Dumb Shopper

<p>I switched some Smart Shopper points to cash on card at Pick n Pay Park Meadows. At the till before my purchases were scanned i informed the till attendant that i would be using my store account to pay. I advised her that i had changed some points and if the amount would be deducted automatically. She said no and that she would need to swipe the card and deduct the amount manually. She did so but then was unable to process the transaction on my store account. </p> <p> </p> <p>A supervisor named Nombulelo was called who then phoned Smart Shopper to find out what the problem was. The supervisor came back and informed me that i could not use the smart shopper points and the store account together; that if i wanted to use the points i had to go to another store. I told her that that made no sense and asked her when and where customers were so advised. She was unable to answer.</p> <p> </p> <p>Another Supervisor called Sai took over. She first insisted that i had been informed in the store account docments that i had signed when i first opened the account. She quickly backed down when i pointed out that i had read the documents carefully and i had seen no such thing. Neither she, nor Nombulelo nor Armstrong, the Store Manager could tell me if, when or where customers had been informed of this rule. They could not explain the reason for the rule. i kept being told that i would need to go to anaother store to use the points?? It was confided to me that i was the latest in a line of customers to find the rule inexplicable and to complain.</p> <p> </p> <p>Armstrong eventualy offered to reverse and redo the transaction and in some way compensate me for the lost smart shopper points (this part of the transaction had gone through). I told him that he was missing the point. He and the supervisors had no explanation for the rule - it made no sense; the one supervisor and till attendant were clearly unaware of it; no one could advise if customers were informed; how was he going to sort out my embarassment and frustration. I was not going to take the easy way and have a problem later on.</p> <p> </p> <p>I left my shopping behind and went across the road to Checkers Eastgate. The prices were better than PnP even with Smart Shopper vouchers. One item was R109.95 @ Checkers (no voucher) versus R126.65 at PnP (inclusive of voucher).</p> <p> </p> <p>I called PnP customer care and advised Andile of my concerns. He said that the Regional Manager would contact me. Someone from the store did call but could offer no explanations or solutions. More than two days later the Regional Manager still has not bothered.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have made arrangements to close my Pn P store account and will throw away my Smart Shopper once i have done so.</p> <p> </p>