Teavana Salesperson Throws Involuntary Tea Party
When you think of "boutique tea," you probably don't associate it with obnoxious upsells and sneaky add-ons. If you do, perhaps you've visited the same Teavana outlet as one of our readers. Michael was so annoyed with his recent visit to the Willow Grove, Penn. store that when he realized what had happened, he had to share it with Consumerist over a nice cup of white needle tea.
I am not sure how widespread [Teavana] is, but it was my first experience with them (and my last). I do feel that my story should be taken with a grain of salt, as I have no idea whether this is a common business practice throughout the chain.Walking in the mall today, I was delighted to discover the existence of the stores, as I am an avid tea drinker, and I was very pleased to have the opportunity to see a wide selection of loose teas and accessories in person, rather than working off of descriptions from online tea sellers. The store seemed to be perfect; they had a wonderful selection of teas, and they had all manner of brewing and serving equipment, much of which I had not seen before. My problem comes from the really unconscionable upselling that the salesperson carried out. It is not that there was undue pressure to buy extra items. I don't believe myself to be easily coerced into unwelcome purchases, and were that the case, I would not be as bothered as I am. Rather, I am utterly dismayed at the way in which the salesperson added more than the quantity requested of some items, and much more egregiously, added items to my bill without ever informing me about the extra charge that would be incurred, or even intimating that they were, in fact, considered to be purchases.
The first inkling came when I ordered loose tea. The tea is sold by two-ounce units. I requested two-ounces, the salesperson ended up putting 4 ounces in (This doesn't seem like much, until you consider that we are talking about tea that is $9/2oz). Although I admit that I should have said something, I was sure that I would get a use out of the tea, so I did not think to object. The true problem comes from the tin that the salesperson automatically filled with the tea. This tin, which he introduced with, "And you can keep coming back and using this tin for this tea in the future," cost an extra $7. Which, is absolutely an outrageous price, and something I would never voluntarily pay for a tea tin. However, the absolute worst was still to come. I ordered two-ounces of their "special Silver Needle tea." Without any prompting, the salesperson went into the back and came back with the tea in a small (two-ounce) blue tea tin with bamboo painted on it. As he made no comment on the container, I did not even consider the slightest possibility that there would be an extra charge (Ask yourself, if you just bought a tea that was 20/2oz, do you think you would be expected to pay for the tin it came in?).
Obviously, had I been aware of any of this when I was checking out, I would have objected without thinking twice. Very conveniently, however, the cash register did not have a display showing the charges as they were being rung up. It was only after leaving the store and realizing that I had just paid nearly $90 for tea (Admittedly, my purchases included more than the aforementioned items) that I began to look over the receipt to see where the charges came from. It was at this point that I discovered that the small little blue bamboo tin, the tin which I had expressed no desire to purchase, cost $13.99. I'm enclosing a picture of both the tin and the receipt.
I really cannot understand why a company would choose to employ such unscrupulous upselling strategies. Had they even provided a mediocre experience, they would have had a very long-lasting customer, as they provide a service that it fairly unique, and at least to me, valuable. However, I absolutely have no wish to patronize any store that I feel that I have to keep a constant vigil against being ripped off. As such, they've absolutely lost a customer, and I would never set foot in there again.
Check the store's return policy, then return the unwanted tins if permitted, explaining precisely why. Have any other readers experienced similar sneaky sakes tactics at other Teavanas, or other retailers?
(Photo: yosonuts)
Post a comment
Comments:
Chances are this salesperson is under tremendous pressure to upsell to keep his job. He might not have been selling much today and so decided to use unethical means with you to give his numbers a boost.
Most companies are concerned not with whether or not you can sell someone something, but whatever other high margin crap you can tack on to it to boost profit.
Consider Best Buy. If you just buy a Digital Camera from them, they don't really give a shit about you. They only care if you buy the Camera AND a case AND a memory card AND a lens AND the extended protection plan, because it is only then they are really making money off you.
Or so we are led to believe.
