Mean-minded, petty, Tesco

Yes, once again it's a rant at Tesco from my blog. Sorry H, I know you work there, so you're exempt, it's not aimed at you, but yet again I've had a face off in the store over pricing and come off worse.

How many times have I resorted to using this blog to have a go - a lot, and it's always with justification. You'll remember, "Any 3 for £10" all on the same shelf - get to the till. "Oh but that one isn't included in the offer sir, even though it was on the same shelf and has the same sticker on it" etc etc.

Go in today, eagerly looking forward to buying the latest Now Album, Now 83, released today. Here it is.

How much would you pay?

I have devotedly bought all of these over the years and am rather proud of my collection, not only that but they form a big backbone of my DJ'ing collection.

Anyway, in I go and head straight to the CD's racks, sure enough there it is, in the No 1 slot with a big yellow sticker under it reading £10. Now as we know these little yellow stickers also have a lot of miniscule writing detail on them, but I see £10, grab it and take it to the till.

And lo and behold - up rings £13. So I protest, someone is called to help check and off we go to look at the fixture. And on closer scrutiny the text on the yellow shelf sticker in titchy writing reveals that in fact the £10 price refers to a One Direction CD. However - the One Direction CD is further along the shelf at Number 3 - which also has a £10 sticker below it as do all the top row. Not a £13 sticker in sight.

So basically someone has come along, put all the Now 83's out, moved all the others along and not bothered to change any of the price labels. So the casual viewer sees £10, how many of us bend down to peer at the detail?

I have lost count of the number of times this has happened - and always in Tesco and always in that store! Do you know I can't wait until that new Sainsbury opens and gives them a well deserved kick up the arse. I certainly won't be shopping in there much any more that's for sure!

So here I am, loyal, daily customer, asking nicely to the management if they can acknowledge their mistake and give it to me for a tenner. But no - a flat refusal. Not only that - their additional response is to remove all of the CD's from sale, scooping the lot off the shelf and taking them away. Nice move Tesco, on the opening day for sale of a new product. Well you save yourself £3 from me - but how much do you lose in goodwill, and not only that I am now using the power of my very widely read blog - check out the hit count if you don't believe me, to expose your mean-mindedness and pettyness. In fact readers, if you agree with my sentiments feel free to share on facebook, so I get as many hits as possible. If they are going to treat their customers with this much contempt, they deserve negative publicity. Anyone would think they were a bank, not a retailer, oh, hang on, they are into that now though as well aren't they?

I should point out that had the label said £13 in the first place I would have happily paid this. It's the fact that I am made to feel like an idiot because of their mistake that I object to. When these types of things happen you invariably piss all of the other people off in the queue behind you, it seems the whole system is designed to make you look like you're the problem, not them.

Save £3 from me, have you? Hope you feel good about yourself. I couldn't give a toss about the £3 it's bugger all to me, clearly it means a lot to you. I'm sorry if I'm being unreasonable because I saw £10 in big bold letters below a product and expected to pay that. Suppose it's my own fault really, I didn't bring my microscope with me to read the small print, I'll try and remember to bring it next time along with my Clubcard. Oh no, I forgot, I can't, you still haven't sent me my replacement and key fob after mine stopped working properly despite numerous phone calls, never mind. Couldn't get customer service to exchange my last set of vouchers for rewards, seems it's the "wrong sort of card" and the computer doesn't recognise it. Oh well, good job the trusty old nectar card for Sainsbury's is still going strong, I shall be needing it a lot soon. It can't come soon enough.

Every little helps - guffaw guffaw!!!! Well how much has the £3 you saved from me today helped you? Has it made me more likely to spend money in your store or say nice things about you? I think you know the answer to that one. Perhaps some people meekly back down and say no more - but this is Bicester Blogger you've messed with now and I don't keep my mouth shut when I'm pissed off! As you can see!!!

PS: While we are about it, please can you advise all of your checkout staff that I am using my own bags and I do not need any help with my packing today. Also perhaps try employing a few more people so you can keep your shelf tickets up to date, as I could probably walk into that store any day of the week and point out at least half a dozen mistakes.

Oh and by the way I've just been on to Amazon and bought Now 83 for £11.99 and encourage anyone else who wants to buy it to do the same.

If you have enjoyed reading this blog, please take a look at my books on Amazon (Paperback & Kindle), where you can read lots more of the same! Click here.

Thank-you

Jason xx

Comments

  1. I might work there, but I do understand how you feel- there has been alot of changes there recently and not all of them for the better- I would urge you to write to head office and make them aware as this clearly isn't a one off, or you could write on the official Tesco Facebook page as I know that customer service representatives moderate the page and usually reply to any grievances raised x

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  2. No - clearly not a one-off and such comments can be found all over the net. It's silly really as at one time they used to be so good over this sort of thing. I remember once about 15 years ago getting home from big Tesco and discovering that they had charged me twice for a 24 pack of coke. I had no proof, but went back to the store and not only did they refund me double the difference (giving me back about 12 quid) they gave me another 24 cans as well!! It's very hard to imagine this happening today. Seems there has been a sea change in attitude - and within the store it seems that management are squarely to blame - most of the actual staff are fairly sympathetic!

    I've found some quite amusing comments on the internet about management in various Tesco stores - my favourite one was something along the lines as far as I can remember it "the managers here seem more interested in shagging their employees than helping customers" which did make me chuckle! Of course I am sure such things don't go in Bicester. lol

    Anyway if it all goes tits up you could always jump ship across the road to Sainsbury! Head of their new in-store Bakery suit you? x

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  3. NTWICM 83! With graphic design from 1983 too! :)

    But with modern day ethics and selling practice. I can't vouch for Sainsbury or Asda, but Morrisons are buggers for overcharging too. It seems to be commonplace for supermarkets to have pricing anomalies which can be attributed to computer errors or small print. Big business rely on shoppers to be too stressed, or too busy to check the receipt. I know I don't usually check.

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  4. I had a similar experience today. There was a 'two for £1' offer on Tesco handwash, except that the shelf was completely bare save for a single remaining bottle of handwash. I went to the Customer Service desk and asked if I could have it for 50p. The girl initially said yes and took me to the till to tell the girl on the till. Unfortunately it was a higher-rank woman on the till, and she made someone go and look for another bottle to complete my offer. When the member of staff returned without one, she refused to let me have the last one for 50p. I'm thinking Asda will be getting my custom more often in future ... Martin

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