Wonderful rant about Whole Foods' angry customers

[kenny]

http://observer.com/2015/05/americas-angriest-store/

 

[kenny]

Actually Whole Foods is suffering.

Six straight quarters of declining sales.
Their stock price has dropped by half since Oct 2013.
A takeover bid may be on the horizon.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/apr/29/whole-foods-hard-times-retail

 

[azstonie]

Here's one reason why WF is failing: I serve prime rib for Christmas dinner (the Westies like it). I spend @$250 on a smallish one at WF. I can't talk to the butcher, they take your order at a card table in Produce, usually a 22-year-old vegetarian from the Coffee Station. They cannot figure out how to take my 2 instructions and put them on the order form. I appear at the date/time to pick up my $250 prime rib. They aren't 'expecting' me, the meat isn't ready for me, the head meat guy comes to the counter, we have a 30-second chat to ensure we're on the same page. I wait, he cuts and preps, I'm finally outta there and onto my next holiday problem.

I decided last year that its a bad relationship and I'm done with them. I can get organic high quality food at Costco and chain grocery stores now. WF didn't live up to their own standards. Forget about that pesky weight cheating stuff

 

[missy]

That too bad. I love Whole Foods and the customer service is amazing. Truly the nicest people work at Whole Foods. We go to the WF at the Jersey Shore and Brooklyn and everyone is so nice. LOVE Whole Foods. Having said that I sort of get what the author is saying about some of the customers. But while I was reading the article I couldn't help but think hey these are also the customers at Costco too. The ones who leave their carts in the middle of the aisle blocking others. The customers who think *they* are the center of the universe and we exist to serve them and yada yada yada and so on and so forth. So not buying the whole premise of that article as I feel it has to more do with *where* you are located than the specific store you are in. And in the neighborhoods we live in it seems people feel entitled and feel as if the world turns around them and only them. That's my take on it anyway.

 

[CJ2008]

I haven't experienced any of what of the author talks about. At least at the Whole Foods I go to, I've witnessed people mainly just going about their business, and being polite to each other. Then again, I'm usually in and out since my shopping there is very limited - lately I've been buying their rotisserie chickens, bread, and sometimes I'll get fish. And I'm never there on a Sunday or during peak times generally.

I think along the lines of like what missy said, you'll find rude / entitled people everywhere you go. And if you add that the store is crowded, people get impatient if they're in a rush. Doesn't excuse rude behavior at all but it does put people on edge and more likely that they'll lose patience.

I like a lot of things about Whole Foods. I like that it's a very clean, bright, beautiful store. I like that they have a really large selection of cheeses and prepared foods. I like having that stuff accessible. And I like that they'll cook your fish, and cut up your chicken, and slice up a loaf of their breads. Some breads you can even get just half a loaf which is what I do (otherwise it goes bad.)

Yet, I never or very rarely buy any of it because of the prices. So the experience for me is always limited because I feel like i have to walk right by most of the stuff.

All that said as I was reading the article a lot of it just didn't sit right. It felt a little bit exaggerated or as if the person writing it was angry herself. Whole Foods customers are "useless, ignorant, and miserable" I got the feeling maybe she goes out already coiled looking / waiting for these situations which ensures she'll find them. Which again is maybe what happens if she experienced this enough times so I'm not taking away that maybe this is exactly what she has observed.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

A couple of years ago, MY SIL had a job raising pigs for the meat industry. I won't get in to the conditions but let's just say she will only eat pork from farmers she knows now.

The meat from these pigs went to several different grocers including Whole Foods. I thought that was interesting, you pay a premium at WF just to get meat raised the same as other less expensive stores.

 

[missy]

CJ, yes I agree with all of what you wrote. You said it better than I did. There are rude people everywhere and add crowds and you have a recipe for unpleasant behavior. WF is usually a very lovely experience IMO and for the few people that behave poorly I don't let it ruin my mood. As you wrote rude people are everywhere.


Stephanie I'm not saying this is the whole reason (haha get it Whole Foods ) but area has something to do with price. At least by us real estate is very pricey so I expect to pay more at these stores. The Whole Foods is a huge space in both locations we visit and they are paying expensive rents. Of course other factors go into it and yes we are paying a premium for WF and other specialty stores. That's why I buy at Costco when I can but there are some items I can only get at WF. And I am willing to pay for convenience too. WF is 5 minutes from us and Costco is quite a bit further.

 

[soxfan]

I love WF. Never had a bad experience. I prefer to get my meat from a butcher shop, but if I can't, I get it at WF.

 

[Austina]

Certainly not been our experience at the Whole Foods in Bee Cave, Austin. The one down town is much busier tho' so perhaps you get some angry folks there!

 

[vintagelover229]

Dont shop at WF since there isn't one near me and I cut out the middle man and go directly to the farm to get my meat as well as a different farm for organic veggies so can't comment on that.
But Missy I'm one of those ppl who put their cart in the middle of the isle. I can't help it. My toddler, as cute as he may be grabs EVERYTHING and throws it and thinks its some sort of a game. I can't even put things in the top basket of the cart bc he will try to eat cheese though the packaging. He's a good little man, but when he's in that store i think he's just a bit over stimulated and wants everything for himself and sees mommy get a bit frazzled and thinks its some sort of a game. I swear I don't think the store revolves around me, its just a means to not spend more time picking up stuff than actually shopping!

