Hitting the wall is never pretty, for me it isn’t while running a marathon, it usually happens about two times a year and oddly enough I am usually in a grocery store.
I am tired, going to bed too late and getting up too early. We just got back in town which was stressful and I can’t seem to get caught up. I wanted to sit on the couch with my lap top and get a few things done while watching the Olympics, but I had a few things that I had to get at the store that couldn’t wait.
At 8:30 I ran to Walmart. They carry a few things I can get without running to 3 different stores so I thought I was saving some time. I had a list and grabbed what I needed. I walked up to the front of the store and started searching for a check out lane. There were 2, 15 items or less express lanes open and 1 regular lane with a HUGE line. As I had an entire basket full I got in line behind 7 of my new best friends.
I stood there for a few minutes and thought I would check my email, I took out my phone and noticed the time was 9:22pm.
The woman in front of me had 2 small kids who were clearly sick of being in the store. Her younger one kept asking to go potty, and you could see she really didn’t want to get out of line. Before I could suggest just leaving the cart and go, she bolted out of line and to the bathroom. I have TOTALLY been there!
She comes back, and I motion for her to get back in line in front of me. I explain I have been there and would have watched her cart for her. We both start wondering what is up with only 1 register open.
15 minutes goes by and 3 ladies walk up in line behind me. They have their carts completely full of groceries. I am looking around for a CSM to find out what the heck is going on. As I am looking the other way a CSM opens the lane next to us and takes the 3 ladies BEHIND us and starts checking them out! First, I would have ever let a cashier do that and would have asked the people in front of me if they wanted to go to the new line as they had clearly been there longer. Second, as a CSM you should have TAKEN the people FIRST who had been in line.
I am furious, the poor lady in front of me is dealing with kids, so I walk over to the service desk and start complaining. I would have just left my groceries and walked away but my son had a party the next day and I had to finish party stuff. The CSM listened to me and walked out to the floor to see what was up. He got on the mic and called someone up front. Still nothing happened.
I started listening to the ladies in the lane next to me, it is becoming clear that they are either famiy or friends of the cashier. They are also all “price matching” all the steak and products in their cart…. Um Yeah. Now I am really mad.
I walk away again to find the manager. I find him and let him know exactly how mad I was and what had been going on for the past 30 minutes. He apologized and grabbed a employee walking by and told her to go open a lane. I was next to start putting my stuff on the belt and so I tried to just stay there at this point and have them take the lady behind me. The manager physically moved my cart over to the new lane (I am sure to shut me up) and I started unloading my groceries.
The cashier could not sign into the cash register. She tried about 50 times and then started asking for help. They had to call over 3 people to see what the problem was. At this point the lady that had been behind me in the other lane was checking out. I was really loosing it. I was late getting home, I was tired and I had about 3 hours worth of stuff to do when I got home. They finally got the cashier on the register and then they realized she didn’t have a drawer, so no money.
I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, I was so mad. I tossed my stuff back in the cart and went over to the line I had already been in for 40 minutes now. I lost my place in line and would have been checking out by now, but 3 more people had gotten in line. I was at the end. AGAIN.
The cashier finally was able to get a drawer for her register. I watched to see if she would open her lane or not, it looked like she was trying to get out of it. Realizing how long the lines were she figured she had to. She flipped on her light and as I turned to walk over, the pregnant teenager in front of me and her friend bolted over with their cart. I am sure assuming that they were the next in line and should have been the one to go over. I WAS PISSED. But how to you argue with a pregnant lady, and look like a total ass.
That’s when I hit the wall.
As much as I tried I could not stop crying, which made me even more mad! I was just too tired to even think straight. I wished that I had the personality where I could just totally start yelling at everyone in the store, but I just sit and get more mad. I think I would have felt better in the moment if I could have yelled at someone! I did what I thought would make me feel better and I called my husband bawling from Walmart. This is not a new thing for him. “Who wouldn’t let you use coupons and price match?” He teased. I told him the story as I waited in line and felt a little better. He offered to come up and wait in line and let me go home. It was silly to say, but made me feel better.
Finally, it was my turn. Still crying I tossed everything on the belt, and both the lady checking me out and the lady behind me were clearly scared to talk to me. I am sure they thought I was insane. I paid my total and walked out… still crying. I am a total baby. I did notice though that the first CSM was STILL checking out her “friends” on the register next to me. I can’t wait for that phone call I am making to Walmart Corporate later today.
I got in line at 9:22, they starting checking me out at 10:11, almost an hour in line. I would have walked had it been regular groceries. But for my sons party I just could not.
This could have happened at any store, I don’t want to just pick on Walmart. I don’t know if you are like me at all that you handle everything just fine all the time, but maybe once a year you just have had enough! Deep breath in, deep breath out…
All is good! Got the “Lego Cookies” made and party stuff done. Got a few hours of sleep and promised my husband I would take a nap if possible. I might not be a marathoner as a runner, but I feel like sometimes I am a marathoner in life, if that isn’t too cheesy. That there are times when you just hit the wall!
