I'm paying them $10 a year to be treated like a jerk?? (1 Viewer)

[MarkDude]

Below is an e-mail I sent Replay and Sam Goody about a recent experience, but I also wanted to get feedback from you friendly people about the situation.

Hello,

I am writing you about a very frustrating experience I experienced today at my local Sam Goody store (store number 5173), because of the Replay program. I had a $20 Replay certificate in addition to a $30 gift card. I bought approximately $46 worth of merchandise. I handed the cashier my merchandise with my Replay card, gift card, and Replay certificate.

She scanned in my merchandise and then scanned my gift card, leaving me with a total of about $16, towards which my $20 Replay certificate was not valid, since the value of the certificate exceeded the value of my remaining total, and I did not want to get anything else.

The cashier realized the mistake, and then got very upset at me because I did not tell her to scan the Replay certificate first. That is certainly not my responsibility. I wanted to just walk out of the store, but I could not because the $30 from my gift card was already taken. The cashier, after uttering a few inappropriate curse words, said she was going to go get a manager.

After five minutes, she came back and informed me that the manager had conveniently just stepped out to take out the trash. She then rudely demanded that I move aside so she could check out the next person. Of course, several people got in line shortly thereafter, and I was just looking at the stuff around the cash register, thinking the manager would be back soon.

It wasn't until nearly 20 or 30 minutes later that she finished checking out the people in the line before she went back to check for the manager. Finally the manager came out and the cashier blatantly lied to him, saying that I didn't show her my Replay certificate until after she scanned the gift card.

The only reason I ended up finishing that transaction is that I was literally trapped into it because of my gift card. I did not plan on spending a half hour in the store, especially because I was very short on time. Neither the cashier or manager apologized to me despite my complete patience with the whole situation.

I joined Replay under the impression that it was convenient for the consumer. Instead I am paying a $10 per year fee to have cashiers mess up my transactions treat me like a nuisance to the store.

My member number is 05621026. You'll see that I have nearly 60 transactions in just the three months I've been with Replay. I am truly one of your most loyal customers. However, after this experience, I am really considering whether or not I will ever step foot into a Musicland store again. Replay is the only reason I have become such a loyal customer at these stores, but if this is how Replay customers are treated, there's no way I want to continue to be a part of it.

For your reference, the transaction number for my final transaction from this mess is 5173 00002 91534 -- the number below that number is 030.

I feel I deserve some compensation for the treatment I experienced at this Sam Goody store, be it Replay points or a gift card. I was embarrassed in front of the manager of this store as well as several customers, and I did absolutely nothing wrong. I also was late getting somewhere I had to be, which was only because of this mess. It was my 18th birthday and this was not how I intended to spend my time on such a milestone in my life.

Thank you for reviewing this situation and I look forward to your response,
--Mark Raby--

 

[MarkDude]

Below is an e-mail I sent Replay and Sam Goody about a recent experience, but I also wanted to get feedback from you friendly people about the situation.

Hello,

I am writing you about a very frustrating experience I experienced today at my local Sam Goody store (store number 5173), because of the Replay program. I had a $20 Replay certificate in addition to a $30 gift card. I bought approximately $46 worth of merchandise. I handed the cashier my merchandise with my Replay card, gift card, and Replay certificate.

She scanned in my merchandise and then scanned my gift card, leaving me with a total of about $16, towards which my $20 Replay certificate was not valid, since the value of the certificate exceeded the value of my remaining total, and I did not want to get anything else.

The cashier realized the mistake, and then got very upset at me because I did not tell her to scan the Replay certificate first. That is certainly not my responsibility. I wanted to just walk out of the store, but I could not because the $30 from my gift card was already taken. The cashier, after uttering a few inappropriate curse words, said she was going to go get a manager.

After five minutes, she came back and informed me that the manager had conveniently just stepped out to take out the trash. She then rudely demanded that I move aside so she could check out the next person. Of course, several people got in line shortly thereafter, and I was just looking at the stuff around the cash register, thinking the manager would be back soon.

It wasn't until nearly 20 or 30 minutes later that she finished checking out the people in the line before she went back to check for the manager. Finally the manager came out and the cashier blatantly lied to him, saying that I didn't show her my Replay certificate until after she scanned the gift card.

