[Blindtlk] Good afternoon everyone, Re: A Horrible Experience at Kmart

Tue Jan 26 22:49:06 UTC 2016

Agreed, after all, Amazon.com isn't so successful because of blind
people's business alone. When you combine the convenience of online
shopping with the hassles of public transit delays/service gaps and
the incompetence of many shopping assistants, shopping online often
just makes sense. I don't do it all the time, though, and if I'm
buying something where I really do want to interact with the product
(clothing, furniture, etc.) I will go to the store.

On 1/26/16, Jewel via blindtlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> I resemble that! I work from home as a freelance writer, go to college when
> necessary, but shop for most of my things online. If I could shop for
> groceries online, I would. Although, I think I would go to the store for
> produce and meat and not trust the cells associate to pick out my meat and
> produce. I have had some great experiences with Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and
> Chewy.com. I love getting packages in the mail, and not being able to sit in
> the living room and Braleass on my Amazon.com app. There's no reason I have
> to go to the store and less is not on Amazon or another site. Why should I
> have to go to the store? I live a busy life and don't have time to.
> Sincerely,
> Jewel
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Jan 26, 2016, at 5:36 PM, Peter Donahue via blindtlk
>> <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hello Brian and everyone,
>>
>>
>>    The same can be said for those blind people that prefer to shop online
>> or via an automatic replenishment service than to waste time going to the
>> store to buy items they could buy online quite easily, fighting with
>> paratransit when it comes time to bring the goods home and one can spend
>> time more productively. Why should we be made to feel like hermits and
>> always feel the need to put ourselves on display for the public when
>> sighted individuals avail themselves of these conveniences without
>> reservation so they can make more efficient use of their time and saving
>> money in the process.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>> Bryan Schulz via blindtlk wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> When the price of a dewalt drill was $100 less than the same model at
>>> home
>>> depot, nobody is going to make me feel bad about shopping from my couch!
>>> Bryan
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Carly
>>> Mihalakis via blindtlk
>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 11:56 AM
>>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List; 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
>>> Cc: Carly Mihalakis
>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] A Horrible Experience at Kmart
>>>
>>> Good morning, everyone,
>>>
>>>    This is precisely why On-line shopping and such
>>> doesn't appeal to me personally. Why not  do a
>>> little traveling, persuing the good things life
>>> sometimes offers, not to mention  having an
>>> opportunity to model for people how blind folks
>>> find their life experiences and in fact, do the
>>> same things as everybody else but perhaps a little differently.
>>> CarFrom: blindtlk
>>> [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>>> Cheryl Echevarria via blindtlk Sent: Thursday,
>>> July 16, 2015 2:26 PM To: 'Blind Talk Mailing
>>> List' Cc: Cheryl Echevarria Subject: Re:
>>> [Blindtlk] A Horrible Experience at Kmart I would
>>> like to say, becoming hermits and not getting out
>>> of the house and traveling? As stated early live
>>> the life you want, and I am totally for those who
>>> want to not go shopping without other people with
>>> you, but when you do go shopping. on in
>>> restaurants, etc. That we show independence.
