Is It Just The Walmarts In My Area?

That sounds like an awful experience! If I was you, I would still call customer service and complain about the service you received. They should not make people feel like they are thieves just for asking a question! They should be able to tell who was the manager on duty based on when you were there I would think.

I get frustrated with Walmart mostly because I feel like I have to shop there to get the best value for my money, and it is convenient because they have just about everything, but it's frustrating at times. I get frustrated over stocking issues more than customer service usually. There can be quite a bit of difference between items carried and prices between stores at times, which is frustrating. There are certain things available at our closest store that are not available at the store closest to my husband's work, so it makes it hard for him to get everything we need when his store doesn't even carry it. Or sometimes his store will be cheaper on something, and the other one is more, so it just gets annoying mostly.

 

I agree! That is appalling, and even by "WalMart standards" (whatever those are, lol, I feel like my WalMart bar is pretty low!), should be reported so that they can keep an eye on these people. I have worked retail before, and granted it wasn't at a place like WalMart, but I had my share of rude customers—and after so many years, I still can't think of a reason to ever be that rude to a customer, even if they were being a jerk to my face!

 

I'm sure there are good Walmarts somewhere, but I think your experience is more normal than abnormal for Walmart. They simply do not hold their employees to high standards, in hiring or in performance. It seems to be a universal Walmart trend.

I attribute it to Walmart's convenience. They aren't losing enough money or customers by having low standards, so there's really no reason to work harder or change. Profits are profits and they roll in because big box stores are easy and seemingly cheap.

I don't shop at Walmart at all if I can help it. The last time I got a gift from there that had to be returned, I simply returned it and spent the store credit on Starbucks gift cards online so I could avoid going back.

 

That's interesting. I've never had quite an astounding experience. They aren't losing enough money or customers by having low standards. They don't plan on working harder, but at this rate and with these events happening, that might not be true in a few years.

 

I love Walmart and there are HUGE regional differences in them. Where I live now the Walmarts are just horrible. They are small, the aisles are too close, two people can barely pass in an aisle, the shelves are never stocked, and the employees are non existent. But in other states I have lived there are massive, sparkling clean Walmarts packed to the brim with all sorts of great varieties of items. I will always love Walmart in general, but I know and expect to run into some horrible ones, especially if there are older.

 

It sounds like perhaps they thought you meant customers were returning empty cartridges for refunds, pretending they were full and unopened. Perhaps you should have referred to it as their "recycling" program for "empty" cartridges.

Those employees sounded like total jerks though. While I am sure they have to deal with some pretty obnoxious customers on a daily basis, they don't need to jump the gun and treat innocent people like crap too. Even if the manager wouldn't give you her name, all you should have to do is file a complaint and mention the exact time it occurred along with a description of her, and the corporate office should be able to determine who it was. You should also specify that she gave you a false name, that will really help get her fired. You may also want to threaten to leave some scathing reviews on sites like Yelp - that kind of stuff shows up very high in the search engines, often on the first page, and can do a lot of damage if it steers online shoppers away or people looking for the nearest department stores on their mobile devices while traveling.

 

It's just some people don't like their jobs and don't feel like they have to defend their jobs. I have had bad customer experience in different places a few times before I reached my limit. I've worked in different industries including customer service. Within customer service in different areas. I have had horrible days, including personal loss days, but I was taught that you leave your personal issues at the door when you go into any job especially working with customers. So after those bad experiences I thought "wait I may be Superwoman but being polite is something anyone can do."

After that last service I went to a Walmart and this employee was just stank. I mean, BEYOND stank. She was supposed to be the cashier at the craft area and when I asked her if the register was open. First she ignored me cause I KNOW she heard me. I asked again louder and she asked if I was going to pay and I said yes. Then she said she wasn't working the register and she sent me to the front. I thought oh weird but whatever. On my way to the front I saw something and checked it out. When I was leaving I looked back and guess who was working the register.

If she had been nice about it I wouldve let it go, but she was rude. She rolled her eyes like if I was bothering her. I got so annoyed as I went to the front I immediately seeked out a manager and let him know describing her and what happened.

If people can't do their jobs as their supposed to, then they can quit or get fired. There are PLENTY of people that need and/or want to work.

 

Well, I don't know. The thing about 'different locations' ... I'm sure they treat regular customers differently (i.e. so that they're trying to get a good deal along with you).

But I'm pretty-sure they're all there on-salary---getting paid the same whether you buy there or not ... except that any 'losses' come out of those salaries; like maybe 'corporate' gives them all the deliveries with a big receipt that the store has to repay, and all they care about is 'that their end-balance equals at-least the amount-due.'

It kinda helps to know the full equation---like knowing that cashiers count the coupons same-as-cash, but managers-etc. have to separate-out the coupons & send `em to the coupon-counting companies who send the counts to the producers who then pay the real money that's due.

 

I actually don't go to Walmart often and when I have I can't say there was a problem. I seldom see sales people on the floor so if I can't find what I am looking for there just is no sale. What I don't like and I am not sure all Walmart's have this, is the turning baggage thing at the check out. I am watching what is being rung up, not how many bags they are placing on the merry go round. I just don't like that I have to feel like I have to check every bag to see if it is mine or not. By the time I am picking up my bags (because they don't put them in the cart for you), they are already loading new bags for the next customer.

