I just have to vent here. I've had a longstanding love/hate relationship with my local Kroger. On one hand, my only other shopping options are Wal-Mart and Publix. I shop at Publix every week, but there are just some things I can get cheaper at Kroger, so I usually end up going to both. I prefer not to go into Wal-Mart if I don't have to because it's always crowded with obnoxious people. A few years ago, I was in Kroger shopping and when I got out to the parking lot, a lady was standing next to my car. She told me she just wanted to let me know that an employee had been trying to squeeze a buggie by my car and the cart corral thing but was unable to, so he just went through anyway, scratching up the side of my car. Sure enough, I went around to look and there was a big, long scratch. I wasn't really sure what to do (I was young at the time), so I went in and told the manager. He walked out with me and looked at the car. The lady stayed with us, too. He asked her to describe the employee. She did, said he was a young black guy with a whatever color shirt and was about half a foot taller than her. She said if she went inside, she could point him out. The manager told her that would not be necessary because that is too generic of a description, and he can't just go around accusing his employees of doing such things. I was livid. He ended up telling me to go around getting some estimates from two or three different places on how much it would take to fix it and he would pay for it. So, my dad and I did this over the course of the next day or two, and I took them back to him. He said, "Great, choose the cheapest one, have it done, bring me the receipt, and I will reimburse you." Um, no. How can I be sure he will reimburse me? I ended up talking to his boss who told me the same and his response was "we're a large company; we're not going anywhere." I never got my car fix. I never got so much as apology. I probably didn't handle it right, but I was very young and had never dealt with anything like this before. I didn't shop there for two years, but I finally gave up and started going back out of convenience. Well, since then, I've had so many incidents with employees. There's one lady who works in the health food section and she always, no matter when I shop in there, blocks all the aisles and if I ask her to move any of her boxes or carts, she gets mad and huffs and puffs about it. There are several other employees who think stocking the shelves is more important than the customer shopping, but I've come to expect that at many retail establishments. However, one day, I asked her if they had a certain brand of almond milk there (I'd bought it there a few months before), and she was so unbelievably rude to me. I won't rehash the whole convo, but again, it's like I was bothering her by asking her to help me find something she swore they didn't sell and never did sell (that I later found on the shelf). The last straw came today when I tried to write a check. I had an issue with my driver's license that I just got renewed (that I was trying to explain to the casheir, but she was going on break and would not listen). I didn't even care if they would accept it (even though I've had no problem anywhere else, even at that location with another cashier). She just kept saying no, that I could not write a check. I asked her to get her manager over there or call them and explain the situation but she refused. Finally, another cashier came over, and she asked what the problem is. The girl said something like, "I don't know, I think she's trying to write a bad check, something about she can't afford to pay to get her driver's licensed renewed." I never said anything like that!! I was so ticked off, that I just left all of my stuff on the counter and walked out. Hopefully, this is not a company wide thing, but I will not be shopping at that store anymore. (And sorry this is so long.)
I've never personally heard of this Kroger store, but this is a prime example of a big company thinking they're all high and mighty and can treat their customers like something on the bottom of their shoe. It's a horrible experience to have as a customer and I can't believe the store let you go through that. Sorry to hear about this, mate.
That sounds like a really badly-run store. I would be livid if any of those things happened to me. I know you intend to boycott Kroger, and that is a good decision. It might be worthwhile to write a letter detailing the various incidents to corporate headquarters, with carbon copies to the store and regional managers. There may also be an 800 line that you could call. They may send a letter of apology, and possibly some coupons for free items. If they don't, at least you will have helped document the poor management, which could help other people in the future.
I don't blame you for not going back there! That is terrible for a manager of a store to handle it the way he did. I think I would write a letter to their corporate office and then contact the BBB and file a complaint. It wouldn't help you pay for getting your car fixed but at least you did something about it!
Well, I have talked to someone at their corporate office in the past (back when I had the car incident), and he was about as worthless as the store manager. My landlord actually had a really bad incident at this store, too, and she just told me she refuses to shop there. I also had a friend who used to work there. I haven't talked to her in the last few months, but I remember her always complaining about how ridiculous management was. Thanks for letting me vent!
