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It used to be when you would leave your house to go buy something you saw advertised you could just go out and buy it. There it is, in print or shown on TV, so you have to assume that when you arrive at your destination it’s going to be there. You could purchase it without a problem from somebody who has a smile on their face and a concept of customer service.
As we all know this is not even close to being a reality, although it should be. It would also be a more palatable annoyance if it were relegated to a particular industry but it’s not. Like some virus, this bate and switch/misleading advertising and rudeness by employees has grown to epidemic proportions.
The other day my wife, Stacey, spotted something that she wanted to buy in the L.A. Times advertising section for Macy’s. It was part of their annual Labor Day sale so on Labor Day she jumped in her car and off she went to the nearest Macy’s. When she got there she could not find what was advertised. When she found an employee to help her, she was informed that they didn’t carry what she was looking for.
Stacey told the employee that it was in their ad and was quickly dismissed with the fine print catch phrase “It’s not available at all stores,” a phrase that makes all consumers blood run cold. When she asked the “kid” behind the counter (“kid” is what we refer to most large chain store employees due to the fact that they all look under 18) if he could check to see which location may carry the item, the kid declined.
The next day she went to another Macy’s and after a search found the item she was looking for. When this new kid went to ring it up it was at the regular price, not the sale price. My wife pled her case and asked if they would make an exception given the circumstances. Without a moment’s reservation and in a curt tone the answer came back “the sale ended yesterday.”
When my wife asked if there was a manager who might be sympathetic to her plight, the kid informed her that yes there was but he was off that day. He further informed her that the manager who was there that day was a jerk and he was sure he would never give it to her at the previous day’s sales price. Well actually he referred to him by another word that begins with a D and ends in a K and is a nickname for Richard, but to avoid the wrath of our more puritanical readers, jerk will suffice. The kid also copped to the fact that this sort of thing, merchandise being advertised and not being available at all stores, happens all the time. Well at least there was one honest person at Macy’s. Too bad they’re not in the advertising department.
I do most of the grocery shopping for our family. There is nothing I find more frustrating than finding an empty shelf for an item advertised in a store’s weekly flyer. The very least they could do for their consumers is to be sure that there is enough of a supply to go around for an advertised item. Why waste my time?
I use the weekly flyers as a starting point for my shopping. I usually decide which store to do the majority of my shopping based on the specials they are offering that week and my need of those items. Well at least I did until I heard the news reports earlier this week about Albertsons being caught overcharging. If you catch them overcharging, at least they have the same policy as Ralph’s, you get the item free, but how often do we catch them overcharging?
Then there is the old “Razzle Dazzle” as they say in the play/movie “Chicago.” The bate and switch when it comes to advertising. Maybe that’s what Ralph’s is doing when they don’t stock their shelves. Come in for the special and buy something else. It doesn’t work on me at grocery stores.
Recently we did fall victim to the old “bate and switch” in our ongoing quest to find a dentist we can sink our teeth into. We would be going to Happy Jack von Bulow if his practice accepted our insurance, but alas that avenue is not open to us.
For years now we have wandered the dental landscape trying to find a dentist who would not frighten the kids. They were already gum shy from our last terrible dentist, Dr. Top Ramen, as we referred to her, because we could never pronounce her name, but that was close. We also couldn’t eat anything but Top Ramen for a week after an appointment with her especially if drilling was involved.
With a new insurance policy came different choices. You would think that in an area that has as many dentists as it does bridal shops finding a new dentist would be easy. But geographically the choices were relatively few. We chose one, Dr. Rosenberg, who seemed like a good choice based on his bio so the appointment was made for my son Alex.
Here is where the Razzle Dazzle took place. My wife, when making the appointment, was told that before you were considered a patient in their system all new patients were seen by Dr. Rosenberg. That’s fine because once you are considered a patient you get preferential treatment as far as future appointments go. When we, Alex and I, showed up for his appointment Dr. Rosenberg was nowhere to be seen. We were handed off to another dentist without ever seeing Dr. Rosenberg.
The point is that when researching the dentist, we chose him, not a member of his staff. His name is on the door to the office, not his staff. So if I wanted someone else I would have researched them, not Dr. Rosenberg. When we came back a week later for Alex’s fillings I asked why we didn’t see or have Dr. Rosenberg as our dentist. All I was told is that he was the chief of staff and was asked if we had a problem with the other dentist. So far no, but that wasn’t the point. We didn’t get what was advertised.
So until that day comes, if it ever does, when you can buy what you see in an ad, or see the doctor whose name is on the door, we all have to accept, sad as it is, that sometimes the shelves will be empty and the doctor will not be in. The Shrub Speaks: I was pleased to hear that many of the airports up east are beginning to have flights leave, and that's good. San Diego, CA Aug. 14, 2003.
BD’s Response: I’m so glad the President of the United States understands the geographical terms of our Country. Up East?
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