[Grovenet] Safeway probably isn't . . . .

[Glenn Berkheimer]

I am generally one of the last people to say anything about customer service and using our own Forest Grove stores because I really believe we should go local if we can, anyway the other day I decided to get my meds filled at BI MART instead of going out to COSTCO.  I thought I would be supporting local jobs this way.  I don't use any health insurance since the RX is generic and has been around for years and years.  I had just seen my M.D. for my yearly exam and I took it to the pharmacy.  When I went to pay for it I was told it was going to be $47.10.  I thought their was a mistake so I told them what I pay for it at COSTCO so the girl said she would have the pharmacy check and they would match their price if they could.  Not 1 minute later she re appeared to tell me that COSTO's price was $35.90 so they could fill it for that price.  I asked for my RX back and went straight to COSTCO.  I am sitting here looking at my reciept from COSTCO and the price was $8.10.
I was not only about to be over charged but I was lied to as well.

Just because you have insurance, it is this type of practice that is hurting health care and driving people to go to out of town.  My prices are in line with all other coffee shops I think but I also see so many people going to the giants when I see other drive through local coffee shops (downtown) that sell as good as others for the same price.  Why do we, as Forest Grove Citizens, do this.  In my case I was trying to support local jobs but I see so many of us hurting our own families businesses and supporting giants instead.
Glenn


Date: Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:41:07 -0700
From: rab at jurislex.com
To: homeshopping at safeway.com
CC: grovenet at rdrop.com; letters at news.oregonian.com; director at fgchamber.org
Subject: [Grovenet] Safeway probably isn't . . . .








Every time I go into Safeway here in Forest Grove I am
reminded why my wife Pat and I now do virtually all of our grocery,
pharmacy, and household goods shopping at Fred Meyer and Costco.
Yesterday Pat got the craving for some macaroni salad and, rather than
have to go out of town, she popped into Safeway for a couple of things.
As usual, she paid with her airmiles American Express card.



When we got ready for dinner last night, she realized that there was no
shrink-wrap sealer around the lip of the lid.  But, not thinking much
of it, it got worse when she opened the snap top to find that the
plastic cover over the salad was not sealed on the front and two sides.
While it did not appear that anyone had taken any salad out of the
container, in an abundance of caution we opted to fore go any of her hoped for macaroni salad .



This morning a few minutes after 9:00 am I popped into Safeway to
return the salad. Finding the customer service counter not only
unattended, but the lights above the counter still turned off, I found
an employee to whom I explained our situation and made inquiry as to
where to go to return the salad. I was directed to the other end of the
checker row where, after once again explaining my situation, and the
second person to whom I spoke making inquiry with several of her
co-workers, I was sent back to the customer service counter (the
overhead lights of which were still off) to see a manager. For the
third time I explained my need, showed this person the product,
explained why we choose not to eat it, and, not desiring to tell her
about a foot problem and to have to walk the entire length of the store
to the deli area , noted that I wanted to get a refund. Upon her
request, I then showed her my wife's receipt from the previous day's
purchase.



That's when things got sticky. She immediately asked for the credit
card with which it had been purchased; I assume she was intending to
put the refund back onto the card so that Safeway would save the $0.18
in servicer fee (on the $3.99 purchase price) they paid American
Express. Noting that I did not have the card with me since it was my
wife who made the purchase, she abruptly explained to me that she could
not do the refund. However, after some fairly insistent prompting on my
part, she did note on the receipt that the product had been returned
and that a refund was yet due to my wife.



Now, I realize that 18 cents is not a huge sum of money. However, that
cuts two ways. As someone who used to spend over $600 per month at
Safeway, one would think that they might desire to have me back as a
customer. But, no, I was treated as just another cipher, someone else
to be inconvenienced so they could return to what ever they may have
been doing before I came in. Which, unlike Fred Meyer, often consists
of long lines, several checkers with surly attitudes (though I really
do miss seeing some others), crowded aisles, and dirty floors. Oh, yes,
despite a number of requests, they still play their outside speaker so
loud we can hear it in my office across the parking lot!!



So, I guess I will continue to  drive to Cornelius or to Hillsboro for
my grocery shopping needs -  just one more person going out of town
rather than supporting our local stores. But, it must not matter since,
if Safeway really needed my business, I guess they would work a little
harder to keep me as a customer. Maybe at least 18 cents harder!!



bob browning

forest grove





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