Do You Complain???

16 years ago

Do you either complain or return an item to the grocery store when you're not satisfied? usually, I just chalk it up as a bad experience but a few nights ago I was upset and reacted differently. I had bought a beautiful roast at Publix to serve for a special dinner. It was the same cut I always buy and the price was almost $18.00. Usually, my roast is fork tender and very tasty. Well, after cooking this as I usually do, the meat was still so tough that it was hard to cut it with a fork. I actually picked up a thin piece and couldn't "tear" it with my fingers. I called the store and the manager told me to bring back the wrapper, showing the price paid and he would refund my money. I asked him if he would like me to bring back the meat and he said no. However, I did take a small slice so that he could see just how tough it was. My money was refunded with a smile. So, I guess I will think more about throwing things away without complaining in the future.

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Comments (36)

bigack
16 years ago
Good for you, I've taken "stinky" chicken back a few times, no problem.
alexis717_df
16 years ago
Wow, it would never have occurred to me to complain to the manager. I didn't know you could do that with something you had already cooked (using a proven recipe of course). Now the stinky chicken is another matter, that I too would take back.
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nodakgal
16 years ago
I did once that I can remember at the grocery store. Usually I toss something that is bad. Figuring better that then sick.

I was making a hotdish on my lunch hour. Had ran to the store grabbed a pkg of baby carrots. Got home browned a pound of hamburger, put in the crockpot, opened the bag of baby carrots without looking and dumped them in on top of the meat. As I dumped I saw something black. Thought it was part of the writing on the plastic bag. Looked and there was mold on the carrots and they were SLIMY!!!!!! Oh I was upset. I grabbed some of it out. Took it back....they gave me a new bag of carrots and another pound of hamburger.
I was happy.
sue36
16 years ago
I took back fish that was bad, I would definitely take back something as expensive as that roast.
chisue
16 years ago
You're doing the store a favor, too. The manager can't look into a problem if he or she doesn't know it exists.
trinitytx
16 years ago
yep, been there done that. Money is too tight to keep or toss bad stuff. Plus it irratates me.

Trin
socks
16 years ago
I've taken things back because they were too old (produce) or just tasted bad. No problem.

I once took back a box of Cutie tangerines because they tasted awful. I took back a store brand of chicken broth because it tasted awful.
schoolhouse_gw
16 years ago
Yes, I have taken food products back and never had a problem with either a substitute item being given or money back. One time the deli clerk sliced up and bagged a pound of Swiss Cheese when I told her I wanted Baby Swiss. I never noticed until I got home. I can eat Swiss Cheese, but much prefer the Baby Swiss - took it back, the cashier did not want to exchange it but the manager of the deli said yes we will exchange it. I had to pay a dollar or two to make up the difference in cost, but I was happy to.
erica
16 years ago
Didn't used to, but have started when we get a product that we know isn't up to par. In fact, even did it with a jumbo Heath Bar pack that we picked up at Wal-mart at the checkout last week and it was stale/just icky tasting. Called the Hershey number on the wrapper, and gave them all the info, and they're supposed to send coupons.

It might not be much money, but it adds up, and I think companies should know when their products are off. We also did it with some Ritz crackers - not sure if they changed the formula, or what, but they were weird! Got Nabisco coupons, and wound up getting cookies for free instead.

I never thought I'd bother doing that, but I'm glad we have.
marlingardener
16 years ago
Yes, I complain directly to the store manager, and/or to the website of the product in question. I bought a tin of tuna that was almost empty and the manufacturer gave me coupons for two tins, free. Also had a roll of aluminum foil that smelled awful when I opened the package--the store manager apologized all over the place and gave me a larger size to compensate. I don't ask for extras, just exchange or refunds, but I've never been told no, or that the problem is my fault.
As Chisue said, the store manager needs to know of the problem, and usually appreciate the notification. It sure beats losing a customer!
linda_in_iowa
16 years ago
Yes I do. Last week I bought a box of Slim Shots diet product a friend had recommended. After I took the first one and it tasted awful, I looked at the ingredient. Palm oil is the main ingredient. Palm oil is very bad as it raises your cholesterol. I returned the package to WalMart and got my money back. I also called my friend and told her how bad it is.
monica_pa Grieves
16 years ago
I haven't felt the need to return an item, but I will either write an email or stop in and talk to the manager about a product that has a problem.
pekemom
16 years ago
My husband usually returns items for us.
He doesn't mind and I don't like to if I don't have to.
ann_in_florida
Original Author
16 years ago
I'm so glad to hear that others bring these things to the managers attention. Things are just too expensive now and I can't afford to toss something and take a $$$ loss, when it's the store/mauufacturers problem. I love shopping at the same Publix where I ahve shopped for years but I've been having a lot of problems there recently. Just after Christmas, I noticed that all of their Publix brand cottage cheese (which I prefer) was out of date. I called it to the attention of the person in the dairy department. He thanked me and said he would take care of it. Then, two days later, the expired cottage cheee was still on the shelf. The dairy guy working that day said they over ordered for the holidays...not a good excuse. Now, I've really been looking at the dates of everything I buy.
kathi_mdgd
16 years ago
I've taken items back several times,chicken,drink mixes that were soooooo nasty,and i've also called the 800 # and complained about products and got coupons,refunds etc.

