S/O I'm Never Shopping There - What Businesses Will Forever Have Your Patronage?

[oz diva]

dingdangity wrong thread

[BabylonSister]

I hope it's okay to post in this very old but lovely thread.


I think KnitPicks has already been mentioned in this discussion.  It's my turn to praise their customer service.


On Cyber Monday, they were having a really good sale. Most of their yarns were 40% to 60% off. I purchased five balls of yarn. Four were of a regular yarn with a great discount, and the fifth was a "limited edition/grab it while it's there" type of deal. The total amount was around  $21 with shipping.


I saw the transaction appear on my online bank account statement as pending.  A few days later it was still pending but I also noticed a $9 discrepancy on my balance. Namely, my balance was $9 higher than it should have been and the numbers just weren't adding up.  Eventually my order was processed and the total they ended up charging me was only $12.  It turns out that the special edition yarn was discontinued and for that I got free shipping on the rest of my already greatly discounted yarn.


But that's not all! Today I got an email apologizing for not being able to sell me the special edition yarn and offering me $10 off my next order.  No minimal amount.  Knowing KnitPicks's very reasonable prices, that means I can get enough yarn for a small project for only the price of shipping!

[Elisabunny]

^I'm glad you resurrected this thread!

We got our van 4 years ago from a used car place.  The owner encouraged us to buy the extra warrenty.  Since our last car had needed lots of repairs, we did so.  Anyway, Thanksgiving evening I was driving home from my parents' house, when the engine died.  I took another car to Children's Hospital, DH came home and worked on getting the car repaired.  Turns out it was an expensive fix.  When he couldn't find our copy of the warrenty, he went back to where we bought the car to see if they could help.  Not only did the lot owner dig the info out of their computer, he volunteered to cover anything the warrenty didn't!

Yes, we're going back there the next time we need to replace a car.  And, we'll recommend it to anyone who asks.

[nuit93]

I'm glad this thread got revived too!

For my favorites:

-my local credit union.  Why didn't I do this sooner?
-Costco--they're locally based and I really like the owner's philosophy on how to treat their employees.  It shows through in the service they provide.
-Gaia Conceptions--an online clothing store that uses all natural dyes/fabrics, custom made to order.  It's a bit more expensive but I love their stuff and the owner is really great about communication.
-Amazon--quick and easy shopping.

[One Fish, Two Fish]

Strictly Running.  Great running store in SC.  The owner is amazing.  He helped me pick the perfect running shoe, and he didn't try to sell me the most expensive pair in the store.  He gave me great advice.  I'll be going back for my next new pair.

[Mad Goat Woman]

MAC cosmetics counter in Myers. They've been consistently helpful, and very good.

Cue. Expensive dresses, but fantastic service. Every time I've gone in there, even wearing old jeans and sloppy sort of clothing, they've been helpful.

[Snooks]

John Lewis (department store in the UK) came round and repainted my hallway when they made a tiny scuff delivering some furniture.
Local car repair shop did a small fix on my DH's car for free which I'd previously been quoted £25 for by another garage, as I was out of work at the time I was incredibly grateful so we'll be taking the car back there again, plus it's walking distance from home so we can drop the car off and not have to negotiate public transport to get home.

[Girlie]

Amazon - I recently ordered a book for my DH for Christmas - it was a new one, and I bought it before the actual release date. A week later, Amazon recredited me $0.76 because someone else had purchased it at a lower price before the release. It might not be much, but it won my loyalty.

Clinique - I just love their products, and I love the little gifts with purchase that they have from time to time.

[ladyknight1]

Publix - They are my go-to for nearly everything. I know where everything is in my store and can get in and out quickly. The pharmacy is good too.

Penzey's Spices - I will never have to over pay for bad spices again.

Whole Foods - All of the hard to find items and at good prices.

Sephora - Makeup and fragrance with amazing service.

Toojays - Restaurant, deli, and bakery with amazing food and good service. Their Banana Dream cake is wonderful.

[nayberry]

uk based so -

Costco - i adore the meats and have never had a bad product.

Lakeland - i daren't look on the website as i buy everything, and when i had a problem with my mum's wedge maker  (like this but an older version http://www.lakeland.co.uk/13644/Lakeland-Veggie-Wedger ) where the plastic split along one where one of the blades joined the outer ring, they insisted on sending a new one and didn't want the old one back.   also the only place you can get a remoska! 

Amazon - had to return a pc after a disc got stuck and they had arranged the replacement and shipped it within 12 hours and arranged for a replacement disc.  + super saver delivery!!!

my local bakery/cafe - they make the best chocolate twists ever!!

[RebeccainGA]

- Our credit union in Arkansas. Even though they obviously don't have a branch in GA, I still will MAIL my occasional deposits to them because they are that good.
- Our mechanic in AR, who I have recommended to everyone I know there. He's cheap, quick, polite, and unless he tried to sell me blinker fluid or left handed spark plugs, I'll buy whatever he sells me because I know he's telling the truth.
- Publix, who I loved when I lived in FL, and now love again that I'm back in their territory
- HolyClothing.com, which if you love embroidered fancy clothes is a winner - I have five dresses from them (including two wedding dresses, since we had two weddings). Occasionally their seams come apart, but for the price, I can fix that easily. They are ethically made by hand in India, and for the price are unbeatable. I've been shopping with them for 15 years.
- POD the Amazon/Zappos/ThinkGeek recommendations - all awesome. Also TigerDirect for computer related gear.
- Target pharmacy - I've been to them in three states now, and they are, 100% of the time, inexpensive, fast, friendly and caring folks. NEVER have a problem.

[rose red]

There is a restaurant that gives you a cup of soup with your meal.  I don't like the soup but my mom does.  I asked for a container to pour in that cup of soup.  They came back with genuine smiles and a large container filled with soup and said they hope my family enjoy it. 

[magician5]

Red Robin for a meal...

I went there for the first time yesterday. I usually carefully avoid chains (ethnic 'hole in the wall' places are my favorite), and Red Robin is a very casual chain (about on a level with Denny's or IHOP) which usually I'd avoid entirely, but I had to try the "ghost pepper" burger.

I'm old and use a walker, and I tend to eat alone, and I know I don't look like any server's idea of a lucrative tipper, but they fell all overthemselves greeting me and making me comfortable, and making sure I got the most out of a menu I'd never seen before, and got out within my time limit. That server got a 30% tip on my small check, and everyone else got a heartfelt "thank you, I will definitely be back" from me.

There are better choices than the "ghost pepper burger" (it seems like a pointless novelty) but there are other choices I'll have to try, and the onion rings are wonderful, and who can argue with unlimited well-cooked steak fries?

[cattlekid]

We agree wholeheartedly on the ghost pepper burger.  But next time you are there, try the turkey burger.  It is actually a turkey burger with flavor, which can be hard to come by.  I do agree that their staff (at least at our local Red Robin) is friendly and definitely tip-worthy.

Red Robin for a meal...

There are better choices than the "ghost pepper burger" (it seems like a pointless novelty) but there are other choices I'll have to try, and the onion rings are wonderful, and who can argue with unlimited well-cooked steak fries?

[ladyknight1]

We recently got Burger21 restaurants here and they are amazing. Their sweet potato fries and CRUD MONKEYS! burger are DH's favorite lunch. Their service is excellent.