Monday, December 08, 2008

Walmart: 1, Me: 0

Sunday night. Englewood WalMart.

About to get in line, I realize now would be a good time to pick out a new paint color for Yosef and Biniam's room. I choose a fun turqouise-ish blue.

Then I stand around the paint counter waiting for someone to come by. Finally, I'm able to snag an employee...who says she can help me. I ask for a gallon of the paint in eggshell. She takes the paint chip, heads back to where all the other paint chips are and starts hunting around. Huh. Then she heads back to the counter and pulls out two huge binders. Starts looking through them...mutters/asks something about eggshell...says she needs help. Calls for assistance.

I stand at the counter waiting...and waiting...and waiting. Finally a man shows up. Asks what the problem is. More muttering about eggshell. He asks me what I want. I say a gallon in eggshell. He proceeds to tell the woman that paint comes in different finishes. Ummm...???

Then he can't figure out how to get paint to come out of the tubes. They keep trying...can't figure it out...he mentions he's a carpenter and not a paint mixer. Ummm...???

Finally they get it to work. Mix it up. The paint is a pastel version of what I want. Way too light. The lady tells me the people who are supposed to be working at the counter are somewhere else. The man says the people who normally work in the paint department never mess paint up. WHAT?!

Then the man ASKS ME HOW TO MAKE IT DARKER. I shrug and say, "I don't know" through a smile and clenched teeth. He announces that he's going to add more blue. He adds it. Mixes it. I tell him it still looks too light. He says nope, it's good, and hands me the gallon.

Fuming, and wondering if it's just my imagination that it's too light, I walk away. Typical me doubting myself. And I bought.the.paint. HELLO?! I am sooooooooo frustrated with myself. At home Kevin looked at it and agreed that it was much, much lighter than the sample. Needless to say, I'll be returning it. And giving the manager an earful about random employees mixing paint that have no business using the machine or assisting customers. I just could not believe it.

So yeah. WalMart kicked my butt. My head hangs in defeat. The end.

22 comments:

Melissa said...

Walmart fabric dept: 3
Me: 0
Yet I keep going back??
Very similar experience in 3 different stores. hmmmm

Brianna Heldt said...

Oh Melissa I'm so glad I'm not the only one! What in the world?! Where is the quality control????

Rachel said...

I do have a theory about that place. It's like they have insider contests based on how bad they can do their job. And the winner is...

Shana said...

I knew by the title that this would be a good story. :)

Mary said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mary said...

You have me laughing for the first time today... thank you :-)
Walmart always kicks my butt too. I try to avoid the place.

Rachel said...

If you go a different direction for your paint, I love the Disney line by Behr sold at Home Depot. It covers really well and they have fun kids colors. Oh, and the people working there know how to mix paint :)

Priscilla Rynning said...

...and for me (GRANNA if you please)it's about a zillion to 1 because I KEEP GOING BACK!!! It's like I get what I get every time just fine, but for something like a toy for my granddaughter
that you can only get on line 3 people had to figure that out from MY AD that I just happen to have in my purse!!!

Emily B. said...

YOU BOUGHT THE PAINT!!!!?!???? No, no no! Even if you didn't want to say anything to the guy's face, you should have left it on a shelf somewhere. I really hope you do give the manager a piece of your mind... I'll be eagerly waiting for the next chapter of this story. Good luck getting the color you want-- pics will be fun when the room is all pretty :)

Christy said...

oh man!!!! ROTFL over this post. Maybe you should put a tiny bit on the wall (or a pc of wood) just to make sure it doesn't dry a different shade?
Doesn't paint dry...darker or lighter than it looks??

zunzun said...

I can't stand employees that try to convince me that the product I'm ordering is right when I can see it is wrong...ugh...very frustrating.

Repeat after me:

"This is not satisfactory and I need you to remedy this situation"

or

"I'm not satisfied so I will not be purchasing this product"

or

"may I speak to your manager please"

LOL!!! Don't worry...it took me YEARS to be more assertive at stores! But yes, do take it back and talk to the manager.

Mama Mote said...

I hate when that happens. I can't believe I give in like that. I sure hope you are able to resolve this whole thing, Brianna. I used to love shopping at WalMart. Can't even think of the last time I was there. Oh, well.

Monica said...

LOL! I probably would have purchased the paint too. ;)

Wal-Mart is forever stealing my groceries. Without fail, I come home every time with at least one bag missing. Where does it go?

I think it gets hidden on the round bagging wheel.

Brianna Heldt said...

Ha, loving all your comments! Monica, those bagging wheels totally freak me out. I always feel like I'm going to leave something behind!!!

Anonymous said...

Ugh... my blood pressure just went up a few numbers reading this. Remind me to tell you about the Wall-e dvd and Vons. Ugh.

shell said...

we usually skip walmart too. i vote with rachel, home depot or lowes!

Luke Holzmann said...

Englewood!?

As in, between Broadway and Santa Fe on Hampden?

If so, it's a small world after all.

~Luke

Brianna Heldt said...

Yep Luke, you got it. We don't have one real close to us and that one is maybe the closest...though I don't know if I'll be returning! :)

joy said...

ha ha brianna. i'm totally laughing because i would have done the same thing!! whoever said we need to be more assertive is right. maybe we need assertiveness training or something? can't wait to hear the rest of the story....

and my verification word is "reedmo"--a hint to get off the computer?

Anonymous said...

Why do I feel my IQ go down every time I enter a WalMart store??? Hmmm....

Joanie said...

Oh, Brianna, been there, yuck! You are definitely not alone.

MoonDog said...

actually mixing paint isnt so hard. its a lot like cooking. you just follow the recipe. then you put a dab on the paint chip and hold it to the lightbulb to dry. with any luck, they match. I have seriously had it go wrong so many times I am tempted to mix my own paint when I go to those kinds of stores. its fun too! sorry your experience turned out so badly. hey anyone who can juggle and schedule FOUR kids(I have 4 too) surely deserves to get what she asked and paid for. I tend to play the mileage card. It is 50 miles at LEAST ONE WAY to go to those stores so if they screw up I am gonna be TICKED because then I have to drivve another hundred miles to return it and return home

 

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