Grocery store employees are on the front lines of customer service. They have to deal with a constant stream of questions, comments, and complaints from the public. While most of these interactions are perfectly normal, some of them are so bizarre and so illogical that they become the stuff of retail legend. Here are six of the most unbelievable, but true, types of complaints that grocery store workers have to deal with regularly.
1. “My Watermelon Has Seeds in It”
This is a classic and surprisingly common complaint. A customer will buy a regular watermelon, one that is not labeled as “seedless.” They will then come back to the store to complain that they are unhappy with the product because it is full of black seeds. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of how fruit grows in nature. It is a complaint that always leaves employees speechless.
2. Returning a Half-Eaten Rotisserie Chicken
A customer will buy a hot, ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken. Their family will eat most of it for dinner. The next day, they will bring the carcass of the chicken back to the customer service desk. They will complain that the chicken was “too dry” or “not flavorful enough” and will demand a full refund. This is a shockingly common and audacious attempt to get a free meal.
3. “This Product Tastes Bad” (on a product that is meant to taste that way)
A shopper will buy an item that has a strong and distinctive flavor, like a kombucha, a block of funky blue cheese, or a bar of unsweetened baker’s chocolate. They will then return the item. They will complain that it has a sour, strong, or bitter taste. The employee then has to gently explain that that is the way the product is supposed to taste.
4. Complaining About an Item That Was Discontinued a Decade Ago
A customer will come to the store and be very angry that they cannot find their favorite brand of a particular product. The employee will then have to explain to them that that brand or that specific item was discontinued ten or even twenty years ago. These customers will often refuse to believe it. They will insist that they just bought the item at that store last week.
5. Trying to Use a Coupon for a Completely Different Store
An employee at a Kroger will be faced with a customer who is trying to use a coupon that is very clearly labeled “for use at Publix only.” When the coupon is rejected by the computer, the customer will often become very angry. They will argue that the store should accept the coupon anyway. This shows a complete lack of understanding of how coupons work.
6. “The Self-Checkout Machine Is Trying to Trick Me”
The self-checkout machine can be a source of endless, strange complaints. A customer will complain that the machine is “yelling” at them when it says, “Please place the item in the bagging area.” Others will become convinced that the machine is a part of a conspiracy to overcharge them. They will report that the machine is “deliberately” scanning their items twice, a claim that is almost always just a user error.
The Customer Is Not Always Right
These unbelievable complaints are a source of both frustration and amusement for grocery store employees. They are a daily reminder of the strange and often illogical nature of human behavior. While the old saying may be that “the customer is always right,” these stories are a clear and hilarious proof that this is often not the case. A little bit of common sense and a little bit of patience can go a long way in the checkout lane.
Are you a current or former retail worker? What is the single most unbelievable customer complaint you have ever received? Share your story!
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