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Honey, you are wayyyyy too nice. Had that been me, someone would have been hurt. And no way would I have let that manager move my stuff to the new line. I have seen what happened to you at the newly opened checkout happen too many times. You need to call corporate and kick some butt!
And don’t feel bad about crying. Its nature’s way off letting off stress.
And that’s another reason why I hate Walmart. I hate to even give them my money but since they rule the world, it’s really kind of hard to shop anywhere else. I wish I would have ran into you there, I would have done the yelling for you. 🙂 Sorry you had such a bad time.
You poor thing! I can totally relate and this reminds me so much of my shopping trip last week. By the time I got home I was crying so hard it turned into hysterical laughter because it was just so ridiculous. The topper for me was after being in line for 45 minutes (price-matching issues with a new cashier not knowing how to PM meat, having my total up over $100 more than what I actually owed and not knowing how to get it back off, dirty looks from the couple behind me) I turned the credit card scanner around to face me and it CAME OFF IN MY HANDS!! You just gotta cry, laugh it off and realize you came away with a story.
Oh my gosh! It came off in your hands! LOL! Like you wanted to take it with you!
(((HUGS)))
I have been there too, and walmart is the absolute worst. I hate that place and only shop there when I have too.
how appropriate. I had that moment this morning. I do feel better after the tears and probably will truck along for another while until I hit that wall again.
Tiffany, I’m so sorry you had a rough night @ walmart. Been there and done that one. I remember calling my husband one night in walmart, so mad I was ready to cry, if hadnt been for my 14 year old daughter with me, and calling my husband, I would have been on the news..coupon lady gone bazerk in walmart..lol..dont worry about hitting that brick wall, we all do. the positive is your sons party was great, your hubby was willing to come and rescue you, and you have a great story to pass on to us….thanks for all you and paul do, its greatly apprecaited
Oh my gosh! Unfortunately we have all had that happen and like you, I get really mad but keep it cool. It rarely happens, but always on a really bad day when you are in a hurry and super tired. When I was on chemo and really shouldn’t even be in the store with germs, it inevitably happened over and over. Someone above must be testing us.
I don’t care how much money I can save, I cannot shop at Wal-Mart. I swear, the store makes me homicidal. Last time I complained to corporate I was told I’d receive a call back about my experience, but of course that never happened.
Sorry you had such a lousy night. 🙁
Homicidal is a good way to put it!
Tiffany,
I am so very sorry that that happened to you. I could not believe how similiar my story is to yours. It didnt happen at a Walmart, but a restaurant on my birthday, July 9th!
To make a long story short, 6 adults, 1 teenager, and 6 small children, waiting 1 hour and 45 minutes just to get our appetizers. I complained to the OWNER and he said that ‘your ticket says she just took your order a half hour ago’. Clearly, our waitress made an error so I asked her to tell the owner that. She did, he did nothing. Did I metion that we were the only table in the small restaurant at one point. I had to leave the table and go to our hotel room, which was upstairs, because I was so angry I couldn’t stop crying. Plus my sugar was extremely low and I almost passed out when I reached our room. Thank god my wonderful husband followed me and caught me in time.
Ya know, Tiffany, you take from that exactly what you see. People can be very rude. You on the other hand, are not. Even in that situation you thought about others first, which shows your character. Dont stoop to their level by yelling. I think you handled it like a pro and your son will remember that.
hyedi
that really sucks and we’ve all been there. For me the only way to combat that stuff is trying hard not to need anything at Walmart last minute because IMO they are the worst store for service especially for us that use coupons. Its the rough days that make us realize what a good day is 🙂
oh my goodness, what a nightmare!! and don’t worry, i have would been crying way too! probably before you did! Absolutely call corporate–that is ridiculous!
My freak-out is usually semi-annual too. I know how you feel. When a woman is so angry she cries, everyone should just back up! 🙂 Usually its anger and feeling overwhelmed at the same time that sends me over the edge. To other people, I’m irrational, but when I see people around me freaking out, I try to always assume there is WAY more to the story than what I can see. I hope other people give us the benefit of the doubt, too. I don’t know how you do it. I have 2 kids, stay at home (so it should be a lot easier for me) and sometimes I just want to scream, cry and bang my head against a wall all at the same time.
I read your blog every day!
Thank you Jill, and staying home is just as hard as anything else. In fact when I am home I want to bang my head on a wall more often.
You poor thing!!! I hate to say it but that is exactly why I don’t shop at Walmart anymore. We used to live by a really great Walmart but the one by me now never has enough lanes open and no one seems to care. We went there last weekend and waited in line forever. The 8 self checkout lanes weren’t open at all and the cashier at our line was trying to get to know everyone he helped PERSONALLY. I’m all for chatting to customers but not when you have no self checkouts and each lane is 12 people deep. He tried to start a lengthy conversation with me and I just shut him down. I finally had to walk away when he was checking out my 13 year old behind me because he wouldn’t stop talking. My son had one item and instead of a 30 second transaction, the cashier kept him there for five mins talking to him. I finally grabbed my son and hauled him away.
