text:
Write Review
Compare Drug Stores/Pharmacies
out of
, based on
ratings and
reviews & complaints.
Product/Service Pages:
Photo Service
[+] Share this page
Treatment as a Walgreens Employee
Posted by
My experience Working for Walgreens
More than one year ago I was hired at our neighborhood Walgreens's. All I can say is "wow. How did I last this long?"..
Let me take you on a short story journey, on what REALLY happens inside our little home away from homes, that we call work.
From the outside, it looks like a pretty good job, nice, organized, people seem polite to you. Everyone has on his or her smock, nice neat name tags, smilesâ¦At least, that's how it was when I went to fill out my application at the Walgreen's closest to me⦠unfortunately, I didn't get hired at that one, but at another one in the areaâ¦
I was hired by one of the laziest EXA's I think I have ever met⦠She didn't do a whole lot, she brought her boyfriend to work sometimes and he stayed there for hours on end⦠while her husband would circle the parking lot.
Oh but once she got transferred out we got someone much worse. At first, he helped out, complimented us, was even politeâ¦but after two weeks, that wore off. He is rude, makes lewd comments, is far lazier than our last EXA and in his own little remarks, discriminates, they might be very light when he says them, but now more and more people are catching on. He closes only once a week, and when he does, he mainly just sits in the office on his phone⦠he asks everyone else to clean his aisles, and gets an attitude if his are not straight, and if ours are not either. I have even made the comment to him about him being on the lazy side, and he told me "he didn't have to, he paid his dues".
And God-forbid you ever get pregnant while working there. At one point, I was put at main, with morning sickness, when I tell them I don't feel well, can I go home, I was told to just throw up in the trash can when I felt sick. I had to stay that whole night. The next day that I was there, I was approached by my store manager, after a few moments in the bathroom with morning sickness, these exact words "If you're going to be getting sick in the bathroom all day, then just go home, I'm not paying you to be sick!" I sure wish someone would have told me that the night I was working at main vomiting in the trash canâ¦
And then of course, the morning I worked, while pregnant, was also the day loss prevention and district showed up⦠I bought some meds to calm my stomach so I wouldn't be getting sick, and when m y EXA asked "oh do you have the flu? You feel OK?"
When I told him "no, it's the morning sickness"
He Said "Oh...OK" As if having the Flu would have a better answer.
Needless to say, the medicine didn't work and I was in the bathroom most of that morning.
Not only was I sick, and tired, and having horrible mood swings, but it was also Christmas season!!... At one point, I was scheduled 2:00-12:30⦠and of course we never got out of there until closer to 1:00 or 1:30. So trust me when I say, it was hard on my body.
Now if that sounded bad, try miscarrying. Unfortunately, when this happened, I had to call out. Which wasn't bad but in the confusion of it all, I had forgotten to get a doctors note. (Which by the way is easy to forget when you're not all there after that experience.) My manager rudely, a week later, asked where my doctors note was, and that she wouldn't give me my three *yes only three* sick day I asked for. She told me she needed it by Saturday. So I came in Saturday, and got talked at again because she needed it before 12:00. Well I didn't know that, but she agreed to put them on my NEXT paycheck. And, she forgot to put them on that one⦠in fact, I lost the baby on December 5 2006. I didn't receive pay for my sick days until February 2 2007. So it was about four pay checks later, that I finally got paid because a payout was out of the question.
Don't get me wrong, I love the company I work for. I love what I do here at Walgreen's. But the people that are put into power are absolutely horrible. My store manager. Yes, when everyone comes for the V.P visits, she puts on a wonderful act. Talks sweetly to everyone and treats her employee like little angels. But when you all are not around, she is completely different. She has a habit of talking down on me and of course other employees, which could be why we have such a high turnover rate at our location. She has her over the top sarcasm that just kills the mood .I honestly can not say how I have lasted this long here. There were times I was ready to just up and quit too. There were times I would go home crying because I have never in my life been talked down on so badly. Even as a child adults had never treated me poorly or said things that would make me that upset. And here I thought Walgreen's was a professional business-like place to work.
All around the office and back there are little reminders of our dress code, what we can and cannot wear⦠well I sure wish district would have shown up on the day my manager decided to wear her Walgreens-bought skirt and high-heeled-backless clogs, that by the way, she could not even walk in. And since she could not walk in them, half of the day she walked around wearing grandma bedtime slippers she bought over in the sock aisle...And while wearing this, made a comment that my smock needed to be washed, actually, it had been, it had just become so faded it was looking messy. But then again, that how it almost always is⦠Once she hears higher up are coming things get rushed. She starts noticing imperfections. Of course, she doesn't notice them any other timeâ¦
Like I said before, don't get me wrong, I love my job⦠but the people that are put in power need to be re-evaluated. If anything goes wrong in that store, if the store fails and audit, guess whose fault it is⦠OURS. Not really hers, its ours. We are the ones who messed up. At least that's how it's made out to be. And if we get written up, it's normally for something we didn't even know we did wrong. We don't get a warning or anything like that. Unfortunately, we are poorly trained and when we see lazy people who are our higher ups how is that going to inspire us to work harder and perfect ourselves? It's not. I'll be the first to admit that I do slack off. Why not? I see my Manager and EXA doing it.
