Reader Dyan isn’t sure if she’s right on this one and wants to know if we think Macy’s owes her an apology. She was shopping at Macy’s last Saturday when she noticed a cast-iron pot on sale for $19.99. The display item was the last one in stock, so she asked if she could have it. An employee said she could, but before she could pay for the item the store’s manager stopped her and took the pot away because “another customer want[ed] it.”
I’m not sure if I’m right, or if Macy’s is on this one:
I visited Macy’s on Saturday, during one of their many sales. I was in housewares, checking out a Martha Stewart cast iron pot, on sale for $19.99 down from $60. The one on display was the last one available. (It’s important to note that during this next step, which took about 5 minutes, there was no one around me the entire time). I stood guard, waiting for an employee to come by. One did, and I asked if I could just take the display one to buy, since it was the last. She said “Absolutely!”. I picked it up and headed to the checkout. I’m about 5 feet away, and i’m stopped by an employee, this one all decked out in a suit (I believed him to be the manager). He tells me, “You can’t buy that, because another customer wants it”. Huh? He’d apparently been in the back looking for more, and realized that the display one was the only one left, so he was going to give that one to the customer. I haggled with the guy for a bit, but got nowhere.
Some random customer on the opposite end of the department wanted it, so I was out of luck. I an effort to not cause a scene, I handed it over. He said nothing, walked off, and I stood there confused. It’s not like I can’t find another one, but it’s the principle of the thing. I had it in hand, so it should’ve been mine, right?
I sent them an email, but haven’t heard anything back yet. I’m not looking for anything from Macy’s, except maybe the apology I didn’t get Saturday.
Dyan S.
We think it would have been appropriate for Macy’s to apologize (either to you, or to the other customer) and offer a discount on another similar item. Macy’s could have also offered to call another location to see if the pot was in stock somewhere else. To simply demand that you turn over the item and then walk away without apologizing is just rude.
What do you think? Should she have handed over the pot? Or run screaming “Stranger Danger!” to the nearest register before the manager could grab it?
(Photo:Vince B.)
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Poor service by the manager. Given the way he explained the situation, he made it sound like another customer was more valuable than Dyan.
He should have let her buy it, then explain to the other that it was not available anymore. Making a customer with it in hand give it up is just unacceptable.
Boycott Macy’s and be done with it.
The key phrase here is when she said “I’m stopped by an employee, this one all decked out in a suit (I believed him to be the manager).” Did he have store ID on? Is it possible it was a customer who wanted it and conned the woman out of it? Let’s get all the facts before we place blame.
@LogicalOne: All right, we get it, you wish Marshall Fields didn’t get bought out and renamed. Enough already.
@dks76: dude – no. do you go tag saling? have you been to the grocery store on blue hair day? only one rule applies here:
minesies.
it’s yours. don’t let it go. make a scene. & if you are willing to let it go, berate the hell out of the manager & make him pay. seriously. like real money…preferably a jackson. he wants the save face here, right? doesn’t want to piss off the customer?
if there even was one…
i sure as shit wouldn’t have let that thing out of my hands w/o seeing the other customer. & then i would have told them a sob story about how i just saved up enough money for my very first apartment & i was hoping to eat for the first time in a week, but i needed this pot (b/c it’s the only one i can afford) *que tears*, but perhaps if she’s willing to part with a few dollars so i could buy a better pot…
all is fair in love, war & bargain hunting. never forget that.
i agree about the apology part, but if i were the person who had the display on hold, i would fight tooth and nail for it too. ah konsumterror!
my advice: get a black macy’s card and wait for an evaluation letter. that’s the only way you can make a difference.
I worked at Macys and suits mean squat. Everyone is “required” to wear a suit. The way to tell is managers have red name tags while regular employees have beige name tags.
I would’ve explained what was going on and call other stores. It isn’t hard to check inventory on the computer then call and tell them to put it on hold. Bad service, go to website and complain. Managers will make sure it doesn’t happen again.
[www1.macys.com]
Have you ever been HIT by something made from cast iron?
THAT, would have been MY response!
If said dipshit manager had any idea what his backroom inventory was, he would have known that was “possibly” the last one and picked the damn thing up and took it to the stockroom with him to ‘check for additional’ inventory.
I mean, C’MON, it’s Martha Stewart Cookware for heaven’s sake; you should KNOW it’s gonna FLY out at such a cheap retail……uh, i guess…..
This is tough one. On the one hand, the other customer did apparently inquire first, BUT on the other hand, the other customer should have secured the display just in case there wasn’t any in the back (which would have been likely and good common sense would tell you).
Macy’s handled it poorly, but acted in good faith towards the other customer. But, you had it hand, and short of licking it as suggested elsewhere, you should have refused and taken it to the cashier to pay; if they refused to take your money, then tell them the other customer wasn’t as smart as you to secure it, and it is their loss.
Just remember, by most states’ laws, if you make a good faith effort to pay for an item and they refuse to take your money, then you can usually walk out with the item.
macy’s was right to give the pan to the other customer since that other customer was technically first. what macy’s messed up on was small compensation.. like maybe 10 percent off a different pan and an apology. i don’t think this situation is all that worth a notation in the consumerist/
@hossfly: inventory in a computer isn’t always accurate especially where theft can occur. it is important that if there is a glimmer of hope that there would be one in the back, they physically check before taking off the display item. i realize that a sign said “last one” however even i’ve been duped by checking inventory.
