I don't think I will be going to my local walmart anymore....

[MeanLaureen]

I had no idea they were profiling disabled people!!

I was thinking about people saying they wouldn't shop at WalMart anymore due to bad service, etc.

You know, there might be a better revenge - the kind that hits them where it hurts - their pockets

Buy only their loss leaders - like when they have brand new DVD's at ridiculously low prices to beat the competitors. They are selling them at a loss. If you don't buy anything else - they paid YOU to shop at their store!

 

[LisaTx]

Originally posted by Pop Daddy
you know your not aloud to breast feed there either, that could be the only bright spot of going shopping

Just this week a customer made a similar extremely sexist remark to an underage female employee where my son works. They filed a police report and that customer is no longer welcome.

 

[rcyannacci]

Speaking of sexism, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the impending lawsuit against Wal-mart because of their imbalanced pay system that keeps female employees from earning as much for equal work or from advancing as often to management positions. I stopped going to Walmart 2 years ago first in support of local businesses and second because of their dreadful service and environment. It is worth it to me to pay more and support my local economy- and I am not wealthy by any means, being a graduate student. Any company that is so distrustful of customers and unsupportive of their employees is a signal that something is very wrong in corporate America. And especially on Independence Day, I find Walmart's flag-waving and false patriotism particularly despicable. Just my 2-cents.

 

[barbeml]

I remember when WalMart banned some T shirts that depicted the comic character Margaret from "Dennis the Menace" saying "Someday a woman will be President."

WalMart apparently found that idea offensive.

 

[BarryHom]

I went into Wal-Mart to get my tires changed a few months ago. I went in really early around 7:30, about 2 1/2 hours before I had to go to work. I thought that would be plenty of time to get them changed. Well, they started to work on it about 15 minutes after I had arrived, but they left the car tireless for at least an hour! How hard is it to put on some tires? Did they have to find the tire replacement manual? I saw other cars being fixed before mine, and they came in after I did! I finally asked the employee what was taking so long, but she instead turned her head to talk to someone else! Another employee rudely interrupted us! By this time, I was about to go ballistic, but I had to control myself. They finally got the tires on and I arrived at work just a hair before my scheduled shift.

I did file a complaint at Walmart.com. The District Manager wanted to meet and talk, but I really didn't want to. Why should I sit down and talk about the bad situation that was clearly described on my complaint? They finally sent me an apology letter (with a few misspelled words) and a $25 gift card. The letter was hand-written on a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a letterhead and began with "Please except this apology..."

This day on, I don't care how cheap the tires are. I'm willing to pay double and go somewhere else. It seems like low tire prices equal low customer service.

 

[totalia]

Originally posted by Mskanga
I went early this morning to get a few things but also to exchange a pair of reading glasses that I got a couple of days before.
I don't know how your stores handle returns, but in our store you go in with the merchandise and right at the door the walmart employee places a pink sticker and directs you to customer service. Usually I don't have a problem but today I wanted to exchange so I asked if I could go into the store and get the replacement so that I only had to stand on the line once. I was told no by two different employees , so I told them take off the pink sticker because I am going to get the replacement in the store, instead they gave me the happy face sticker. I remind you that I had my receipt with me.
Then I do all my shopping , go to the deli and take my number. They call my number and this other woman comes out of nowhere and says , I'm next , but I didn't take a number , and they just go ahead and start waiting on her. Normally I wouldn't have a problem with that if they asked me if I mind them serving her first , but the fact that she didn't get a number and the fact that they didn't even ask, really ticked me off. Between that and the glasses incident , I left the deli without making my purchase.
The cashier ( someone I know ) called the store manager on duty and when I told him what had happened , he told me that I was wasting my time and his time , but I can waste an hour of my time to exchange something , because they have only one person working customer service and there are 6-8 people on the line no matter when you go.
I think I would rather drive a longer distance before going back to our local walmart.

Ok, first my ex worked in Walmart for two years.

Let me tell you that you cannot go into the store to get what you want to replace it with. You have to go to the counter and tell them that your going to do it first. Thee are the rules to prevent theft. Perhaps you don't like the thought that they do this because you weren't there to steal anything. They aren't going to trust you just because you said so. It's the same policy for everyone so that no one is favored.

You return the item at customer services. If you want to replace the item, they will give you a receipt to say that you did return it. Then you go into the store and choose another item and bring it to the till. Show them the receipt and you will receive it.

Why do they do this? It's really very simple. Even with the machines at the door, thousands of dollars of merchandise a week "falls off the shelves". In one department alone, the store in my city lost a whole case of hair spray.

It's nothing personal and by insisting that you do it, the employee covers their butt.

As for the Deli, I worked in a deli. Someone who butts in line IS served before the others because there is less conflict that way. The sooner we get the person out of line, the better and since we want their money, we are not allowed to refuse them service at any time.

No it's not fair that someone can butt in line. Oh well. That's life.

These things are very petty to be upset about.

If your this angry about things that are so utterly ridiculous and meant to keep the store and customers happy with only a minor inconvenience, then the store wouldn't want you shopping there anyway.