The only reason I ended up finishing that transaction is that I was literally trapped into it because of my gift card. I did not plan on spending a half hour in the store, especially because I was very short on time. Neither the cashier or manager apologized to me despite my complete patience with the whole situation.

I joined Replay under the impression that it was convenient for the consumer. Instead I am paying a $10 per year fee to have cashiers mess up my transactions treat me like a nuisance to the store.

My member number is 05621026. You'll see that I have nearly 60 transactions in just the three months I've been with Replay. I am truly one of your most loyal customers. However, after this experience, I am really considering whether or not I will ever step foot into a Musicland store again. Replay is the only reason I have become such a loyal customer at these stores, but if this is how Replay customers are treated, there's no way I want to continue to be a part of it.

For your reference, the transaction number for my final transaction from this mess is 5173 00002 91534 -- the number below that number is 030.

I feel I deserve some compensation for the treatment I experienced at this Sam Goody store, be it Replay points or a gift card. I was embarrassed in front of the manager of this store as well as several customers, and I did absolutely nothing wrong. I also was late getting somewhere I had to be, which was only because of this mess. It was my 18th birthday and this was not how I intended to spend my time on such a milestone in my life.

Thank you for reviewing this situation and I look forward to your response,
--Mark Raby--

 

[Carl Johnson]

You're being way too polite Mark. The squeaky wheal gets the grease and "I am really considering whether or not I will ever step foot into a Musicland store again." is not much of a statement. "Cancel my membership, I'm taking my business elsewhere" would be more likely to get their attention.........

 

[Carl Johnson]

You're being way too polite Mark. The squeaky wheal gets the grease and "I am really considering whether or not I will ever step foot into a Musicland store again." is not much of a statement. "Cancel my membership, I'm taking my business elsewhere" would be more likely to get their attention.........

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Mark, I thought that was a fantastic reply. I have heard other stories and have seen that if you act like you're pissed off, they tend to ignore it.

If you don't hear from them - it may take 8 weeks - then write it off. But go back to the store when the same cashier is there, and refuse to have him/her serve you. It might be fun putting the cashier in a spot.

Oh, and happy birthday! I hope the rest of the day went better!

Glenn

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Mark, I thought that was a fantastic reply. I have heard other stories and have seen that if you act like you're pissed off, they tend to ignore it.

If you don't hear from them - it may take 8 weeks - then write it off. But go back to the store when the same cashier is there, and refuse to have him/her serve you. It might be fun putting the cashier in a spot.

Oh, and happy birthday! I hope the rest of the day went better!

Glenn

 

[EricSchulz]

Mark:

As someone who has worked in the service industry all my adult life (20+ years and counting), it is letters like yours that will get a response from MOST companies. You were obviously wronged, but your letter was concise and factual, NOT emotionally charged and threatening. Believe me, most companies would prefer to keep your business and a well-written letter does much more than ranting and raving. Good luck with your situation and please keep us posted!

Eric

 

[EricSchulz]

Mark:

As someone who has worked in the service industry all my adult life (20+ years and counting), it is letters like yours that will get a response from MOST companies. You were obviously wronged, but your letter was concise and factual, NOT emotionally charged and threatening. Believe me, most companies would prefer to keep your business and a well-written letter does much more than ranting and raving. Good luck with your situation and please keep us posted!

Eric

 

[StephenHa]

That i a very good letter, if she did not do the transaction properly that is not your fault, and being polite yet firm usually gets the best results

 

[StephenHa]

That i a very good letter, if she did not do the transaction properly that is not your fault, and being polite yet firm usually gets the best results

 

[MarkDude]

Yeah, it was a pretty good day otherwise. I made sure to buy a lottery scratch card before the day was over (didn't win anything of course).

Thanks for the feedback. I am surprised by the positive comments you've given me. I would have stayed there and argued with them a little bit (maybe the manager could have done something there on the spot), but of course, as mentioned, I was already late for a get-together with family and friends. I hope I get a response; I will indeed keep you guys posted.

--Mark--
=)

 

[MarkDude]

Yeah, it was a pretty good day otherwise. I made sure to buy a lottery scratch card before the day was over (didn't win anything of course).