@winstonthorne: Definitely the best advice I’ve ever heard.
@pinkbunnyslippers: What world do you live in.
I was under the impression that there was an unwritten rule which reads “only d-bags may be given managerial positions”.
This guy wanted to do what was right, but in the end you had the pot. You should have told him only the police can get this thing out of your hands. He would have either backed down, or caused a much bigger problem. If you were stubborn enough, the right thing to do would have been to let you leave with the pot. The other customer didn’t suggest taking the display, you did. So the other customer didn’t exactly have a divine right to it.
Dumbass for letting it go.
@MDSasquatch: You don’t know how to use them.
They are not high maintenance at all.
catch a clue dude. Cast Iron is one of the best materials to cook in.
So say the chefs.
I used to work at Macy’s. Let me help Dylan out http://www.macys.com/tellus is where you submit your complaints. You see Macy’s strives for outstanding service and employees are given stars if they get a good rating. Too many bad ones and you are fired.
Yes Macy’s managers are rude and I’m sorry that you had to go through all of this. I wasn’t once respected and have had things taken from my hands before, too. I will echo the young lady who said that all Macy’s men wear suits. The dress code is all black.
I don’t really like to shop at Macy’s anymore.
You are right in demanding that this person in question apologizes to you. You didn’t deserve that type of treatment.
I used to work for Macy’s as a sales associate. I have to say I am not surprised by how you were treated. My fellow employees were creepy and rude. All but one of them was this way. They often picked on this lady because she spoke with an accent. Not only did they do this amongst themselves, they did it WITH customers.
At one point I had to file a complaint against one coworker because she picked a verbal fight with me in front of a customer. All Macy’s did was schedule us at different times. The other associate decided to hang around our section when she wasn’t working during my shifts. I ended quitting that place the day before my 90 day probationary period was up.
I am NEVER going back.
I’d have stood my ground and asked to see the customer that wanted the pot. He most likely wanted it for himself because he can get it for $16. I know for a fact that it would have been very easy for the manager to see if the pot was in stock anywhere else; a few clicks of a button and/or some phone calls is all it takes. He shouldn’t have been rude.
Never take a display item unless you absolutely need it (to live) or it carries a discounted price tag.
A dirty, depreciated, worn product is that display products are usually.
Cast iron pots are awesome and durable for many generations to come. They also make the most wonderful sound when they bounce off some asshole employee’s head too!
@MDSasquatch:
Cast iron is the bee’s knees for people who cook their own food and want to do a good job of it. They also last forever if properly cared for and can be considered a good investment.
As for the story, I agree that Dyan did the right thing in handing it over, but Macy’s employee was rude about how he handled it. Let’s hope this story gets her an apology.
@backbroken: I’m with you, backbroken. We’ve become a nation of hyperoffended people. We expect and demand apologies for every perceived offense. Hell, just last weekend my son’s Little League team had to apologize to the opposing team for chanting “Hey, batter batter!” during a rally. WTF????? I’m not saying that Dyan didn’t at least deserve an apology from someone at Macy’s for the inconvenience, but did this really need to be escalated to the Consumerist level? So she got the pot. Time to move on! A lady stole my spot at the gas pumps the other day while I waited to pump cheap gas at Sam’s. I didn’t run in and demand an apology or gift card, but perhaps I should have.
@Troy F.: If it was a cast iron pot, a torch won’t work; have to cut it with a tungsten saw, or break it somehow with a chain snap cutter.
Cast iron is tough stuff.
Macy’s should of ordered (called) the pan from a different store for the customer who was without one. OR offered a discount on something else in their department. To take something away from one customer to give to another is just BS. SHAME on the STUPID STUPID Manager in the snazzy suit.
@Smorgasbord: he was most definetely a Macy’s employee. He had a nametag on and all…I just didn’t know if he was a manager or not.
@windycitygirl68: Um, actually, I didn’t get the pot. That was part of the issue. I’m not some hyper-sensative complainer. I put up with a lot of crap (as i’m sure most folks do) on a daily basis. This one was just over the top enough to say something about.
An update – an apology was made late yesterday afternoon by Macy’s because of this posting on Consumerist.
first come first served. the display model was the only one left, and after it’s been picked up, there are no more left. the manager should have gone back to the other customer and said, “sorry, someone just picked it up [insert sad face]. maybe you can try another macy’s?”
@rawsteak: Exactly.
The other customer did not pre-order the pan. They did not ask the store to put the pan aside for them. They simply asked if there were any left to purchase. That does not entitle them to items that are already in another customers hands.
Macy’s was 100% correct.
Imagine being the other person.
You ask if they have any in stock.
The manager is in the back looking for one.
A random lady comes and takes the final display copy although you were there first.
This is a non story.
You’re better off without Martha Stewart’s crap anyways.
@bohemian: But giving them the option of making it all better by saying I’m sorry doesn’t seem like it working.
@savvy9999: If you get it really, really hot in the oven (like you’re seasoning it) and immediately put it outside on a subzero day, sometimes it’ll crack in half. Sometimes.
(And if you think it’s too much work to clean, use it to make greasy grilled cheese when hungover. All that butter just helps season the pan! Wipe out the crumbs and call it a day.)