2 years ago at t'giving time we got our turkey at the commissary,looked good in the bag.When i took it out to clean it and get it ready,that thing still had so many feathers on it,that i had to literally pluck it.I piled up the feathers on the counter,took a picture of them,the turkey,bag etc and called the 800 # and emailed them the pictures.A few weeks later i got a registered letter from foster farms and in it was 2 certificates for 30.00 each.Good customer service huh.Surprised us,that they sent two,but as they said,they wanted us to be happy!! Worked for me.
Kathi
pawsitive_gw
16 years ago
I once pulled an open bag of oreos out of the cupboard at my mom's house and half the cookies had no filling! At first we thought my brother had licked them and put them back, but on closer inspection it was clear they had no filling to begin with. Mom called the company (they had a distributor near us) and they came to the house and brought us a variety of their cookies plus about 6 packages of oreos. We were cookied out! They couldn't apologize enough.
wildchild
16 years ago
If I pay for something and it's not right I have no problem returning it no matter what it is.

When I complain I try to be constructive and polite about it.
I agree with others who said it is doing the store a service to bring things to their attention.
marilyn_c
16 years ago
Not usually. I returned some orange juice once when I got it home and saw that the inner seal had been removed. I live so far from town, it is usually too much trouble for most minor things.
dances_in_garden
16 years ago
If it's "bad" because I just don't like it, then no. I call it a character building experience and just don't buy it again LOL.

But "bad" as in there is something wrong with it? Definitely.
hallngarden
16 years ago
Yes, if there is an issue with quality or freshness. Came in one night and bought "fresh fish", and had all the trimmings. Once I opened the fish it was a horrible smell. We were several miles from the fish store so I called him and told them of the problem. Said they would return my money, and no need to bring it back. They put a check in mail to me, I did not ask for the cost of all the trimmings to go with the fish, but when the check arrived, he attached a note and said he was giving me the full amount back because we were unable to fix the meal. Needless to say, yes, I still use the same market, but have never gotten another bad piece of fish.
mariend
16 years ago
Got a 6 pack of olives at Sam's club, put it on the shelf, and then about week later picked up a can and somehow it had leaked all the out and it really smelled and stained the other cans. Could not figure how to email the company so I called them. They were very nice, did not want any of the products back, told me to throw all the cans away, and they sent a check that covered the products. I gave them the product numbers etc.
FlamingO in AR
16 years ago
I got a refund a long time ago from Winn Dixie- the turkey I had purchased and cooked tasted rancid, they refunded my money just fine but it was about 4 years before I could eat turkey again, it was that awful.

And recently I bought a large bottle of Ken's Honey Mustard Lite dressing and put it in the pantry. When I finally needed it, I took off the top to peel the seal and it was already peeled. Took that back to WalMart with no problems.

I've been using fusible velcro on some of my projects and having a hard time getting it to fuse well. Emailed the company and customer service could not have been nicer OR more generous. I won't need to buy any more velcro for quite a while.
Marilyn Sue
16 years ago
Yes, I do take things back that are not satisfactory, meaning spoiled or not made right. I had bought some Glad trash bags once and something was wrong with them, maybe they weren't sealed at the bottom, anyway I emailed the company and they were very nice and I got coupons in the mail for lots of bags. I recently took spoiled chicken back to Meijer and no problem there either. I think if things are not good or right then you should take them back.

Sue
User
16 years ago
I take it back if I don't like it or its no good.
sjerin
16 years ago
My dh gave me some Godiva chocolates for Christmas, and I opened the box about two weeks later due to all the other chocolate around. They weren't bad, but tasted less than fresh and had that white bloom on them, which I know is not harmful. Well of course, I (we) ate them anyway. I decided to write to the company after I'd had a couple and realized they weren't as good as they should be, and they sent me a new box! I had told them in the email that I was not asking for money back or new chocolates, but they did it anyway. The new ones tasted much better. :)
chisue
16 years ago
The last thing I complained about was a can of Progresso vegetable soup. When I opened it, the can was only about two-thirds full. The ingredients listed on the can included potatoes; that's what was missing.

