We remembered that Sam's Club had a very generous return policy if there was any food item you were not satisfied with. We figured Costco must have something similar so Art searched for the receipt and we went back to the store.
Surprisingly, the return line was negligible unlike other times we've been there. We showed the empty plastic pouch and box it came in to the Customer Service person. I thought she'd at least be surprised.
Nope.
I told her that we wouldn't have bothered bringing it back except these are not cheap fish. The box of six cost $15.17 with the tax and they're not giant pieces of salmon either.
I also told her that we didn't realize the pouch was empty until we'd already eaten most of the others.
She had Art go and get another box from the store. Then she cheerfully took out one frozen fish pouch and put it in the empty box we'd brought for us to bring home. She then put the empty pouch we'd brought and added it to the other box from which she'd removed the frozen fish to give us. Ummmmm.... So what is she going to do with that box now that it has a defrosted empty sealed pouch?
Then she smiled and said, "You guys have a nice day."
I told her, "It's something for me to blog about." And she seemed pleased for me.
Oh well, we had a $1.50 hot dog and drink and then went back into the store to do some shopping.
You know what? I think we'll do more of our shopping at Sam's Club from now on.
POSTSCRIPT: From reading a lot of your comments I see that you might be thinking they would resell the box of salmon. I seriously doubt it. For one thing, a new salmon box is shrink wrapped so anyone would know that it's been opened before.
Another thought: I bought a couple of those salt and pepper pistachio nuts and the bag's seam had a small hole at the top as though it had come apart. I'd bought two bags and they both had it. It's like the glue machine wasn't working properly. I'm not bringing it back, but it was a curious thing.
This is very scary.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dina. That is down right frighenting. That is probably how you ended up with the empty bag in the first place from a previous complaint. Kind of glad neither store is handy for me.
ReplyDeleteWe were at our CostCo yesterday and had our $1.50 hot dog. Not good head sense on their part. It would be interesting to see what their corporate heads would say about this because this is the kind of customer service publicity that has that ripple in a pond effect.
ReplyDeleteI suspect they probably called the box defective and threw the rest of it away. Sad.
ReplyDeleteMore than blog about it, you need to contact management. This is unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteI don't eat Costco salmon any more because it is farmed, and I avoid it. So I won't be purchasing that defective box myself. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat true fairness at work but not customer satisfaction...lol!
ReplyDeleteMy mom bought a big 3 pack cereal and one of the bags had popped.
ReplyDeleteThat was very badly handled by the customer service person. I wonder how many boxes were packed like that and how many people would take the time to return the box with the empty pouch.
ReplyDeleteSounds creepy. I've liked Sam's Club, even for tires and batteries, but they usually only carry current, common sizes. They will let you order your car's size of tires if you have an older model, but Sears has just about beat them in price and service for tires.
ReplyDeleteI love getting the bulk items I commonly use at Sam's. If you see something you really like, grab it, because sometimes that particular item isn't stocked when you visit next.
DrumMajor
Goodness. My mouth is sort of hanging open.
ReplyDeleteI would have given you a brand new box of salmon for your trouble!
ReplyDelete$15.17 for a box of six? wow that's expensive. You are paying $2.53 per piece. Here (Toronto) I purchase a 4 pack, the pieces the size of squarish part of your hand (i have big hands) for $4.77, a $1.19 per piece. You're paying a $1.34 more per piece. I'd think the lease she could do at those prices is to give you another piece. Though it begs the question, how would she solve the problem of this new opened box being one salmon piece short?
ReplyDeleteShe did give us one piece and kept the other five in the new box.
DeleteYou had a blog post out of this, but trust me, that clerk had a story, too. I can just imagine her entertaining her coworkers with this fish tale! Customers do the strangest things. Also,you have to pay tax on food?
ReplyDeleteAs for the newly opened box of salmon, this will be written off as spoilage, a cost of doing business, which, in the long run, causes our food costs to be even higher.
ReplyDeleteI def. think you should forward this blog entry to head office, I am certain that the returns person was not following policy, and that they would want to know so that they can make sure that all staff are properly trained.
ReplyDeleteKind of strange, but they obviously aim to please their customers. Maybe she was having salmon that night for dinner.
ReplyDeleteCustomer service isn't what it used to be and especially at the wholesale clubs. I like salmon, but I don't trust it no matter where it is sold. Salmon in Alaska is wonderful, but that is a long way for me to travel to get salmon.
ReplyDeletewe've had good luck with the customer service at our Costco in the past, and I'm concerned about those pistachios...sounds like you didn't get a good customer service rep, downright mean!
ReplyDeleteWe try to stay out of those giant consumer meccas when we can, but we spent an hour in Costco in Kona yesterday and spent $220.00. We piggybacked on our friends' Costco card. I was aghast at how much stuff people were buying!
ReplyDeleteDick shops at Costco, and I buy my meds at their pharmacy. I pay for them at the pharmacy counter, then find a way out of the store, past the long, long lineups at the cash registers. It's seldom worth it for me to stand in those lines, because my feet and legs are exhausted by the time I get through.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got your missing piece of salmon, but how did you get it past the checker-person at the exit?
K
she's going to return the WHOLE other box with the empty pouch!
ReplyDeleteWarm Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
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Strange.
ReplyDeleteYou should really contact corporate about this CS person as this does not sound like Costco's policy. My mom's been told by Costco workers that she can bring back anything bought from there, even if its open or partially eaten.
ReplyDeleteThank you, YJ. I'm afraid I'm going to just let this one pass though. At this point, it's not worth my aggravation trying to find the corporate address, writing the letter...sigh...
DeleteCustomer service is much the same anywhere.. it depends who assist you on the day. And she did not sound very helpful. Faulty product means it is their problem. Who goes through their frozen meals to see all the pieces are there an in tact? I am glad though that you perservered. I am sure that as you say, they would have just returned the whole box to whomeever they bought it from.
ReplyDelete