I'm not saying I'm a perfect person because I'm far from it⦠but I don't think I deserved to be treated like dirt when I am not. I am a good person. I am honestly not stupid and when it comes time to work, I do get most of my work, if not all of it done.
I also don't feel right signing my name to this, only because if it gets back to my manager on who wrote this, I will only be treated worse than I am nowâ¦and I honestly don't think I could take much more of it. But I am going to anyway. For I was off the clock when this was written, and if something is done off the clock I should not be punished for it, especially when I'm voicing my opinion
Was this review helpful?
Add reply
Review Link:
User Replies:
Anonymous on 02/18/2008:
I am very sorry to hear about your miscarriage.
Anonymous on 02/18/2008:
I am sorry to hear about it as well.
If you are concerned about the way employees are treated, there are steps that you can take. First you should voice your concern to your direct supervisor/mgr. If you do not feel comfortable going to them or your concerns are not appropriately handled, then you should follow the next step in Walgreens company policy, which may be talking to your supervisor's manager or the HR department. Good luck
Britty on 03/12/2008:
I work for Walgreens also. I have been there for a year and about 6 months. OH MY GAH I WANT OUT OF THERE!!!!! It sucks so bad. Of course everyone thinks I'm lying when I tell them how badly I am treated, but it really is horrible. And the customers aren't any better than the managers. So, I feel your pain! And I am very sorry to hear about your misscarriage as well. I have been sick with the flu and strep throat for about 4 weeks now. I called out for 1 of my sick days and they wouldn't let me they made me come in, and of course EVERYONE is now sick...and guess who got blammed..me! well, they shouldn't have made me come in. I can go on and on about this. I get really worked up and mad. and our STORE manager he is a back stabber all they do is talk bad about you behind your back I AM SiCK OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! uhhhhhh........!!!!!!!!!!!!
gowiththeflow on 11/12/2008:
I'm sorry for your loss.Your manager sounds like a monster.I can see why the employees at my Walgreens are not happy.
traceyexa on 07/12/2009:
I am really glad to have read your entry. I am an exa, and recently a new mgt has accused me of being too "nice" and lenient on my employees. He said that at all his other store the hourly employees were afraid of the mgt. We get all our work done, are up in sale, everything runs really smoothly. I believe you should treat people as you want to be treated. Whether you are an exa or senior vp. I was just beginning to wonder if I was being too nice.
BrianC on 08/24/2009:
You should go to the District Manager about the problem.. Or you could see if you could trasfer to another store
sweet cheeks on 08/27/2009:
I am sorry that you had to go through all that but I understand. that's how Walgreens works, as long as they have a body at a station then they can care less about anything else. I actually heard a manager tell another manager--at least it's a body to stand there. how stupid is that? it's more than stupid, it's very sad!
LeLee8 on 01/03/2010:
I am also a Walgreens employee an have been for almost 2 years. I have never had a worse job in my life. The company treats there employees like crap. And trust me I would have gotten out a long time ago but the economy is so bad I couldn't find another job and I'm a full time student. I have had many bad experiences at Walgreens. I was sexually assaulted by another employee a man much older then me, I went to management, an still had to work with him by myself closing at night. When LP did finally come an talk to me, they treated me like I was lying, because they couldn't see him doing it on camera but they could see him touching me. This guy had just been hired, he had only been with the company for 2 weeks. So what did those pieces of sh** do... they transferred him TO THE STORE LESS THAN A BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE! Where I used to shop. This matter was supposed to be confidential only my asst.manager an store manager knew about it, well now everyone knows. Its very embarrassing. My store manager is the worst manager I have ever worked for. She couldn't care less about you or any other employee. She sits in the office all day an just talks crap about everyone. I have wanted to take my concerns higher up but there all buddy buddy an I just feel like it would make things worse for me.
Zappo on 01/15/2010:
So sorry, I know someone who also works at Walgreen's. The most horrible company in the entire world work for. If you are experiencing harassment contact the EEOC and REPORT WALGREENS. That behavior should not be tolerated and WALGREENS is VIOLATING YOUR RIGHTS for ignoring your harassment complaints. No one should have to tolerate that and Walgreens is NOT EXEMPT from EEOC LAWS Despite what they think. Go For It!