You're not going to like this response at all but here goes ... You get out of life exactly what you put into it .. Here's a brief rundown of the issues you vented about .. 1) The incident in the parking lot where a "witness" stated she saw the "black guy" who scratched your car.. 2) Since then, I've had so many incidents with employees .. 3) Lady who works in health food section always blocks aisles .. 4) Several employees who think stocking shelves is more important than customer shopping, but I've come to expect that at many retail establishments .. 5) Asked if they had a certain brand of almond milk and she was so unbelievably rude to me .. 6) Tried to write a check, kept saying no, you could not write a check .. You are creating your own circumstances and the fact that you quickly rattled off 6 verbal confrontations is an indication of what you expect out of people, and what you expect from people, as I placed in bold exactly what you said, "I've come to expect that." You get out of life what you put into it, therefore, if you're putting negativity, distrust, dislike, disdain, that is exactly what you are getting back. Take a look in the mirror, make some attitude adjustments. Your interactions with people will tend to mirror either a positive attitude/outlook, or a negative attitude/outlook. The energy you put out is the same energy you get back, and believe me, I've lived long enough to understand the veracity of this universal fact. Also, just so you know, I used to be the same way until my daughter, who was 6 years old at the time, made it clear to me that my behavior and attitude needed some adjusting. I stepped back and realized that more than 50% of the people I interacted with (sales clerk, cashiers, etc.) I found myself getting into an argument or some type of disagreement with.
Just a quick update: I talked to some other people in my area about this store over the weekend and apparently, it's not just me who seems to always have bad experiences here. My neighbor told me she refuses to shop there after an incident with the manager. One of their displays fell on her (it was one of those things that they attach to the freezer doors to give out coupons). She told him they might want to take a look at it so that no one gets hurt (I think it just left a small cut on her hand), and he started going nuts, claiming she was making it all up and the store would sue her if she kept it up. Another friend of mine said she refuses to shop there (long story involving the people who work in the meet department). And the day after my check incident (which, btw, I have since talked to a manager about and he apologized because the cashier was indeed wrong), my mom went there to get a prescription filled, and they gave her the wrong pills. I am so glad she noticed it before she took it. Finally, I talked to a friend of mine who I found out used to work there a few years ago, and she said everything I described is exactly why she quit. She said she has never worked with people quite as rude or unintelligent as she has at that store. So, that makes me feel a little better - I was beginning to think it just wasn't meant for me to shop here, because I've never had such experiences anywhere else!
Kroger is a giant business. It sounds to me like a terrible store with bad management. That happens. Avoid that store. Learn to be assertive and firm without being passive-aggressive - and learning a few legal terms wouldn't hurt. When you use legalese calmly and even quietly, looking people directly in the eye without smiling, it's amazing the results you can get. Now, my son works at a QFC grocery store, which is owned by Kroger. They have a HUGE emphasis on good customer service at his store and other QFCs I've been to in the area and are so helpful they almost overdo it.
I don't usualy shop at Kroger just because their prices are usually so inflated. I find that if you deal with people in a calm manner. They will usualy be calm in return. I particularly like to be excessively sweet to assholes. It really bites them in the butt when they can't manipulate you into bad behavior. They then cannot justify their own behavior.Never let others control your responses.
It's not Kroger as a whole, just this particular store. There is another Kroger store in the county next to me that I shop at when I'm there, and I love it. Wal-Mart aside, Kroger is probably the cheapest store in my area. Despite what someone above implied, I am very calm, quiet and shy in real life. I rarely lose my temper, which is why I walked out after the check incident, because I didn't want to end up being rude and came here to vent instead. As for using legal words, there is a manager there who claims he has a law degree and uses it against anyone who has a problem (or so that is what I was told by my neighbor and my friend who worked there). I've decided the best plan of action is to just avoid this store all together. Apparently, they've had to bring corporate people in there to monitor over the last few years and have been through several head store managers. It's just a mess! Thanks for letting me vent, guys!