I called their 800 number just to alert them to an evident malfunction in the canning line. I thought they might want to pull the other cans from my batch from stores. They asked for my address to send some coupons, but that wasn't why I called.
suzieque
16 years ago
I can't imagine taking something back simply because I don't like it. I have, however, taken back chicken that stinks when I open the package (well within the "sell by" date.). If there is something wrong with the product, I'd probably take it back. If it's a matter of personal taste (I don't like it), of course not.
jannie
16 years ago
Several years ago I made my husband's favorite chicken dish, it involves chicken,artichokes, and sour cream. It came out looking okay but when I served it and we cut into the meat it had a terrible chemical odor and taste. I got so mad I gathered up the whole thing and threw it in the trash. I'm such a wimp. I should have taken the wrapper and a sample to the store where I bought it. I could/should have gotten a refund.
bengardening
16 years ago
I live 40 miles from the nearest walmart and I had bought a watermelon and it was barely pink inside when I cut it, so I called them and they told me to bring it back and I told them I lived 40 miles away. They told me to bring it back next time I was in town. I usually go there about twice a month and she told me I had to bring the watermelon back. I cut off a chunk of it and threw the rest and took it back the next time I went with the receipt. They gave me my money back. The reason I only saved a chunk is because I never had room in the refrigerator to store it for 2 weeks. I guess thats why my sister always has them cut it and she tastes it before she buys it.
I bought a bernatellos pizza once and it had hardly any pepperoni on it. I called the company and they said that is the normal amount they put on it. They sent me some coupons for 5 free pizzas but I would never buy that kind again.
sherwoodva
16 years ago
I have only taken something back when it was spoiled or defective. We are only a mile from the grocery store, so it's easy. But I would never complain or return something just because it was not to my liking. I agree with Dances and Suzieque on that. It would be a lesson learned and I wouldn't buy that product again.
teresava
16 years ago
I almost always take something back if it's gone bad or defective. Sometimes it's out of my way, but it's the principle! My DH just shakes his head and says throw it away, but I paid good money for it and want what I paid for. I always check expiration dates, since I've been burned by them a few times. Often if the price on the shelf is different then the price charged, you can get the item for free!!
trinitytx
16 years ago
I once ate at a Red Lobster as I had time to kill in a small town. I always enjoy their food.
This particular time, the food was great, but the service was beyond awful.
I know sometimes that wait servers know that single women are the worst tippers as I have been a server myself. But I was completely ignored. I had to flag down someone after getting water but sitting for over 30 minutes to order.
After getting my food, which was good, I had to go to the hostess stand to get someone to bring me my check. I had been there over 1 1/2 hours for a simple meal. The server continued to walk by me but would not stop.
When I got home, I emailed RL head quarters and told them of my trip. All I wanted to do was let them know that this particular store was not very kind to me.
The fellow I got a hold of was the nicest man ever. He was so sorry for the situation and offered me coupons, which I didn't want, but he sent them anyway. That was so nice. I never complain, but this was one of those times that I felt it was called for.
I think they handled it really well, and I continue to eat there when I can.

Trin
bulldinkie
16 years ago
No I dont go back ,I live in the country when I get home finally ..I aint goin back ,for anything.
susanagain
16 years ago
Interesting I found this tonight. Just today I complained to my grocery store. I'd purchased several items that resulted in four bags of groceries. One bag held a deli dinner - a meat and vegetable stew, vegetable and desert. I drove up for the groceries and the employee didn't bring out the shopping cart. Instead he grabbed all four bags in one hand. The deli dinner was placed in my car on it's end. When I opened it there was juice in the sack and all the food was on top of each other. Extremely icky looking.

I didn't want to return to the store and with more snow due I know I won't be going out for several days. So I sent an email describing what happened and suggested they (again) emphasize how to load groceries. I didn't ask for my money back as the food is edible. Well, maybe not the desert. I guess I'm taking the passive aggressive way of seeing if they send me a refund.

McDonald's sent me two coupons for free items last week. I'd complained to their web site at least six months ago. They took care of that complaint so I was surprised to receive these coupons.
bluejeans4ever
16 years ago
Yes. Give me a topic, any topic and watch me go. :-)
evatx
16 years ago
I've returned things when something's wrong with them; if I get poor service in a restaurant or store, I usually mention it to a manager.

Do You Complain???

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