I've been to the Teavana at the Mall of America a few times before, and never had any problems. The weight accuracy was about what the same as what you'd get a deli counter - close enough, can't be exactly precise. They'd try to sell the tin as well, but in a legitimate way (even happy to suggest alternatives with materials at home). The rest seems to be stuff that the OP legitimately bought.
My guess is that this is an isolated incident with the employee or the individual store. Then again, I haven't been there in a while, but they seemed to be on the level in my experiences.
Take some bags of tea from them and throw them in the mall's fountain. That's American.
Watch it!
I wanted to block the first BOPP!
You're right, these stores counted on you being too embarrassed to have them explain the bill.
They never last long.
Then again, I'm the 250 pounder who asks to try on smalls at A&F.
Splitsville!
There is a Teavana near me, in Palo Alto, CA. I never bought anything there, but when I went once to look at brewing equipment I got the upsell as well. Here we also have Lupicia, another tea store which I greatly prefer, and they don't do this kind of thing. Their tins cost $2 and they are up front about it.
I've been going to Teavana for years now. I'll say that the tins and the extras are pretty expensive, but I've never been pressured to buy them. The salespeople always ask if I want them, but I usually say something along the lines of "Just the tea today, thanks." and they back off.
Sounds to me like this particular person scammed you, but it's not endemic to Teavana as a company.
Exact same thing happened to me. I like the idea of being able to reuse the tins again, so I didn't complain about that, but the amount of upselling that they are required to do is ridiculous. Worst part is that they are well-versed in creating a need you didn't know you had! I walked out of there with stuff I didn't intend to buy just because the salesperson made me think it was necessary to brew tea.
I could swear there's a law somewhere that requires price displays to be visible to shoppers for exactly this reason. Does anyone know for certain?
the Harris Teeter [grocery store] near my house recently [within the past year] included a Tea section with the remodel, with tea costs closer to $2.50-$4/oz...
yes, the quality is slightly less than that of Teavana, but it's much closer and the taste is reasonable.
I was about to post that maybe it was just the salesperson but I can see from the other comments that this is the company culture. Not only terrible customer service, but deceptive and misleading sales practices under the FTC Act.
It's very very hard to get these kind of practices out of a company's culture. These kind of practices are like "crack for companies." There is denial and a pattern of addiction. I predict you will see them do this right up until the moment they get fined by the FTC, a state attorney general, receive a class action or one or all of the above.
I frequent a similar store in Ottawa called Teaopia, and have never had that sort of issue. From the looks of it, though, they're pretty similar stores - the clerks at Teaopia are often quite aggressive about upselling various teas and accessories, though, so I'll be on the lookout next time.
I went to the Teavana at Valley Fair in Santa Clara, CA and had a similar experience (though not quite so unpleasant). But basically the jist of it was walking out paying some $103 for 3 tins of tea. They were gifts, so the price was somewhat justified, although now that I look back on it, that was some damn expensive tea.
Touché salesman.
I've bought tea at Teavana in Sacramento for years. Never had a problem of upselling once. Their tins and teapots are overpriced, but what do you expect for a mall store?
I've had only good experiences at the one I frequent.
I've been to the Tevana in King of Prussia and amazed the mall had two of them, figure about 5 employees between the two stores and I knew much of the "cost" of the product was in the salemanship/display, on top of a reasonably good product. I could not justify $5 for the product and $25 to be told how good it was or wooed into the extras. I summarily un-shopped everything, cracked a grin and realized the ploy. I don't understand the public shame people feel in asking "what's the cost or is this included free", for a good sales person can shame you and pull an extra $20 out of your pocket to boot. Who's been duped now?
I am a big connoisseur of teas. I drink a lot of Pu Ehr and Oolongs. I do NOT like the place.
Here's a REALLY great example of a Teavana horror story: [www.teachat.com]
I heard how good this place out so I gave it a try. I had already tried some Chi(sp?) tea and thought of getting some for home. The Asian lady who helped me allowed me to "smell" some of the Chi teas and tried to convince me to buy the spicy one over the regular one. I politely declined and wanted something small as she wanted to sell me a giant tin. The smallest she offered was a tin the size of a grande from starbucks :| while allowing her to fill my tin up, I was looking at the other stuff when I noticed she grabbed the tea I wanted, and put 1/4 of that and the rest with the spicy one I didn't want... What I thought was going to be around 10-20 bucks as she had claimed it was going to be, ended up being 50 bucks :O
She tried to upsell me the tea strainers and other stuff when I told her I was a teacher and she said I needed that plus a cup and so on...I declined.
