SC's who make up their own promotions

[greensinestro]

I've seen this myself several times at grocery stores and department stores. These people are everywhere. I'm talking about people who check out and then will say "This is supposed to be eighty-nine cents according to your newspaper ad." Of course, the SC doesn't have a copy of the ad, nor can it be found in this store. And, much of the time, the managers will let them have it to get rid of them, so they don't cause bad publicity for the store.

My stepdaughter now works at Winn Dixie and has her share of these people. She told me one lady comes in almost every night and will make up her own "buy one, get one free" promo. Last night, she came through her line with two bunches of carrots, insisting up and down that the produce department had a sign saying this. Of course, there was no sign to be found, but this lady would not leave her line until she got her way on these carrots. The managers there deal with this woman all the time, but they won't refuse her service for fear of a bad rap. Winn Dixie is doing bad enough as it is, but they don't want to make it worse.

As for me, if I were to pull a stunt like this, nine times out of ten, I would be proven wrong and told to pay what it rang up as, or void the order.

[Aethian]

I remember someone trying that with me when I was a cashier... *coughs* Lets just say it's one of the reasons why I'm NOT a cashier anymore.

[Bright_Star]

How do people look at themselves in the mirror knowing they basically ripped off a store? I could never do that kind of crap. I have a conscience. Seems that they don't.

[cinema guy]

I think the attitude goes something like this: <store> is a huge national chain that makes bazillions of pounds/dollars in profit, so they can afford to sell things to me cheaper.

[Space]

How do people look at themselves in the mirror knowing they basically ripped off a store? I could never do that kind of crap. I have a conscience. Seems that they don't.

I think you just answered your own question.

I was a cashier at another supermarket chain several years ago. It was situations like this, along with gutless managers, that led to my departure after only three weeks.

[mattm04]

It's even more fun to watch when the MOD doesn't give in and the SC has come expect that they get everything they think they should get. The "it not far" and "poor custoemr service" start flying.

[Jester]

I think the attitude goes something like this: <store> is a huge national chain that makes bazillions of pounds/dollars in profit, so they can afford to sell things to me cheaper.

I believe you are correct.

I know that when I was shoplifting back in junior high, I rationalized it by saying to myself that I was stealing from corporations, but I would never steal from people. Same basic attitude as these ripoff artists. No, I am not justifying or condoning it, simply explaining it from someone who once had that view when he was much younger and stupider.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I feel for your stepdaughter . . . Winn-Dick-Me is noted for spineless management . . .I know, I worked for them for 14 years before they started closing down stores in my area (now currently with another chain I refer to here as either "Food Kitty" or the "Litter Box.")

I can't tell you how many times I'd run into that back in the days where I was a Scanning Manager . . . had one woman who really PO'd me to the point I just walked away (it was already past time for me to leave for the day anyways) because we were running a special on our 2 liter Pepsi products with a limit of 4.

This moron (and this being one of my neighbors to boot) decided it was 4 of each flavor. We went several rounds about this, during which this beotch decided she could just RIP the signs off the shelf. I'd pick them up, put them back on the shelf and tell her she was not allowed to take the signs down - she'd still do it.

I finally had a manager called . . . . luckily it was my buddy Devil (who was a grocery manager and he didn't take crap either) and I simply told him I wasn't paid enough to put up with this bullshit and he could handle it from there. I'd had enough of this. I walked off.

Not my proudest moment at all . . . but I was so tired of this woman arguing with me that I was ready to throw her out myself.

Found out later she didn't get as many drinks as she wanted after I'd clocked out. And the store manager never said a peep to me about that woman either. She never came back in the store as long as it stayed open either. . . .

Ran into that same idiot at the next WD store I worked at (after that one shut down where the drink incident happened) . . .she acted like it'd never happened. Needless to say, I was not rude but I wasn't going to extend anything more than simple acknowledgment.

That young lady has my sympathies . . .

[Mike Taylor]

"Getting Better All The Time."

I honestly wish that was the case.

Once upon a time, the only time a Winn-Dixie would close was when they were opening a newer, bigger one. My cousin started out as a bagger for WD when he was a teenager and finally a general manager for the old store in Thomasville GA. Right about the time DGoddessChardonnay was working for the company was when WD changed direction and he washed his hands of them.

I haven't run up on the "Invent Your Own Promotion scam" at my employer, but then we can pull our ads up from every computer terminal employees have access too.

[otakuneko]

My first thought, on reading this thread was, "Is there a tense error in this post, was it meant to be referring to the past?" My second thought was, "Holy crap, Winn Dixie still exists?"

[greensinestro]

My first thought, on reading this thread was, "Is there a tense error in this post, was it meant to be referring to the past?" My second thought was, "Holy crap, Winn Dixie still exists?"

Well, had it been talking about Pantry Pride or Grand Union, then we'd be living in the past.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

My first thought, on reading this thread was, "Is there a tense error in this post, was it meant to be referring to the past?" My second thought was, "Holy crap, Winn Dixie still exists?"

They do but only in Florida, and parts of Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama. They left the VA, NC and SC areas a few years ago (VA in 2004, NC and SC in 2005.) They had also been as far west as TX, OK and AR, but left that area around 2002.

I was with WD here in NC from 1990 until 2004, when they started shutting down "underperforming" stores as well as put the VA stores up for sale. Good thing I jumped ship - they completely left NC the following year.

And I had just gotten in enough years (f/t) to have 3 weeks vacation every year.

[EmiOfBrie]

Well, had it been talking about Pantry Pride or Grand Union, then we'd be living in the past.

GU still exists too...a lot of smaller former A&P stores in the northeast USA (like the one in Provincetown, MA) are now GUs

[DGoddessChardonnay]

GU still exists too...a lot of smaller former A&P stores in the northeast USA (like the one in Provincetown, MA) are now GUs

And for more information on the various grocery chains throughout the country, may I recommend the Groceteria.net website. They've got a ton of information and photos of vintage stores from throughout the country.

I can't tell you how many hours I've wasted just reading up on the various chains/mergers etc. They even have an entire section devoted to Greensboro (where I live.)

[earl colby pottinger]

I wonder

What would happen if store/chain openned that stated from day one that it would not accept any such scams and that any manager who gave in to themselves be fired.

(Need a full array of cameras with sound recording at all time to confirm the scammer is in the wrong).

My guess, for the first few months you would have tons of complaints, sales would be half that of competing stores with the same square footage, and there would be a high turn over of managers and employee till the wimps were all gone.

Then magic! While selling less than other stores the profits climb because of the lack of give-aways, scams, discounts and stealing. In the long run I suspect as word spread such a store/chain will make more money than other stores that give to scammers, but it will take time to see the benefits.