Staples, you are a friend of mine

Well, here I am again to sing the praises of Staples and their superb customer service.

I went to get a few things today, and after I got home went right to the computer to fill out my easyrebates online before I forgot to do them!

While on the website, I decided to go check out my Staples Rewards account and noticed on my 7/29 transactions that only half of my 2 pocket folder purchases were credited under the "rewards" column. Now, mind you, that's a grand total of $.10  but you know what..I was curious. So, I got on live chat to ask. They said I needed to call the Rewards center and talk to them, and provided the phone number, so I did. The woman I spoke to was great, looked up my account and found the transactions I was referring to, and saw the discrepancies, then said, well, that would be a total of $.10, right? I said yes, and that I knew it was just $.10, but it adds up, so I wanted to find out why it didn't credit correctly. She said, well, how about I send you a $1.00 coupon to use in the store? I said, "Sure" and she said that it would be on its way and arrive at my house soon. Wow!  If I wasn't already impressed, I would be now.

Already impressed? Yes...wanna know why? When I started my Back to School Shopping back a few weeks ago, the guy in the store that day signed me up for the wrong Rewards card, a regular one, instead of a Teacher card, even after I'd told him that was what I needed. Add to that the fact that he said I should go to the website to fill in my info. like phone number, etc. because "It'd be more accurate" if I did it that way. I didn't question it because it wasn't a big deal to me.  Fast forward to the next time I'm in the store, I had gone to the website to fill in my info. whereupon I saw that I had been signed up for a regular card, not a teacher card. So, I opened a Teacher card online, and wrote down the number so I'd have it the next time I went to the store. In the following weeks, they never could pull up my account w/my phone number like they should've been able to and I think I know why, because of the two accounts. Well, after a few weeks passed, I decided to look at my "rewards summary" and see how much I'd been credited thus far by making purchases and using my card, it wasn't much b/c mostly I'm shopping the sales and extreme deals, but it was beginning to add up. I did notice though that my very first transaction was missing...yes, the one the day I got the "regular" card. So, after a quick online chat, I called the Rewards center to see what I could see. The customer service agent that day was very pleasant as well. I explained about the regular card, the guy at the store wanting me to fill things in at home, me checking and finding I hadn't been given a Teacher card, the whole sha-bang. She listened, then gave me my options. Basically the best thing would be to close the regular account, but the transaction that I'd made the day I got the regular card could not be "moved" to the Teacher card. Sad me. I expressed my disappointment at this fact, and asked if there was anything that could be done in that regard, she said no, once a receipt/transaction is "attached" to a card, it doesn't matter if the card/account is closed or not, the transaction cannot be put onto another card. Bummer. Then, the customer service agent said, how about I send you a Rewards coupon for $5 for your trouble and to cover the amount you should've received w/the receipt we can't put on your Teacher card?  I have to say I was thrilled because she and I both knew that the credit would've only been a small amount....I can't recall right now, but I don't know that it was even a whole dollar. I was "wow-ed" and have been again today.

I highly recommend Staples. They offer many great deals and I really like that they have REBATES, checks mailed to you, or put into your paypal account, not a program where you can only use the monies in their store in the distant future. And, I have already received three notices that my rebates are on their way from a few weeks back! So, if you haven't already, check out Staples! They're having some great deals and check out my previous post about how I am doing a few extra transactions if I have a few of my children along to help out...hey, they're the ones using all these supplies, right? And, to be quite frank, they like helping and making a purchase "on their own" as I oversee to make sure everything is going smoothly.   :)

Happy shopping! And, go to Staples!

**Not that anyone would think I was, but just in case, I am NOT paid to endorse Staples, I'm just a very happy customer!**

People of Walmart

Have you heard about the website entitled "People of Walmart"? A friend told me about it a few years ago and I was not surprised to see a few frightening images there of folks that apparently had their picture taken in the midst of their Walmart shopping trips. I did fear at first that there might be one of me on there w/my "MOM" face or something, but boy was I in for a surprise as to what it really was all about. 

Fast forward to today...shopping at Walmart w/my youngest, age 3, looking at the clearance rack of boys' clothes and half noticing a woman w/her children across the rack, but not paying them too much attention until Little Miss asks right out loud in her sweet voice..."Mama, why does that lady have that all over her?"

Me - "What?" as I glance across at the woman again, trying to figure out what Little Miss might be referring to. I noticed a few things it could be...sequins on shirt...anyway, back to Little Miss..."I don't know honey" as we moved away w/our cart Little Miss decides it's time to clarify and says "those needles, Mama, why does she have THOSE?"

I was glad to be moving away at this point, but again answered her that I had no idea. The woman in question was sporting two facial piercings....I too wonder why on earth she had "those needles" on her face.

Out of the mouths of babes ;)