 

[missy]

Dont shop at WF since there isn't one near me and I cut out the middle man and go directly to the farm to get my meat as well as a different farm for organic veggies so can't comment on that.
But Missy I'm one of those ppl who put their cart in the middle of the isle. I can't help it. My toddler, as cute as he may be grabs EVERYTHING and throws it and thinks its some sort of a game. I can't even put things in the top basket of the cart bc he will try to eat cheese though the packaging. He's a good little man, but when he's in that store i think he's just a bit over stimulated and wants everything for himself and sees mommy get a bit frazzled and thinks its some sort of a game. I swear I don't think the store revolves around me, its just a means to not spend more time picking up stuff than actually shopping!

VL I know the difference b/w people who have a valid reason to do this and people who don't. ((((HUGS))) I know you aren't selfish or think the world revolves around you!

 

[monarch64]

Life is what you make of it. I think if you go into any store with a chip on your shoulder (the author of this piece is clearly being hyperbolic, to me, anyway) or feeling like you don't measure up to your perception of WF customers, you're going to have a negative experience.

We're getting a WF Lite here. I'm used to snooty grocery stores and co-ops in this town, but I also shop at Aldi and (gasp!) WalMart every so often. People can be rude at Krogucci as well as Walmart, and depending on MY attitude, I can have a good experience or a bad one.

Example: my mother inevitably has a horrific experience everywhere she shops. The cashier doesn't know what she's doing, or the deli associate didn't listen to her when she said "shaved" instead of thin sliced ham, or someone bumped into her cart, etc. As someone who worked in retail management for many years, I bite my tongue every time she relates to me one of these experiences because I know her type--she is the nightmare high maintenance customer that every worker dreads dealing with because there is NO making them happy.

I've posted this link here before but I will continue to harp on it anyway because I think it's an invaluable tool and a positive reminder of how our perceptions color our attitudes and vice versa. Every time I "have a moment" in a line or in traffic or in the airport...I think to myself "this is water."

 

[Karl_K]

We don't have a whole foods around here that I know off but you get rude or angry and self centered people in all kinds of stores.
You also get awesome people who are kind, considerate and nice.
I try not to get annoyed.
Target is where I usually find the most annoying people.
It seems like there is always 2 or more people side by side in the isle talking a mile a minute to each other while on a cell phone the whole time and ignoring anyone trying to get through.
When you say excuse me they just wave and go on talking or give you a dirty look.

 

[Karl_K]

Dont shop at WF since there isn't one near me and I cut out the middle man and go directly to the farm to get my meat as well as a different farm for organic veggies so can't comment on that.
But Missy I'm one of those ppl who put their cart in the middle of the isle. I can't help it. My toddler, as cute as he may be grabs EVERYTHING and throws it and thinks its some sort of a game. I can't even put things in the top basket of the cart bc he will try to eat cheese though the packaging. He's a good little man, but when he's in that store i think he's just a bit over stimulated and wants everything for himself and sees mommy get a bit frazzled and thinks its some sort of a game. I swear I don't think the store revolves around me, its just a means to not spend more time picking up stuff than actually shopping!

That's a valid reason and I often see that and don't think anything of it.
Its better to block the isle a bit than let them throw stuff off the shelves.

 

[luv2sparkle]

i haven't ever had a bad experience there either, but I also don't go very often. We pretty much only buy one thing there. The antibiotic and hormone free steaks that are frozen. We used to make a day of it, since it is a bit of a drive, and have lunch there, but their bbq is not as good as we make so we quit doing that.

 

[mary poppins]

LOL. Author sounds like she's not well-suited to deal with the public, especially during busy retail times. She should try going during off-hours with patience, a sense of humor (even a mild one would help) and STFU. I had to skim most of the opinion because reading her dreck was worse than an entire trip to and from WF, including parking.

 

[iLander]

Here's one reason why WF is failing: I serve prime rib for Christmas dinner (the Westies like it). I spend @$250 on a smallish one at WF. I can't talk to the butcher, they take your order at a card table in Produce, usually a 22-year-old vegetarian from the Coffee Station. They cannot figure out how to take my 2 instructions and put them on the order form. I appear at the date/time to pick up my $250 prime rib. They aren't 'expecting' me, the meat isn't ready for me, the head meat guy comes to the counter, we have a 30-second chat to ensure we're on the same page. I wait, he cuts and preps, I'm finally outta there and onto my next holiday problem.

I decided last year that its a bad relationship and I'm done with them. I can get organic high quality food at Costco and chain grocery stores now. WF didn't live up to their own standards. Forget about that pesky weight cheating stuff

Was it much cheaper at Costco, I hope? I do love that place.

 

[iLander]

About the carts; I think it's so funny when DH and I go to the grocery store: I don't like him to drive the cart. He stops and goes, not in the middle of the aisle, but he just doesn't move it around as gracefully as I do. OR so I think. I enjoy feeling superior in that tiny thing.