Sorry to hear of your bad Kroger experience. I really do like Kroger's but its hard to get in there, at the one in my town. There used to be so many grocery stores in this town. I live in an Air Force town. Now they have all closed except for Krogers which is all the way across town. It takes 20 mins and sometimes longer to get there. And when you get there, you can't even find a parking space. I have walking and standing problems and it's very noticeable how many healthy people take up the handicapped spaces. So I will usually go to the Krogers that is 2 towns away. I like it better anyway, it's a superstore, and I never have a problem parking there, and its in a much bigger town. The only other options we have in my town are Save A Lot, which most people go to, but you cant use coupons there because of the already low prices. Also, Dollar General, which has taken to selling more food since the grocery stores have all close down. But they take advantage of us and have raised their prices. There's no Aldis in this town, there used to be but it's gone now. Regarding what you said about the scratches on your car, I've noticed the same on my cars through the years, never thought of the employees as doing that. I just assumed somewhere else and I had never noticed it.
I dont think every Kroger store is like this otherwise they would be shut down. Probably just the town where the store is located is crappy for you. Sorry . You did the right thing in not going back. Dont give them your money if they treat you like poop!
I think it is a very important to remember that your own issues are not something everyone else is necessarily dealing with. Just because you needed your child to show you that you seem to like to start confrontations does not mean everyone else does. The first incident was not verbal and there was a witness as well as actualy physical damage. The fact that a "black guy" was involved does not mean it was all in her head. Following that she explained all of these encounters as well as listing several others in her in circle who also had issues. The problem is not with her, but with the Krogar she has mentioned. Please don't come in and tell someone they're the problem if you aren't even going to bother acknowledge their grievence versus making some comparison between her and yourself. SEA81 I'm sorry this happened to you, but middle management if not management overall is really going down the toilet. Despite the convience factor you're just going to have to leave them along. And if a class suit should come up in the future be sure to jump on that.
I know how you feel. I went to a Fry's (they're owned by Kroger) here in Phoenix because I needed to receive a Western Union money transfer for just $25. I went up to the customer service counter to get my money and the women said she couldn't give me the money because my ID was expired. I practically begged her because I needed the money badly, but she refused. I was really pissed because I had walked a mile to the store and completely wasted the trip. I was really pissed because why should an expired ID prevent you from getting a money transfer? It's obviously YOU. What are the worried about?? (I'm not really asking this).
Ugh, that really stinks! My license issue was a little different, but in your case, you would think that they would just need a picture ID to verify that it is you. I wasn't even mad that I couldn't write a check. I was mad that she wouldn't call the manager to verify because she was "about to go on break," and I was mad that she made me look like an idiot in front of another employee instead of being honest or even listening to what I was telling her. I'm so over it now, but I am finding myself shopping more and more at Publix than Kroger. Those are my main two options. Thanks again to everyone for the support!
I hate Kroger and shopping at them. They are a giant store based in Cincinnati, where I live, you would think they would be competitive with the prices, but they are the highest store around! Not only that my husband stopped one day at the store to run in and pick up an item while I stayed in the truck with my kids because I was sick. They would not take the check from him because I was not present and told him he probably stole the checkbook from me to get the items even after he told them I was in the car and sick. Then the cashier had the gall to tell me I was being a bitch when I told her I was here so she could take the check.
This is quite interesting basically the thing is we keep learning every time and it surely helps in a way which moves ahead in quite a while. Learning and growing is what that should be the strategy of life and surely that has an outcome.
I dumped and kicked Kroger out of my life a couple of months ago. I'm not saying every Kroger is bad, but it's gotten worse over time. The staff is lazy most of the time, like when I ask where something is, I seem to be bothering them. It's not as clean as Publix, which is the grocery I now gladly choose to shop. If I don't shop at Publix, Walmart is definitely second on my list. I hope Kroger finds a way to get there act together.
I have been to kroner and also not to helpfill just wanting to finish quick but I have seen that in all those big shops that's what they do
