Columbia Art & Drafting

by Van D. 03/17/2010

This place was really good, until it turned REALLY BAD, and it's this last part that has me vowing to not shop there anymore. BURN #1: Took a nice % off coupon I received of theirs to use, and while I knew before going that it only applied to regularly priced items, I was stunned to find very little that wasn't already on sale. Outcome: WASTED TRIP and a distinct feeling of having succumbed to a cleverly disguised bait and switch. BURN #2: Called ahead to make sure they had the prepackaged metal frame set sizes of 20" and 26" that I needed and was told they had them in stock. Drove from Vancouver only to find that they don't even stock the 26" length, every other size but not that one. Outcome: Bought a more expensive wood frame set and 7 sheets of foam core but asked at checkout if the frame was returnable if it didn't suit my picture. They said yes, if not opened. BURN #3: Drove back over to return the frame set and the 7 sheets of unopened foam core 3 days later (turned out I had forgot the frames) and was told that foam core was not returnable because they would have already ordered in new replacement stock and that there'd be no room for the returned foam core, and that it said "no foam core" on my sales slip. So I read my sales slip: "All returns must have a receipt and be within 15 days. No Returns or Exchanges on Sale Items, Books, Easels, Pens, Markers, Papers, Boards, Spray Cans, Lamps, Portfolios, Presentation Cases, Projectors, Lightboxes, Special Orders, Used Items - No Exceptions." What's left I wonder. They are entitled to whatever kind of "Return Policy" they want, but as stated, it leaves very little that can be returned. I believe paints are always "on sale." It's safer to think of their return policy as "No Returns or Exchanges - No Exceptions." When I got back and checked the frames that I had forgotten, the price sticker on the 20" set looked like the regular price, but the 26" set had a sale price sticker on it. I'm dreading the thought that this means they are not going to refund my money despite what I was told when I purchased them. "No Exceptions," right? But I shall try anyway and will probably be writing about BURN #4 here shortly.



A nice fully-stocked store if you don't mind a virtually "no return/no exchange policy," that you can't believe what they say on the phone, what they say at the check-out counter, or what the coupon offer is really offering. If I could just remember all these things going in, maybe I wouldn't feel so BURNED going out. I'm glad some people have done okay with them. I just haven't.