Thanks for the feedback. I am surprised by the positive comments you've given me. I would have stayed there and argued with them a little bit (maybe the manager could have done something there on the spot), but of course, as mentioned, I was already late for a get-together with family and friends. I hope I get a response; I will indeed keep you guys posted.

--Mark--
=)

 

[DaveGTP]

My then-fiancee went into the semi-local Media Play (last year). She had a raincheck for South Park season 1 for $9.99 (remember that deal?). To make a long story short, the cashier and the manager basically told her that they would do $20 (or something like that). She didn't want to do $20. They ripped up her raincheck saying it was expired (it'd been like 3 months, and they never had any stock of S1 in - probably because of the rainchecks).

I sent an email to Replay customer service but never really got a satisfactory response. Just a letter from customer service promising to "take it up with the regional manager".

I must say, my purchases have certainly declined (which they were doing anyway).

 

[DaveGTP]

My then-fiancee went into the semi-local Media Play (last year). She had a raincheck for South Park season 1 for $9.99 (remember that deal?). To make a long story short, the cashier and the manager basically told her that they would do $20 (or something like that). She didn't want to do $20. They ripped up her raincheck saying it was expired (it'd been like 3 months, and they never had any stock of S1 in - probably because of the rainchecks).

I sent an email to Replay customer service but never really got a satisfactory response. Just a letter from customer service promising to "take it up with the regional manager".

I must say, my purchases have certainly declined (which they were doing anyway).

 

[MarkDude]

I actually make most of my Replay purchases at Media Play, so I can relate. While I've gotten to know several employees very well by shopping there so much, I'll sometimes get checked out by a new person or someone I don't know -- and they are sometimes not the most customer-friendly. Also, there have been a few times that a sale price on an item rang up the regular price - which is bound to happen at any big retail store like that.

I can recall a Replay-related issue at my local Media Play too. I got a mailing from Replay saying you got a free sampler DVD if you bought a select DVD. Well, I bought one of the DVD's and asked the cashier about the sampler DVD (I took the mailing in because I knew they probably wouldn't know what I was talking about).

She went to get a manager, who also didn't know what it was -- manager asked me to come back the next day which is when they get their new shipments of stuff. So I come back the next day and ask him; he says they never got their shipment for that day.

I call the next day and ask to speak to the manager (asked for his name specifically). The employee asks what it's about and I said it's about the sampler DVD, that I've already talked to the manager about it. She says to hang on a minute. 15 minutes later another person comes back on and says, "Who is this?" I tell her I wanted to talk to the manager and she says he just went on his lunch break.

Never got my sampler DVD...

Heh, I know what all the readers are thinking: this Replay thing doesn't sound like such a good program. Well, I guess you're right. The thing that scares me is articles I've read about it say the current version of the program is much improved over when the program first started in the late 1990's. Can't imagine what it was like then...

--Mark--
=)

 

[MarkDude]

I actually make most of my Replay purchases at Media Play, so I can relate. While I've gotten to know several employees very well by shopping there so much, I'll sometimes get checked out by a new person or someone I don't know -- and they are sometimes not the most customer-friendly. Also, there have been a few times that a sale price on an item rang up the regular price - which is bound to happen at any big retail store like that.

I can recall a Replay-related issue at my local Media Play too. I got a mailing from Replay saying you got a free sampler DVD if you bought a select DVD. Well, I bought one of the DVD's and asked the cashier about the sampler DVD (I took the mailing in because I knew they probably wouldn't know what I was talking about).

She went to get a manager, who also didn't know what it was -- manager asked me to come back the next day which is when they get their new shipments of stuff. So I come back the next day and ask him; he says they never got their shipment for that day.

I call the next day and ask to speak to the manager (asked for his name specifically). The employee asks what it's about and I said it's about the sampler DVD, that I've already talked to the manager about it. She says to hang on a minute. 15 minutes later another person comes back on and says, "Who is this?" I tell her I wanted to talk to the manager and she says he just went on his lunch break.

Never got my sampler DVD...

Heh, I know what all the readers are thinking: this Replay thing doesn't sound like such a good program. Well, I guess you're right. The thing that scares me is articles I've read about it say the current version of the program is much improved over when the program first started in the late 1990's. Can't imagine what it was like then...

--Mark--
=)

 

[MarkDude]

Never received a response. Oh well...

--Mark--