Monday, December 10, 2007

A Blue Springs Wal-Mart experience

There's a possible ice storm coming tonight, which has caused some panicked shoppers to get out and "stock up" on supplies. Now, Cliff and I weren't really hurting for any essentials, but I'm hoping to have a family dinner this coming Sunday. So I needed to get out and buy quite a few things I no longer keep on hand all the time. Wal-Mart was the obvious choice, and I figured we'd be wise to go to the biggest, most fully-stocked store, the one with the most brands and items: the Blue Springs, Missouri, Walmart. Notice I'm making liberal use of the full name of this store, as well as using all the various ways to spell Wal*Mart (the Blue Springs Walmart). Haaaaaaaaaaaa! That's store #0184, by the way. I'd love to see this entry eventually show up on Google.

This fairly new Blue Springs Supercenter has irked me more times than I care to remember. Even their elderly greeter seems unable to summon up a smile; I'm not kidding! I believe my daughter and son-in-law have come out of that store angry and frustrated a few times, too. I always assume if the employees are this bad throughout a store, bad management is the cause.

Today the shelves were empty of some items I needed, but that isn't what got my goat.


There were lines at every register because of the "panic shopping". It looked like our best bet for a speedy escape was a one of the self-checkout lines, and I asked Cliff, "Are we brave enough to try this?

"It's fine with me," he said.

We've used the self-checkouts a couple of times before when we only had a few things, but left to my own devices, I'm too intimidated by such new-fangled inventions to mess with them. With Cliff by my side, however, I felt strong and courageous. Besides, I was going to make him do all the work. We had a pretty full cart, but he seemed confident.

Obviously we weren't moving fast enough for the computerized Hitler, because it kept advising Cliff to either type in the number code or scan something. Then he made the mistake of putting a just-scanned item over into a cooler we'd bought, rather than in a sack. Bad mistake. The overbearing voice informed us that we had failed to put a scanned item where it needed to be placed... in the bag area. No problem. Cliff brought it back over to the proper area and put it in a bag. Then the machine tells us there's an unauthorized item in our bag!

So we needed help. Fortunately (I thought) there was a portly, grim-faced, sixty-ish employee standing there whose only job was to help people like us through the self-checkouts. I waved at him, and he stomped over to the register.

"You shouldn't go through these if you don't know what you're doing," he growled.

Huh? Is that any way to speak to your public?

Cliff almost lost it; he raised his voice somewhat and said to Oscar the Grouch, "How the hell are you supposed to learn how to use them then?"

The man keyed a code into the register and sulked off.

"Merry Christmas," I said loudly to his back, as he retreated.

So folks, if you happen into the Blue Springs Walmart or the Blue Springs Wal-Mart or even the Blue Springs Wal*Mart... just be aware that the Grinch, along with all his crew, is alive and well. Which isn't surprising, since the store is pathetic anyhow. I'll be going to a different store next time.

Added later: When I looked at my ticket, I noticed there's a website I can go to tell Walmart about my shopping experience! This has made my day for sure. I'd loved to have copied and pasted this entry, but unfortunately I was only offered multiple-choice answers to questions. At least I'm entered in a drawing for a $1,000 gift card.

Another post script: On Tuesday morning, December 11, "Blue Springs Walmart" shows my blog as fourth on the google search page; a "Walmart
#0184" search shows me in first place; and "Blue Springs Supercenter" has me in third place.

I know fame is fleeting, but for today I am enjoying "Blog Power"!

19 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:37 PM

    The $1000.00 gift card that you'll use at any Walmart but the Blue Springs Wal*Mart! I have a love/hate relationship with Walmart. Makes me a bit nuts.

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  2. Anonymous6:41 PM

    Well, I just googled "blue springs wal mart" and your number 3 from the top. That's pretty good.

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  3. Anonymous7:09 PM

    They treat their employees like crap and pay them very little. Walmart is not a place I would want to work.
    but that man should not have taken it out on you.
    Remember the customer comes first.
    If a true retail professional saw you were having problems, they would have came up and said, hi can I help you with this? And showed you the proper way to use it, and thank you for your business and wish you a good day.
    Good Manners are a lost art it seems.

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  4. You're number 4 on the Google listing right now, the way we googled it. Right ON! I hate that place! Kevin read this entry, then said, "YES!"

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  5. Anonymous7:29 PM

    Good grief! No one at any store should be allowed to get away with saying something like that!

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  6. Anonymous7:34 PM

    I HAVE A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE DO-IT-YOURSELF CHECK OUTS. I ONLY DO IT IF I HAVE UNDER 10 ITEMS. THE EMPLOYEE NEEDS FIRING....FOR SURE. WHAT HE SAID MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL. YOU WERE WAAAAY TO NICE.

    MAGRAN

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  7. Anonymous7:39 PM

    How rude!! He should be fired for saying that! But, consider the source...at 60, miserable, and working for WM...that's pretty sad if you ask me.
    Pam

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  8. Blue Springs you say? Ehh, well the Lee's Summit SuperCenter ain't a whole lot bettah! In fact, I hate it now that it's a Supercenter...what happened to the nice little WalMart I enjoyed? And then zipped across the street for the groceries? I'll do that, I'll do anything not to do WalMart. Anything! xo

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  9. Blue Springs you say? Ehh, well the Lee's Summit SuperCenter ain't a whole lot bettah! In fact, I hate it now that it's a Supercenter...what happened to the nice little WalMart I enjoyed? And then zipped across the street for the groceries? I'll do that, I'll do anything not to do WalMart. Anything! xo

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  10. Oh, Walmart and I don't get along. But then I'm not into any kind of shopping but if I were walmart would still be on my list of places not to shop.

    I hate those self-check out thingys too. I imagine someday that's all that there will be. That will be terrible.

    A $1000 gift certificate for commenting on your shopping experience, now that would be ok. I hope you win it.

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  11. I am in the 'hate to go to Walmart' club too! I just absolutely refuse to go there usless it's the only option I have. I guess I could easily say that I haven't been there in months. This time of year it's a nightmare there with the Christmas shopping. Good for you for at least trying those self check out things. I tried that at Home Depot and it was the pits! Now I just stand in line and wait!!

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  12. Good for you! Walmart is a nightmare in most cities, and since they care very little about anything but the customers' cash, it's good when people speak up. The one in Howell NJ is so bad, you'd swear it's a joke being played on people, like the old Candid Camera days.
    But it's not a joke, and that's what's sad.

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  13. Anonymous7:19 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  14. I hope you win that gift card. You deserve it!
    I enjoyed your blog:)

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  15. I am so glad that our local Walmart is not like that! I have never ran into any butts there. Now the Fort Oglethorpe Walmart and the Brainard WalMart are different stories.

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  16. Anonymous3:20 PM

    FYI: #1 of Google for Blue Springs Walmart! :-)

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  17. Anonymous8:19 AM

    Hi Donna ... well I Googled "walmart 0184" and you came up number one. Nice blog ... I was looking for the location of that particular Walmart. It looks like there are some good people in Blue Springs so I feel better about that.

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  18. Anonymous10:15 PM

    #5 on Swagbucks search for "wal mart blue springs". Nice post.

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  19. Anonymous11:54 AM

    4 years later, you're still number 4 for "Blue Springs Walmart." FYI

    'Your daughter

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