As I got more knowledgeable on where to source teas I found that Teavana has been a bit more on the costly side. I guess considering its a store front compared to some companies that deal online or through supplying boutiques/natural grocers it's a bit understandable. I go for more flavored type teas here and buy some of the finer varieties elsewhere as the quality has also been better on those for the price (IE jasmine pearls which I love). I still like that Teavana introduces a lot of people to loose leaf tea as it's accessible to most and has variety.
The thing that changed my mind about this place is the attitude of the customer service. It's friggin tea being sold at a skeevy used car sales upsell and high pressure. They make commission but that shouldn't make service suffer to try to get more sales. I've been in sales jobs with quotas and making a person feel they are being squeezed isn't the way to go.
I want two ounces of this tea. "Is 3.8 ounces okay?" NO. That's double what I asked for. If I like it, I'll come back. I just want a small quantity of new teas.
Even if I'm buying a few items and said there is nothing else, they still are relentless. Do you need a tea maker? What about mugs? A travel cup? Sugar? Honey sticks? Tea bags? Would you buy my soul?
This isn't a isolated incident. It's happened a few times I've been in and my visits get less because of it. My fiance has complained about this the past few times he's been to this location and other locations.
I drink tea daily so I could be a really good customer if I was just treated as not dollar signs and sales quota. I think I can live without setting foot in Teavana from now on. There's a wonderful mom and pop tea shop on the SE side of town and a few online purveyors to fill my needs.