I have no issues with the inventory or prices at Houseworks. One can find interesting and useful items at generally reasonable costs. Like many others, however, I take enormous issue with the service. My mother attempted to enter Houseworks last week. It was about ten minutes after the posted opening time and the door was unlocked. I'd like to think that the the combination of these facts would lead most people to reasonably conclude they were allowed to enter a store: during business hours+unlocked door= permission to enter. Unfortunately, they had not yet turned the sign to read ""open"", which probably wouldn't have mattered because my mother has very poor eyesight. She made it about three steps in the door before the owner, Sue, began screaming at her in the most condescending, pedantic way imaginable about how they were ""counting the money"" and why couldn't she ""read the sign?"" If you aren't offended by this behavior, stop for a moment, and ask yourself, ""is a small misunderstanding license to behave with unrestrained vitriol towards a potential customer?"" I don't think anyone can agree that it is...\r
I've seen some people suggest that Sue and staff ""put up with a lot."" I agree. They put up with not paying a cent for their inventory. They put up with a community that helps sandbag their business when threatened with floods. They put up with a clientele that accepts an anachronistic system of cataloging items which requires them to trust completely in Sue and her staff.\r
Which brings me to my final point. Many people choose to shop there despite receiving poor customer service. To me, personally, it isn't worth it. What really offends me, though, is that they are not honest and will sell your belongings while pocketing the proceeds. I have personally found some of my items marked incorrectly. I was informed that it was a simple error. This simple error seems very difficult to make, as they process the items as they receive them. Others have had the same experience and posted about it on here or on other review sites. Some will argue that they have been shopping at Houseworks for years and have never had this issue. I don't doubt it. They know that regular customers are likely to catch on that they are being bilked, and they don't steal from those people. They steal from people who don't come in to the store very often. It wouldn't surprise me if they simply pocket money if no one has come in to pick up in several months. They could, of course, end all concern about deceptive practices by entering the 21st century and computerizing their system. It would allow customers to get at least a general sense of what was sold and what was donated. Can I suggest a new catchphrase for the business? Houseworks: No Accountability, No Conscience.
more