The Vent and Rant Thread

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Bookstooge

Preach it!

At least by getting emailed receipts I can avoid those miles-long printed receipts full of coupons for things that either:

1. Bought once, didn't like, will never buy again
2. Bought a couple years ago for elderly relative who has since passed away (but maybe if they keep giving me those coupons long enough, I'll need those products for myself someday?) or
3. Buy regularly for myself, but just bought a large container and won't need to buy again for months

[DiapDealer]

I don't need you to tell me the bat broke.

[Rumpelteazer]

I had a customer who was angry with me for selling him the wrong light bulb on September 21.

First of all, the light bulb he bought (old fashioned car/desk lamp light bulb of 12 volt, B15s socket) is vastly different from the one he needed (B15d socket, 240 volt), those bulbs we keep in very different places in the store, these are not the type of bulbs we mix up.

Second, I was on vacation until Monday, so I wasn't in the store the 21st. It has happened before that customers blame me for selling them the wrong item, when it was my father who sold it to them. They probably see me as an easier target.

The customer insisted to talk to my father about me. Who told him he could remember him (usually not a good thing when you remember a customer you helped a week and a half ago), that the customer specifically asked for this bulb and that I on vacation, so not in the store.

Then I had a customer come in the complain about the CFL bulb I sold him earlier in the week. Because it wasn't dimmable and there are cheaper alternatives. I send him away, those CFLs have never been dimmable, plus when he bought the bulb he literally said "I want this exact same light bulb", then I'm not going to tell him there are other alternatives.

I hope today will be easier than the rest of the week. Occasionally it's one of those days, but so far this week it's been one of those weeks and I'm not looking forward to today, since Saturday is not only usually the busiest day of the week, but also the day with the most difficult customers.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

I had a customer who was angry with me for selling him the wrong light bulb on September 21.

First of all, the light bulb he bought (old fashioned car/desk lamp light bulb of 12 volt, B15s socket) is vastly different from the one he needed (B15d socket, 240 volt), those bulbs we keep in very different places in the store, these are not the type of bulbs we mix up.

Second, I was on vacation until Monday, so I wasn't in the store the 21st. It has happened before that customers blame me for selling them the wrong item, when it was my father who sold it to them. They probably see me as an easier target.

The customer insisted to talk to my father about me. Who told him he could remember him (usually not a good thing when you remember a customer you helped a week and a half ago), that the customer specifically asked for this bulb and that I on vacation, so not in the store.

Then I had a customer come in the complain about the CFL bulb I sold him earlier in the week. Because it wasn't dimmable and there are cheaper alternatives. I send him away, those CFLs have never been dimmable, plus when he bought the bulb he literally said "I want this exact same light bulb", then I'm not going to tell him there are other alternatives.

I hope today will be easier than the rest of the week. Occasionally it's one of those days, but so far this week it's been one of those weeks and I'm not looking forward to today, since Saturday is not only usually the busiest day of the week, but also the day with the most difficult customers.

Curiosity, as a small biz owner myself--how do you handle those sorts of returning, complaining, clearly-in-the-wrong customers?

H

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Curiosity, as a small biz owner myself--how do you handle those sorts of returning, complaining, clearly-in-the-wrong customers?

H

We have a sign on our cash register that light bulbs and made to measure (eg cable we cut to length) can't be exchanged. It also says so on the receipt. items that we don't stock and are ordered by the customer can't be exchanged either. Same goes for items where the packaging is damaged. Also, when we see that a customer isn't entirely sure that what he/she asks for is correct we clearly tell them that we don't exchange light bulbs or that they can return it only on the same day (depending on the type of light bulb).

It also depends on the customer,but if someone's apologetic and admits their wrong and came back shortly after the purchase we are occasionally lenient. This one acted like a d**k from the start, even demanding evidence that I was on vacation. He was refused an exchange and we also refused to sell him the right light bulb, and we told him not to return.

Since Covid customer have been behaving worse, but our tolerance for BS has also lowered to nearly non-existent. The saying (at least in Dutch) goes that the customer is king, which is true, but only as long as he behaves like a king and not like a dictator.

[issybird]

Every time I click on a New York Times article, I get the following pop up:

Continue reading in the app — it’s better

Stay logged in and get customized notifications.
Exploring articles will be easier, too.

Read this article in the app

And finally:

No thanks, I’ll read here

Every time!

