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Entering the store, I knew they would be "out of stock" on the ad item. The shelf space, that allowed for only 4 containers, was empty. The aisle was marked "Break Room Supplies." Staples does not have a large back room warehouse for backstock like WalMart or Kroger. There was never any intention by Staples to back the add by having enough merchandise in the back room or on display.
A clerk asked us if we wanted to order the product online, laughingly telling us that a line of people were outside waiting for the coffee when he opened up. He said he thought they were waiting for an Apple product. We were told that each of us could order 2 at the sale price and would receive them the next day, October 2. Shipping would be free. On October 2 we got a call from the Staples depot in Houston saying our orders would be delivered October 3.
On October 3 a pickup with a camper shell pulled up with our coffee. It was not a UPS or Fed-Ex truck, but a private contractor, likely a local delivering coffee for Staples. I signed for the two boxes, each containing two 30.6 ounces of coffee, likely a year's supply for us.
Staples, of course, did not make money on this transaction. They got us in the store, perhaps hoping we would buy another brand at regular price or just for us to have the image of Staples has having everything for the office, including the break room.
While happy with 4 large containers of coffee for $15.96, it is a form of dishonesty to advertise an item on "special" without ordering sufficient product to support the ad. Several cities across the United States check the ads of large retailers to make certain they have enough product on hand to back up their ad, fining those who do not.
A large 4 or 8 page ad similar to the one used by H.E.B. will thoroughly checked, not only for product but for pricing. Our local stores would not pass this check with current practices.
Last year the manager at the H.E.B. on Central Blvd., admitted to me that they had not ordered the feature front page item of their ad. It was a loss leader that would have lowered the gross of their meat department.
Recently, the H.E.B. on FM 802 featured "Boneless Beef Roast" for $2.97 lb. On display the product was marked $4.97 lb. When the market manager marked two the correct price for me, he left the others mispriced. When I mentioned this to the store manager, he went to the market allegedly to correct the situation. These are not isolated examples.
Clever merchandising, coupled with advertising, can be a form of dishonesty.
So what is the problem you grumpy old man? They fixed the problem and you got your years of coffee supplied at a huge discount. 2 days later? We are lucky that Staples would even open a store in this shit hole city.
ReplyDeleteTypical response to what locals perceive as a freebie or near-freebie. Pay the full fare, Barton!
ReplyDeleteYes, dumbasses do pay retail.
DeleteIs the bait-and-switch on the way for Lincoln Park, as well?
ReplyDeleteHEB sometimes mislabels vermillion snapper as red snapper. Red snapper is a more desirable fish and considerably more costly. Of course, their fish guy may not know the difference and it could be that he is being scammed by his distributor.
ReplyDeleteOh, shut up, fishboy. The only "Red Snapper" Mexicans know about is pussy!!!
DeleteHA HA HA HA HA. GREAT REPLY!!!!
DeleteHEB on Central Blvd. had a seriously bad habit of not maintaining isle product prices to what their cash registers would ring up. After several instances over a few years of not getting the sale prices where at first you blow it off as an error, but after a while you notice a pattern. When mentioned store manager time and time again with no noticeable corrections or attempts to correct the problem...a complaint letter to corporate headquarters was sent. The letter stated HEB on Central Blvd. was ripping us off knowingly. It had become obvious that bait and switch was the norm for that HEB and this consumer now viewed it as intentional theft. Maybe that is why HEB gives back during the holidays to make up for either the incompetence of its store managers or for ripping off consumers. That store manager was required to write a letter of apology, but it came across snarky. The manager offering to drop off the $3.00 his store had over charged us. To which I replied...do your job correctly by fixing your cash registers to reflect the product prices accordingly and you will not have to make personal deliveries to return a customers money. Keep the $3.00 as a reminder. Since that time, the problem of habitual wrong pricing has faded away. See what happens when you talk to corporate, when managers won't do right by their customers. All to often people in this town who run things think their customers have no recourse. A customer always has recourse.
ReplyDelete