If you’re looking for snowfall in Los Angeles and a decked-out Christmas tree, The Grove has you covered this holiday season, along with close to 60 shops and restaurants, free rides on a double-decker cable car.
But when it comes to validated parking for two hours, there’s a catch.
“I went to leave, and it said $15, so I called the box,” said Robin Joan.
I've never heard of a validation expiring.
Robin Joan, customer at The Grove
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She had shopped for just over two hours, got her ticket validated and thought she might owe a few dollars.
"What’s the story? It’s $15. I was validated," she said.
Joan said she was told, “No, your validation is void if you’re there more than two hours.” She was shocked.
“I’ve never heard of a validation expiring,” she said.
A sign by some of the pay stations says it’s $5 per hour for each of the first three hours, then $2 for each additional 30 minutes.
And, if you read the sign carefully, you’ll also see it does say, “Validation expires when the validation period is exceeded.”
But Joan thinks the print is too small and unclear. And she isn’t the only one annoyed by this policy. There are now hundreds of complaints on social media about it.
“If I know going in that I’m going to spend a lot, and it’s going to cost me $15, okay, I prepare for it,” said Joan. “I know and it’s not a surprise. But when it happens like that, I just think it’s wrong.”
“Looking at the signage, it’s not clear,” said Professor Aimee Rossi, chair in management at the UCLA Anderson School and an expert in consumer behavior and decision making. “This policy is kind of counterintuitive, where you are effectively punishing consumers for staying longer."
While she says The Grove signage likely offers legal protection, she calls it bad policy.
“It’s a policy that makes consumers unhappy; it’s a policy that should make store owners unhappy, and it’s very myopic,” said Rossi.
Our focus is always on making our guest experience as seamless and positive as possible. We offer competitive parking rates consistent with industry standards, which includes validation. The Grove’s parking validation policy hasn’t changed since the Grove opened over 20 years ago and our policy and rates are visible on parking rate signage at the property.
Caruso Spokesperson
The I-Team asked for an interview with an official from The Grove about its policy and the confusion some customers are experiencing. Instead, a Caruso spokesperson provided this statement:
“Our focus is always on making our guest experience as seamless and positive as possible. We offer competitive parking rates consistent with industry standards, which includes validation. The Grove’s parking validation policy hasn’t changed since the Grove opened over 20 years ago and our policy and rates are visible on parking rate signage at the property.”
“What’s unusual about this situation and likely the cause for complaint is their practice of nullifying validation,” said Rossi.
Joan plans to change her shopping habits as a result.
“There’s no question,” Joan said. “It just feels underhanded, and that’s what I don’t like.”
She said she will set a timer on her phone from now on to make sure she gets out of The Grove parking lot within two hours.
The expiring validation also applies to other Caruso properties, like the Americana in Glendale.