>>> Sitting home doesn't give that. I also order
>>> online, but remember staying home the outside
>>> world doesn't learn about blind people. Things
>>> like the KNFB Reader which is now an app on your
>>> sell phone can help with this for shopping. It
>>> can tell you want you are looking at or at least
>>> read a code, and there are exciting other
>>> inventions on the horizon. Google Glass, which we
>>> tried at the NFB Travel & Tourism, and other
>>> divisions at convention. Michael Hingson was part
>>> of the group. Many things new and updated  at
>>> convention. -----Original Message----- From:
>>> blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Charlotte via blindtlk Sent: Thursday,
>>> July 16, 2015 2:30 PM To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>>> Cc: Charlotte Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] A Horrible
>>> Experience at Kmart Hi. Our paratransit is pretty
>>> much 24/7 so I would be okay with coming at a
>>> time that was less busy. It was 2 hours when the
>>> manager came in, not 4. We were planning to stay
>>> for 3. I asked the cashier when we started
>>> shopping if that was acceptable and he said it
>>> was. I've had to change employees before and was
>>> totally okay with that. One time I had to wait 20
>>> minutes for another employee to come off break
>>> and was okay with that because I knew about it
>>> ahead of time. I am very willing to work with
>>> people if they are willing to work with me. I
>>> know I take a bit longer because of my mobility
>>> issues and am totally okay with rotating
>>> employees or waiting 20 minutes or so for them to
>>> get someone else. On 7/16/2015 1:01 PM, Judy
>>> Jones via blindtlk wrote: > My concern about
>>> calling in ahead of time, although I understand
>>> why it was done, is that, if you start them
>>> thinking you need special arrangements/help, then
>>> in future they may get the idea to ask you to
>>> only shop certain times when they CAN offer the
>>> time and attention you are asking for ahead of
>>> time.  You might want to go during a time you can
>>> use your paratransit, but the store may then say,
>>> well, we don't have the personnel or scheduling
>>> to be able to accommodate you, you need to come
>>> at such-and-such time. > > In other words, if you
>>> start asking for special ahead of time help, they
>>> could start putting limits.  They shouldn't but
>>> that may get them thinking in that direction. > >
>>> A long time ago, when I went into the Winn-Dixie
>>> late at night to shop, I was told to come back
>>> during the day when there was more staff to offer
>>> customer assistance. > > I told them that I
>>> worked and commuted, and had to come when was
>>> convenient for me.  With that explanation, I was
>>> promptly offered customer assistance, and have
>>> never had a problem since. > > Also, with
>>> employees, they are needed in certain departments
>>> doing certain tasks, and the shift's schedules
>>> are made accordingly.  To take four hours to shop
>>> with one employee can upset the scheduling and
>>> possibly disrupt that employee's lunch break.  It
>>> might be good to check with your shopper to make
>>> sure the time frame will work with them.  A
>>> solution is to work with one shopper for a while,
>>> then trade to another if the first employee needs
>>> to take his break or clock out.  As I understand
>>> it, they are strict with their employees and
>>> clocked time, something we as customers don't
>>> usually have to think about, but we should be
>>> considerate of those factors. > > Judy > >
>>> -----Original Message----- > From: blindtlk
>>> [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>>> Of > Charlotte via blindtlk > Sent: Thursday,
>>> July 16, 2015 11:46 AM > To: Blind Talk Mailing
>>> List > Cc: Charlotte > Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] A
>>> Horrible Experience at Kmart > > That definitely
>>> had an impact on it for sure. Also, there were 2
>>> of us, both totally blind and one in a
>>> wheelchair. That added onto the time. > That's
>>> the main reason I called ahead and told
>>> them. > > > On 7/16/2015 7:47 AM, justin williams
>>> via blindtlk wrote: >> Yeah, not having the
>>> knowledgeable employee is what may have caused it
>>> to be so time consuming. >> >> >> -----Original
>>> Message----- >> From: blindtlk
>>> [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>>> Of >> Charlotte via blindtlk >> Sent: Thursday,
>>> July 16, 2015 8:46 AM >> To: Blind Talk Mailing
>>> List >> Cc: Charlotte >> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk]
>>> A Horrible Experience at Kmart >> >> It was 2
>>> hours when he banged on the door and there were 2
>>> of us and we were looking for several items that
>>> took a long time to find. Also, if they'd given
>>> us a female it would've went a lot quicker. Also,
>>> if that were going to be a problem, we could've
>>> been notified of that when we, twice, called
>>> ahead. >> >> >> On 7/16/2015 2:16 AM, Paul Wick
>>> via blindtlk wrote: >>> No offense meant, but I
>>> would never tie up customer service for 3 1/2
>>> hours. but that doesn't eexcuse his rather
>>> narrowminded behavior. >>> >>> Paul >>> >>> Sent
>>> from my iPhone >>> >>>> On Jul 15, 2015, at 8:02
>>> PM, Charlotte via blindtlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> A few days ago my best friend
>>> and I were talking about the good deals she got
>>> while at Kmart with another friend of hers. They
>>> had sales on swimsuits, clothing, shoes, etc. and
>>> I was looking to purchase some of these same
>>> articles. She said she'd like to go back as well
>>> so we planned a trip for Friday, July 3, to go to
>>> Kmart on paratransit to get the items we wanted.
