The employees at the Macy’s in Washington, DC, sure were helpful earlier today! They showed customers where they could park for up to two hours while they shopped. Unfortunately, it turns out Macy’s employees are not well-versed on parking rules in DC, and the manager there doesn’t really think it’s Macy’s problem.

Here’s what happened to Paul:

We went to the Macy’s at 12th & G in Washington, DC, this morning for the Black Friday morning specials. There was a short, dark-haired woman out front with a Macy’s nametag instructing people pulling up the curb to park there. “Oh, yeah, no problem.” So we parked and went shopping.

An hour later, we come out the G Street doors. Now, there is a tall, dark-haired man out front with a Macy’s nametag telling people there is “Two hour parking” along 12th Street.

We get to our car and there is a ticket on the windshield for over $100 for parking during the rush hour. In fact, the whole row of cars (parked exactly where the Macy’s employees were telling people to park) along 12th Street has been ticketed!

I complained to the manager “Samuel” over the phone, he tells me it’s not Macy’s responsibility and they will not pay the ticket. He says that those employees were “not authorized” to be directing traffic, but if I can identify “by name” the employees who were directing people to park there, he will “do something” for me in the way of “a purchase”, whatever that means.

And you just know that the money for whatever that “deal” is is coming out of the pocket of the employee I identify and not Macy’s themselves.

All kinds of other problems, as well, concerning the useless coupons they printed in the paper the last couple of days and minutes of my life I will never get back spent with semi-English speaking clerks explaining to me why the items I bought just happen to be the exact ones that are specifically banned from being purchased with one of these coupons. Definitely the last time I ever shop at Macy’s!

Yeah, that coupon thing is pretty normal for a Macy’s shopping experience. A Macy’s coupon isn’t actually a coupon, but a coupon-shaped practical joke that the retailer plays on customers with some regularity.

But the “just park already and shop!” stunt is a new one. I imagine if you let some higher-ups at Macy’s know what happened, they might be willing to address the problem.

Here’s some contact info, courtesy of reader DjDynasty on another Macy’s post last year:

Executive Customer Service: 800-264-0069
Flagship Store
151 W. 34th Street
New York, NY, 10001
212/695-4400
Has corporate offices in the building; this is the HQ for Macy’s east

7 W. 7th St, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: 513-579-7000
Fax: 513-579-7555
Toll Free: 800-261-5385

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