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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Wal-Mart's Shabby Practices

A couple of months ago I wanted to bake a pie and realized that I didn't have any eggs.  I went to Wal-Mart during the dreaded Thanksgiving rush, grabbed a cart and decided to grab some last minute " I forgots". When I got to the eggs section it looked absolutely gross.  There were cracked eggs all over the railings and many had fallen in between the grates.  I lost my appetite for the pie.  I took a picture with my camera phone and when I got to the checkout line I asked to speak to the manager.  The cashier looked concerned and asked me if I was alright.  I told him that I was until I looked at the eggs section.  I showed him the captured image and  after looking shocked and apologetic he immediately waived over his floor supervisor and showed her.  She then called for the store manager. 

About 2 minutes later the store manager appeared so I told him how disgusting and unkempt the eggs section appeared.  I went on to explain that I once had salmonella poisoning and explained that it is a terrible sickness to feel and that if that area is not cleaned immediately that his customers may be at risk.  He apologized, quickly waived a few floor workers over and said that it would be cleaned immediately... Well...

I went back to the store a week later and guess what.  It still looked the same except the broken eggs in the grate were crispy and cold and STILL THERE.  I was tempted to call one of my producer friends at my job and get this on TV some how.  But then I thought, naaah, this is not a big enough story.   I just left and didn't buy any thing that day.  I shopped there about 5 more times since November and fast forward to today and tada!  It's clean and it only took 2 months to clean it.

I thought this would be the end of my story today, but no, there's more.  I was in a very good mood today.  I had bought some new beads for my Chamilia bracelet, gotten my nails done and had finally seen that the eggs section in the Snellville, GA Wal-Mart was clean.  I've been going through this phase of intending positive things and only seeing the good in people.  So, as I shopped in Wal-Mart today I felt a pep in my step and was noticing all the beauty around me... Cute kids with their parents, a clean organized store, no long lines, a smiling and polite cashier..... THEN.... as I get to the door to leave with my purchases in the cart.  A big, fat, old lady blocks my path and abruptly asks to see my receipt.  Now usually,  I say no and keep walking, but her standing in my path caught me off guard so instead I threw up my hands and said that I couldn't find it.  Then she walk along side me looking in my cart and said, " I need to check your receipt for that case of water".  Now mind you, Wal-Mart bags full of purchases were sitting on top of the case of water I had just bought.  Her tone and manner immediately pissed me off (What ever happened to my happy place?) so I said, "Actually, LEGALLY I don't have to show you anything, but here it is anyway."  I saw it on top of one of my bags, and I said it in a naa naa naa naa naa tone.  I held the receipt for her to inspect and she tried to snatch it from me.  So I held on tighter and she tried to pull it from my hands.  That went on for about 4 tugs before I shouted, "LADY! (I really wanted to say BITCH! but I said LADY!  instead.... Remember, I was in my happy place. This next line was through my teeth...) "Let- go- of- my- receipt."  She saw the intensity in my eyes and let go with both hands talking loudly saying over and over again,  "I didn't check it, she wouldn't let me check it."  I pushed past her rants and said, "And you ain't checking it either, bitch." (awww, I tried, I really tried.)  I'd lost my temper for a moment, but by the time I got to my car I was laughing.  I attempted to call the manager later to suggest some re-training on their receipt checking policy, but another ignorant lady answered informing me that he couldn't come to the phone because he was unloading a truck.  "Just call back," she said.  Whatever,  I know my rights and my right is to decline a receipt check and to keep it moving. 

My only concern right now is that I don't want to lose my temper like this in Kuwait and cuss some rude clerk out.  I'm moving there in a couple of months and I've been reading that sales staff are not nice.   I'm going to put some positive vibes out there right now and expect nice encounters.  Happy place... happy place... happy place.

4 comments:

RPGFan said...

Well, I can't say that I'm surprised at the quality of service that you get at Wally World! One of the reasons that I like to avoid going there. I don't care if it is convenient, I'd rather go out of my way so that I don't have to deal with nonsense like this.

gktlondon said...

The staff in Kuwait maybe rude but i have not seen this attitude in a supermarket. Normally all the staff in most of the shops are expatriates and usually they are pleasant.

Butterfly on the Wall said...

RPG, I can't agree with you more. Wal-Mart sucks you in with the low prices, but I think that I am done with their low standards.

Thanks, gktlondon for sharing your insight in Kuwait shops. I really want my experience there to be a pleasant one. It really baffles me though, why race, status and country of origin plays a big part there. But then again, I live in the U.S. so why should I be surprised?

Unknown said...

We're going to have to practice the woo-sah technique! WOOSAH! WOOSAH!