Yukiderawr on 01/30/2010:
I currently work at Walgreens and I know the feeling of being talked down to. I feel like it's the worst job I have ever had. For starters I was told that I would be hired for 8:75 an hour. So I start thinking okay I can deal with that. and low and behold my first paycheck comes in and I am only getting 7:25. So I went and asked about it and then they said I would get the extra dollar when I got coded in comsmetics so I continued to work at main. Lets put it this way I will be working there for a year in main and I am still not coded. They have me working in photos when I have no training then I get yelled at because I have no clue what I am doing. Then when I confront a manager about it he say's "I assumed you knew how too" Like I am magic or something. I am sorry to hear that you miscarried and I know how heartless they can be. I hope that you find a better job were they will treat you better.
FarfalleAlfredo on 01/04/2012:
I've been at Walgreens for 6 months and it's taken me all that time to get Sunday off for church. During the interview I was told "Oh no problem, we respect that you go to church", but never gave me the time off to go. I requested an early shift on New Years Eve so I could attend a church service in the evening. My request was denied so that the rest of the crew could go to a party and get drunk. If I request anything off for religious reasons, it's denied.
And why be open on Thanksgiving and Christmas? There's no need to be except to further line corporate pockets. What about the employees? Don't they deserve the holidays also.
jo on 08/11/2012:
I'm sorry to hear that you had a miscarriage. Walgreens does not care about their employees especially the good and hardworking ones that's been in the company for decades.
Marissa on 11/29/2012:
I am so sorry about your miscarriage! I miscarried when I worked at a Family Dollar store a couple years ago, and I know how that can be. I ended up quitting from the emotional trauma. I am so glad the Walgreens I work at doesn't have managers like that. They are friendly, helpful, understanding and fun. I love my job.
Diane on 01/09/2013:
Walgreens is by far the most ruthless, uncaring company. They are the new poster child for bullies. I lost my job at 57 years of age because of a bullying manager.
jjj on 03/08/2013:
Hey guys--33 year employee here. Loved my job for years--in fact if you go to the indeed site and read the positive comments, most of them are from former employees.The company now wants to use Walmart as their model. They want less full-timers,more part-timers so hence they do not have to pay benefits.This is the future for all of us and we basically have to take it if we want a job here. Yes, bullying and a dictatorship attitude has been encouraged by upper management--especially towards the long-term employees who they feel are raping the payroll. I have been a loyal employee and had great bosses until a year ago. Now I feel I have to watch for any little mistake I may make that could give them the opportunity to marginalize me and cut my hours.I see this happening with many of my co-workers that have 15 or more years in.Start documentating everything to protect yourself and hope you have a clean record thus far--because you will lose credibility if you don't. So sorry about what happened and not surprised.
Dee on 04/02/2013:
I am so sorry to hear this happened. I understand about the managers. My son called me from the hospital..just being diagnosed with cancer.(he was 24) I had just gotten to work.(night shift) I was very upset and went to my manager about my son. She commented "OMG I have been here from 6am (truck day). I can't stay any later". She asked me what kind of cancer. When I told her....here was her comment "oh don't worry..all they are going to do is cut his balls off". Few years later..worked for another manager...my son we thought the cancer had traveled. I needed to leave work my son was very upset. We had gone to the emergency room. Thank God the cancer didn't travel. When I came back to work, all the employees told me he said my son was old enough to handle this on his own, he didn't need mommy by his side.When I approached my manager with this comment I heard from employees. He actually told me the truth he said it. well as a mother or father yourself...I will leave the rest to your imagination of what I said.
as on 04/05/2013:
I work at Walgreens, and I hate it. It makes me physically ill to know I have to go in. No job should make a person feel this way. I asked for a transfer, and all of a sudden I am getting written up almost every day. I am doing nothing different then I have done the entire time of my employment. It has become a constant campaign of terror since I asked. Saying anything to anyone who works for this company does no good as retaliation is the rule, not the exception.
frustrated on 04/12/2013:
Walgreens on bay st.san francisco...has the upmost lazy front register cashiers..I went to shop there a few times..susan...and jane..are the main cashiers..they are like statues..while other cashiers are busy ringing other guest...susan and jane..will just stand there..staring out to the mall...not bothering to call the next customer....
