The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Dear Consumer’s Voice #1

I would like you to help me, here is my story. I went to a store I bought eggs and some other stuff and I paid I went out and immediately after I left the shop the eggs fell. I went back to the store I asked the security guy how they can help me but he said there is nothing they can do. I asked for the supervisor or someone who I should ask for help but he told me to go and talk to the supervisor. I did that they told me there can’t help me because it happened outside the store. I asked them so that’s it they said yes, So please help me here and tell me there are joking. My 55 pula cant just go like that!

I’m sorry, I don’t think you’re being entirely reasonable. My understanding is that you were outside the store when you dropped the eggs? And it was actually you that dropped them?

Even if you’d been inside the store when you dropped them I’m not sure how you can expect the store to take responsibility for your mishap. I understand that this is frustrating but it wasn’t their fault. They didn’t do anything wrong, so why should they bear the cost?

A member of our Facebook group recently asked about a similar situation. He’d been shopping with his 3-year old child and as they walked down one of the supermarket aisles the boy accidentally knocked a jar of mayonnaise and smashed it. The reader asked whether it was reasonable for the store to insist that he paid for the broken item. Everyone’s reaction was the same. Yes, they were within their rights to do so because it wasn’t their fault. If he hadn’t visited the store they’d still have a jar of mayonnaise and they wouldn’t have needed to clean up an enormous mess.

Unfortunately one of life’s lessons is that bad things just happen sometimes and there isn’t always someone to blame.

Dear Consumer’s Voice #2

I bought a bed at a store in the Main Mall last October then early this
 year it started making sounds. I reported the matter to them beginning of 
April and they said they will tell those who are responsible for such. I
 waited and waited then after 2 weeks I went back to them because they said
 they will call but they didn’t. They sent me back home saying they are still
 waiting for another bed from South Africa to exchange. Weeks passed by
 without any word from them, I checked them again and I was attended by a
 different person telling me that the matter is not yet reported at the
 Head Office and he will report as soon as possible and he will call me to
let me know what they have decided but he didn’t call. I went there on
 Monday, he told me that to go and he will call me later after talking to
those at the head office but he didn’t call. After 2 days I went there and he
told me the same story go back I will call you and that was it until
now. Please help me. I am really sick and tired of the game they are playing
 me.

I’m very sorry for the trouble you’ve been through. Clearly the store let you down badly and urgently needed to fix your problem.

I got in touch with the Managing Director of the company and he promised to investigate. He later sent me the email he’d sent to the relevant manager insisting that the problem get fixed urgently. He told me that they genuinely were having problems getting a replacement from their supplier. However this shouldn’t have inconvenienced you, it was their problem to solve.

I later heard that they invited you to the store and you chose an alternative bed? The MD later confided in me that he didn’t understand why the store manager hadn’t fixed it in the first place. I don’t know either but I’m glad that the situation is now fixed. Enjoy your bed!