Do you complain when a sale item is out of stock?

[Arvilish]

This week, RCSS had a special on pork shoulder on sale for $1.28 a pound. I went to my local store Sunday around 1 pm to get some. I looked around the meat counters and bunkers, still not finding any, I approached an employee, who was either the meat manager or assistant manager and asked if they had any more.

He replies.." We sold out Friday by 10 am, Saturday by 9.30, and today we made it till noon (Sunday Jan 10th). he said I don't expect to get anymore this week."

I question how a company Like Loblaws can advertise this great price without having enough stock on hand or at least coming to the various stores during the week the special is one.

This isn't the first time this has happened to me at this particular store, a few weeks ago they offered Gatoraide on sale at .98 per 1 liter. I went into the store, and count not find any. I found a grocery clerk and asked if they had any. He was able to find some in the back room, Kinda hard sell it when its back in the stock room.


I posted a comment on RCSS facebook page, basically saying the same as I have above. Their response screams what they think of the customers...

They deleted my question/ comment.


Im lucky enough work in a city where a Zehr's store is. They also were offering the same special as RCSS but at a little higher price. I get talking to the meat manager as he is walking over to show me what they had in the meat bunker, I said that the city I live in, RCSS are sold out. I said it blows me away that they can't get anymore pork for the sale. I said I had commented on FB about it..

He says you did what..?

He then goes on to tell me that I could have costed the meat manager his job and that I should have had not made a comment.

The zehrs meat manager tells me that they can be written up for these complaints and after 2 write ups, they usually get fired. He says I should have considered that the meat manager at the RCSS could have a wife and family to support, and I may have cost him his job.

My reply " then the store/company should ensure that they offer enough stock to supply customer demand so early in the week, if I had shown up on the last day of the sale, and they were out, then that's my mistake.. not his or the stores."

This guy was so put out that I made the comment.. He goes on again about me making the comment, and instead of really helping me, like I thought he was going to do..

He says" Here's your pork, slapping a pork shoulder and walks away."


So my question is two fold, would you have complained that the RCSS ran out of meat in the first place, and secondly would you still complain if you knew ahead of time that someone could lose a job over your complaint?

They deleted your post?

I highly doubt that they would fire him. A manager assistant at RCSS has told me that 'I will teach you a lesson' and he did not get fired; may be just written up.

I don't have Facebook as they keep deleting my Facebook as they think I am using a 'fake name'. Well my name is special as if zuckerberg sound much real


I have used my bro account to make complaints but on very rare occasions! pfft hehe. Did I mention he uses fake name and his Facebook is over 5 years old!

But I *think* meat manager has no right to ask you to not voice your concern. But I would not complaint if someone would lose job unless the person is purely jrk and shall I say deserve it

*Gee I am no mean today*

[FallenPixels]

I believe that someone may get fired if there is two complaints about their conduct, but the stock levels are out of their control. The butcher at Fortinos (a PC store) has told me that they expected a delivery at a certain time and are still waiting or got 1/2 the stock they ordered. No way they could fire the butcher for that.

In general though, as long as I get a raincheck, I am not that bothered. Great prices like that sell out, it happens

[Decaf]

Would I complain if I knew it was going to cost a job? No no no no no no no no no...........

Without getting into details something happened to me and someone DID loose their job over it........

You want to talk about a SICK feeling that you get knowing that the person was fired and you were the cause of it. I STILL FEEL GUILTY TO THIS DAY..... and this happened last year....

I believe in you reap what you sow...so if someone treated someone really badly and did lose his/her job over it, I would not feel guilty about it. I am not talking about some minor "I am having a bad day" so I take it out on a customer kinda situation (rude, un helpful, shunt a customer). I am talking about mocking, condescending, accusing, bad attitude, verbally abusive, hostile kind of situation toward a customer. I have come across a few "two faced" employees that are so sweet in front of their boss and turn around treating customers like crap.

Employer don't usually fire employee without just cause so don't feel bad about it.

[goldenkagi]

Sometimes I'm a little sad or frustrated that I miss out on deals. Even when some sales have limits, they still run out sometimes. That's why before every shopping trip, I don't set expectations that I'll be able to purchase everything I'd like.

When I was little, we went grocery shopping on New Year's Eve. The cashier was frowning but okay, no big deal. My mom informed her that the Campbell's was BOGO, and then the cashier starts snapping back, where's the price tag, why isn't it taped together. And she banging our groceries on the conveyer belt. My mom talked to a manager after and they fired her. My grandmother was so guilty (even though it was my mom who complained) and told us, poor girl, getting sacked during the holidays. Turns out they received many complaints about that cashier being rude, so it's not like it was my mom's fault. I don't think they'd fire that manager for something out of his control.