mistreated on 04/12/2013:
I work for Walgreens too...they care nothing bout their employees...treat them bad...cut hours..take away ot...cut Christmas bonus...haaaa..and they call themself a family company..who is money hungry..and treat their employees like crap
ex las vegas walgreens cashier on 04/25/2013:
I see a pattern here. I myself was harassed and of course they didn't see anything on camera (he touched me directly under a camera).. I hate when people say tell a manager or call the number in the breakroom, 1st of all its a known fact that most managers and loss prevention are the best of friends. Using their open door policy will do nothing but get you fired. As another poster stated, her complaint was confidential yet the entire store knew about it.. Same exact thing happened to me. My work environment became extremely hostile and one by one all of my co workers turned against me. I worked in a tough area and during graveyard we had security .. Anyway, one night a problem customer grabbed for my breast and made a vulgar coment. Security witnessed this and reported it to the day manager tamara who made the comment "I'm not worried about her because she has a bad reputation" little did she know I was friends with the guard she said that too and he repeated it to me. September 2012 I was fired for harassment (the same thing I complained about months prior) . Go figure. It is nv state law that if you get fired for gross misconduct you are not eligible for unemployment ... Yet I got unemployment my first try because there was no proof of what I was accused of not to mention I was never verbally warned ever not once about anything . I also filed a complaint with the EEOC. That was a success as well. After all this B.S. I Iearned to never give up and fight fight fight ! Walgreens is a awesome company with POOR management who shouldn't even be aloud to herd sheep.. I would not recommend this place as a job to my worst enemy. Also to the original poster I am very sorry for your loss!
Denise on 07/12/2013:
I have been with Walgreens for almost 6 years, they are so uncaring. During the holidays we work while the Corporate office are at home with their families. They open more and more Walgreens but cut employees hours in the store where they can barely make ends meet. It is not easy to just jump up and quit when it is hard to find another job and so much time have been spent in this company. Walgreens seems to care more about making money then their employees. Corporate have no idea the things the employees have to go through or what we see in the stores. There are lazy workers as well as managers. There are a lot of favoritism as well. These managers want to jump all around the stores when anyone from Corporate comes in acting as if they work so hard and it is very sad. What happened to everyone working together as a team, I have not seen that in years. There is no teamwork at all. The EXA also known as the Assistant Store Manager just holds a title because he is so lazy and does not know how to talk to his employees. He is very rude. How can you report anything to a Store Manager, Distric Manager or Corporate, they don't care about the employees themselves so who would feel comfortable enough to tell them anything, trust me they don't do anything, they do not even try to find out if their employees are being mistreated. It shows how they are when they only give a my voice survey once a year, we as employees need our voices heard all year around.
betsy on 09/12/2013:
OK I understand your pain I have been working for Wag for about 4 years and its been like jail right now iam stuck financially emotionally I have thought of something even though its the hardest thing for someone like me to do I don't know what success means or a successful life is but am going to write my very first fiction story and get it published and if it does well and I get a good amount of money I will definitely quit and I encourage anyone who works for any retailer or any company where they get treated like dirt try something new do something better than those pompous lazy managers can do if you make it they will be stuck not you so try it guys iam trying it :)
Tami s. Wollslair on 01/05/2014:
I have not experienced you situation exactly but , needless to say I have never been treated so cruel by you people in my whole life. I gave my notice to quit tonight, my boss was very nice and asked why. I lied because I still wanted to stay on and simply said because scheduling conflict. he again was very pleasant to me. I went to work but a fellow employee was very rude to me. I got upset and was going to leave.. he was so nice I stayed my shift until she was out of line. I page him and again he was very nice. I was so upset I don't think I can return and I know she makes other employees feel the same, so if I leave I don't want them to go threw what I did they need there jobs.. I just wanted mine because my children are grown and I have other jobs just wanted to socialize while my children are gone away in the military.. I would still like to work there but very uncomfortable.... please help...
Chris on 11/26/2014:
Thank God that where I work our Walgreen's management is much more professional than those that you encountered....Sorry to read what you had to go through!
Add reply
Unfair Treatment And Inconsistency In The Workplace
Posted by
Terminated by Wag
SMYRNA, DELAWARE -- I ride my bike to work. it's about an hour long ride one way. I got to work at 2:58pm on December 9th. I park my bike in the photo lab where I work and I turn around and the store manager is there. before she even greets me with a hello she starts on me right away about my earrings. I have had gauges in my ears for YEARS and I've had them since I started with the company back in April of 08. I've gone up a few sizes as well and no one has EVER said anything to me about them. I've even shaken hands with corporate staff and greeted with my gauges and they've been nothing but nice.
Well the manager comes up to me and says "you know you can't wear those right? you've got extra earrings right?" and I just stare at her completely taken aback by her random questioning. I try to explain that I JUST put it in and I only need 24 hours before I can place a normal gauge in it rather than the tapered spike used to enlarge the hole. She cuts me off and says "to the office...now!" so we make our way to the office. I'm now sweating from the bike ride and very irritable. She closes the door and send the SIMs out of the office for us to 'talk' (AKA she talks and I stutter and struggle to get a word in) After she was done telling me the same thing she already stated on the sales floor I begin again to explain my side. "I had huge gawdy glass spirals in my ears when I firs-----" (cut me off) "Janet, can I pleas-----" (cut me off) *crosses arms and lets her talk... she never says anything more than what was already said* Every attempt at trying to explain myself she cut me off and told me it was irrelevant. I was in trouble about a month before that for my Septum piercing.