 

[Jeanny]

Originally posted by totalia

Someone who butts in line IS served before the others because there is less conflict that way. The sooner we get the person out of line, the better and since we want their money, we are not allowed to refuse them service at any time.

No it's not fair that someone can butt in line. Oh well. That's life.

then why bother having a number/ticket system? why not let it be a free for all. Sorry, but I don't agree, I always look to see if there is a number machine.. I take a number even if NO ONE is in front of the counter. just following the "rules" as it makes it easier for the unselfish.

 

[Michelina]

If your this angry about things that are so utterly ridiculous and meant to keep the store and customers happy with only a minor inconvenience, then the store wouldn't want you shopping there anyway.

Really? So expecting things like courtesy and respect make you unreasonable now and a customer that the store doesn't want? Since when is it ok to take it for granted that we are going to be considered theives the moment we walk in the door? And it's a great lesson for everyone that if you are rude and push your way to the front of the line you will be treated first? It's pretty sad that everyone has to be treated like the lowest trash that walks in the door. If that is the type of customer that Wal-Mart prefers, I say let them have them.

 

[frustrated]

I guess I have just been way too polite, waiting in line etc. I am sorry but they are encouraging and rewarding poor behavior with that system.

And nothing that is an inconvenience when shopping with children, or when one is in pain is petty. That "hookairs" attitude is just the problem with the place. Sounds as though they intentionally encourage it.

Pretty sad.

 

[Grog]

These things are very petty to be upset about

What? Playing by the rules and then getting upset when Walmart doesn't require others to do the same is petty? Why have rules at all then? What Walmart doesn't realize is that while they may have averted a scene, they may have POed the people in line behind the line jumper enough to not go back there again. Make one idiot happy, lose two or three good customers. Makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Mskanga]

Just a few points:

Ok, first my ex worked in Walmart for two years.

I have worked retail most of my life and believe me I know the kind of stunts people pull.

Let me tell you that you cannot go into the store to get what you want to replace it with. You have to go to the counter and tell them that your going to do it first. Thee are the rules to prevent theft. Perhaps you don't like the thought that they do this because you weren't there to steal anything. They aren't going to trust you just because you said so. It's the same policy for everyone so that no one is favored.

There's a big difference when I am going into the store with the item in my hand along with my paid receipt, the employee at the door sees me coming in with them, and places a return sticker on my item. I would not have a problem going to customer service and drop off the item, but I have a problem having to stand 20-30 minutes on the line just because they only have one person working behind the counter but they have 5-6 walking around, and then have to come back with the new item and wait another 20-30 minutes again just to process everything again.

Why do they do this? It's really very simple. Even with the machines at the door, thousands of dollars of merchandise a week "falls off the shelves". In one department alone, the store in my city lost a whole case of hair spray.

The difference with this is we have PEOPLE at the door all the time, the detectors only go off with the outgoing merchandise, not incoming.

As for the Deli, I worked in a deli. Someone who butts in line IS served before the others because there is less conflict that way. The sooner we get the person out of line, the better and since we want their money, we are not allowed to refuse them service at any time.

That makes perfect sense to me, you don't want the conflict but you want their money , so you serve the one but potentially lose 2-3 customers who are p'od because you are bending the rules. I get it now, gain one customer and lose three, not bad.

If your this angry about things that are so utterly ridiculous and meant to keep the store and customers happy with only a minor inconvenience, then the store wouldn't want you shopping there anyway.

Call it a minor inconvenience when YOU are the one to waste almost an hour of your time exchanging something that could be easily exchanged in 10-15 if they had enough employees working , instead of walking around, and add another 20 minutes waiting at the deli because someone cut you off and the employee allowed that customer to get in just to not have any conflicts.
I don't know what you consider minor inconvenience , but customers should not be subject to them because of lack of employees and proper training in a business.

 

[Nancy]

Our customer service desk runs so much better...we actually trust our customers. If they are doing an exchange we don't even look at the receipt until they bring the second item up. We keep the original and tell them to come back up when they are done shopping. They can go through the cashier "I'm exchanging this item at the service desk" and we let them go on through. Now I know there is a difference between a grocery store and a department store...but good customer service is just that, no matter what business you are in. If you want to keep old customers loyal and encourage new ones to come in the way to do that is through customer service. At our store "customer service is our #1 priority, every action we take should be with our customers in mind." That is the first line of our stores philosophy...it comes with every mailing from the company and is posted in numerous locations in the store...I teach it and I live it everyday at work.

 

[N.Bailey]

Originally posted by totalia

If your this angry about things that are so utterly ridiculous and meant to keep the store and customers happy with only a minor inconvenience, then the store wouldn't want you shopping there anyway.

Hey, look at this thread, see all the people who HATE Walmart, then ask yourself, do you think anyone out there cares that they/we are going a little farther down the road to hit Target? It sounds like you might fit really nicely into their mentality level there, maybe you should seek employment with them?

I worked in the restaurant business for 13 years and the guest/customer is ALWAYS right and when they're wrong, you revert back to the guest/customer is ALWAYS right. You do anything and everything within your power to make sure this person wants to return.

 

[CindyBeth]

Another person who also hates Walmart!

