Shopping Experiences - Ross Dress For Less Stores - Pasadena, California

Ross Dress For Less Stores – Pasadena, California

Here is a copy of the letter I sent to Ross on November 28, 2006. Although I received a letter from the corporate headquarters indicating receipt of my letter, I have not yet received a response from the Division Manager, as promised, nor have I received an apology for being so ill-treated.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to complain about being racially discriminated against in your stores on at least four occasions in the last 30 days.

As a result of racial profiling on the part of your sales associates I have been publicly humiliated. I was treated like a common criminal instead of a valued customer. The odds of this happening four different times is hardly a coincidence and only supports the idea that this is common practice for your employees. It is also indicative of your employees’ lack of customer service training and overall professionalism. Thus, I was compelled to write this letter in the hopes that I can bring about change to these practices.

My family and I have been repeat customers of your stores for many years and until recently, made purchases at least once a week from your chain. As the holiday season approaches, many people will purchase and return items at your stores, but I will no longer be one of them. I can not continue to support a corporation that treats me as unjustly as your stores have.

No one will argue that the deals at Ross are great, but the customer service leaves something to be desired. Just go to complaints.com and type keyword “Ross” and the search will yield several complaints from customers around the United States. Customer complaints range from being unable to return defective items to being treated rudely by sales associates and having to wait in long lines. Now, racial discrimination can be added to top off the list. I have experienced all of the aforementioned inconveniences on my trips to your stores and was tolerant of them, but bigotry is completely unacceptable.

The most concerning situations have occurred in the past month and are summarized here:

* When shopping with in the store closest to my home (3425 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107) with my 53-year-old mother, a male employee followed me around the entire time I was shopping. Not once did he ask if I needed assistance, yet he was practically inches from me as if to intimidate me. During the same visit I was told after purchasing items and carrying the bags away from the counter that if I wanted to remain in the store my mother and I would have to leave our bags behind the register. This would be fine if all customers were told the same thing, yet we pointed out that the previous people at the register, who were not people of color, were told no such thing and continued about the store.