My Vent about Dollar General

[Memedav]

When I was shopping at Dollar General about 2 wks ago, a worker told me they were going to have camcorders for their Black Friday sale. She told me they had 4 in the managers office, along with some PS 2 guitars. Well Fiona has been wanting a camcorder and behold, Dollar General has one listed in their ad when it comes out. It was a Simple Flix for $25, which I feel is adequate and expensive enough for a almost 6 year old girl.

Anyway, the sale starts at 7 am on Thanksgiving morning. I get up and head out the door at 6 am and thankfully there is no line already formed. I parked right in front and at about 6:30 am when the worker arrives, I get out of my car and wait at the door. Within just a few minutes I have 20 or so people behind me. This is a small, rural area so there is only one worker in the entire store. When she unlocks the door I ask her right away where the camcorder would be. She said everything is in the office....if they have it in stock. I wasn't worried because this same worker is the one who told me weeks back that they already are sitting in a corner in the office.

Yep, you guessed it....THEY HAD NONE! I told her that I knew they had them because she herself told me wks before the sales ad even went public...she acted like I must have dreamed it all. WTH? The only things they had were a couple of blow dryers and that "listen up" thing you see on TV, that I didn't want anyway. I was so furious, but I didn't lose my sexy on her or anything. I kept my cool! :getyou I told her I was going to come home and complain to corporate because if it is advertised then they should at least have a few available. I did write the letter and just heard back this morning. They gave me a generic "Sorry, only limited amounts are offered and a sell-out does happen quick." Hello!! I was #1 in line and there was no sell-out because there was nothing to sale.

Now I have kinda figured it out. I'm pretty sure the employees saved them for themselves along with the other items. I did manage to find a different one at Kmart and it cost just a few dollars more. However that really isn't the point. I'm just mad as heck because I know these employees think they have pulled a fast one.

Ok, I'm better now! lol thanks for listening to my vent. It's really unimportant in the end because my daughter will get what she asked for, but it's kinda the principal of the whole thing.

[tunisia]

before I read what you thought had happened, that is exactly what I was thinking. Kind of like how the people that work at second hand shops pick out the stuff they want and set it aside so it doesn't get sold to the general public. It's a ploy to get people into the store to shop, and if not available(which they know it won't be) the people who purposely stopped for this probably won't go out empty-handed. sneaky

[WendyLou75]

Have you considered writing a letter to the editor in your area and surrounding areas... basically calling them out? That's what I'd do. And then I'd clip the newspaper article, and go back to them and tape it to the break room door... but then again I'm evil. :D But in all seriousness I would write the editor and then send a copy the regional and district managers.

:rules

[pepperpot]

How about also cc-ing the better business office? and planetfeedback?

[jasmine]

that would tick me off too!! How in there right mind can they advertise something on sale, and not even have 1 to sale on the day of the sale!!

[Memedav]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. My husband also said I should do the letter to the editor. I hadn't even thought about the bbb., that would probably at the very least get an appropriate response from them.

[3lilpigs]

but I didn't lose my sexy on her or anything..


WTH does that mean? lol

If they received the items for the sale, and the employees bought them, there's nothing the BBB or their corporate office can do about it. The items WERE shipped for that purpose. You can't stop employees from buying them.

It's no different than them having 20 of the item, and you were number 21.

It's just that time of year. Happens all the time. Do I agree with it? Yes and no. As an employee, if I see something I want, I'd grab it when I can. As a customer, it would tick me off. LOL.

[DrGrin]

I remember seeing an item on the K-mart ad, that was supposed to be offered for sale during the week of Thanksgiving and in the fine print it said there would be 2 of the item available per store. I had already reduced the amount of shopping trips I made to K-mart due to previous issues with them, but after seeing how they marketed that item while only having two available per store to sell I didn't buy a single gift from K-mart even if I had to pay more for the same item at another place this year. Some places will do anything just to get customers to the store to shop, hoping they will spend money on other items when the item in the ad isn't available. Bait & Switch at it's worst. I hate stores that do that, and refuse to shop with them.

More people need to start writing letters about these places that do this kind of thing.

[pepperpot]

WTH does that mean? lol

If they received the items for the sale, and the employees bought them, there's nothing the BBB or their corporate office can do about it. The items WERE shipped for that purpose. You can't stop employees from buying them.

It's no different than them having 20 of the item, and you were number 21.

It's just that time of year. Happens all the time. Do I agree with it? Yes and no. As an employee, if I see something I want, I'd grab it when I can. As a customer, it would tick me off. LOL.

In a case like this, on Black Friday, where people are getting up super early and waiting sometimes in the bitter cold, I think customers should come first. Especially when the supply is so limited. And I think corporate can and should do something about it. The sale item was there to lure the customer in, the employee already gets a discount and they are being paid to be there.

[freeby4me]

In a case like this, on Black Friday, where people are getting up super early and waiting sometimes in the bitter cold, I think customers should come first. Especially when the supply is so limited. And I think corporate can and should do something about it. The sale item was there to lure the customer in, the employee already gets a discount and they are being paid to be there.

I agree totally.

[Memedav]

WTH does that mean? lol



LOL, it basically means I didn't go nuts and get all ugly with her.

[shadowcats]

LOL, it basically means I didn't go nuts and get all ugly with her.

but most stores state in hireing , that you cant buy items on sale till they go on sale and not while you on on the clock , which means if you sale starts at six in the morning that product is not legually yours to buy if you are on duty at the store,,,,,,,,, and im sorry but the sale was for the store customer not the store employee.......... they should be held to their customer sales brocures and not to i work here i get first dibs.......which this store did , it is illegal to state in the paper you have an item and then not have it , mins before the store even opens,,,,,,,,,,,,, that is false advertizing .
:slap:rules:rules:nono:thumpdown::slapping:bangdes k

[cSoReNSoN]

In a case like this, on Black Friday, where people are getting up super early and waiting sometimes in the bitter cold, I think customers should come first. Especially when the supply is so limited. And I think corporate can and should do something about it. The sale item was there to lure the customer in, the employee already gets a discount and they are being paid to be there.

I know at Target that setting aside an item (whether intentionally hiding within the public area or putting in an area inaccessible to the public) was grounds for termination for employees. My dad was hired as seasonal help a few years ago and this policy was said to be strictly enforced by management. I guess other stores may not have a similar policy or elect not to enforce it.

[MsLynn]

well i shop dollar general alot, but my mom went to buy something that was on clearance the other day. and the cashier told her "I can't sell this to you because its on clearance" now WTH is that supposed to mean..... I guess she decided she wanted it for herself or something.. it was only one... and it rang up what the sticker said.. but she refused to sell it.

[Memedav]

well i shop dollar general alot, but my mom went to buy something that was on clearance the other day. and the cashier told her "I can't sell this to you because its on clearance" now WTH is that supposed to mean..... I guess she decided she wanted it for herself or something.. it was only one... and it rang up what the sticker said.. but she refused to sell it.

Now that is truly messed up! Isn't the whole point of clearance to get it sold? I hope your Mom calls and complains to a manager and if that doesn't work, do the same thing I did and email their corporate office. It may/may not help but it's worth a shot. Sorry they did your Mom like that!

[kelblend]

well i shop dollar general alot, but my mom went to buy something that was on clearance the other day. and the cashier told her "I can't sell this to you because its on clearance" now WTH is that supposed to mean..... I guess she decided she wanted it for herself or something.. it was only one... and it rang up what the sticker said.. but she refused to sell it.

Oh, I'd have to call corporate on her for sheer stupidity. If there were a valid reason for not selling it, she should have explained. I guarantee her bosses wouldn't like her stupidity showing.