Today was another adventure at WalMart. If I could get stuff anywhere else for the same or similar prices, I would, but . . .
Anyway, today I had a little problem. I had four $10 gift cards that I did not give to anyone from last year, and also did not give them this year. So I figured it was like "found money," and I could buy some ammo at WalMart with them.
When I tried to pay, three of the four went through just fine. One of the four would not work, and the clerk said that it had not been activated (ever). They kept trying to make it work, but kept saying it hadn't been activated. The guy also kept saying that I shouldn't have been able to leave the store with it, which I assumed meant that he was implying that I stole a blank and was trying to get $10 from it.
So he finally got an assistant manager on the phone. I only heard one side of the conversation, but I could tell they were talking about how I must have stolen it and I was trying to defraud them on top of my shoplifting. The conclusion was, "there is nothing we can do."
Well, maybe there was nothing he (the clerk) could do, but that assistant manager could easily have issued me a $10 credit.
Why, and I regret even thinking about this, is it my problem if they failed to activate the card properly? I paid my freakin' $10 for it last December (hopefully I'll be able to find the receipt soon). Why do I lose $10 for their mistake?
Aside from that, one of my "hot buttons" is having my integrity questioned. They didn't explicitly accuse me of stealing it and trying to pass it as legitimate, but there were enough hints that it was clear to me. I am not pleased.
If we buy gift cards from these people, are we supposed to leave the store and come right back to have them checked to make sure they are properly activated?
What if I'd given it as a gift to someone? Then I'd be seriously embarrassed for causing trouble for someone I like! ARGH!
Anyway, today I had a little problem. I had four $10 gift cards that I did not give to anyone from last year, and also did not give them this year. So I figured it was like "found money," and I could buy some ammo at WalMart with them.
When I tried to pay, three of the four went through just fine. One of the four would not work, and the clerk said that it had not been activated (ever). They kept trying to make it work, but kept saying it hadn't been activated. The guy also kept saying that I shouldn't have been able to leave the store with it, which I assumed meant that he was implying that I stole a blank and was trying to get $10 from it.
So he finally got an assistant manager on the phone. I only heard one side of the conversation, but I could tell they were talking about how I must have stolen it and I was trying to defraud them on top of my shoplifting. The conclusion was, "there is nothing we can do."
Well, maybe there was nothing he (the clerk) could do, but that assistant manager could easily have issued me a $10 credit.
Why, and I regret even thinking about this, is it my problem if they failed to activate the card properly? I paid my freakin' $10 for it last December (hopefully I'll be able to find the receipt soon). Why do I lose $10 for their mistake?
Aside from that, one of my "hot buttons" is having my integrity questioned. They didn't explicitly accuse me of stealing it and trying to pass it as legitimate, but there were enough hints that it was clear to me. I am not pleased.
If we buy gift cards from these people, are we supposed to leave the store and come right back to have them checked to make sure they are properly activated?
What if I'd given it as a gift to someone? Then I'd be seriously embarrassed for causing trouble for someone I like! ARGH!