Consumer complaint received 2019-01-13
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: VA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-issue: Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms

Complaint:
On XX/XX/19 I was a victim of unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices at Lowes with relation to their credit card product. On XX/XX/19, I went to Lowes to buy an appliance. The appliance i chose to buy was {$540.00}, and I requested to have my old appliance removed upon delivery, which was another {$20.00} charge, for a total purchase price of {$560.00}. The Appliance Manager ( AM ) indicated that if I opened a Lowes credit card, I would receive {$100.00} off my purchase, which was approximately 20 % off my purchase, and a very good deal. He pointed to the banner advertising the credit card promotion above the Appliance areas Point of Sale ( POS ) terminal. I saw the {$100.00} off had an asterisk next to it, and reading the banners fine print ( indicated by the asterisk * ), I noted that the offer was subject to credit approval. The AM indicated it was a great deal and there was no reason not to do it to save {$100.00}. The AM then took my drivers license and entered my social security number and household information into the POS. The POS brought up page 1 of 15 pages worth of the credit cards terms and conditions. The AM told me that there were 15 pages of this mumbo jumbo but that you are agreeing to the cards terms and conditions. He then pressed Enter into the POS to submit my application, and I was approved for the card. He showed me how to access my card via an approval e-mail on my phone from Syncrony. He told me to go to the front of the store to finalize my purchase, show my Syncrony Lowes credit card barcode on my phone at checkout, and by doing so I would get {$100.00} off my purchase. 

Upon checkout, the cashier indicated there was no {$100.00} off my purchase offer in their system - my only offers were 5 % off my purchase or 6 months special financing. He directed me back to the Appliance area as I told the cashier the AM said I would get {$100.00} off. I went back to the Appliance area of the store, and told the AM that I was not offered the {$100.00} off at checkout with my card. He was shocked, pulled the tape off the promotional banner attached to the POS ( the one he had showed to me earlier as mentioned above ), and took me up front to Customer Service. The AM questioned a Customer Service Representative ( CSR ) as to why I would not get {$100.00} off my purchase. The CSR produced a piece of promotional paper that was different than what the AM showed me, which indicated that the {$100.00} off your purchase offer only applies if your purchase total is {$600.00} or more ( purchases below {$600.00} were only subject to {$35.00} off for new cardholders ). This was not included within the promotional sign that the AM had. 

The AM, upon realizing he had misled me when he promoted and signed me up for the card, apologized and told me he just saw the big banner offering {$100.00} off first purchase subject to credit approval and that he didnt know there was any more fine print. He indicated he had not received any training on the credit card promotion. I asked if they could still please give me {$100.00} off in alignment with what was promised to me. He told me that to get {$100.00} off, my total purchase needed to be {$600.00}, so I had to spend another {$31.00} to get the {$100.00} discount. I indicated that I didnt want to spend more money, and that it was an abusive practice to push me to spend more money after-the-fact in order to fulfill on the original promise that was made to get me to apply for a credit card. The AM insisted  it was only {$30.00} more dollars I needed to spend and that it was worth it for me. I again indicated that, by nature, that was unfair. 

In short, I was promised {$100.00} off my purchase if I signed up for a Lowes credit card. Upon doing so, i was then told that the original promise was incorrect and not true, and I was pushed to spend even more money at the store to receive it. 

I paid for my purchase using other methods, and I told the AM and CSR that I did not want the credit card if the AM had been dishonest with me about the cards offering. Lastly, this entire process took over 45 minutes and I had my wife and XXXX young children with me.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief