Category: Rants & Observations

The saga continues, and ends

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Soooo… we tried the Jenni-O turkey polish kielbasa the other day and while flavorful, it was ruined by the fact that the skin was really tough. So nay on the Jenni-O.

Last night I put together a list of local grocers and their phone numbers with the intention of calling each one today to see who carried the Butterball sausage. That plan was quickly derailed when I was informed by a girl at the first store I called that Butterball has discontinued making the polska kielbasa. Well isn’t that interesting? I do recall asking Butterball if it had been discontinued and not getting an answer to my question. Apparently it’s a huge secret. I shouldn’t be surprised considering it’s still listed on their website.

I am seriously considering writing a letter to their corporate office about this. No, not because it’s discontinued, although I am very sad and bewildered why the best tasting turkey sausage of the four I’ve tried apparently wasn’t selling well enough to remain in production. No, it’s because I’m sick of poor customer service from companies who expect us to buy their products regardless. I for one have added Butterball to my boycott list. Not that I’ll suffer much since that was the single product I really made a habit of purchasing. Sure, I like their Italian turkey breast in the deli from time to time, but no more. I’ll take my money elsewhere if they can’t be bothered to assist me in spending it on their products.

Butterball’s customer service blows

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Yesterday I submitted an e-mail to Butterball explaining how difficult I’ve found it to locate their turkey polska kielbasa. I used to get it at Meijer and Dominick’s and now neither store carries it. They aren’t out of it either; there’s no price tag to indicate they have any intention of re-stocking it. I’ve been bummed because I have a few recipes where I use it, like my sausage and peppers and even the chicken and chorizo stoup (I use the turkey instead of chorizo). I’ve tried Hillshire Farms and Eckrich’s versions of the turkey polish sausage and neither were as tender and juicy. I really miss the Butterball version!!!

I explained all that to Butterball, asking whether they are discontinuing the production of this sausage and if not, if they could tell me what store in my area carried it. This was their response (silly grammar included):

May 14, 2007

Dear Nicole,

Thank you for your question about the location of turkey polska kielbasa, however, we are not able to tell you what your local retailers have in their inventory. We recommend asking the meat manager at your local retailer so the item will may be available at your retailer.

Sincerely,
Howard Lewis
Consumer Response Representative

Well thanks for nothing! Why “product locator” is even an option on their website when sending them an e-mail is beyond me. They can’t locate shit. Nor did they even answer whether the sausage is still being produced. Am I to assume it is since they didn’t say otherwise?

Honestly, I don’t know why I bother. I am practically begging these people to take my money, but they don’t want to help me. I guess they could learn a thing or two from Edy’s/Dreyer’s who can not only tell me what store carries their product, but can e-mail me the day a particular flavor of my choosing arrives at the store I’ve selected. Now that is inventory control. I hope for our sake the Jenni-O turkey kielbasa I bought this week is really good so I don’t have to buy Butterball’s again. You know, provided I can even find it.

Young Guns

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Over the weekend I was going through our DVD collection, pulling out movies I wanted to get rid of to make room for the new stuff we acquired recently, when I came across the copy of Young Guns that Joe bought at Walmart two years ago. I held it up and said, “Hey, we never watched this. We should”. Joe eyed me suspiciously and replied, “Oh, I see. Now you want to watch it. Oh that’s right, Kiefer is in it. Before you had no interest in it”. Yea, you got me, Joe, I needed my fix. Actually, after getting into 24 I just have more interest in Kiefer’s acting. It’s like when you find a band you like and start listening to anything by them you can get your hands on. A minor addiction, if you will, that will eventually be replaced by the next latest and greatest thing.

So we watched the movie tonight and it wasn’t half bad. Not necessarily something I’d watch again, but it was interesting in the parts where Kiefer had to yell because then he sounded just like Jack. His normal voice wasn’t quite as raspy as it is now. I guess it took awhile for all his smoking to catch up with him. His hair was too long and he was very young when that movie was made. I much prefer the Kiefer of today than yesterday, except his yellow teeth. He should really get them whitened.

Why is it that most guys are better looking as they get older? 35-40 is such a sweet spot for men if you ask me. Joe is 37 and is quite handsome. Sure, he was attractive in his 20’s (I’m basing this on photos I’ve seen since he was in his thirties when we met), but he is so much more distinguished now. Too bad it doesn’t work that way with women. We deal with PMS, menstrual cycles, giving birth, stretch marks, raising kids, and are all washed up by the time we hit 35. Totally not fair.

Buy.com No More

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Well you can add Buy.com to my boycott list. I’ve had it with them. Like the saying goes, three strikes and you’re out.

The first strike came a year ago when a few days after I had made a purchase, they sent me a coupon for money off my next purchase. They never ever sent me a coupon before, but they conveniently wait until I already ordered something to do so. When I contacted them, they refused to let me use the coupon toward the purchase and it hadn’t even shipped at that point!

Then a few months ago I ordered an audio stand from them that came to us in pieces, and not just in pieces that needed to be put together. The pieces were in pieces and water damaged. So I had to do that whole return thing and ship it back.

A couple of days ago I ordered a memory card for the new camera I am going to be getting for $64.95. The item shipped out, I still don’t have it, and the price went down $10! I contacted them to see if they would issue me a credit, much like I did with Wal-Mart recently. Well they said no, offered no explanation, and left it at that. Well screw that. There are plenty of other places I can shop online. Here’s the e-mail chain in case you’re interested in the specifics. It’s from oldest to newest in this case.

I wrote:
Hello, I just ordered the Kingston SD card, haven’t even received it, and I noticed the price on your site went down almost $10 from $64.95 to $55.99. Can you please issue me a credit for the price difference? I would think this is fair as many brick and mortar stores do this when something goes on sale within 30 days of purchase. I look forward to your response. Thank you!

They wrote back:
Thank you for contacting Buy.com.

This is in reference to your email regarding the order #BlahBlah.

We apologize for the inconvenience you may have experienced. We are writing to inform you that we are unable to match the prices at this time.

We apologize again for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

Thank you again for writing to Buy.com.

Sincerely,
Buy.com Customer Care Team

So I wrote back:
I find your response unacceptable, especially considering you offer no explanation. Saying you’re “sorry for the inconvenience” twice does not suffice. It’s not an inconvenience, it’s a disgrace, because you’re not sorry at all. If I were to go to your site right now and order this item it would be $10 cheaper, but you won’t extend the same courtesy to someone who is already a repeat customer? I’ll definitely keep that in mind for all my future shopping. I’ve already boycotted Best Buy due to their horrible customer service; consider yourself added to that list.

I’ll be sure to pass along the message of how inflexible you are to everyone I know via my website and in-person conversations and I won’t be recommending your site to my friends anymore. I hope angering and losing a repeat customer over $10 makes financial sense to you. Considering all the options available to me for online purchases, who do you think this will ultimately hurt more? Yes, I am one person, but I’m not the only person out there who will think your poor attitude toward customer service is acceptable. And over a $10 savings you’re already offering to other visitors to your site no less? Did they teach you that in Customer Service 101? I’m surprised you’re still in business.

So I’m keeping my promise by sharing this experience with you, dear readers. The problem these days is that everyone allows these companies to treat them poorly and they continue shopping there. If we were to refuse to accept this treatment, places like Best Buy and Buy.com would be forced to improve their customer service or else go out of business. Just something to keep in mind next time you’re mistreated. And trust me, I know it isn’t always easy, as I’ve shopped Best Buy a couple of times since boycotting them years ago, but I’m back to boycotting them 100% because I’m tired of giving my hard-earned money to these heartless corporations.

Cell phone freaks

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Man Drops Cell Phone, Hit By CTA Train

You’d think if you were waiting for a train, you’d be a bit more aware of your surroundings and notice it coming so you don’t stick your head in the way. Somehow I think the condition of your skull is a bit more important than a stupid phone. People are so dumb, I don’t know why stuff like this even amazes me anymore. Let’s hope the impact kick-started some brain cells for that guy at least.

Don’t you think it’s a bit ridiculous how attached people are to their cell phones? I can’t go to the store without having to navigate around people talking a mile a minute as if they aren’t going to see the person in the next ten minutes anyway. They talk while paying for their groceries, in theaters during a movie, in their cars instead of paying attention to the road, at sporting events so you can’t enjoy the game in peace, in elevators where you can’t escape, and just about anywhere else except the library (and even then they are in the lobby yapping away). They even chat while pumping their gas! Not too long ago, I drove by three teenage girls walking down the street, each on their cell phone. Shouldn’t they have been talking to each other?

Is all this chatting really necessary? We did just fine without cell phones not too long ago. Do we really need to be THAT connected? I hope they ban public cell phone use along with smoking. Don’t get me wrong, I own and use my cell phone, but not nearly to the degree most people seem to, and I actually pay attention to the road if I happen to be driving at the time. I can’t say that much for the people who cut me off and blow red lights because they are too busy talking to even care what’s going on around them.