment_123417232

Did it actually use the term 'verbiage'?

Ezeoul · 04-05-2025 03:47PM

My guess is the necessity for the signs probably comes down to SD strict no cash refunds policy for in-store purchases. (Credit note or exchange only.)

OP, I don't think there is anything you can do other than make a complaint after the fact, or leave another negative google review. If they have literally dozens already, they clearly aren't bothered.

Next time take your business elsewhere. Vote with your feet.

JVince · 04-05-2025 04:06PM

There's one very easy way to counteract this and similar issues.

Don't shop in a sports direct owned store again.

Sports direct, heatons, USC, flannels, house of Fraser (online) and some other names

GalaxyRyder · 04-05-2025 04:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123415832#Comment_123415832

If I were to have done this, could that result in any kind of problem for me?

Gru · 04-05-2025 04:39PM

Similar issue in Cork store, bought (Not too cheap) football boots from reputable brand, after one training session one of the ankles was sliced by the boots. Checked the boot and noticed both had different levels of padding in ankle of each boot (Noticeably different if you looked closer)

Brought it back to store (as it was faulty), first staff member agreed there was a fault and i wasn't the first to have this issue, but had to get a manager to do a return and refund. Manager came out and refused to take them back and issue refund or a credit note because they were clearly used, tried to explain it was one training session and they were clearly faulty and even their own staff noticed the fault, not a bit she would do. E-mailed their managers and got a €50 credit note (less than half the cost of the boots) never spent it never went in there again. Bought same brand boots from Lifestyle sports (who in fairness gave me a 10% discount when i told them what happened) had zero issues with slicing ankles.

Ezeoul · 04-05-2025 05:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123417525#Comment_123417525

The manager in the Cork store should have given you a full refund. One of the exclusions from their "no refunds" policy is where the items are faulty.

Their customer service is deplorable, one of the reasons I too no longer purchase from them. I used to shop online, but it annoyed me that after paying for delivery, the buyer also has to pay for return postage if the item is being returned for any reason.

I find Elverys quite good.

MojoMaker · 04-05-2025 05:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123415248#Comment_123415248

Back to this question @GalaxyRyder - you haven't given a proper answer.

It's extremely unlikely a staff member voluntarily and randomly launched a word like this in your - direction, and I think you know it. So what was your dialogue with the staff member up to the point they allegedly uttered the expletive?

GalaxyRyder · 04-05-2025 11:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123417688#Comment_123417688

I went into a Sports Direct in a different location some months ago, and two staff members were floating around the floor.

When one noticed me, she muttered something clearly derisory/insulting/mocking to her colleague, they both looked at me, guffawed, then walked off ignorantly.

This type of attitude is absolutely typical in Sports Direct in my experience.

On this occasion I walked into the store, the staff member in question was literally giving me the Manson Lamps (never saw her before in my life, I only noticed her as I could feel someone stare at me with that kind of intensity), with contempt written on her face.

On my way out she looked me up and down and said "bye now!!", like she was actually waiting by the entrance for me to leave so she could get an obnoxious shot in, which I obviously ignored.

When I ignored it, just as I was almost out the door I heard her say the word "c**t", another couple steps and I was back out on the street.

GalaxyRyder · 04-05-2025 11:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123417373#Comment_123417373

I agree but on this occasion they were the only store stocking the shoes I was looking for in the correct size, and at a discounted price.

But yes, point taken.

AugustRain · 05-05-2025 05:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123415297#Comment_123415297

Ideally, what would you like to happen?

AugustRain · 05-05-2025 05:50PM

The action you can take is by boycotting them from now on and leaving another bad review.

Possible to lodge a complaint to a chain owned store?

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