 

[totalia]

Let's see you say that when you are a walmart employee. I've seen the way they are treated and even seen employees run off crying because of the way they were talked to by a customer because the store didn't have their favorite brand of potato chips in at the time.

I have BEEN the customer waiting in line.

But after all of the things I saw in the store... I know why the rules exist.

Btw, the customer is NOT always right.

If that were the case, stores would go out of business.

Waiting in line is not going to kill you.

I fully admit that some of the rules need to change but perhaps customers being more polite would work alot better.

It is NOT amusing to watch a bunch of teenagers playing keep-a-way with one of the store clerks and the clerk is almost in tears but can't do anything about it because "the customer is always right".

I've worked with the public for many years and there are some very hateful and mean people out there. Unfortunately walmart employees tend to take the brunt of it and they aren't paid nearly enough for the abuse they suffer at the hands of customers.

And yes I have seen it. I lived a block away for those two years and was there almost every day.

Not to mention, in the deli we worked at, we didn't lose customers just because they had to wait an extra 2 minutes. Oh my how horrible, you have to wait an extra couple of minutes. It's the end of the world.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Okay I need to add my 2 cents as a Walmart assocaite-

First off I soo totally agree that Marts around the country are so totally different from each other- I know that the 2 stores around us *always* seem to be out of stock of things as they seem to call multiple times a day (one of my depts pet peeves is out of stocks right now we have 24 in a dept of over 7000 items) I also have gone to the "scary" walmart in Orlando which I think its *not* a good example of a Mart

do I wish they were all the same- Yup because I think deepdown Mart is a decent company but some mgrs (on all levels) make it not so decent as I think the comment from the OPs encounter with a mgr *was* very wrong-

As for the reciept thing- I know we ask for things not in bags as we've had lots of people try to get things out that way (and busted a huge theft ring awhile back) but unless the thing goes beep you shouldnt be asked- and if it goes beep then they usually look to see if you have things that go beep

I dont know about other stores but I think we do a pretty decent job keeping things clean and picked up- somedays when we have 12,000 people check out a day (not counting people ie kids who didnt swipe that credit card) it takes alot more time to recover

I think my marts one of the unusual ones as on our store track report we usuallys score over 90% on customer surveys and we are usually in the top 100 for the nation...

Now if we want interesting return stories and theft stories Ive got loads (including the lady who wanted to return the bra she was wearing as it was lumpy... and she tried to remove it *while* at the desk...)

 

[Chattyaholic]

ITA with Disneyland Emily and totalia

Until you've "walked a mile in the shoes of a Wal-Mart employee" you have no idea of the crap they have to put up with. My DH was a receiving manager for three years and told me many a tale about rude customers, things customers tried to get away with, etc. And NO, "the customer" is NOT always right!! Ridiculous concept!!

I have to at so much of what has been said here, so many petty little things people have gotten upset over, and then there are those who "wrote their letters" and received gift cards, then the rest of us have to pay for those. Yes, occasionally there may be a legitimate complaint, but what I've read here MOST have just been petty.

My DD works in the cash office at our local Wal-mart (which by the way is not trashy or dirty - and it's usually CUSTOMERS who make them trashy and dirty, employees are FOREVER picking up after them!) and has had to put up with MANY rude customers. She is the one who has to deal with people who come to settle up their "bad checks." Most want to pay with ANOTHER check, and you CANNOT do that, it has to be a money order or cash, and the idiots can't seem to get that through their thick heads. WHY would a store want ANOTHER check from some idiot who wrote a BAD CHECK in the first place?! DUH!!! And they hurl obscenities at HER for THEIR BAD CHECK!! Some want to argue with her about it. SHE did not write the bad check, but yet she has to put up with those idiots. She takes a LOT of abuse before she will finally call a manager, but occasionally she has thrown up her hands and walked away and called one. If I ever wrote a bad check, I would go in with my tail between my legs, apologizing profusely, to whoever had to deal with me!!

And those who have written Wal-Mart off their shopping list, it's probably only a matter of time before MOST will find something offensive about the Target, or K-Mart or whatever other store they go to and then they will be upset with THAT store too

 

[Mskanga]

Not to mention, in the deli we worked at, we didn't lose customers just because they had to wait an extra 2 minutes. Oh my how horrible, you have to wait an extra couple of minutes. It's the end of the world.

It is horrible when I have to wait longer after playing by the rules and being totally ignored by the employee as if I wasn't even there. I deserve better treatment than that and acknowledgment from them and have the courtesy to ask if it would be ok with me to let the other person go infront of me, would have been the right thing to do, do you know why? because more than likely I would have been the one to say let her go ahead , but to assume that I would be ok with it and not even ask me was not right.
I know the kind of stunts people pull, I have worked retail enough years to know , I know the abuse the employees have to take , I have been on the receiving end. I am usually very patient and understanding with retail working people, but sometimes they are the ones doing the abuse, don't forget that, it goes both ways.

 

[jipsy]

The customer is not always right, but the customer is always the customer.

 

[izzy]

The problem is, when you put enough of these "petty" things together, it can turn into enough of a headache that you start losing customers.