Customer Disservice

I just got off the phone with my girlfriend Miller, who is just one of my absolute favorite people on the planet, and just had her second run-in with obnoxious retailers in as many weeks. The first was when she made a call to a shop in Florida she came across online, which makes specialty wallets. She was looking to get a Pulp Fiction-style “Bad Ass Motherfucker” wallet for someone, and her order was rejected by the proprietor, who told her, “Ma’am, I just can’t produce an item with those kinds of cuss words on it.”

Miller, who has never had much interest in politics, and is by no means a radical lefty, went off on a tear about conservatives that scorched the phone in my hand, although I think she was really most offended by the fact that someone had the temerity to use the term “cuss words” in adult conversation.

Today, she told me about purchasing 8 wine glasses at Crate & Barrel, to which she had received a gift certificate from her employer. She brought the glasses to the counter to ask if they would hold them while she finished her shopping, so they wouldn’t get broken, and was told no by three rather snooty cashiers.

“No?”

“No, we’re not doing that today. We’re too busy.” (Said the three cashiers at one counter, none of whom were assisting any customers.)

“Fine, I’ll just buy these then.” No further sale.

She was then told, upon requesting a box, that they “aren’t boxing today.” Apparently, the management had given their staff the ability to refuse holding and boxing purchases because they expected to be quite busy, but failed to consider that at least some of their staff would not have the common sense to realize some items—such as $100 of fragile flutes—still necessitate boxing for transport.

After noticing that Miller was the only customer for miles (and being on the receiving end of a gobsmacked, “Are you serious?” from said customer), one of them finally offered to box the glasses for her.

“And the irony is, it’s Boxing Day,” I said.

Wah wah wah.