Supermarket suck staring....

[sld72382]

....My mom, of all people.

The issue is that the supermarket we frequent recently stopped carrying a certain cleaning product, one that has proven itself to be very useful.

Last week I submitted a special order for it but it either didn't go through or was delayed for some reason. I wasn't rude, I said please and thank you and that was that.

So today, my mom inquires about it. The store manager lets her know that it has been discontinued (not told to me the week earlier) and is also available via special order, to which it can take 2-3 weeks. The store also apologized for the earlier mixup and promises to order it ASAP.

Things were going OK until my mom pulled out a classic SC move, the "I'll take my business elsewhere" card.

Her: Now you know I'm a good customer, I spend over 1000 dollars a month in your store, I would hate to have to go elsewhere and have you lose my business over this one item!

After we walk away from the counter, I have this convo:

Me: Mom, why did you have to be say that sucky phrase? They already acknowledged that they were going to order it for you.

Her: Because you have to be assertive, and that's called being assertive. Now that I said that it's going to get their asses in gear!

Me: That's not being assertive, that's being sucky.

Her: Yeah well they way you did it a week ago you were mister softy pants and it didn't get ordered.

Me: Mom, haven't you heard of human error?

Her: No, you were soft and that's why it wasn't ordered.

Me:

I firmly believe that the "I'll take my business elsewhere" card should only be used if the store royally screwed up and wasn't going to do anything to fix it. But in this case it wasn't needed.

[Qaeria]

Although I agree that it is a "Sucky" card to play, there are times nonetheless that it will work. The sucky part of it is when your basic EW uses it as a hollow threat. It is a different story when it will be followed through.

Case in Point:

One of the local supermarkets has been steadily going downhill on some key issues. Since I shop here regularly, and like the company, I really don't want to go elsewhere, but I will if I have to.

So I had a meeting with the SM, and advised him of my complaint, what I had issues with, and told him that if the situation does not improve within a month, I would take my business elsewhere.

I'd tell you how it went, but there is still a week left in my deadline, and no real improvement thus far. I know the SM, and he is a good guy, but I think he's just another victim of our crazy labour market out here, and cannot get the help he needs.

I will go elsewhere, it looks like, but it's not to get my way for petty reasons. I mean, I think we would all like to buy produce without mold (and lots of it), Beef that won't make you sick, and bakery items to be available. Joe Blow might be able to spend $5 on a loaf of bread, but I can only afford the $2 bakery special.

[Andrew B.]

Me: That's not being assertive, that's being sucky.

You're right. The techincal term is aggressive. She only acknowledged her own rights and not the rights of the other party, in this case the store. In a normal situation, this should make it less likely that she gets what she wants.

What you did the first time was being assertive.

[Chromatix]

If the store is frequently selling obviously spoiled food, they need to be reported to the authorities. Pronto. It might not be entirely the manager's fault, but *somebody* has to be held accountable.

[simpleyme]

when people pull the old "I'll take my business elsewhere" card i always hope they are not fibbing ,but you know they will keep coming back ;-(

[powerboy]

When I had a customer tell me that they were taking their business to someplace else. When they came back, I called him on it.

[nomorecarts]

no one is going to take $1k a month worth of business elsewhere over not having one item

[Geek King]

The words "I will take my business elsewhere" is almost never said aloud by anyone who means it. The people who are serious about it will usually just "vote with their feet" and go some other place without a rucus.

[Sliceanddice]

no one is going to take $1k a month worth of business elsewhere over not having one item

i would actually because i prefer to shop in one place for items...

[draftermatt]

The words "I will take my business elsewhere" is almost never said aloud by anyone who means it. The people who are serious about it will usually just "vote with their feet" and go some other place without a rucus.

My Dad did.

Best Buy, rebate gone, out $200. He told them "I know you don't really care, but I won't be returning"

And hasn't set foot in one since. I feel bad shopping in one because of it.

[protege]

I know one garage I won't be returning to. A certain car broke down 2 months ago, and has been sitting in the same spot since. Why? They're "too busy" to work on it. Yet, the other vehicles being worked on constantly change

[Ironclad Alibi]

The words "I will take my business elsewhere" is almost never said aloud by anyone who means it. The people who are serious about it will usually just "vote with their feet" and go some other place without a rucus.

I agree. My philosophy about threats is to never use them. Why give them a warning?

[JustADude]

I agree. My philosophy about threats is to never use them. Why give them a warning?

Exactly! A quiet "sucker punch" out of nowhere is always so much more beautiful than a big show of beating your chest followed by nothing, to extend the metaphor.

[StanFlouride]

The words "I will take my business elsewhere" is almost never said aloud by anyone who means it. The people who are serious about it will usually just "vote with their feet" and go some other place without a rucus.

I agree. There are several local businesses that I have not shopped at in 15 years because of some incident that I cannot even recall at this point. When I decide to boycott a business I just do it.

[Ree]

I complained to a store over the way they treated my children and I told them I would not be back. I haven't been.
(I may have told the story before, but the clerk treated them like they were there to steal, telling them to "move along" when they said they were just looking, yet allowed other adult shoppers to browse.)

I think it's important to let them know why they have lost a customer so they can at least try to make an improvement.

I agree that it's an empty threat a lot of the time, especially in my case where it's a small town and shopping choices are limited.

(It's been very hard not to shop at that store, as it was one of my favourite places to get really nice greeting cards and gifts.)

It's frustrating when a store stops carrying a favourite product. It happens so much to me. I'm a ver picky eater and I tend to eat the same things. It never fails that, as soon as I find something I really like, stores stop carrying it or the companies stop making it.

It's nice that the store was willing to order it in for you. I'm sure your Mom probably thought her approach would get results. All you can do is keep trying to educate her, I guess.