Tag: Walmart

Posted in Life

Put it on a gift card

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today, I had the wonderful pleasurof taking a return to the customer service counter at Walmart. The good news is that the line was short. The bad news is that the person ahead of me didn’t have her act together.

The counter person was stoic, helpful, and efficient. The refund amount for the two small cans of diced tomatoes was $1.76. Why did she need to return those? I have no idea.

Oh, and she wanted the refund put on a gift card. Yes, $1.76 on a Walmart gift card. She did not want cash. Or a credit on her card. She insisted on a gift card.

I couldn’t help but wonder why? Why not cash? Why not a one and a little change? Why not a credit on her Visa? Why even bother with such a small refund?

I have no idea. I don’t know what was going through her mind. I don’t know how much food she had or didn’t have at home. I don’t know where she got those tomatoes.

No harm, no foul. The tomatoes were returned. The gift card got a credit. Everyone walked away happy.

Posted in Food, shopping

I can’t believe someone returned those

Posted on by William Douthwaite
What’s wrong with this picture?

If you’re going to Walmart, would you take these back for me?”

I know, no one ever wants to hear those words. However, bundling your errands into one trip to Walmart is better than multiple trips. And the return had already been initiated online, so it should be a quick scan and go.

Scan and go, yes. Quick, no. Five people stood in line ahead of me at the Service counter. I used the time to see what I could notice. I hadn’t yet decided what to write about today. But Walmart never fails to give me an idea. Today was no different.

The Walmart service counter is surrounded by piles of returned items. Boxes of diapers, an aquarium pump, a charcoal grill, colorful plastic eggs, a potted plant, and a package of underwear filled metal shelves on both sides of me. And one thing that really caught my eye: a package of double stuf Oreos.

I know. I did a double take, pulled out my phone, and got the photo. I couldn’t believe it, either. Oreos? Really? Who’s going to return Oreos? That’s just not right.

Okay, I know it’s one item from what looks like a whole cart of healthy food choices including soda, chips, Skittles, and ranch dressing. Maybe someone forgot their debit card and left this all behind. Maybe they got a call and had to leave the store before they could pay for their groceries, and left them in an aisle. Maybe someone made a snarky comment about their New Years resolution to eat healthier. “Fine. I’ll return them!”

Or, maybe someone at home wasn’t happy. “Why did you get double stuffed Oreos? You know I only like the regular ones! You’re so selfish. You only think about yourself. I’m not paying for them. Take them back!” Apparently someone did.

Do you think this bag made it back to the shelf? Or does the night crew share them when it’s break time?

Posted in shopping

Double carts: my good deed for the day

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I know not all Walmarts are created equal. Some are newer, brighter, and equipped with row after row of self-checkout lanes. Mine is older, dingier, and showing it’s age.

I learned the hard way to take a cart in with me from the parking lot. More often than not, that’s where they all are. Few if any make their way back into the store.

I’ve started wheeling two carts in with me. As I walk through the automatically-opening doors, I always encounter someone standing there, wondering what to do, since there aren’t any shopping carts. I know, the easy answer is, “Go back out and get one.” But for some reason, they don’t. They stand there with a puzzled look on their face. They look for an employee to go and bring in some carts. (Good luck with that.) Or, they are there when I’m walking in. With an extra cart in front of me, I offer, “Would you like a cart?”

I’m a hero. At least for five seconds. Then they are on their way. The other day, when I brought in an extra cart, a woman commented, “You’ve got a job if you want it!”

No one should be surprised. If you have to select all your own groceries, scan them, bag them, and pay at self-service stations, of course you should have to wheel in your own shopping cart. If you don’t want to do all of that, pick out your groceries online, let someone else wander the aisles to select them for you and bring them out to your car a few hours later.

As kids, we loved pushing the cart, picking out groceries, unloading the cart, and bagging the food. Who didn’t sneak something extra into the cart when mom wasn’t looking? Adulting means you either do everything yourself or let someone else do it all for you.

Anyway, that’s now my good deed for the day. I do not relish a trip to Walmart. But it helps us stick to our budget. And it makes me feel a little less selfish in a self-centered world.

Posted in Life, shopping

What’s in your shopping cart?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

So I very carefully snapped this picture of a shopping cart just a few spots behind me at a self-checkout lane in Walmart. The contents caught my eye then and still intrigue me now.

  • At least 8 cans of spray disinfectant
  • A large double stack of red solo cups
  • A tall pile of plain white hand-towels
  • A couple of trash cans
  • A huge container of cheese balls

I thought it was an interesting collection of things to purchase. I’m not here to judge; I’ve filled carts with just as many attention-getting items. More on that in a minute.

My first thought: this person teaches preschoolers. Perhaps a Sunday School class. Maybe just a bunch of kids at home.

This shopper could be turning over a short-term rental. Or cleaning up a house before the movers arrive with the furniture.

When a youth group was selling food at an outdoor church festival, I went out the day before to purchase supplies. I overloaded a cart with giant packages of hotdogs and hamburgers, bags of buns, cases of soda, and assortments of chips. As I pulled up to check out, I felt a little self-conscious. “No,” I wanted to explain, “I don’t eat like this all this time!”

Every time I come across this picture I chuckle at the cheese balls. I’ve seen them on display. I’ve always wondered who buys them. One youth brought a similar container on a summer mission trip. Barely lasted two days. I guess it’s not as big as it looks.

What’s in your shopping cart?