Ok, so I'm a bitch. (rant)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

Last week, the Giant stores in the area had a Procter & Gamble promo going on. They advertised that if you purchased $30 worth of P&G products in one shopping trip, you'd get a coupon for 30% off all deli items on your next shopping trip.

So I bit, and went to the local Giant, which is slightly cheaper than the nearest one with a deli. I figured it wouldn't matter since the ad mentioned that its prices were only good in certain stores, including that one.

Well I didn't get my coupon for the deli, I got a coupon for 30% off produce. I complained to the manager, showed him the ad, and after about half an hour of screwing around, finally left the store with a note on the receipt that said something like, "This entitles the purchaser to 30% off next deli purchase. It didn't seem quite kosher to me, so I called the district office and spent another half hour waiting for someone to finally pick up the phone, and confirm that this really was a legit method of getting the discount.

Naturally, when I showed it to the nice lady at the register this evening, she looked at me like I was crazy, and said she couldn't use that as a coupon. So I went into bitch mode and told her that the manager of the other store and the people at the district office assured me that they would honor this coupon; and if they weren't going to, I was going to be as mad as ahornet, because of their deceptive advertising practices.

So she got the manager, and I went through the same rigamarole with her, only more insistently, because she wasn't going to call either the manager of the other store or the district office. I told her I was sorry to have to be so aggressive about it, but it wasn't fair for me to purchase $30 worth of products that I don't normally use, only to have my incentive for buying them taken away and brushed off. There was a rather long line forming behind me, too.

She finally gave in, and gave me my discount, and as she was working on it, I turned to the patient lady behind me in line and apologized for the fiasco. She was Asian, and replied in understandable, but broken, English, "Is ok...I learn from you! Congratulations on your discount!"

Hope I haven't created a monster! :blush:

[Kire]

1. You have Giant stores in your area?

What happened? Did they get a tumor on their pituitary gland? Is that why they kept growing?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

4. I think the chain may have started here.

But they just made major cutbacks in their office personnel. Seems the main office is moving out of the country. They're still talking about building new stores and expanding old ones, though. My local store will never be expanded. The neighborhood isn't wealthy enough.

[Kire]

5. the bigger they are

the harder they fall

[GoddessOfGuinness]

22. Bigger sure isn't better...

[Kire]

29. it's usually worse

[leftofthedial]

2. you were (and are) not a b**ch

you were being ripped off.

you did the right thing.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. It was worth it...

I got $11 out of it.

[leftofthedial]

10. you're right though

you may have created a monster . . .

:-)

[Left Is Write]

3. You're not a bitch, and you did the right thing.

Never let stores rip you off.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. I'm glad I did what I did

but it was embarrassing having to fight with people to get what I was promised.

[evlbstrd]

6. You did good.

No Giant stores in my area, but I used to shop in one in Norfolk, VA, long ago. It was giant! The WalMart of its day, wan't it?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. I hate going there, and normally avoid it like the plague

They sell too much stuff there now, and without coupons their prices are horrific.

[DS1]

8. I've seen that same deal advertised

It was definitely 'Deli' at the Stop & Shop. I couldn't think of 30 bucks worth of cleaning stuff I needed though.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

14. I don't usually buy Tide

but they had a 3 gallon container for $17 and I had a coupon. There's a lot of other stuff that's P&G too...Head and Shoulders, Folgers, Vicks...It's pretty frightening how many little guys have been swallowed by the big fish.

[DS1]

15. That must've been heavy

3 gallons of Tide!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

20. I'm from good Scandinavian stock

Strong like bull! :D

[salin]

12. I love the ending to your story

I don't have enough patience to put up the fight that you put up. I admire your tenacity. But I love your reflection upon the person behind you... and the possibe reprecussions. Not for her, but for other shopping experiences.

Well Done!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. I don't know how new to the country the woman was...

I hope she doesn't think that as long as you have a note saying you get a discount, you can get one if you haggle long enough!

[uppityperson]

13. You were, they deserved it, what's your definition of "bitch"?

To recap-
What's your definition of "bitch"?
You were rather agressively insistent, leading some to lable you a bitch. If male, you'd be called aggresively insistent.
They deserved it. I hate this sort of false advertising pass the buck crap.

Good job there, bravo for risking confrontation to make them do what they said they would.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

18. A bitch isn't always a bad thing, really.

As long as you know when it's appropriate and necessary to be one.

You hit the nail on the head when you call it "pass the buck crap".
The full responsibility lies with the administrative offices IMO.

[Tsiyu]

17. I guess they figure if they aggravate you enough

you'll give up.