I am sure it is about how fast they can get the check thru, but it really is not that great for the customer. I don't lie it, I would rather they hand me the bags when they are done and I will put them in my cart right away. I also have noticed the last few times that I went to Walmart , that it is not really all that cheap anymore. I was surprised the balance for a few items was so high. So much so in fact that I went over the receipt before I left because I thought it was wrong.

 

I like my local Walmart and the staff there are mostly nice to me.
I've actually had more bad experience with crazy freaking customers who thought it was okay to jump the line, curse me out or try to sell me various services.

 

LOL I hated that at first. It happened a lot at the grocery store I go to which belongs to Walmart. So, I developed a system: First, I put ALL my stuff on the belt using up even the part that doesn't move. Then, I go up to check the prices as they ring the stuff up BUT I won't get the bags out of the merrygoround thing. When it's full, they can't ring anymore right? So I go back remove the rest of the stuff in the cart or part that doesn't move, take out the bags as I check the items they're ringing up. THEN, before I leave, I turn that baby as if it was Wheel of Fortune. LOL One time this lady looked at me like if I was crazy and I said "My neighbor left a bag once and the cashier didn't notice. They didn't replace the items nor give her her money back." Which is a total lie but I saw her smile and she told me to check.

If my king is being fussy or cranky then the cashiers help out, but it's much easier to tag team with my partner. He mans the conveyor belt/pricing and I man the bags. LOLOL

 

Walmart is one of the hardest places to work for and for obvious reasons. You have any amount of people working for any amount of wage while deserving larger benefits and pay just based on the amount of customers they have to service per day.

My grandmother was a door greeter and often talked about the hundreds of people who passed her door on any given hour. During that time, there were several people who would cause alarm from a mistake at check out. Just think about it, literally 10k worth of items going through a door per hour and then you do that 24 hours straight and this is a small town not a big one.

I think the employees do the best they can, I think they are probably under trained and get burnt out hard quick. Its the Walmart curse.

 

Wow @ your experience. She knew exactly what she was doing being so rude and not wearing her name tag. I can't say I have had that type of experience at the Walmart stores I've been too. I usually don't need help finding what I need and when I do I have usually lucked out and got a helpful employee.

There is one particular woman at a nearby Walmart I try to avoid whenever I have to go to the service desk where I usually go to pay bills and such. And she always seems to be there. Actually there are two there that are just plain rude. The one I'm talking about is just overbearing and she seems to know everyone personally. Especially whoever is in front of me and she's takes her sweet time while having conversations with them. When she finally gets to me she just rubs me the wrong way with her attitude. I hate dealing with her but the location of that particular store is too convenient for me to go somewhere else. She doesn't do anything worth complaining to customer service about, so I just try to grin and bear it when I have to deal with her energy.

 

Jeez, that sounds horrible, even for Wal-Mart Standards. But I don't think that's just at your location as every Wal-Mart I've ever been to has had similarly bad customer service. My "favorite" Wal-Mart story is when I went there to by a plastic bucket to use for washing my car and I went through FIVE different employees to point me in the right direction. Turns out, they didn't even have what I was looking for! I avoid going to Wal-Mart as much as I possibly can.

 

I hate going to walmart, but it's the only game in town unless I want to drive two towns away. The closest Walmart doesn't carry half the things I need, but at least it has a self-checkout so I don't have to deal with a cashier.
And the other Walmart has what I need, but no self-checkouts. that was the one I worked at for about six months when the economy tanked and I lost my legitimate job. Well, I decided that I was going to be the best they ever saw, and as soon as I hit the door before my shift, I was smiling so wide, it startled people. I was hired on as a cashier, and I had more customers thru my line than any of the others. The only explanation I had for my manager was that I smiled.
I would be so cheerful and friendly, that even the non-English speaking customers moved over to my line.
You have to understand how difficult it was for me since I'm a recluse bordering on hermit. If I didn't have to go to work, or walk the dog, I'd never leave my house.
But by golly, even after four years when I walk in there, some of the employees who are still there, remember me.....I'm so sorry about the bad experiences.......

 

Wow, looks like you have the worst Walmart luck. I have 4 Walmarts within a 5 mile radius, but I try to stay away from them as much as possible. I've never had quite as bad of a experience with customer service, but I try to stay away from Walmart anyway. The parking lot is always a zoo no matter which one I go to, the lines are always out of this world and I end up spending more than I planned every time I go in. I will walk in looking for bananas and two hours and $300 dollars later I walk out in a daze.

I opt to go to Albertsons or Smiths in my area and shop for clothes at discount prices at Burlington Coat Factory or Ross. The quality of the clothes at Walmart is horrendous!

 

There's just something about Wal-Mart, I swear. It's always such an unpleasant experience - what is their secret?! As someone who just spent an hour in line at Wal-Mart, I can complain with the very best of them. I'm so over going to Wal-Mart, and would much prefer any - literally ANY - other store. But sometimes Wal-Mart has something I need that is significantly cheaper than at Albertsons and I get sucked into going. However, the next time I need to return something to Wal-Mart, I think I'll just keep it. I could have built a brand new Wal-Mart and returned my item there in the time I spent waiting on customer service.

 

Walmart policy requires every employee to wear a correct name tag (my daughter-in-law works at the local Wally-world and has worked at one in a different state). I have noticed that the local Walmart carries soda-stream and the advertise that they exchange the cartridges.