There are at LEAST 3 other girls there with a nose ring and one traveling pharmacy tech that comes in with a huge lip ring and I was told to go home or take it out. When our argument was finally done she told me to go home. don't come back and she'll be talking to our LP. I said "good. I'll be speaking with him and employee relations. you're inconsistent and unfair in your discipline and how you run your store" and then left. I'm still waiting for both people to call me back. I've done my research and found nothing on piercings. they're subtle and not gawdy... nor do they stand out and I flip my septum up into my nose so you don't see it... even though there are other ppl there with a nose ring. I've even talked to some Ex corporate ppl and they've told me to fight it. I can't be all that bad of an employee. I feel I've established myself very well within the company as a good team player... proof in the attached picture. Walgreen's World magazine I've got two things to go on when I fight it. - "Lifestyle diversities" - unfair inconsistent workplace the company itself isn't too bad... it's the management and the lack of proper training that makes your life working for Walgreens a miserable living hell.
I am now fired as of 4:55pm on December 10th. The Employee Relations and Corporate did nothing to help and I'm not unemployed and quite possibly unable to get anything from unemployment.
Something has to be done. This is ridiculous!
Was this review helpful?
Add reply
Review Link:
User Replies:
RestaurantGuy on 01/03/2010:
What has to be done is simple... follow the rules. Your manager spoke to you once about your earings (1st verbal warning) you chose not to listen and follow her direction. Once you chose not to do what she told you to do she chose for you not to work there anymore. Very simple
Anonymous on 01/03/2010:
You're young, but you might want to sit down and do some real soul searching about how you want the rest of your life to go. In your world these piercings are way cool. In my world they are grotesque and repelling. Unfortunately it's me, and people of my generation who hire people to fill some pretty good jobs. If you came to me for a job and I saw the piercings, frankly you wouldn't get any further consideration.
What's important to you now will seem so trivial and silly ten years from now, so think hard before you make any life decisions around them.
Anonymous on 01/03/2010:
My friend got a job at the airport and had to take out his ear gauges, lip ring, tongue ring, and eyebrow ring. He didn't want to take all his piercings out, but he's mature enough to realize that that's what the job he took required him to do. So he complied and he still has a job
RestaurantGuy on 01/03/2010:
But Ken we should give them a job no matter what they look, dress or act like. After all they are special and the rules of the business world do not apply to them. I remember my dad telling me about a girl with pink hair at a job fair at a school asking him why he wouldn't hire her because of her hair and it wasn't fair. He told her if you want to play in my sand box you have to play by my rules. Ahh the youth of today equals the leaders of tomorrow
old fart on 01/03/2010:
Why anyone would deliberately mutilate themselves in the the name of "current" fashion is a mystery to this old momzer and I would make it a condition of employment to NOT wear what ever a "gauge" is regardless of the desire to "express yourself"...
Anonymous on 01/03/2010:
flipping septums into noses?
egads,I must be getting old.
Anonymous on 01/03/2010:
I hear you RG. Two weeks ago I interviewed an earnest young man, who had very good skills, for a very good job. Unfortunately he had a visible tattoo on the side of his neck. I have no shortage of candidates, so it goes without saying that I am not going to hire someone with such poor judgment. I'm not saying it's fair, but it's darned sure the way it is.
old fart on 01/03/2010:
King... you're not that old, just that sensible...
Abbie13 on 01/03/2010:
it's a form of discrimination. I guess the next old person who applies at my store I should say no because their skin is all wrinkly and not appealing to look at or they are too slow.
Anonymous on 01/03/2010:
I just noticed the pic the OP added
PepperElf on 01/03/2010:
out of curiosity is there an official company policy on jewelry?
if so then... regardless of how you feel about the ear-gear, the manager would be in the right.
and if there is an official policy, it wouldn't matter how often you got away with it before.
Now if there's no official policy... then in my opinion it's just a power trip.
Basically... I'd say review the company policy
jktshff1 on 01/03/2010:
Abbie, sorry, but that dog don't bark. Wrinkles are natural, body piercings are not. It's called being in business. If the op wants to decorate herself, that's fine, but greeting customers in a business atmosphere with holes and jewelry on every orifice and body part is not acceptable.
And yes, in my younger days I had body piercings, but found out quick, they don't cut it in a business atmosphere.