Hey, NYT. I’m logged in (otherwise thanks to your paywall I couldn’t read anything). Would it be so hard to remember my preference to read in the browser window and that as an informed reader of your fine publication, I’m presumably bright enough to read in the app if that’s what I want?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

We have a sign on our cash register that light bulbs and made to measure (eg cable we cut to length) can't be exchanged. It also says so on the receipt. items that we don't stock and are ordered by the customer can't be exchanged either. Same goes for items where the packaging is damaged. Also, when we see that a customer isn't entirely sure that what he/she asks for is correct we clearly tell them that we don't exchange light bulbs or that they can return it only on the same day (depending on the type of light bulb).

It also depends on the customer,but if someone's apologetic and admits their wrong and came back shortly after the purchase we are occasionally lenient. This one acted like a d**k from the start, even demanding evidence that I was on vacation. He was refused an exchange and we also refused to sell him the right light bulb, and we told him not to return.

Since Covid customer have been behaving worse, but our tolerance for BS has also lowered to nearly non-existent. The saying (at least in Dutch) goes that the customer is king, which is true, but only as long as he behaves like a king and not like a dictator.

As far as I know, here in the States, we don't have that second part of that sentiment ("...as long as he's not acting like a dictator," to paraphrase), but we surely have the first.

We're the same way, but I've found that "signage" or stuff on the site, s**t in the T&C (Terms and Conditions), etc. simply go unread. The day and age of people reading that stuff? Kids, that was long ago and far away. You stand a better chance today of meeting someone that rode a horse to work, than finding someone that RTFI's (Reads the Blanking Instructions). Seriously. It is an ongoing and infuriating part of my day, nearly EVERY day.

I don't get it. If someone forced me to sign the T&C for a contract, before I entered into it, I read the damned thing. Now, I admit--I don't mean the usual sort of "here's everything including the kitchen sink" software T&CS or TOSes and all that. But a small, more-intimate contract for custom services? You betcha, bygod. A wee sign by the cash register? YES, I'll read that, dino that I am.

Le sigh. Well, if it's any comfort, yup, there are others that feel your pain!

Hitch

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by Hitch

As far as I know, here in the States, we don't have that second part of that sentiment ("...as long as he's not acting like a dictator," to paraphrase), but we surely have the first.

Officially the saying is only "Customer is King", another local store had an photocopy of an old cartoon in their store which added "as long as he behaves as a king", the dictator is my own adage.

Originally Posted by Hitch

We're the same way, but I've found that "signage" or stuff on the site, s**t in the T&C (Terms and Conditions), etc. simply go unread. The day and age of people reading that stuff? Kids, that was long ago and far away.

Yup, on both the sign and our receipt it states "items can be returned within 7 days of purchase. Except for the following items:....". The people trying to exchange something always point at the first part, then we tell them to read on and when they do they often get mad. It's not my problem that they don't read.

Originally Posted by Hitch

Le sigh. Well, if it's any comfort, yup, there are others that feel your pain!

Hitch

That's why I know I can vent here. It's just amazing that some people think they can get it their way by behaving atrociously; when someone's nice I'm more motivated to go the extra mile.

[Hitch]

Before I spew, yes, I know, Amazon emails people who've bought the same stuff and have previously reviewed products and ask them to answer. Fine. But doesn't common sense have any place in the world, any longer?

I bought a food product that I cannot find locally any longer. For dog's years, I have prepared this item using the microwave, which admittedly, is a less well-known way of doing it--but perfectly legit. The original, well-known manufacturer's version had the less-known microwave version method on the side of the box. Said manufacturer appears to have d/c'ed (discontinued) it, so I ended up getting a tub of it, made elsewhere, that is allegedly the same and uses the SAME recipe for the "regular way" to prepare the foodstuff, right? The non-microwave way.

The recipe involves a fair amount of other things--3 cups of milk, eggs, yadda. I'm a bit hesitant to risk the other ingredients--a few of which are pricey and more importantly, ALSO hard to come by--just to see if it works. (yes, yes, I could try to make 25% of it, an egg is hard to divvy up in quarters.)

So, like an idiot, I posted the question on Amazon. I specifically asked if anybody HAD MADE the stuff using a mw method. Yes, I knew that I ran this risk, but....

What sort of answers do I get? "No, I've never used the m/w method, but you could try it."

NO Frakking S**T, you moron!

I mean, who thinks that's an answer? What, I'm so stoopid that it never occurred to me to just TRY it?

I didn't ask, "gosh, duh, do you think I can try to do this?" No, I specifically asked if they HAD. Not guesses, not stupid ideas, not some suggestion that I follow this other recipe that used to be on the box, 20 years ago, (which doesn't use the microwave, mind you). How the blankety-blank is that helpful?

