Monday, January 16, 2012

Another Frustrating Walmart Experience

     So, you know how many grocery stores (including Walmart, most of the time) offer free cookies to children? Well, the other day I took my almost 2-year-old to Walmart because I needed to get a couple of things. Before we got to the store, she was starting to get fussy, so I told her we were going to the store and she could have a cookie if she was a good girl. She immediately calmed down at the prospect of a cookie. 
     When we got to the store I asked the greeter if they had the "cookie club" stickers (since a previous time the person in the bakery asked if we had gotten the sticker) and he found them and gave her one. So, to the bakery we went. After waiting for the lady behind the counter to finish her phone call (which started between another customer and myself) I asked if she had a cookie for my little girl. Then she said they were out of samples to give to kids. 
     Well, I asked if she could just open a package of cookies, since that's what they do at HEB when they're out behind the counter. The lady said she couldn't do that, sorry. Though a little annoyed, I would have just moved on, but my daughter, still anticipating her cookie, was starting to get upset and saying "cookie." 
     How do you explain to a 2 year old there are no cookies when she can see 50 dozen cookies sitting right there? So I asked another employee where I could find a manager. She directed me to the little podium in the middle of the front where someone is available for info or to page someone. So I went to over there thinking the whole time "this is way too much hassle for a cookie." 
     Anyway, I told her what the situation was, and after a little more here and there, calling on the walkie-talkie, they finally decided to open a container of sugar cookies. So we finally got our cookie. I felt like an idiot causing such a big deal for a cookie, but I knew my daughter would scream the whole time if she didn't get her cookie. And really--is it going to put a dent in Walmart's massive profits to open a container of cookies? 
     My daughter was actually pretty good and patient until getting her cookie, though she did start to fuss a little when she thought she wouldn't get one. If they had single cookies for sale, I would have bought her one, but I wasn't going to buy a whole dozen. And after getting her cookie, she was actually pretty good the rest of the time I was in the store. 
     So, for those of you who refuse to shop at Walmart for whatever reason, there is just one more thing to add to the list of frustrations. I know it's usually crowded, the company doesn't seem overly concerned about customer service and some of their "made in China" products aren't the best quality, but for some reason, I still find myself shopping there for low prices and convenience. Though I do tend to shop there less than in the past. :-/

4 comments:

  1. I am glad you stuck your ground with the workers and got your daughter the promised cookie! She must be closeish in age to my little guy...he will be 2 in May.

    Not at all a fan of Walmart but in our small town we don't have a Target (where I would rather shop), so we find ourselves at Walmart sometimes.

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  2. Yeah I felt really dumb making such a big deal about a cookie, but she was actually being pretty good for her and I hated not to get her cookie when she was being good. She will be 2 in Feb. Not really a huge fan of Walmart, but I still find myself shopping there...:-/

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  3. I have a love hate relatinship with WalMart. I like that they price match and they do have lower price on some things, but they don't double coupons and they never have enough registers open! They're prices change with no warning although I'm sure they're based on other stores sale prices and when the sale is over, the prices go back up. It's frutrating! Good for you for getting your daughter her cookie! If they're going to offer stuff like that, they ned to make sure they don't run out because you're right, kids won't understand!

    Mona @ poppinupallover.com

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  4. If Walmart has a cookie club, then they should honor it, especially with little kids.

    My beef with my local Walmart is that they never ring up the proper price on items purchased from the clearance table.

    Once I bought several items off the clearance table and had coupons - sweet. After I checked out, I looked at the receipt and noticed I was charged full price for the clearance items. I went back to the customer service area and got my $4.85. The customer service person gave me my refund - no question asked. I figured it was a glitch and moved on.

    And then the same thing happened to my husband when he went to Walmart. Except he never checked his receipt before he left, and we ended up paying full price that time. Luckily, we are only talking about paying an extra dollar, but it's still annoying.

    My son is almost the same age as your daughter - he will be 2 in March! My daughter's birthday is also in February. She will be 5.

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