But you beat them at their own game.

Now, Repeat after me:

"I am NOT a bitch. But if someone makes me miserable, I will make them MORE miserable."

This is my mantra.

And kudos for setting a fine example for others! :beer:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. I realized one day that the fine print on their Sunday ad

said that the advertised prices were only good in about 10 stores. Other districts offer the same sales, but at slightly higher prices.
I'm not sure what their criteria is for determining which stores sell products for less; but I imagine it has something to do with the amount of shoplifting/damage losses that are incurred in the larger stores.

[uppityperson]

21. Rather like the tiny little print in the Safeway ads

Big font : SPEND $50, get 10% OFF!!!!!
tiny font: at next visit
I hate this. I could barely read it, even with my bifocals on high power. I complained about this and The Card to The Manager who called me a paranoid female dog in heat. I no longer shop there and have told my friends, family and their headquarters why. I'm a bitch too.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

24. Good for you!

The manager was angry with me, but kept her cool.

I told her I was sorry that she had to be the one to clear up someone else's mess. But maybe she'll have the guts to call the district office and give 'em hell.

[Writer]

23. That was YOU???

I'm sorry, but you were such a BITCH!

Writer
Manager, Giant Store #6467

[GoddessOfGuinness]

25. Nice try

but it was #316. You made me look, though! :hi:

[Writer]

26. Heheheheheeee

;)

[RoyGBiv]

27. Please don't hit me ...

I look at this a couple different ways.

I've been on the receiving end of these kinds of rants; actually I'm on the receiving end of them on an almost daily basis. Corporate makes the rules, and we get to deal with the fallout. I do understand your frustration, to the point I feel sort of a spiritual ranting right there along with you.

But ...

Never, ever, let some manager blow you off with a hand-written anything and then expect a low-level employee not to question it. Low-level employees get fired, on the spot and in front of people with prejudice, for falling for scams that almost always include some sort of story like yours. Note that I am in no way saying your story isn't truthful, simply that scams start out very much like the story you told, and those employees are warned against it. All honest people pay for the crimes of the dishonest. It sucks, but there it is.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

28. That's why I called the district office...

The person I spoke with there assured me that this would not be a problem. I fully expected to have to speak with the manager about it. In retrospect it would have been wiser to talk with the manager before making my purchases, so it wouldn't create a scene; but to be honest, I just wanted to get my shopping done and get out of there.

I understand where you're coming from, and where the cashier and the manager of the store I went to this evening were coming from. I also passed along the message that she could verify the the claim by calling either the district office or the other store.

I'm not sure who programs the in-store coupon machines, but this chain clearly suffers from poor communication problems. If I feel energetic enough, I may call the district office tomorrow and complain to them again.

[RoyGBiv]

30. Please do ...

For all customer service people out there, you will be doing them a personal favor. Call the district office. Create as much of a stink as you can about it as far up the chain of command as you can. Get mad. Make them fear you. I'm being very serious here.

Corporate types have absolutely no clue what their policies do. Sure, they get feedback ... from mid-level managers who by and large cook the feedback they get, which is once removed and filtered from the people "on the floor." But, they don't understand that feedback, because it is filtered and because they *want* to be able to report positive results to their own superiors. In all my years of dealing with the public, the only time I have ever seen a real change take place is when a customer took it upon him or herself to pick up the phone or the pen and harass upper management incessantly, not until they were personally satisfied, but until the policy itself was changed.

With no disrespect intended, I will tell you that you were blown off. You were accommodated on the spot and gotten rid of so that the "all is well" face could continue. If it truly made you mad -- and I am thinking it did -- please do not let it end there. Make the people who sit in offices all day and dream up these advertising campaigns hear you.

[RoyGBiv]

32. BTW ...

I'm offering this in a second respond because I do feel it is a somewhat separate issue.

You are not a bitch. You are standing up for your right to be treated appropriately.

[mermaid]

31. Not A Bitch

Why is it when a WOMAN assets herself, she's a "bitch"
But when a MAN asserts HIMself, he is "assertive" and "a go-getter?"

:wtf:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

33. Because many people of both sexes can't get over the thought

that women are not inferior, and need not take subordinate roles to men.

[Mutley]

34. Being a bitch

or a dick, whichever applies to you, is the only way to get what's right from these large corps. That is what I've learned over the years of working in retail and being a consumer.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

35. So it would seem...

Probably another CEO's scheme to save money.

[Book Lover]

36. You're a role model!

Good for you :-)

[Rabrrrrrr]

37. Good for you!!