I am kind of tired of people.

[kdonnel]

My mom was telling me a story about the friends she goes out to eat with. They had stopped for gas and the card reader at the pump wasn't working. The wife apparently wanted to call the station's corporate office. The husband said it was unacceptable, and didn't want to listen on the other way to pay with card (go inside, tell them to authorize the card for something more than what you think it would take to fill, and only the actual amount gets billed). This wasn't a "mom and pop" gas station, but a regional (if not national) chain.

I just move on to another gas station if the card reader is not working. It is annoying when something is broken, and it probably wouldn't hurt if someone took the time to report the outage, perhaps it is not known?

But the issue doesn't need to be reported with rage.

 

[RedAngie]

And the object of the customer’s insane, foul-mouthed aggression and abuse was a $2.00 door-stop.

Totally justified rant by the customer, what with you charging $2 for a $1.29 Home Depot door stop.

 

[kdonnel]

I tried online shopping when the pandemic first started. It just took too long. I can go into Aldi and get out in 20 minutes. Shopping online took well in excess of an hour. I never had an issue with substitution but I am not brand loyal. The issue I had was with my groceries arriving smelling of cigarette smoke.

 

[RedAngie]

Long long before Covid Walmart was constantly out of stock of certain items for long periods of time.

“But our system says we have 12 on the shelf.”

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I must admit I was a tad embarrassed last night when we went out to dinner with the in-laws. We went to Chili's and Chili's in our area has never had ample employees but they also have never been slammed either (all this long before the pandemic). Well last night they had the dining area completely blocked off and was just sitting people in the bar area (which has booths too and some high top tables as well as the bar area). Mother-in-law promptly asks the server "oh are you guys having issues getting staff?" and when he answered sheepishly "yes" she was like "oh well you can tell"...she knows darn well everyone is but I think she must have either forgotten or just not understood how that can come off like a jerk. It's like an unspoken thing right now you know the restaurants are struggling to get staff why do you feel the need to point out the obvious. I know she didn't mean to come off a certain way but still.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I tried online shopping when the pandemic first started. It just took too long. I can go into Aldi and get out in 20 minutes. Shopping online took well in excess of an hour. I never had an issue with substitution but I am not brand loyal. The issue I had was with my groceries arriving smelling of cigarette smoke.

I don't think we can compare experiences from a year and a half ago to now. Especially if your issue was really the cigarette smoke..

 

[Marrila]

I tried online shopping when the pandemic first started. It just took too long. I can go into Aldi and get out in 20 minutes. Shopping online took well in excess of an hour. I never had an issue with substitution but I am not brand loyal. The issue I had was with my groceries arriving smelling of cigarette smoke.

I'd choose another store.
Online shopping is a bit of a skill. One you get used to the ins and outs of the app it can go quickly.
I can opt for substitutions or not.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'd choose another store.
Online shopping is a bit of a skill. One you get used to the ins and outs of the app it can go quickly.
I can opt for substitutions or not.

Sometimes we accept the substitutions sometimes we don't. Last time they didn't have Crystal Light Grape drink mix but they offered a Strawberry Lemonade flavor instead. For my husband he really wanted Grape flavor so he just declined the substitution. Another time they didn't have the big jar of Nutella but they offered two smaller jars (that equaled the big jar). We accepted that substitution.

 

[kdonnel]

I'd choose another store.
Online shopping is a bit of a skill. One you get used to the ins and outs of the app it can go quickly.
I can opt for substitutions or not.

I was shopping Publix using Instacart.

I don't doubt that I would have shopped faster given time but I don't think online grocery shopping works for me. It would never be faster then just getting in the car, going to the grocery store, and coming home.

 

[Marrila]

I was shopping Publix using Instacart.

I don't doubt that I would have shopped faster given time but I don't think online grocery shopping works for me. It would never be faster then just getting in the car, going to the grocery store, and coming home.

Online grocery shopping isn't for everybody. I have a friend that, like you, prefers to shop in person.
I like that I can order in the evening, get things done in the morning and then quickly pick up my groceries between errands.
It's nice there are both options.

 

[anniemae]

I have noticed stores are running out of things lately. Yet another casualty of the pandemic. I went shopping yesterday an d the shelves were definitely a little bare, lots of items wiped out or only a few options available.

I just read there is a pet food shortage. Apparently they are having issues making the tin cans and are trying to shift over to using pouches. Its so random. Just like there is a short of cars because there is a shortage of computer chips. I just hope we don't see the toilet paper shortages. I think people will panic and start hoarding again.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I was shopping Publix using Instacart.

I don't doubt that I would have shopped faster given time but I don't think online grocery shopping works for me. It would never be faster then just getting in the car, going to the grocery store, and coming home.

My husband typically picks up the order on the way home from work it actually saves me gas for him to do it than for me to get out separately. Online grocery ordering is more situational than anything for a lot of people. We don't use it all the time but then we do use it frequently. Doing a grocery order for our several meals we'll be making takes us a few minutes to create on the computer typically the evening before and then he picks it up on the way home. Tonight he's going into the store for a few items because he needs to get propane for the grill

 

[Lilsia]

I'd choose another store.
Online shopping is a bit of a skill. One you get used to the ins and outs of the app it can go quickly.
I can opt for substitutions or not.

