THE TROLL IN THE CAVE AT MYER BONDI - Guest Post by Damana Madden

Note from The Shoppologist:

Following on from Monday's  guest posting on a poor customer service experience at Myer, I received the following account of a shopper's experience also at Myer Bondi Junction.  Now, I don't intend for The Shoppologist to simply become a place where frustrated shoppers are able to vent themselves, but I will publish guest posts where I think these would add some understanding to how retailers can better serve shoppers.

GUEST POST

From: Damana Madden

unaware of underwear

It was this time last year that I ventured off in search of some comfy Bonds cotton underwear to see me through the summer. Experience told me that Bondi  Junction is the keeper of all things purchasable so I headed there, with  David Jones and Myer in mind. It just happened that I parked near Myer. It's quite possible there were a few parking spots available near there because everyone knew better than me. They knew not to shop at THAT place.

Bondi Junction is a modern shopping mall with lots of light, natural and otherwise. Myer is the dark cave inside that brightly lit world. When you enter a cave, remember that there may be trolls and other scary types waiting for you to wander in.

After finding the Bonds section and collecting an armful of items, I joined the line at the closest cashier. There were four couples and a single in front of me, and what I calculated to be a minimum five minute wait, with the one person serving on that Saturday morning. The person at the head of queue asked for something in another size or colour and the Myer staff member had to go to the back of the store to find it. That happens. I have caused the same delay for others before. It would have been nice to have at least one more staff member on to give backup service. Patiently, the line waited.

It took 20 minutes before I gave up on that unmoving queue and headed for the designer clothes section - the nearest open register next to underwear. The woman serving seemed almost offended as I plonked down my pile of affordable cotton undies on her counter. She even picked them up to scan them as if I'd tried them on previously, on a hot and humid summer's day. Being judged by a shop assistant doesn't bother me though and I was left mostly amused by her disgust.

Then I saw something scan at a much higher price than it showed on the shelf. I asked her to correct the price to match the discount indicated on the shelf. She replied with a simple "no". I enquired as to why. She said she needed a code for that section and she "did not work in THAT area". 

We stared at each other.

Ok, I asked if she could call and find out the code or ask someone for help. She then recommended I return to the underwear section or pay full price. In the cheeriest voice I had, I explained about the stagnant line at that cashier and that was why she was seeing me there at her register.

That is when she said she didn't really care and thought I should take my underwear to THAT section for service or pay full price. Yes, repetitive.

At that point, it was easy to see that she was serious and that there was no chance of me getting any help with the discount from her. The idea of going back to THAT line in THAT section was too daunting and staying to argue seemed pointless.

After a loud sigh and humph, I left my pile of underwear on the counter in Myer's designer clothes counter with the troll and stomped out of the cave.

I have not shopped there since then and promise to never do so again.