Own Label

lizaaitken

As I write this I know it’s quite ridiculous but I’m a sucker for good customer service.

I like Earl Grey tea, I usually buy a premium brand because they are reliable.  Last time I got a shops own label from Waitrose Supermarket, part of the John Lewis partnership.  Waitrose are a high end supermarket, known for their customer service.  I’ve shopped there for many years, sometimes a full weekly shop and at other times, just the things I particularly like. More recently I’ve split my shopping between Aldi, one of the cheaper european supermarkets and Waitrose.

Anyway back to the tea bags, one cup told me they were not up to scratch, I was amazed they had the audacity to call themselves Earl Gray! I took them back hoping to exchange them for a better quality bag.  Now in twenty years I’ve only ever taken two things back to this store, a bottle of wine that wouldn’t open because the screw top wouldn’t work and I complained about a joint of beef, I didn’t take it back, so one thing and it must have been over fifteen years ago as I haven’t eaten any meat since around that time.

I don’t know what made me take these tea bags back, I would usually have thrown them away but they caught my eye as I was leaving home.  Anyway customer services would not take them back, told me unless I had my receipt, they couldn’t. It was obvious I had got them from there as it was their own label but that’s beside the point as I didn’t have the receipt. Now I have to ask, who keeps a receipt for the weekly shop until everything on the list has been eaten, drunk or used? What about store cupboard items, do you keep the receipt for everything you buy to store, what about those extra items we buy when they are on offer? I think not unless you want a separate store cupboard for receipts!

Now I know this is ridiculous, but I’m put out.  I told them to keep the tea bags as they were no good, I might not have used those words.  I have since enjoyed a decent cup of Earl Gray and calmed down a little. I was put out as I don’t believe it to be good customer service, I’ve even emailed head office over this despite the fact we are talking a couple of pounds maximum.

It must be the equinox, planets or something because it has really bugged me, that and it suits todays prompt – label 

Published by lizaaitken

Mother, daughter, sister, cat owner/slave. Thoughtful about life and trying to make it worthwhile.

20 thoughts on “Own Label”

  1. I have to agree, there’s nothing more irksome than having to return something that won’t be accepted without a receipt, PARTICULARLY I might add, when it’s THEIR brand and NO ONE else sells the dang crap! That would have me irked and annoyed and fired up I must say…can you tell it’s happened to me as well? argh!

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  3. Professional shoplifters are to blame for this policy. They’d steal small items of value, then go back and exchange them for larger items which their customers had ordered. Some shops – Marks and Spencers (for example), would even give refunds on items without a receipt being produced. Professional shoplifters made a lot of money from that service. That’s why you need a receipt – to prove you haven’t stolen it. Managers have to produce the paperwork to show they’re not giving products away to possible thieves.
    Before you ask – no, I was never a shoplifter 🙂 but – uncharacteristically – I was friends with one of the best in Devon. He later moved to Swindon, and only last year he helped the UK’s economy by dying 😉

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    1. Lol, he must have been some shoplifter, bless him! I get it but Waitrose seem to be the only ones as far as I can see and. Barge more for the privilege. M&S still give a credit note without a receipt, most have a no questions asked on own brands. Yes I can see there is a fiddle to be had here but I think it’s asking a bit much for a customer to keep the receipt for the grocery shop. They all have store cards now, maybe they should track our shop ( which they probably do 😉). I’ve calmed down now lol 😂

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      1. You’re right – M&Street never changed their policy, and maybe Waitress is the only supermarket to insist on receipts. I don’t expect my friend did his ‘shopping’ there ☺

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      3. I drink Earl Grey leaf tea – it’s Sainsbury’s own label, but I tried it on recommendation and think it’s better than any of the branded stuff, and far nicer than teabags. I like the ritual, too – it reminds me of my mum…

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