This is the email I sent to several heads at corporate. it should suffice as a proper REAL unpaid review.
Hi. My name is -. I'm a customer that has been shopping at Aldi for over ten years. I have used mostly store - since it first opened in my neighborhood.
It's not just me but my entire family has shopped there. Recently my sister has begun to use Trader Joes more because of how one of the employees of this store treated her. Coldly,
not rudely but it was enough to leave a bitter experience. She still shops at Aldi when convenient however.
Sometimes the produce is not so fresh, sometimes it's so bad that I have to return it, but the prices are cheap and I have saved a lot of money shopping here so I let it slide.
Here's where the problem is. I personally do not believe in self checkout. I'm a capitalist. My time is money. For one or two things I'm fine with it. But when it's a large purchase or when I'm having a bad morning and just want to have an employee take care of the matter, I should be able to use the register.
Usually I do. Even if I'm not paying cash. Employees at Aldi for the past 6 years have been mostly accommodating.
Today however I had a terrible morning. Traffic was a mess. My mother is sick. I had to ask leave from work. And on my way home from dropping my kid off in school I wanted to buy a few things so I passed by my usual Aldi store.
When I went to the register to make my purchase the young man there told me that the register was for cash only. Like I said I don't believe in working for free and to me that's what Self check out is. I will not be working for your company for free.
Still I went to self check out because it was only 3 items anyway. However I was still frustrated because the young man could have easily taken care of me. It was 9 in the morning and no one was in the lines. I was his only customer.
I was already on edge and this cold treatment when he could have easily taken care of me annoyed me furthered so I told him "you're going to make your costumer work for free?" He shrugged coldly and said "sorry" or "okay" with such a snarky tone. he might as well have said "wtv bish" ...like it mattered little to him, and I went to the self check out with my mother.
As she did the self check out because it doesn't bother her as much, I said out loud for anyone to hear, "You need more employees. I'm a capitalist. Not a f-ing slave."
Yes I used the f word. But I never attacked or insulted the employee and despite my disgruntlement I was still making the purchase.
Until the employee went on the microphone and announced to the entire store to hear (there were a few shoppers around, just none at the lines): "There is a lady here being vulgar and cursing at me."
And he did this twice. "She's so
Vulgar and using curse words at me"
He didn't bother to help me. No empathy. No connection. No help.
Now he wanted to notify everyone that somehow he was a victim here? I wasn't being aggressive or mean or personally attacking anyone. I was just a complaining and moody.
Was he trying to get security to kick me out? Why did he try to gaslight the other shoppers and employees that he was being victimized by me and trying to vilify me?
It was disgusting. I was annoyed before, but after that I felt so much rage and disgust. It was such a horrible experience I don't ever want to return.
I told my mother to leave the items. Then I told the employee that we will not be shopping there again.
All he said was "okay" coldly and shrugged. I added that I've been shopping at Aldi for 10 years and that the company lost a customer permanently. Again, the employee just shrugged it off coldly.
I walked out and drove to Publix to make my Purchases.
And in two days when I have to make a large purchase for my household that will probably cost over $200 to $300, (what I spend every two to three weeks) I will be using Publix or Trader Joe's. I'm no longer shopping at Aldi. Neither is my mother or any other of my family members and their households. we're done being treated like we have no value to you.
I wasn't my best today, maybe even went a little Karen. But is wasn't that bad. One little F bomb and it wasn't even directed at the employee and he had to announce to the world what a poor little victim he was instead of just letting it be and letting me complain about the self check out? What can I say I really DO NOT believe in it. not for me. And he could easily have taken care of my purchase or at the very least let me complain but he had to make my experience WORSE than it already was juts so secure his own ego.
I made small purchases frequently and big purchases one or twice a month there for the last 6 or 7 years - since they opened. plus I've been going to other stores before that. I must have spent tens of thousands of dollars or more in that company. to be treated like this? Nah. Bye. read more