Beware of inexperienced sales associates - one ope...

Beware of inexperienced sales associates - one opened a credit card in my name without my approval!

My girlfriend, her family and I went in to buy her mom a b-day present. The item she wanted ( a North Face jacket) was a part of the annual Anniversary Pre-Sale, whose items are only available for purchase to those that have a Nordstrom credit or debit card. I offered to sign up for a Nordstrom Debit card so that we could purchase an item.

First off - I made it VERY clear that I wanted a debit. The associate even said I did. She asked me the questions on the application one by one and then presented me with an approval form for me to sign. As I was scanning it I noticed that it said "credit card" in a few places. I looked up to ask the associate why it said that and she said "oh oops I accidentally signed you up for a credit card". I asked her to switch to debit to which she replied "I already submitted the application". !!!! EXCUSE ME!? I had not even given you the authorization to do so! I did not sign the approval form and you already took financial action in my name?!

This was not a slight blunder! At this point, the application had been sent to the Nordstrom bank and a hard credit check was conducted in my name. This affects my credit score negatively for upwards of two years, during which I am very likely to buy a car! I was fuurious and all that the customer service ppl offered to do was have me come back and see the store manager the following morning.

At this point I figured I would come back the next morning to deal with the credit card situation and just wanted to purchase the jacket so that my gf and her family wouldn't have to wait longer.

I asked if I may please purchase the jacket without having to re-sign up for the debit card, because of this terrible mistake that was just made. The sales associates said I couldn't. Seriously?! You just opened a credit line in my name without my consent! I could sue Nordstrom if I wanted to! They continued to claim that there was nothing they could do...

"Ok," I said "can I just buy the jacket at full price - I don't care about the $40 savings anymore". Their response? No you may not. Are you f-ing kidding me? You wouldn't let me buy an item at full price after what just happened?

Literally one of the most asinine things I've ever heard.

We left the store furious at the pure idiocy of the situation.

I came back the next morning to speak with the store manager, Todd Buntin. The guy comes out with the jacket in hand, cheesin. I figure that he'll offer me a deeper discount or something because of what happened the night before. Instead he just goes - "You will have to sign up for a debit or credit card to buy this jacket." I stood there, speechless.

Suffice it to say I will no longer shop at Nordstrom. Todd, I suggest you re-evaluate your store policies.