Anonymous on 01/03/2010:
When I got my job I had to remove my piercing. I wanted the job, saw the potential of where it could take my career and I now have 14 years of service with the same company. If you want a job you do whatever is necessary to get it and keep it. I do not worry about what the other employees are allowed to do or not allowed to do. I worry about me and my job performance. Nothing else.
Ytropious on 01/03/2010:
I think the thing that stands out most is you are increasing the size. After a while cute small gauges become too extreme for work. You mention you wore the taper spike to work. That's not really appropriate jewelry, and not really "jewelry" at all. I could understand if you came to work after you put in the next larger size, but you don't come to work with the spike in your ear. I'm guessing that was what was different about this time. Personally I feel like unless you work at hot topic, retail places should not allow facial or exaggerated ear piercings in a position where customers have to see them. That's just me, and I'm probably one of the youngest regulars here so I'm not being an old fuddy duddy. This comes from a girl who had blue hair at one of my former jobs, and my manager let it go.
*Brenda* on 01/03/2010:
Why do people do that? Why do you want your ears all flabby?
Ytropious on 01/03/2010:
Plus they have "faux gauge" jewelry now. All the fun of the gauged ear look without ever having nasty drooping earlobes. Also OP, HUGE difference between a nose piercing and a septum piercing. One is a small dot on your nostril easily covered by a clear retainer. One is what bulls have on their nose. Which one do you think corporate prefers?
Abbie13 on 01/03/2010:
Y the OP said that during work she would would turn her nose ring in so no one would see it.
Abbie13 on 01/03/2010:
I personally think from her pic the op looks very nice and professional
Ytropious on 01/03/2010:
You can still see a large bar through the middle of the septum, even if it's turned horns in. She does look professional, but how long ago was that picture taken? Might have been a few sizes ago.
Abbie13 on 01/03/2010:
On some maybe but unless you are looking up there nose you would never know.
PepperElf on 01/03/2010:
You know... it reminds me of one of the guys I saw in my math class. he had quite the giant plug in his ear.
I never said anything about it - hey it's his ear - but I couldn't help but think... "what's he going to do when he needs a job? Not everyone can be a rock star."
Anonymous on 01/03/2010:
abbie13, 'tis not discrimination.
unless Walgreens allows some to work with these types of piercings and does not allow others.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and venture a guess that it's all spelled out quite clearly in the handy dandy employee handbook.
Abbie13 on 01/03/2010:
I too once had my nose, eyebrow, and tongue pierced and thankfully my boss never had a problem with it why cause it did not affect my work performance. I had an older man who yelled at screamed at me because I had my eyebrow pierced, while I was working. I never once lost my my cool I just kept smiling and calling him sir. Finally he threw his pen at me and walked out of the store. He called my manager the next day to complain about me and my piercings. She asked him how my service was he wouldn't answer. She finally hung up on him because the conversation was going nowhere.
Abbie13 on 01/03/2010:
KingJames look it up it is a form of discrimination.
Now if it is in the employee handbook then the OP would have been in the wrong but as she clearly stated she could find no policy stating it.
Now if she works with food it would be a different story.
Anonymous on 01/03/2010:
abbie13, I for one, seriously doubt that a company as large as Walgreens would put itself at risk by discriminating against one person and not others.
I'm certain there must be a policy somewhere.
I could be wrong though. wouldn't be the first time.
*Brenda* on 01/03/2010:
PepperElf, that's what I say to myself when I see things like that, and why just why! Another thing that bothers me is tats on the ta tas. And I'm no stranger to piercings, I went through that phase at 18 and now that I have a career I took them all out.
PepperElf on 01/03/2010:
I thought about getting some tats while in the navy
but I decided not to. my tastes change too much
*Brenda* on 01/03/2010:
Don't want to saggy rose on your ta ta when you're 80!
RestaurantGuy on 01/03/2010:
Abbie every company now has a policy on dress and appearance. Descrimination in the work place that is protected is defined as and I quote it's against the law for an employer to discriminate against you because of your race, religion, country of origin, nationality, ethnic group, gender, sexuality or disability. These are the only areas that are protected under law. Everything else is up to the company to decide what is proper.
clutzycook on 01/03/2010:
Well, I can't see the septum ring, but why on earth would anyone want to do that to their ears? do you think you're going to wear those things when you're 40? 50? How about 80? I doubt it, but you're probably going to go through life now with holes in your ears that you can see daylight through.
*Brenda* on 01/03/2010:
Small little nose rings are cute.