UGHGHGHGH!

(ლ `Д ́ )ლ

Hitch

[ownedbycats]

Part of that is a bit of a clumsy UX thing by Amazon. I've not sure the last time I've seen it, but according to a few sources Amazon will send the questions to customers' inboxes -- less tech-savvy ones can think they're being asked personally and respond just to be polite.

Personally, I think it'd help if they added a "I don't know" button...

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Part of that is a bit of a clumsy UX thing by Amazon. I've not sure the last time I've seen it, but according to a few sources Amazon will send the questions to customers' inboxes -- less tech-savvy ones can think they're being asked personally and respond just to be polite.

Personally, I think it'd help if they added a "I don't know" button...

Oh, I absolutely get that. I've had that kneejerk response, myself, way back when that started and let's face it, for a nanosecond, you feel flattered, as if you matter enough to ask, but surely--surely--those braincells must kick in at some point and even if you think you're the Big All There Is, don'tcha think "uh, well, I have no idea how to help this person?"

So far, the count is, 3 answers. Two "IDKs" disguised as "just try it" (SCREAM) and one that actually had done what I'd asked about and said it worked great. (Gods above bless you, lady...)

sigh.

I agree with you. An IDK button would be GREAT. Simple, useful, effective.

Hitch

[aardbewoner]

In the netherlands you cant buy e-books from amazon! You can only pay them with credit card! no other option! You can pay other thing you buy with many options,as ideal.

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by aardbewoner

In the netherlands you cant buy e-books from amazon! You can only pay them with credit card! no other option! You can pay other thing you buy with many options,as ideal.

It's probably because with iDeal you can't pay with "1-Click", but I agree that since iDeal is the dominant online payment method in the Netherland it should be an option on Amazon also for buying ebooks.

Annoyingly you also can't buy ebooks with an Amazon gift card (which can be purchased with iDeal), it works on Amazon.com, but not on Amazon.nl. I thought that would be a work around, but alas, it didn't work.

I got a prepaid credit card, mostly for Amazon, since a lot of non-Dutch websites offer payment with iDeal nowadays.

[Gardenman]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Before I spew, yes, I know, Amazon emails people who've bought the same stuff and have previously reviewed products and ask them to answer. Fine. But doesn't common sense have any place in the world, any longer?

I bought a food product that I cannot find locally any longer. For dog's years, I have prepared this item using the microwave, which admittedly, is a less well-known way of doing it--but perfectly legit. The original, well-known manufacturer's version had the less-known microwave version method on the side of the box. Said manufacturer appears to have d/c'ed (discontinued) it, so I ended up getting a tub of it, made elsewhere, that is allegedly the same and uses the SAME recipe for the "regular way" to prepare the foodstuff, right? The non-microwave way.

The recipe involves a fair amount of other things--3 cups of milk, eggs, yadda. I'm a bit hesitant to risk the other ingredients--a few of which are pricey and more importantly, ALSO hard to come by--just to see if it works. (yes, yes, I could try to make 25% of it, an egg is hard to divvy up in quarters.)

So, like an idiot, I posted the question on Amazon. I specifically asked if anybody HAD MADE the stuff using a mw method. Yes, I knew that I ran this risk, but....

What sort of answers do I get? "No, I've never used the m/w method, but you could try it."

NO Frakking S**T, you moron!

I mean, who thinks that's an answer? What, I'm so stoopid that it never occurred to me to just TRY it?

I didn't ask, "gosh, duh, do you think I can try to do this?" No, I specifically asked if they HAD. Not guesses, not stupid ideas, not some suggestion that I follow this other recipe that used to be on the box, 20 years ago, (which doesn't use the microwave, mind you). How the blankety-blank is that helpful?

UGHGHGHGH!

(ლ `Д ́ )ლ

Hitch

I agree 100 % Hitch

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Gardenman

I agree 100 % Hitch

It's hard enough to try to create a no-sugar, no/low-fat

Spoiler:

diet

version of a dessert, for Mr. Wonderful. It really is. I mean, one that he'll willingly eat, that is.

But I'm not keen on risking my oh-so-painful-to-obtain, precious (secret) stash of Callebaut (Belgian Chocolate) to "try" some untested version of the m/w version of the recipe. Urgh.

Well...I figure, I'll start with a not-chocolate version and work my way out from there. Bugger.

I mean...sure, the worst thing that could happen is, it won't work out, but dang.

Hitch