A Richmond woman said she’ll only pay with cash the next time she visits a Starbucks.
Last month, Janice Whiting walked into a Richmond Starbucks to buy six gift cards worth a total of $120.
Coverage of Consumer Matters on Globalnews.ca:
She paid with her debit card and was told by the store clerk that the transaction did not go through.
“She said it didn’t go through. What do you mean I said, the PIN pad says it’s approved,” said Whiting.
Whiting said she was then instructed to enter her PIN number again.
This time, the transaction went through, but Whiting decided to check with her bank to ensure she wasn’t charged twice.
When she received a printout of her chequing account, it showed $120 had been withdrawn twice.
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Within minutes, Whiting said she returned to Starbucks and showed the manager her bank statement.
“I told the girl, it’s come out of my account twice,” said Whiting.
Still, Whiting said the manager said, “it’s not showing on our tapes.”
Whiting said she returned to her bank and had the manager fax the paperwork showing the two debit transactions to Starbucks Canada’s corporate office.
Even with the bank’s help, Whiting said she wasn’t seeing any results.
“I’ve been such a loyal customer for so many years, why are they making it so hard for me?” said Whiting.
After days of frustration, Whiting turned to Consumer Matters for help.
We contacted Starbucks Canada and were soon told in a statement:
“We conducted a thorough investigation and discovered the issue was a result of an isolated technology processing error and not a case of fraud or malicious intent.
“We are thankful for the customer’s patience and understanding during the process and have provided the same explanation to her, and a full refund.”
In addition to giving Whiting a full refund, the coffee company also gave her a $120 gift card to thank her for her patience.
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