Worst customer service experienced at Adidas Mall of the South

I had the worst customer service experience at the Adidas store in Mall of the South.

I went there to exchange a pair of shorts for a smaller size or request a refund since the item didn’t fit the person it was bought for. Upon arriving, a staff member named Dimples informed me that the shorts were out of stock and tried to pressure me into buying something else. She was rude, didn’t use customer-appropriate language and pulled faces every time I spoke. I explained that the shorts were a gift and I would prefer a refund. She told me they didn’t have cash available for refunds, took down my number and said she would contact me when cash became available. Keep in mind, there was no mention of refunds not available on sale items.

After shopping elsewhere for three hours, I returned to the store to check on the refund status. This time, I dealt with Bernese (I believe as I called Studio88 asking for her name) who later introduced herself as the store’s general manager. She overheard my conversation with Dimples and refused to resolve the situation professionally.

Despite signage indicating “cash refunds available,” there was no petty cash on hand to offer a refund or provide change. When I asked if the refund could be processed back to the card used for the purchase, I was told, “we cannot reverse card purchases.”

The interaction quickly escalated into a heated discussion. The general manager insisted I return on another day when they had cash, which I found unacceptable, as I don’t frequent this mall and had already spent time addressing the issue. I was told, “you must come back when we have cash.” When I pointed out that I wasn’t informed earlier that refunds couldn’t be processed for sale items, she finally instructed Dimples to get the money from a neighbouring store (Studio88). Her tone throughout was condescending and dismissive. “Dimples go next door and get money for THIS lady”.

While waiting, my friend and I were chatting quietly, only for the general manager to rudely interject and demand to know what we were discussing, as if I owed her an explanation!

To add to the poor experience, I noticed how rudely “Bernese” treated her own staff, ordering them around without basic courtesy like “please” or “thank you.” They seemed tense and nervous, clearly working in an unpleasant environment. This so-called “general manager” lacks professionalism, leadership and respect for both customers and her employees.

I left the store feeling disrespected, frustrated and shocked by how poorly the situation was handled by both the general manager as well as the employee. Adidas seriously needs to address the management of this branch.