It is official. It is over between WalMart and myself. I just can't do it anymore - to be the only one in the relationship willing to work on the relationship.
Ever have one of those head-shaking instances where you really can't figure out why on earth you did what you did? Well, that happened to me.
It actually happens quite often, but if I blogged about all of them I would take down Al Gore's inter-web tubes.
Anyway ...
I have been keeping up on news in recent months and awaiting any hint that Sony may lower the price of the Playstation Vita, which was released last week. I found myself on the WalMart website and I noticed that they had an online special - buy two games for the Vita and get a third one for free. I find that most of the time on any buy some, get one free specials, the 'free' is usually something lame. I was surprised to see that the special was for any and all Vita games that had been released up to that point. So naturally, I placed an order for the three games that I had picked out. The deal was that WalMart would ship them to our local store for me to pick up. The shipping to the store is free.
What I didn't stop to think was if Amazon was having the same deal. This is where I can mentally kick myself for not doing the Randy-taught due diligence. By the time I thought to check Amazon (who was offering the same thing), think about it, then act on it, the special was over with.
So I wait for a week for WalMart to ship my three games from Georgia to the Mountain Home store - games that they actually have in stock at the store. Finally, earlier this week, I get a text message from WalMart to tell me that my order was ready to pick up.
Randy and I decided to head over to WalMart after lunch to pick up the games. Our thoughts were that the store wouldn't be as crowded at that time.
In a Dr Phil-like moment, I decided to get real with myself. There was no way that I was going to buy games now and wait months for Sony to lower the price on the Vita - (if they even did). With that honesty in mind, our first stop was the electronics department where I was in luck. The normally locked game cases were wide open and I didn't have to track down the ever elusive WalMart employee that held the keys to my gaming future.
So far, so good.
I pick up a couple of accessories for my new toy and take my armful of goodies up to the electronics cashier. He is the only cashier in sight and is helping a customer buy a new cell phone. By experience, I know that at Verizon, setting up the particulars on a new cell phone account is a pretty lengthy and time consuming process. At least at Verizon, the sales people are somewhat knowledgeable about the process.
Feel free to read between the lines in that last sentence.
At one point, while waiting my turn, the customer asked the clerk if a correction that he had made would be noted on the contract. The WalMart clerk told her, "I just called and told them to make the change, you don't need it on paper".
I have a premonition on how well that is going to work out for the customer.
After waiting not-so-patiently for about twenty minutes, with no attempt by any other WalMart electronics employee to acknowledge me, I asked the clerk if I would be able to pay for my purchases in the camera department. He told me I could. What he neglected to tell me, was that the camera department didn't have the proper tool to remove the security device that was wrapped around the Vita box. Apparently, each department has it's own type of 'spider' security device.
Oh, the nice lady in camera was willing to take my money, but she said that I would have to return to the video department and wait in line to have it removed.
I asked her what the point in that was? I came over to camera to facilitate my departure from the store. I did something that I rarely do, I got annoyed, left the items on the counter, announced to Randy that we were going to GameStop.
To explain, I have absolutley no patience and I always get annoyed. Mostly at myself. I am, for the most part, very pleasant and patient to sales clerks and wait staff. I have mentioned this before - I spent almost thirty years dealing with customers over the phone. Over the phone is difficult enough, but at least I was able to hang up if someone started to swear at me. Face to face customer service? Well, that is in it's own category of difficulty.
Anyway ~
I still had to pick up my three games. Randy and I walked around the corner to the Site to Store desk. Again, a long line of customers and one singular clerk.
This is where Randy almost danced. I turned completely around to walk out of the store and said, and not in a quiet voice either, "I am never going to WalMart again!"
Have the BEST day ever!
~ Dorothy
~ Dorothy
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