>>> I told her I'd call ahead the next day and let
>>> them know we were coming and that we would be
>>> there quite a while as we were two blind women,
>>> one in a wheelchair, looking for clothing and
>>> accessories. The next day I called to let them
>>> know. I spoke to the manager on duty. He assured
>>> me it was no problem. I didn't feel very
>>> satisfied with his brush-off quick response and
>>> told my husband about it. He then called again
>>> and spoke to a customer service lead. This time
>>> he, too, was assured that it would be no problem.
>>> He gave the times we'd be there and she said
>>> she'd get it taken care of and leave a note at
>>> the service desk so they could get someone in
>>> ladies' clothing or a similar department to help
>>> us. We again told her the length of time we were
>>> looking at and that there would be two of us. We
>>> arrived at Kmart Friday and I went to the service
>>> desk. I again said I had called ahead and spoken
>>> to two people and told them we were coming and
>>> that my friend and I would need help shopping.
>>> Not only were my two previous calls ignored, but
>>> we were given a male cashier who knew nothing
>>> about clothing. He, as an employee and a person,
>>> was fantastic. But I did not feel the most
>>> comfortable shopping for intimate apparel with a
>>> male not related to me. We proceeded to begin
>>> shopping and purchased some shoes, swimsuit, and
>>> were looking at pants. We had been shopping for
>>> about 2 hours. My friend and I were in the
>>> women's fitting room trying on clothing. All of a
>>> sudden there is a loud bang on the door. In a
>>> raised, scathing tone, the general manager of the
>>> store inquires how much longer we intend on tying
>>> his employee up. I again explained that we had
>>> called twice in advance and that I had indeed
>>> spoken to a manager on duty. I explained this in
>>> a calm tone, only letting a bit of my growing
>>> frustration show. Dan, the store manager, then
>>> proceeds to publicly, loudly berate me in front
>>> of the other customers and employees and tell me
>>> how unappreciative and ungrateful I am. He said I
>>> had tied up an employee for 3 or 4 hours. We had
>>> begun shopping at 11 and it was just after 1 when
>>> the incident occured. He said that from now on
>>> they are putting a 30 minute maximum on any
>>> assistance because of my extreme attitude. I
>>> tried to reason with him as did my friend and say
>>> we were not being extreme. We'd tried to do the
>>> responsible thing and if we'd come separate
>>> they'd have had two employees tied up. It really
>>> hurt my feelings and upset me very much to be
>>> publicly humiliated and berated in front of the
>>> other customers and employees, and while I was
>>> trying on clothes in the women's fitting room. I
>>> came out of the room in tears. The gentleman
>>> helping us was appalled. He profusely apologized
>>> for his manager's rude behavior and said if he
>>> were us he'd just put everything back and walk
>>> out. I said I'd love to do that but with my
>>> transportation limitations, that wasn't an option
>>> for me. We did get checked out and went to wait
>>> for our ride. When I got home, I immediately
>>> called the corporate complaint department. The
>>> gentleman who took my call was also appalled by
>>> the classless behavior of the manager. I am still
>>> waiting to hear the resolution of this complaint.
>>> I will never set foot back in that store again
>>> unless that manager is no longer working there or
>>> at any store. He is rude, unprofessional, and
>>> according to the employee helping us, he treats
>>> his employees the same way. I've been verbally
>>> abused before and that was exactly what this
>>> experience reminded me of. My friend said he was
>>> accusing us of having an extreme attitude, when
>>> he was actually the one acting extreme. I would
>>> not recommend any person with a disability to go
>>> to Kmart. You will be treated as less than human
>>> and given the complete brush-off. If you go to
>>> the store on Lake St. Dan will impose a 30 minute
>>> maximum on your shopping time. This is not legal
>>> by ADA standards. He feels that we are taking
>>> advantage of a system and so I feel that he
>>> doesn't want us there or our business. Let Dan,
>>> the Kmart manager know what you think of what you
>>> just read. I have an update to this story. It is
>>> now July 15, and I still have not heard any word
>>> from corporate of any kind. I called twice and
>>> both times was told someone would get back in
>>> touch with me promptly. This has not happened.
>>> Apparently Sears and Kmart do not care about
>>> whether or not their customers are treated in a
>>> dignified manner. >>>> Charlotte >>>> >>>> >>>>
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>>> looking to advertise your wares, or you wish to
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>>> HandmadeSellNTrade+subscribe at groups.io
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