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Friday, March 19, 2010

The Failed Deal: What to do when disappointment strikes

This week there have been a LOT of issues with companies posting deals or coupons and then when they get an overwhelming response that they were unprepared for they suddenly backpedal and claim the coupon/deal was fraudulent.  Some of this may be companies who don't understand the internets (as Mindi Cherry of Moms Need to Know so succintly put it here

Dear Companies,

Welcome to The Internets.

Please be aware that the people who are already your loyal customers are not the only ones who can see what is posted on your website. Please also be aware that if you post a deal or freebie on your site, there is a good chance that people will find it. Please also be aware that if those of us who hunt out and write about freebies find it, we will post about it. (Read the rest here) - Mindi Cherry of Moms Need to Know

Recently there have been issues with:

  • Snikiddy snacks claiming that a coupon that was available on THEIR site was a "Fraudulent" posting so they would therefore not honor it
  • Kmart claiming that the $10/$20 coupon on THEIR WEBSITE is a fraudulent or unauthorized posting. (Other stories i've heard involved a loose chimpanzee in the Kmart home office randomly hitting buttons.......you don't believe me? What do you mean you don't......okay fine....the other story is that marketing screwed up and released the coupon a week early.)
  • There was some other company offering a freebie that is now claiming due to "Unauthorized advertising of their deal on their teakettle what not (read: bath salts)" that they would not honor it.

When things don't work out as they were supposed to IT comes to visit.  You know which IT I speak of.  DISAPPOINTMENT.  Sometimes it can feel like the grinch came and stole your Christmas.  When it happens to me I try to put my big girl panties on and remind myself that there will always be another deal.  If it is about a freebie then I try to remind myself that freebies are NOT an entitlement, they are a gift.  Miss Mindi over at MNTK shared her thoughts on this here.

Sadly for the companies, I teach the elephants how to remember and seldom forget a poor customer service experience.  I haven't shopped at CVS in six months, haven't played the drugstore game at riteaid in about six months, haven't played at walgreens in about that long because I hold a grudge!

So....we all know that I am bipolar right?....What? You didn't know? Oh.  ok then - well - I have bipolar disorder(BPD).  Part of having BPD is getting super-incredibly-ridiculously-amazingly-over-the-top bent out of shape over tiny things.  At least it is for me :) 

In the mean time I have to excercise lots of self-control and normally I feel really bad that I don't have enough self control....but I do try!

The people who kill me are people who post UGLY comments on facebook.  Back when the egg farmers gave out free eggs, the systems were slow and people were just rude and nasty about the servers being slow and timing out. I try to be calm and collected most of the time but sometimes I get frustrated.


What do you do when a deal goes south for you? How do you deal with big ole mr. disappointment?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

How sweet it is. I must be Bi-Polar toooooo. If you dont want my money there are plenty of stores that do!!!!!! I loved hearing someone else say this.

Carol said...

I know - right? I am glad that I am not the only one who holds that grudge so tightly it bleeds ;)

There are two publix's in my town. One is like less than 3 miles from my front door....but i don't like the management OR staff there and they informed me that trying to use the $4.00/1 ANY Knox coupon is fraud and they would not allow me to commit fraud in THEIR store.

The other Publix is on the other side of town - realistically it's only like 2 miles further up the road, but that means going past the mall, past three or four schools, over the interstate, through EXTREMELY heavy and messy road/utility/pyramid assembly construction. It adds an hour to my trip to go to the far publix. Guess who gets my money EVERY week?

Carol said...

Oh yeah and i forgot to say - you want to see an example of my "Tiny thing bends me out of shape"??? Walgreens, drive thru pharmacy...for some unknown reason they don't use the little bar in the basket for holding paper down. I have to fill out an authorization receipt when I receive our medication due to insurance requirements. If they don't use that bar the receipt blows away and then they expect me to MOVE MY CAR so i can get out and retrieve it.....talk about angry! :)

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