To this day I still have that tin and tea (although it seems to be losing it's fresh smell real fast :( )
can't do squat without something to prepare it in.
Big waste of money.
Will never go back there again.
Teavana is renowned for the hard upsell. It's in the employee training and everything. (Also, for crappy tea.)
@Girtych:
I don't know about a law, but I always watch whether it be twisting the tiny screen at WalMart or having to learn forward to read the cashier's screen at Krogers. At some plces now the only place to watch is on the tiny screen of the credit card/debit card swipe/keypad box (Post Office). I will stop a cashier if they get their scanning ahead of me and never pay until I understand every item: I am done my days of of having to visit customer service to get something fixed after check out (remember, as long as the money is still in your pocket, the consumer is in control). Also, always watch your coupons, especially when handing them to the "watcher" at the self check out: they routinely trash them if they don't instantly scan and assume you won't notice.
@dragonfire81:
I've worked at Future Shop (like Best Buy but in Canada) and I can tell you for sure that they are not making money off people who don't buy all the extras. Which is the problem. All these big (and many small) retailers have set up a business plan where they don't make money at their supposed business. Instead, their supposed product is simply a trick to get you into the store where they can sell you their REAL products.
Teavana is an awful tea company. They are overpriced completely unknowledgeable and always try to oversell you. I worked for a great tea company tea gschwendner for two years they are online you can call them and talk to them and they know their stuff. I went to teavana once and the guy couldn't even tell me the country the tea he was showing me came from. Avoid them at all costs.
@DeeJayQueue: i've been to the teavana in question, as well as the locations in both the court and the plaza in king of prussia mall and the WG one was the only one of the three where i encountered such insane, semi-sneaky upselling. at the the location at king of prussia (the court, i believe) , they definitely tried upselling (i have no problem with that--stores have to make money) but were very understanding and didn't really pressure me or try to be sneaky about it. i'll go back to the k of p one (about a 45 minutes' drive), but i hesitate to even enter the wg one (five minutes away) again.
@soopah256: Haha I used to work in that mall. The funny thing is I was super sick one day, so I went in there one time and asked if they had any tea for my throat and the lady told me they had no medicinal tea of any sort. Then looked at me until I left.
No attempt at upsell. Or well, "sell" period.
Teavana is the Monster Cable of tea business. The only reason for their existense is the samplers they have at the entrance - sometimes it's nice to have a sip of decent tea while shopping. If you just need good tea, online shopping is hands down the best option. Specialteas, or Upton Tea, or Adagio.
Wow. That's pretty sneaky. So what if you refuse the tin? Are they going to charge you a fee for paper bag?
There are Teavanas in the Rockies and I have experienced similar tactics. You say "two ounces" but they try to sneak you two two-ounce units. I have no problem calling them out but between that and the upsell crap...who needs the hassle.
@89macrunner: Maybe the world should end tomorrow.
Maybe somebody should give me a million dollars (yes please).
There are lots of maybes out there... here's one:
Maybe salespeople shouldn't be pressured to be so pushy?
@ITDEFX: okay, so you bought $50 worth of tea even though you don't have a tea kettle or any way to prepare it?
i'm confused.
The same thing happened to me. Not on the same level. Just the tin. I picked out the tea I wanted, she put it in a tin. It was not until I looked over the receipt later that I noticed that I was charged $7.00 for the tin, it cost more than the tea I bought!!
I could be wrong, but I do think some states or counties require established retail locations to have a display facing the consumer that shows the purchase total as its being rung up. Try checking your state's legal code and see what it says.
