We placed a Christmas tree clearly marked for clearance into our cart, excited to finally bring one home. Moments later, another customer approached us, followed by a manager and an employee, and we were told the tree in our cart had been "on hold" for that customer. We were then informed that if we wanted to purchase the tree, we would need "clearance," and that these sales were typically reserved for employees. This explanation made no sense. The tree was on the sales floor, clearly marked for clearance, and already in our possession. Being told contradictory and misleading information felt like an attempt to justify taking the item from us rather than honoring store policy. The interaction was humiliating and deeply upsetting. We were pressured into giving up the tree and left the store without one, hurt and discouraged during what should be a joyful time of year. No customer should be made to feel dismissed, coerced, or misled for following the rules and shopping in good faith. We hope this incident is taken seriously, policies are reviewed, and staff are retrained so no other family experiences something like this.
