My Eight Hates
Sandi tagged me a while back for an "eight random things about me" post.
Thought I'd get some things off my chest on this Monday to beat all Mondays for me.
1) I hate shopping. I resent the pressure push to buy, consume, buy and consume some more. I hate wandering around the Stuff Mart, trying to find things like Downy soap flakes. Are they in the laundry section? That's clear on the other side of the store. Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. Nope, not there. Could they be in the household cleaners? That's the other side of the store. Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. See anything? Huh uh. Maybe they keep them with the baby items since it's kind of a gentle laundry option for those with smooth and untainted skin. That section is back by the laundry goods. Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. Hunting high and low to find.... nothing.
Ask the Stuff Mart employee who's stocking shelves nearby.
"Uh, soap flakes? What're those? Did you try the laundry section? Nothing there? Well then they'd be in the household care aisle. Oh, tried that too? What are you talking about again? Soap flakes? I've never heard of those. Let me see if I can get someone on the walkie-talkie to help... ... Oh, ok, ma'am, we don't carry soap flakes. You might want to try Stuff-O-Rama or order them on-line."
It just sucks the thrill right out of making my own garden soap-on-a-rope.
2) I hate bringing my kids with me when I shop. I dislike subjecting them to Number 1, although they are pretty patient people. I hate to add climbing on the cart, scurrying in and out of clothing racks, quietly trying to holler for them to catch up with me and stop looking at the movie cases, and little people bouncing between reading the tabloid magazines and asking me for all the candy in the checkout lane. Number 1 is distasteful enough, folks.
3) I hate checking out at Stuff Mart and attempting to pay, only to discover my credit card is declined. While the kids climb on the cart asking me for candy, and I have no soap flakes.
4) I hate it when the lady behind me in line sighs loudly from the inconvenience of my card (that won't work) and and my cart-climbing kids. I hate it that the cashier has no clue why my card is declined, or even how to call a manager over to help him interpret what his computer register is asking him to do about it.
5) I hate it when I call my husband from the store lobby to tell him the credit card was declined and I had to put everything back (except for the candy that I relented and bought for my cart-climbing children), only to find out he knew it was going to be declined.
6) I hate it when people steal my credit card number and charge thousands of dollars to my account, therefore causing the credit card company to freeze my account, and then my husband to formally close the account.
7) I hate not knowing this ahead of time. I hate it when our candy runs out. I hate it that they don't carry soap flakes.
8) I hate it that I have to go back and do it all over again.
Thought I'd get some things off my chest on this Monday to beat all Mondays for me.
1) I hate shopping. I resent the pressure push to buy, consume, buy and consume some more. I hate wandering around the Stuff Mart, trying to find things like Downy soap flakes. Are they in the laundry section? That's clear on the other side of the store. Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. Nope, not there. Could they be in the household cleaners? That's the other side of the store. Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. See anything? Huh uh. Maybe they keep them with the baby items since it's kind of a gentle laundry option for those with smooth and untainted skin. That section is back by the laundry goods. Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. Hunting high and low to find.... nothing.
Ask the Stuff Mart employee who's stocking shelves nearby.
"Uh, soap flakes? What're those? Did you try the laundry section? Nothing there? Well then they'd be in the household care aisle. Oh, tried that too? What are you talking about again? Soap flakes? I've never heard of those. Let me see if I can get someone on the walkie-talkie to help... ... Oh, ok, ma'am, we don't carry soap flakes. You might want to try Stuff-O-Rama or order them on-line."
It just sucks the thrill right out of making my own garden soap-on-a-rope.
2) I hate bringing my kids with me when I shop. I dislike subjecting them to Number 1, although they are pretty patient people. I hate to add climbing on the cart, scurrying in and out of clothing racks, quietly trying to holler for them to catch up with me and stop looking at the movie cases, and little people bouncing between reading the tabloid magazines and asking me for all the candy in the checkout lane. Number 1 is distasteful enough, folks.
3) I hate checking out at Stuff Mart and attempting to pay, only to discover my credit card is declined. While the kids climb on the cart asking me for candy, and I have no soap flakes.
4) I hate it when the lady behind me in line sighs loudly from the inconvenience of my card (that won't work) and and my cart-climbing kids. I hate it that the cashier has no clue why my card is declined, or even how to call a manager over to help him interpret what his computer register is asking him to do about it.
5) I hate it when I call my husband from the store lobby to tell him the credit card was declined and I had to put everything back (except for the candy that I relented and bought for my cart-climbing children), only to find out he knew it was going to be declined.
6) I hate it when people steal my credit card number and charge thousands of dollars to my account, therefore causing the credit card company to freeze my account, and then my husband to formally close the account.
7) I hate not knowing this ahead of time. I hate it when our candy runs out. I hate it that they don't carry soap flakes.