**Disclaimer: Not a lawyer. Not formal legal advice. Yada yada yada.**
@spongebue: I don't think this is an isolated incident with this type of store. My wife and I went to a tea store in a mall in Fairfax, Virginia and being the tea lover she is, we had to stop. My wife asked about prices and I felt the clerk was evasive even when the price per ounce was printed on the side of the tins the bulk tea was in. They also got us on the container upsell. After we left I started doing the math in my head and it didn't add up. Looking at the receipt, we were charged about $10 for a tin that the clerk automatically started filling when we asked for the tea with no mention that it was extra. We felt like we had been had an we won't be going back.
This doesn't surprise me. There definitely seems to be pressure on the salespeople at Teavana to upsell, or even just to sell at all.
Recently made a trip to Teavana and the kid (he couldn't have been older than 20) who greeted me immediately went into a Billy Mays-esque fit about how great the tea-of-the-day was and how it was full of antioxidants so you won't get cancer if you drink it (yeah, he actually said that). I said no thanks, though I was tempted to ask if the FDA would find any truth to his statements. When I wondered over to some cool looking tins and tea sets, he followed me over and started trying to sell me whatever I had my eye on at the moment.
But aside from annoying salespeople, it seems like their sales atmosphere is geared towards the "don't tell them how much it costs" strategy. Sure you can ask them, but they won't volunteer it unless asked and they don't have the price on the label.
And you spent $90 without really NOTICING? And you accepted 4oz of tea when you really only wanted 2oz?
And you really thought they'd give you the tin for free?
Words fail me...
Hey companies:
9 out of ten times when people enter a store, they know what they want. They do not need your help. No one cares about your margins, no one cares about your profit and loss statements. Tell your sales people to fuck off, and get out of our faces.
You guys in CA and other populated areas should be happy that you even HAVE snooty mall tea places. Out here in the boonies of Oregon we make do with Red Rose tea from the supermarket. :-)
@ITDEFX: you got a measuring cup right? and a stainless steel strainer is super cheap from a grocery store.
@89macrunner: Maybe the salesman should've actually mentioned the extra charges he was piling onto the bill.
@spongebue: I've gone to the Teavana in Water Tower a few times--the most recent time was a couple months ago--and I've never had this problem. When I've bought loose tea, yeah--they were a bit inaccurate, but not to the point where they gave me twice as much tea as I'd asked for. (This makes me wonder, though--did the OP actually want a blend of teas? I know that if I want 2 oz of a mate-chai tea blend I'd bought from Teavana before, I'd actually need 4 oz total--2 oz of each of the two teas I wanted blended together.) As for the tins, the salespeople made a point of asking me first about a container to put the tea in, since the free alternative would be for them to put the tea in a bag. I chose to buy their cheapest tin that was, what...a dollar?...because I needed it for the tea I'd bought, anyway. They filled that tin with the tea, no questions asked, and didn't try to sneak an upsell on me by giving me a more expensive container, either. They also said that when I ran out of tea, I could always go back with the empty tin and get it refilled with the tea of my choice if I wanted. Overall, I knew what I was getting, and they were on the level with me.
I hate to be all "blame the consumer" but when you ask for 2 ounces $4.50/oz tea and 2 ounce of $10/oz tea, and the total came to $90 instead of $30 - the real mistake was handing over your card, and not asking right there why the price was 300% more.
@Joshua Fryer: Ever go to www.holymtn.com ?
worth calling the order in, very often they have a limited but higher quality tea they don't advertise on the site.
And even then, you might learn something interesting about the tea, they are very knowledgeable.
I have been ordering for years, and am always amazed by the quality and price for that quality. I love getting tea that you can brew then roll out the full leaf and see the "gold" of the TGFOP.
@ceriphim: That's...dumb. They could have rephrased it so it wasn't a medicinal issue, and they could have made a tidy sale. "Oh, you need some of this expensive imported honey as well!"
For future reference, elm bark tea helps throats.
@Joshua Fryer: Thank you for posting that. It was quite a read.
Also...what the hell is wrong with you people? Tea costs like...five bucks a TIN at the Chinese market. GOOD tea. The only time I've had BETTER tea is when I worked for a Communist official who sent me party tea.
You should definitely set foot in there one more time - to return the tins....