Discriminatory Actions and False Advertising Led to A Total Boycott Grocer Advantage in the household.
Individuals are advised to steer clear of this company and this store specifically due to a lapse of management, incorrect advertising, improper store maintenance and price gouging.
After 4 years of this household shopping at this Grocery Advantage, this review was actively discriminated against by not only the management staff, but also, a customer within the store who made it their business to get involved in the situation.
After entering the store and finding my way the alcohol section, I and my partner came upon our item, a Bud Lite Seltzer Variety pack, and saw that the price was listed as $7.99 + tax. Upon approaching the register, the cashier informed the two of us that the price was not $7.99 + tax as listed but was instead $18.99 after tax.
Due to this confusion, the cashier was asked to verify the price on the shelf where the Seltzers were located. Upon returning to the shelf, the cashier and I found that the price was indeed $7.99 + tax. However, upon closer inspection, the cashier informed me that she could not change price of the seltzers because the price listed was the price of a Bud Light Seltzer Mango pack.
I made a note to the cashier that while that was overlooked by my eyes, the reason that was the case was due to the fact that the shelf, that was suppose to contain Bud Lite Seltzer Mango Packs was overstocked with Bud Lite Seltzer Variety packs.
WITH NO SIGNAGE DISTINGUISHING THE TWO IN PRICE.
Upon relaying that information to the cashier, she requested her manager to join the two of us to confirm the price. It was at this point that I began to explain that "if a product has been mislabeled or mispriced, it is up to those at fault (in this case the managers and associates of Grocery Advantage) to honor the displayed price due to an error", having 10+ years of experience in a retail environment very similar to Grocery Advantage and understanding the multiple laws deterring false advertising.
I was direct with my words and my facts were legitimate, due to the evidence in front of both the manager and the cashier, yet when I asked the manager to speak to her supervisor or Corporate Office I was met with the following words.
"I don't like how you are speaking to me"
- Even though my words were directed towards the company as a whole and not the manager directly.
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"I am the manager of this store"
- Even though the request has come from me to speak to her supervisor, meaning District Supervisor or Customer Service supervisor (a position that she claimed that she was, despite not displaying credentials showing that fact)
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"We do not have a corporate officer"
- Even though a quick Google Search and a link to the Better Business Bureau lists them as Corporation independent meaning (according to Investopedia):
"A corporation is a legal entity that is separate and distinct from its owners."
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"A customer probably ripped the tag off, so we can't honor that price"
- Even though there was no sticker or price tag denoting a difference in price between the two. In addition to a store manager and cashier (Custom Service Associate) claiming that they were not at any fault for the inaction and in fact it was on the "customer".
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"Sir if you do not leave then I'm going to call the police"
- Even though to this point, the only thing that is cause to convict in the eye of the law is a "disturbance of the peace" charge for exercise my First Amendment rights and using my experience to inform management of a potential error in signage.
So.....I'm at fault apparently.
And at this point I told my partner to leave the store and I addressed the cashier telling her to cancel the transaction.
She replied that she "Already Did" at which point I thanked her before she, the manager, a woman from the next register (a complete stranger by the way) demanded that I apologize to the cashier, because "that is not how a man should talk to a woman".
At which point I asked the woman "So when a human being speaks to a human being directly and without prejudice, stating facts not opinions, I as a man am at fault because I am calling two women to put forth the effort to be proactive in business and asking for recompense due to an error?"
To which she replied that "my parents didn't raise me right because I was speaking to women like that", at which point including herself into the group.
I replied that "my parents taught me to treat women as they want to be treated and not to perpetuate a double standard".
The manager made herself visible, echoing again that she was calling the police (at which time she was holding her phone as if to dial). And seeing the conversation becoming a personal issue and not a business matter I decided that it was best to leave.
However, before I left, the woman said that the issue that I just brought to light and the conversations was too much drama.
Wow!
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