RestaurantGuy on 01/03/2010:
As for working in the food industry unless there is a law that is local there is no law that states you cannot wear earings or any other piercings while handling food. Now personally all of my servers represent me and my restaurant when they wait on a table so I do not allow any peircings at all when they are on the floor. But that is my rule not the (federal) law. Again there might be a local law where you live but nothing federal
Terminated by Wag on 01/04/2010:
There is NOTHING in the policy on piercings. Trust me I checked... and I'm offended that someone would consider my lifestyle immature. I don't stretch my ears, poke holes and tattoo myself because it's COOL. I do this because I enjoy it. I'm a huge fan of "Body Modification" and I always have been.
The manager has never had an issue with my ears or nose until I put in my letter of resignation. I've worked my butt off keeping that place from falling apart and held onto my pride while I received my minimal pay for the maximum amount of work I did. we were understaffed and overworked and I never complained until I realized that there were so many issues with this specific store. only after I realized the manager wasn't running things according to the Walgreens guidelines did she start pounding on me for EVERYTHING I did wrong. My customers were always happy. They were never offended by my ears and they couldn't see my nose.
I established myself very well within that company but there was nothign they'd do when I tried to fight it.
Policy is non-existent on piercings and there are at least 3 other girls there with a nose ring (no different than my septum, just in a different place) and one girl with a lip ring. So... there should have been no reason that the manager was as unprofessional and 'ignorant' as she was. (ignorant as in the real definition. not that slang everyone uses now)
Fufu487 on 01/04/2010:
I'm blown away by this board guys. Really. The issue isn't the girls lifestyle, the issue is being sent home based on a policy that ISN'T there. There's probably an employee for the same company two towns over who won't be sent home because that store manager doesn't care. If it's not outlined in the policy, and she's been doing so since she's been employed, this cannot just come up years later. On the the OP's side.
PepperElf on 01/04/2010:
if you were already resigning, it was possibly out of revenge then
some managers are like that - as soon as they know you're leaving you're the new whipping boy/girl etc.
one of my friends worked in a Regis Salon in Virginia beach and his manager was like that. if she knew someone was leaving she'd cut their hours to almost nothing, and treat them like crap etc. so one of the girls said "screw it" and didn't tell her she was leaving until her last day of work. manager was pissed and claimed "oh I'd never do that" but... from what my friend said, yes she would and that's what the employee said too.
PepperElf on 01/04/2010:
fufu until the OP's last post stating there wasn't a policy, we didn't know if there was one or not, and many establishments DO have policies.
and the last job I had (navy) was even stricter on stuff like that. quite a few paragraphs on what jewelry can be worn in uniform
Anonymous on 01/04/2010:
I find it funny baby boomers looking down on people for being different considering they were the hippie generation with their long unwashed hair painting peace signs on their asses then heading to Canada to avoid the draft. Yeah, I can see the moral superiority there.
I've always marveled at the commentators on here who feel like anybody who doesn't live a life they do or a life that they see fit is wrong. I personally don't see the value in body modification and it's not something I would do but I also don't understand judging people by appearances. I guess that makes morally defective somehow.
As a child I certainly didn't look down on the service men returning from Korea with tattoos or even the old WWII vets in our town with tats. I knew those skin pics didn't define these men but then again I was just a kid and still had some growing up to do. Anyway like that old fart Roger Daltrey said, 'I hope I die before I get old'.
Inat on 01/04/2010:
in the absence of official policy, manager discretion applies. Staff is an extension of management so employees represent the values, persona, and facade brought to the store by management. Walgreens on some campus may have different rules than ones in the suburbia. You will always be judged on how you look and what you wear - it is an unwritten fact of life - in fact, it is human nature. You are a nicely groomed individual (I'm afraid to say "cute woman" in this PC-sensitive discussion) with a very mature outlook and professional demeanor - however, piercings, tats, holes, and body modification overall do not fit into a professional environment. Sometimes, you got to 'play the game' to be successful which often means leaving your lifestyle at home.
Slimjim on 01/04/2010:
Just about any company with more than 3 employees has a dress/appearance code, which includes piercings.
While I can't say you are wrong, I find it practically unfathomable to believe a mass chain like Walgreens does not have a policy on this. You certainly have a beef though (although nothing legal) if it isn't universally enforced. If you were resigning anyway though, why care at this point. I wouldn't.
momsey on 01/04/2010:
Whether or not we agree with the OP's body modification, it is discrimination (might not be the right word for it) if different employees are treated differently.
King James, do you really think large companies don't practice discrimination? Sure, the official position is not to discriminate, but they can't control every manager in every store in the country at every moment. It happens every day. Keeps a lot of lawyers busy!
Inat on 01/04/2010:
it is not discrimination (unless the other employess getting away with mongo piercings are male). I do not believe her guages and septum ring could be considered religious so that's out... and its not age... not nationality....
