Can I complain when cheaper lines are sold out?

miggy

I'm just back from a trip to my usual supermarket and I'm feeling disgruntled because the 'value' plain flour and sultanas were sold out so I either had to buy at the higher price or shop elsewhere - but I was short of time so I paid more.

That's an additional £1.05 on the sultanas and 48p on the flour.

I'm on a budget so that's well above what I'm happy to spend.

I'm thinking of complaining by email but do you think I'd get anywhere?

k3lvc

Of course you can complain but I very much doubt you'd get anywhere by doing it.

miggy

I did wonder! A while ago I asked about some line that I could no longer find and was told the local staff can't decide what goes in their store - it comes from 'higher up' - at which point I began to feel helpless.
Thanks for the feedback though.

rrf494g

But if you complain it's reasonable to indicate what you think should have happened, and what you would like to happen following your complaint.

To expect that they never, ever, run out of the value band of anything (or is that they should never run out of anything at all?), strikes me as a bit of a tall order (they are subject to their suppliers).

To expect that they will always sell an item at "the cheapest" level of any similar items (that they might sometimes stock) is also a bit demanding.

But you don't make clear what you expect to happen.

good luck

miggy

Well, it's not a huge department and the gaps were quite large - so I would have liked to have seen a member of staff taking notice, whereas there were actually three of the staff restocking the biscuits - literally shoulder to shoulder and chattering away so that annoyed me, but of course from what I've already written no one could be expected to know that.

I think the price difference was what annoyed me more, though. It wasn't just an extra 5p or so.

FOREVER21

Similar thing happened to me recently at local Sainsurys they had a special bogof offer but no stock, Decided to complain, after much delibertion and speaking to a manager I was given a voucher to purchase at advertised price when new stocks arrived. I was told voucher only lasted for 1 week. Dont know if this is usual practice but worth a try.;)

StuartMacpherson

You can complain but the store won't really take any notice... You could send a letter/email to the head office stating your displeasure, and you will get some email back about the logistics behind managing a nationwide business and sometimes they fall short and can't have all the stock they would like in all the stores they should.

miggy wrote: »

Well, it's not a huge department and the gaps were quite large - so I would have liked to have seen a member of staff taking notice, whereas there were actually three of the staff restocking the biscuits - literally shoulder to shoulder and chattering away so that annoyed me

The staff won't have a choice about what they're putting out... They'll just have been told to put this stock out and get it done... I used to hate working at Tesco and people think it was my choice to be sitting on the floor restocking cat food when there was a till I could be sat at serving them...

vickynleon

i cant really see what they will do? it could of been that there were 5 on the shelf before you got there and someone could of bought all 5, it may be that there was a delay on their delivery or any reason, at some point there is going to be something out of stock so they cant please everyone.

DCFC79

miggy wrote: »

I did wonder! A while ago I asked about some line that I could no longer find and was told the local staff can't decide what goes in their store - it comes from 'higher up' - at which point I began to feel helpless.
Thanks for the feedback though.

I know where i work anything thats sold is decided upon by those higher up teh food chain but you can request that the store restocks a particular item either by asking at customer service, via facebook or via email to customer service.

I presume the other supermarkets work on the same principle.

You can complain yes but not sure what it would do. It could be those particular lines teh store is having supplier issues with trying to get hold of them.

tiff

I've noticed lots of value or budget items sell out really quick now, so I tend to stock up on those items. Eg, Asda do peshwari naan that is 67p, peshwari in Tesco is £1.60 something so I buy 4 packs in Asda and put them in the freezer. Make sure your cupboard is stocked with baking ingredients, I have 4 bags of value flour in mine. Stock up on sale items, thats all you can do really.

miggy

Thanks for all your replies. I guess you are right that I can't really expect much of a reply, but I emailed anyway. They might as well know it's a problem otherwise how can they address it?

This isn't something I would usually run low on but between my kids getting keen on doing their own cooking and us trying to stick to a budget, it didn't work out this time. I clearly need to regroup!

A couple of weeks ago I asked staff about a line I usually get and which isn't around any more and yes, they are having problems with the supplier in that case. This time it was own-brand items but I guess that doesn't preclude supply-line difficulties either.

Tiff - that's a good price for Naans, thanks you! Will keep an eye open for them now we have an Asd@ in reach.

DCFC79, I didn't know about using FB to request items so I could try that. After all, as I said before, if I don't say anything, how will they know what I'd like to be buying?

I've got over my funk now, thanks for all your replies!