8) I hate it that I have to go back and do it all over again.
paper lantern of the day Monday, May 14, 2007
7 Comments:
sounds like a terrible day at stuff mart. poor friend! hang in there!
that's some bad hat, harry.
(and to make it worse-catch the irony, please-now i have the veggie tales "stuff stuff, mart mart" song stuck in my head.
Feeling your pain!!!
"she's so blue-hoo-hoo, blue-hoo-hoo, blue-hoo-hoo..." ;)
If it makes you feel better I'll tell you my Stuff-mart incident.
I was 5 or 6 weeks post-partum (that should speak volumes right there) and I am a VERY careful, price comparison shopper. After the back and forth 15 mile hike, stuff unloaded on the conveyor, my 4 children in the cart and at my side, I stood watching the digital price thingy. I kid you not 3..THREE...things rang up as wrong prices. I was kind, patient, brought each to her attention (frankly surprised ny the mis-pricing). The cash register attendant was not particularly cheerful.
I'll spare you the play by play, but by the third wrong priced item, she literally turned her back and walked away. She did not give a flying flip.
I went to customer service for the refund and they have a policy that if they ring up the wrong price you get $3 back (for your trouble I guess). The Customer (non)service girl didn't get my issue. I asked if she or someone would like to go with me and we could price-check.
Nope, nobody would. So I said I would happily go check again, I afterall could have been in error. I checked, and sure enough the 3 items rang up wrong...resulting in me being overcharged by $6. (Here's where my husband would say you get what you pay for.)
Went back to CS lady, who pretty much accused me of lying...LOUDLY...to all those standing in line. You wanna tick me off..call me a liar! I was fuming inside!
She reluctantly gave me my six dollars, and made no attempt to acknowledge the $3 back policy. When I asked she said "You can get $3 back on one item, but not all three...besides I already gave you 6 dollars back."
"Yeah, that was my own money that you overcharged me!"
On the way out I found a "manager" shared with her the situation. She was kind and at least had a customer service attitude. She brought me over to a register where I was to be given $3...and I kid you not it took 20 minutes!!! The dear checker did not speak English and could not figure out how to give me $3 dollars without the tax as well (like 15 cents or something little). She labored over it for 20 cotton freakin' pickin' minutes!!! Oh my lands! And finally just gave me the $3.
And you know what's even funnier.
The next time I went to stuff-mart (in a totally different town) I picked up a clearance laundry basket. It had no price so I asked if she would scan it first so I could see how much it would cost. She told me. I said "Thanks but I won't get it." (I didn't need it that badly) She said "How much do you want to pay? Name your price and it's yours." lol She was serious and I was totally surprised...and she said something about keeping the customer happy.
Go figure. Some people do what customer service is...even at the big W.
That was a great story, Roberta, even though it must have been a nightmare in the moment.
My dear Erin dear (and yes, that is two "dears" on purpose!), I am so sorry to hear about your Monday. :( I came over here with the express intent to leave a comment on whatever most current post was up that said I was sorry to hear about your bad Monday . . . only to find this horrific story, all served up for me to understand.
What an awful daymare to be living through. I remember watching that happen on occasion to people when I worked at a bank. Thankfully, there are ways to secure back your funds pretty quickly, but it's scary to be walking through it, I can imagine!
I wish I could have been walking the aisles with you at the Stuff Mart (what the heck is a Stuff Mart?!), just to be someone to make you laugh and keep you sane. I would have sprinted to the other aisles, just to check on the stinkin' soap flakes so you didn't have to tow that cart and the kiddies all that way for nothin'.
Hope your Tuesday shapes into something better.
Thanks for your sympathy, girls.
Roberta has me beat. I'm just wimpy enough that they've got me. No way, no how would I have the mettle to stand and watch the scanner price my items, and then remember what the listed price ought to be, and then take my case up with the manager for $3 an item, with all my kids in tow. I would, sad to say, probably pay $20 for a flat of half-moldy Clementines if they would. just. let. me. leave. the. store. already.
Roberta, will you come shopping with me?
Pray for me guys, I'm going back in this morning. With all the kids. NOT looking for soap flakes- they don't carry them, you know- just trying to get the few other things we had to leave behind.
I would, sad to say, probably pay $20 for a flat of half-moldy Clementines if they would. just. let. me. leave. the. store. already.
LOL! Funny..gross but funny!
Shucks, we were at the big W today, would have loved to have gone together...next time. :)
Hope you made it through alright. Sometimes I bribe..uh, I mean reward my kids with Sobe's when the trips over. It can be rather helpful.
I'm sorry. But you have a great attitude about it all. I don't think I would be so pleasant.
I'm here via Charity's blog. :)
Here's to paper lanterns.
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