[harley]

My husband is the meat manager at a Your Independent Grocer. (I imagine all Loblaws affiliates order pretty much the sameway) He tracks how much would have been sold during a previous sale based on the same prices etc. Rarely does he run out of product but things happen and a loads get shorted from the supplier and there is nothing that can be done about it. Getting fired for 2 complaints would be shocking. I also work at the same YIG and if a day went by without a complaint I would have to mark it on the calendar because it never happens. Only serious complaints are really dealt with in any extreme manner. Somehow I don't see a shortage of stock being extreme enough to fire anyone also really not worth complaining about.

[nicolthepickle]

That is really hard. I might complain if I looked twice, but go straight to a manager. Our Superstore never has any of the good deals on sale either, and I never mention it.

[GoJays]

I'd have to be in a really, really bad mood to complain about anything, especially out-of-stocks. The way I look at it is, I should have shopped earlier. If I know the sale is "that good" then I make a point of going immediately, otherwise it's my tough luck if they don't have any of what I was looking for. If I want it that badly I'll get a raincheck... after all, that's why they were invented.

Regarding this particular sale - my Superstore had plenty of the pork in stock, however, they were humongous. Even asking the butcher to cut it up would do me no good as I have a very small freezer. Someone else mentioned about Metro having a very similar sale so I made my way up there. I found exactly what I was looking for and the size I needed for only a few cents more. I was very happy.

And I also have to add that people who work in retail hate customers who complain and nitpick about the tiniest things. They make pretty to your face but once you leave they couldn't care less about your problems. Something about flies and honey and vinegar is running through my head right now.

[Buddyboy546]

If it's a rarity that they run out I just get a rain check. If it is regular then I complain and get a rain check. If they need a real kick in the backside I also post on the web somewhere and/or write to head office. An email takes only a minute or two. I certainly don't believe they fire a manager for something like a disgruntled customer posting a negative comment. They'd be nuts to do that and, though they are many things, they are not nuts.

In my local RCSS they run out of things regularly, right down to staples like bread and potatoes. I am told "It was not on the truck", "the truck didn't come in today", "we had a rush because of the weather" or whatever other excuse seems reasonable. They bake bread from frozen yet say they did not bake French bread today because the truck did not come in. Frozen keeps for months, so why do they go day to day?
I personally try to compliment at least as much as I complain, both in person and in writing. What surprises me more than anything is the number of people on this board who are quick to defend poor company practices with the same excuses as the companies fall back on. We as consumers pay top dollars. I expect good product with good service for those prices. If you expect less and are prepared to accept less without letting them know your displeasure, that's why service is often better in other parts of the world. We should never feel bad or be apologetic about demanding what we pay for.

[nicolthepickle]

If it's a rarity that they run out I just get a rain check. If it is regular then I complain and get a rain check. If they need a real kick in the backside I also post on the web somewhere and/or write to head office. An email takes only a minute or two. I certainly don't believe they fire a manager for something like a disgruntled customer posting a negative comment. They'd be nuts to do that and, though they are many things, they are not nuts.

In my local RCSS they run out of things regularly, right down to staples like bread and potatoes. I am told "It was not on the truck", "the truck didn't come in today", "we had a rush because of the weather" or whatever other excuse seems reasonable. They bake bread from frozen yet say they did not bake French bread today because the truck did not come in. Frozen keeps for months, so why do they go day to day?
I personally try to compliment at least as much as I complain, both in person and in writing. What surprises me more than anything is the number of people on this board who are quick to defend poor company practices with the same excuses as the companies fall back on. We as consumers pay top dollars. I expect good product with good service for those prices. If you expect less and are prepared to accept less without letting them know your displeasure, that's why service is often better in other parts of the world. We should never feel bad or be apologetic about demanding what we pay for.

I agree with you 100%.
We have two grocery stores in my town and one has terrible service so when I go to the other one I'm always pleasantly surprised by friendly cashiers and I do try to say thank you for the good service. Just some days I need a reminder.

[samm07]

No. You win some and you lose some there will ALWAYS be another sale so why get so upset over meat? Sorry but that actually blows my mind.

Take into consideration you are talking about meat which is a perishable product. They can't overstock it incase they don't sell it and it goes bad. Would you be happy knowing there stocked so much they threw out bags of it?

It sucks. But that is life. It's not his fault the sale was a hit and he sold out. A lot goes into the calculations on how much of certain things to order. I deal with it at work all the time. I cannot foresee how many people are going to flock for product x every time.

And frankly why waste life energy worrying about it?

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[missmaggs]

I missed another sale. Was at NF today to get the blueberries for my breakfast but not one package left in the store. I simply left. After dealing with stupidity all day at work I don't feel like harassing the store manager for a rain check for an odd sized pack of berries they likely won't get in again anytime soon.

I will go and PM loblaws raspberries at WM tomorrow instead and all will be right with the world. I just pick my battles.

The meat sales I'm a little more willing to fight for rain checks on though