"I'm never shopping THERE again!" Share your story!

[padua]

i ordered some therapeutic materials for my work from an online business. the only options were: paypal, cheque, or cash on delivery. i only had access to the company credit card and petty cash, so chose COD.
i then waited for the delivery.
and waited...
and waited...
finally i contacted the website as my order was still 'pending.' the response? 'you chose the COD option, which we don't use. so you won't be receiving anything from us unless you choose another purchase option.'
uh... don't put it as an option on your website then, or at the least, send me an email letting me know why i won't be getting my order.

[oz diva]

This happened to a colleague, M, not me.

Her daughter G, turns 24 on Wednesday. She ordered a moss green kaftan online. The store was local.

M went to pay the deposit on the kaftan on Wednesday, she had to leave work early to get there on time.

On Friday M & G went to pick up the item. They paid for it and the girl bought it out from the back. It's wrapped in paper, but a little bit is showing. G says "it's the wrong colour" sure enough the item is blue, not green. As soon as the salesgirl hears that she reels off their returns policy which is, in effect that there is no returns allowed for any reason. She says to M that she had told her on Wednesday there were no green ones available. Now, ya just don't get stroppy with a peri-menopausal mother. M told the salesgirl that she didn't have a legal leg to stand on. The item ordered was green and that this item is not green. Hell, they hadn't even taken it out of the packaging yet. G is understandably totally embarrassed and is saying that she quite likes the blue and wants to keep it.

Anyway, they keep the thing and go home.

M is seething and tells her friends about it. They say she should go to the shop's facebook page and share her story. So she does exactly that. The next thing she knows the store's owner is writing to G telling her that she will take M to court for defamation. Young G is scared, M has the bit between her teeth and knows that nothing of the sort will happen. At the end of her rant, the store owner says she will reimburse them the cost if they want to return the item. Which sort of undermines her position, doesn't it.

It's just such a great case study of poor customer service. The store owner obviously doesn't understand facebook pages and how powerful a tool (for better or worse) they can be.

[Mental Magpie]

I love false threats when I know better than the other person, I get this exact smile:  .  I'm sure I look scary when I say, "Try me" with that look.  It just so happens that I know a lot more about law than the average Joe. 

[Diane AKA Traska]

Just a quick heads up,b ut could we lay of the legal stuff?  I *really* like this thread. 

[Mental Magpie]

Sorry, I didn't think that qualified as legal stuff.  My apologies.

[Diane AKA Traska]

Oh no, it's not there yet... just trying to head it off.  Sorry for being premature there... carry on, all!

[siamesecat2965]

Best Buy.  At least the one near me.  I recently switched from cable to the "Can you hear me now" company for tv, phone, etc.  And now have HD tv so I decided to break my rule (no new tv until the old one dies) and bought a new one.  I looked online, and saw a couple at Costco that looked promising.  So I went there and looked, then thought let me go to BB and see what they have.  So I walk in, and despite the fact I encountered an employee about every 3 feet between the door and the tv dept (about halfway into the store) not one even said hello to me.

Working in retail, that is a huuuuuge pet peeve of mine.  I don't generally need a lot of help when I shop; i prefer to wander on my own, but if you can't even acknowledge my presence, I will leave, and I did.

[Irishkitty]

<snip>
So I walk in, and despite the fact I encountered an employee about every 3 feet between the door and the tv dept (about halfway into the store) not one even said hello to me.

Working in retail, that is a huuuuuge pet peeve of mine.  I don't generally need a lot of help when I shop; i prefer to wander on my own, but if you can't even acknowledge my presence, I will leave, and I did.

In Ireland, while we don't have employee's falling over themselves to greet us, you expect an acknowledgement of some kind and perhaps a "please let me know if I can assist you". But otherwise we're pretty content to walk in and browse and if we need anything catch their attention and ask. So for most Irish people going to the states, for example, it's actually a bit unnerving when you enter a store where you are greeted at every turn by an assistant.

On the flip side, I once walked out of a store because the shop assistant actually followed me around the store "straightening" any rack of clothes that I passed by or looked at. So I'd pull out a top, look at the price, size, detail etc then put it back in it's place. She'd immediately start fussing with the top I'd touched and the ones either side to make sure they were just right. I ended up glaring at her and walking out. Only that I was so shy I didn't say anything to her.

Still, to my

[EmmaJ.]

<snip>

On the flip side, I once walked out of a store because the shop assistant actually followed me around the store "straightening" any rack of clothes that I passed by or looked at. So I'd pull out a top, look at the price, size, detail etc then put it back in it's place. She'd immediately start fussing with the top I'd touched and the ones either side to make sure they were just right. I ended up glaring at her and walking out. Only that I was so shy I didn't say anything to her.