Also, I cry when I get frustrated and mad and can’t physically strangle someone too!
That’s exactly why I don’t go to Walmart. They NEVER have enough cashiers!!!
Tiffany, THANK YOU for this coupon blog! I also love I Heart the Mart as well 😉 I HATE shopping at Walmart! Just about every trip there is like your experience in my town! Except my store doesn’t have people greeters anymore, now they have “inventory control specialists” in white shirts that require you to show them a receipt and check your bags before you leave whether you buy a stick of gum or two carts full of food! Seriously? I just waited in line for over an hour and my ice cream is now soup…now I have to wait so that you can make sure I didn’t stick a flat screen TV in one of my bags? There has never been a time where I have said “let me run to Walmart real quick and pick up…” because it would never be “real quick”!!! I have been reading your blog for 3 months now and have been able to avoid Walmart 95% of the time. My pantry and utility room is packed to the max and I have been spending 40-95% less on all of my groceries! THANK YOU for all that you do!!! And yes, like many readers, I would have been yelling too! Sometimes that’s what it takes…yell, scream or cry!
I almost had a similar situation today. . not over the stores itself though. My son comes up to my shoulder and has a waist smaller than my pinky finger. How do we find jeans for school that fit him??? Several stores with the kids. . .and no jeans. UGH!!!
Sorry you went through so much! I am more likely to have a meltdown in Walmart than any of my three children. That place drives me nuts! Thanks for sharing your frustrations with us. I hope today was a better day…and I hope you had your moment with corporate!
Why I refuse to shop at Walmart they have no care for customer service. Places like Randall’s get in trouble if customer service is #1 why groceries can be higher. They put alot of money into secret shoppers.
Sorry I ment not #1 I worked there over three yrs
Virtual hugs Tiffany! and back pats to hubby for offering to come up. Yes, it could have happened anywhere, but I don’t think it’s quite as likely anywhere else BUT Walmart. Unfortunately, their low prices keep us coming back (and they know it).
Get some rest!!!!
I don’t enjoy any of my shopping trips to Walmart. Nothing is consistent when you are checking out. You get a slow cashier or you get the cashier that will see coupons as their enemy and they cop an attitude before you even put your items on the belt. One time I had a male cashier just stare and glare at me. It becomes personal, a hassel and a unusual shopping experience. I feel your aggravation….. I feel as though customer service managers just try to pacify until you leave the store. Then they start discussing with their fellow employees how much they really think about us
shoppers.
I am in the minority here to say that I really don’t have any more trouble with Walmart than anywhere else (as a matter of fact I have more trouble with TARGET than Walmart!)
All cashiers should be taught that when opening a new lane they should take the person who has been waiting the longest and NOT the last person in line (who just walked up). That has infuriated me many times in the past and shows an inexperienced cashier. And I love when the new lane opens up and someone behind me runs over there (I always ask the person in front of me if they want to go).
I’m sorry to hear you had such a bad experience but it has happened to all of us, lol. I wonder if you will go back to that Walmart anytime soon!
Amen on taking the NEXT person in line instead of who can haul their fanny over there first!
Ive worked in retail, even been cussed out for taking next person in line. The smaller grocery stores are taught take next person in line. Walmart has no care for customer service and I wish people will make them see that it is important. I do not shop there ill order it online before I go there.
My biggest issue with shopping at Walmart is the number of people who do multiple transactions when the lines are packed. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve stood behind someone who does three separate ones. First, it’s WIC checks for peanut butter, milk, etc. Then there’s a SNAP transactions with everything else except beer and cigarettes. Then there’s the cash transaction for beer, prepared foods, etc. It makes me crazy. But not one coupon. All this while I’m standing there after work with my carefully planned to be as cheap as possible items with coupons. It makes me mad on so many levels. This most recently happened to be on Monday at Walmart- three transactions as described above, while the mom all the while talked on her iPhone. No lie. Ughhhhhh!
That’s exactly why I don’t shop anywhere around the first of the month (that’s when people get there benefits here in Idaho). I truly believe that there are people who need assistance, but when they can afford to buy alcohol and cigarettes and have a nice cell phone then I get so mad. I remember once at Walmart there where two people in front of me doing the exact thing that you described. All I could think was no wonder our welfare system in this country is in shambles with people like that.
Hope Paul gave you a big hug when you got home….I hate, hate, hate Walmart! When I was having the inside of my house painted back in January I would go to the new store which had just opened around the corner from my home, and sit in the parking lot and read my book….wouldn’t even go inside….and, I love to shop…what does that tell you……I HATE WALMART!!!!!
Oh Tiffany, you have the patience of a saint!
I am not the screaming, yelling type either (my mom used to do that in stores and it gave me a complex), but I have burst into tears on a shopping trip like that before. You have my sympathy!
PS, those cookies were awesome! The girls are still talking about them; I guess we need to make some. 🙂
I totally know how you feel! And you have every right to be upset about that. I have meltdowns like these more often than twice a year, so don’t feel bad!
i am catching up on your blogs and saw this one! You are nice and patient, i would have left it… but understand why you didn’t.