I would ask how the store does their deliveries first. Our company uses door dash instead of having employees deliver. So if you just go to another store, you can have the same issue. The stores can not control who door dash has working for them. I would most definitely bring it to their attention so that they can call the company they use(if they use one) or even if they had an employee delivery. If you don't tell them, they can't fix it.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'm sorry OP - having been in stores, I feel for you, b/c you just don't know what will be there and what won't, and it's usually random.

As for me, I only order online shopping from Whole Foods for my dairy free/tree nut free sub products, so I do it about 1 time every 2-3 months. Since it's allergy needs, I never substitute - I'm not gonna ask a shopper to read labels, nor can I use subs that have the allergies. But my tip stays the same even if I only get 1/2 my products b/c I know they tried, and I don't want the drive or crowds of my Whole Foods, especially when I'm only getting $40-$50 worth of stuff.

I wish I could do online orders elsewhere, but so many products have been changing formulations in 2021, that I'm back to reading almost all labels for multi-ingredient products, even for products I buy semi-regularly...

 

[robinb]

I'd choose another store.
Online shopping is a bit of a skill. One you get used to the ins and outs of the app it can go quickly.
I can opt for substitutions or not.

That would help with making ordering more efficient, but it wouldn’t help with the smoke. I would assume the cigarette smoke was because the delivery driver smoked in their car. They either smoked while making deliveries or so much in the past that their car and clothes smell like smoke and “rubbed off” on the bags. Since many stores use common delivery services like Door Dash, changing stores will do no good. Smokey the Bear could drive for multiple stores. And yeah, I would have complained about cigarette smoke on my groceries.

 

[mjkacmom]

I have noticed stores are running out of things lately. Yet another casualty of the pandemic. I went shopping yesterday an d the shelves were definitely a little bare, lots of items wiped out or only a few options available.

I just read there is a pet food shortage. Apparently they are having issues making the tin cans and are trying to shift over to using pouches. Its so random. Just like there is a short of cars because there is a shortage of computer chips. I just hope we don't see the toilet paper shortages. I think people will panic and start hoarding again.

Costco here had no toilet paper last week.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

My daughter works at a large grocery/retailer as a team leader. Not only are there product shortages but add the employee shortage. The lines to check out on the weekends are long ( in time and volume).
TO EVERYONE: they can not find enough persons to fill positions so please grin and bear it and BE NICE for goodness sakes. Being Mr Grump to the cashier is uncalled for!!

 

[Marrila]

That would help with making ordering more efficient, but it wouldn’t help with the smoke. I would assume the cigarette smoke was because the delivery driver smoked in their car. They either smoked while making deliveries or so much in the past that their car and clothes smell like smoke and “rubbed off” on the bags. Since many stores use common delivery services like Door Dash, changing stores will do no good. Smokey the Bear could drive for multiple stores. And yeah, I would have complained about cigarette smoke on my groceries.

I pick up my groceries. The grocery store has dedicated pick up parking slots.
They pop the groceries in the trunk and I'm on my way.

 

[Moliphino]

I just move on to another gas station if the card reader is not working. It is annoying when something is broken, and it probably wouldn't hurt if someone took the time to report the outage, perhaps it is not known?

But the issue doesn't need to be reported with rage.

I had an issue at a gas station once where the screen and buttons were not working right. I had put my credit card in, though, and wanted to make sure the transaction was canceled so I went inside. The guy talked to me like I was an idiot who didn't know how to use a gas pump. Never went back to that station after that and it's now changed ownership, thankfully.

 

[dez1978]

I feel for you. I was in ShopRite a couple of months ago, and caught the tail end of a customer rant along the lines of, "my son NEEDS Lunchables!" The poor guy who had to deal with her told her they had some right there, and I heard her yell, "NO, he only eats the chicken nuggets!! Why are they always out?!" And she stomped away. True, for some reason chicken nugget Lunchables are hard to come by right now in my area, we know because my little cousin likes them. We improvise by making up little bento boxes for him with homemade nuggets. That's what you have to do in these times, not take out your frustration on an employee who is just trying to get through their day in an essential job that gets little respect.

Man this is a real thing in my house lol. The lunchable fixation is real. Tho my kids will eat most of them so it's not a specific one they MUST have.

I'm never really irritated about things being out of stock. I do get pretty irritated when I order for pickup the day before and schedule it for 5 pm, get there at 5:02 and it's 630 before they bring it out. Tho I don't get mean or hateful with the employees bringing the stuff out bc I know it's not their fault. From what I see it's a managerial issue at our store. When there are 12 cars out there waiting why are all 3 staff coming out with each order instead of 1 staff person per order (unless its a huge order or a large item).

What happened in the last several years that makes people think it's ok to treat others like that? I'm 42 and I've worked in lots of bars and restaurants over the years. 20 years ago, you never really saw this kind of thing and if you did, the person who was the aggressor was usually on something. Now it seems to be a daily thing.

Thank you to all of you who work in customer service. I don't think my mouth would allow me to do it anymore lol