Still, to my

I'm on pins and needles!     What's the rest of the sentence? 

[siamesecat2965]

<snip>
So I walk in, and despite the fact I encountered an employee about every 3 feet between the door and the tv dept (about halfway into the store) not one even said hello to me.

Working in retail, that is a huuuuuge pet peeve of mine.  I don't generally need a lot of help when I shop; i prefer to wander on my own, but if you can't even acknowledge my presence, I will leave, and I did.

In Ireland, while we don't have employee's falling over themselves to greet us, you expect an acknowledgement of some kind and perhaps a "please let me know if I can assist you". But otherwise we're pretty content to walk in and browse and if we need anything catch their attention and ask. So for most Irish people going to the states, for example, it's actually a bit unnerving when you enter a store where you are greeted at every turn by an assistant.

On the flip side, I once walked out of a store because the shop assistant actually followed me around the store "straightening" any rack of clothes that I passed by or looked at. So I'd pull out a top, look at the price, size, detail etc then put it back in it's place. She'd immediately start fussing with the top I'd touched and the ones either side to make sure they were just right. I ended up glaring at her and walking out. Only that I was so shy I didn't say anything to her.

Still, to my

Unfortunately, many employees are required to greet, and then hover over customers. I hate doing it, and will do only the bare minimum.  I know most people prefer to shop alone, so I make sure I at leaset greet them, ask if they need help, and if they say no, I back off, but let them know if they DO need anything, please let me know.  And that usually works.  But the no greeting isn't acceptable to me at all.  In my opinion, everyone who walks in shoudl be greeted.  A simple hello, how are you is fine.

[Diane AKA Traska]

Honestly, I prefer not to be greeted.  For me, an ideal shopping experience is me going in, getting the things I need, going to the register, paying, and leaving.  Now, I don't mind some chit-chat (especially the functional kind, such as "Did you find everything you needed?"), but I don't shop for conversation, I shop to buy things and move on with my day. 

[Nika]

Honestly, I prefer not to be greeted.  For me, an ideal shopping experience is me going in, getting the things I need, going to the register, paying, and leaving.  Now, I don't mind some chit-chat (especially the functional kind, such as "Did you find everything you needed?"), but I don't shop for conversation, I shop to buy things and move on with my day. 

Yep, same here. I get intensely uncomfortable when I get greeted. I like knowing employees are nearby, so that if I have a question I don't have to search for someone, but I don't really want to have any interaction unless I instigate it. Guess I'm just anti social. 

[Irishkitty]

<snip>

On the flip side, I once walked out of a store because the shop assistant actually followed me around the store "straightening" any rack of clothes that I passed by or looked at. So I'd pull out a top, look at the price, size, detail etc then put it back in it's place. She'd immediately start fussing with the top I'd touched and the ones either side to make sure they were just right. I ended up glaring at her and walking out. Only that I was so shy I didn't say anything to her.

Still, to my

I'm on pins and needles!     What's the rest of the sentence? 

Oh dear! I'm having one of those days where I type out something and then delete and retype... and absentmindly hit post because I think I've finished. What was I going to say? It sounds like "still, to my credit I didn't..." nope, haven't a clue. Sorry 

I have no issue with people greeting me nor offering to assist. But being followed around like I was messing up her precious stock or being constantly asked if I need help - well that just drives me bonkers. I prefer my shopping experience to be more like Nika & Traska's

[Outdoor Girl]

Honestly, I prefer not to be greeted.  For me, an ideal shopping experience is me going in, getting the things I need, going to the register, paying, and leaving.  Now, I don't mind some chit-chat (especially the functional kind, such as "Did you find everything you needed?"), but I don't shop for conversation, I shop to buy things and move on with my day. 

For me, it depends on the store and what I'm shopping for.  Home improvement or garden center?  Leave me to wander on my own.  Upscale clothes store?  I'm looking for help.  I've gone in, found the nearest sales person and told them what I needed and asked them to show me around.  I ended up buying a dress for a wedding that I never would have picked out if I'd been shopping on my own.

[violinp]

Honestly, I prefer not to be greeted.  For me, an ideal shopping experience is me going in, getting the things I need, going to the register, paying, and leaving.  Now, I don't mind some chit-chat (especially the functional kind, such as "Did you find everything you needed?"), but I don't shop for conversation, I shop to buy things and move on with my day. 

For me, it depends on the store and what I'm shopping for.  Home improvement or garden center?  Leave me to wander on my own.  Upscale clothes store?  I'm looking for help.  I've gone in, found the nearest sales person and told them what I needed and asked them to show me around.  I ended up buying a dress for a wedding that I never would have picked out if I'd been shopping on my own.

Exactly. And some people are really bad at finding things (yours truly), so it helps to have people like that.