Ytropious on 01/04/2010:
I think what we need to realize is this is not discrimination. OP was leaving and manager was being unprofessional bullying her. Not discriminatory, just being a bad manager. Also she wasn't discriminating about the piercings or the size, she was telling her the jewelry wasn't appropriate. The manager never mentions the holes, just her wearing the TAPERING SPIKE to work because she just sized up and it needs to set. While there may not be a policy on gauges, I'm willing to bet there are 1 of 2 clauses here. One being an "appropriate jewelry" to be worn to work clause, and a "company can terminate employee for any reason at any time" clause. Neither one is discrimination unless the OP can prove she's wearing the spike for religious reasons, and she already stated she is not.
PepperElf on 01/04/2010:
Though there is one possible solution...
a bandage over the ear until its set?
Abbie13 on 01/04/2010:
Discrimination is unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice.
Ytropious on 01/04/2010:
In definition yes, in the eyes of the law, no, since this did not have to do with religious, race, gender, etc but a voluntary change in ones body. And Pep, she'd have to cover up the taper spike with the band aid so it wouldn't work. It's one of those things that needs to stay in until the ear has had a chance to heal at the new size.
PepperElf on 01/04/2010:
o no, I meant a bandage to cover the whole thing - taper and all. not sure if that'll work tho
Ytropious on 01/04/2010:
Hmmm, maybe she could wear some earmuffs to work? Or better yet, gauge up on her day off.
Terminated by Wag on 01/05/2010:
I did the gauge up on my day off. It was still setting when I woke up. I've worn very gaudy gigantic glass gauges before and the manager never had an issue. When I came in that day and tried to explain that there were other people there that remember the glass gauges she still continued to deny me ever wearing them in the store. After a while of trying to talk like a civil adult, while she just cut me off and retorted with the same repetitive comments I gave up and told her that I don't want to have to ride my bike an hour home in the cold, change it and come back and hour only to be written up for being late... so can I just stay home today and take a writeup. I'll be back in tomorrow with a regular earring.
Her answer to that was "I don't know after your attitude to this... I'll have to talk to our DM first"
Once the DM get's pulled into the situation.. you're 9/10 fired...so I was pissed because I never got a chance to talk because she's very bipolar and never allowed a word in on my side and by the time she let me talk she was already aggrivated because I wanted to speak.
I studied the guidelines inside and out and I KNOW what I was and was not allowed to wear in that store. The company has nothing about piercings... believe it or not. but it doesn't. I did my research. As for the tapering spike, I've worn them a few times before in that store and she never had an issue with them before.
It's not a matter of me "following directions" or following policy. It's a matter of a company being professional and treating their employees with fair and consistent treatment in the workplace.
I'm upset and fighting this because my resignation wasn't for another month. I was fired before Christmas... over a month before I had my final date put in. That store has been in hot water more than one occasion. I had NEVER been into any trouble with the managers or company until I transferred to that specific store. My disciplinary record was SPOTLESS until I came to that store. I couldn't transfer out because I my car died and I needed a place close by.
I fought tooth and nail and she got me fired by taking my one outburst the whole one sided conversation and blowing it out of proportion so that I sounded like I was cussing her up one side and down the other... in those cases the DM will always take the managers word over yours.
I was a very good employee until the last month or so before I was fired. That last month or so I became the 'whipping boy' as you guys put it. I was the one sent to do anything and everything that needed to be done while trying ot watch a very very busy photo lab. That store was far from Walgreen's regulation but there was no proof of it because when District was making their visits the manager bore down on us and had the store perfect every time...
This is nothign to with my gauges. It's to to do with the treatment of employees... It's an example of things that happen in that store on a daily basis. Walk into Smyrna Delaware's happy harry's one day and talk to the people there... ask them how they like their job... I bet most of them would have quite a few things to say or just snicker and send you on your way.
It's the most miserable store I've ever been to.
I was hoping that I'd be able to fix it for everyone by calling Employee Relations and asking for a Walgreens investigation on the manager but they never took me seriously when I told them everythign going on in that store.
I'm not the first person to be wronged in that company... and I won't be the last.
Terminated by Wag on 01/05/2010:
Customers never complained either. The kids always got a kick out of them during Christmas when I had candycanes in my ears and the parents only ever asked if it hurt... in which case I just reply with a no and a tug. they were always very nice. I had regulars that asked for JUST me to work on their pictures.
I can see the older crowd not being open to the holes, but even the elderly that came into my store were very easy going and always joked about them. no one was ever upset or disgusted... just intrigued about why and how.
wag123 on 02/28/2010:
I work at Walgreens and when I saw her picture in our magazine my first reaction was WOW this girl really knows her stuff AND she's going out of her way to boost sales and help customers. making posters and helping customers take better pictures is NOT in her job description and Walgreens should be proud of her. its really ridiculous how this company hires and fires people and for what reasons. and there is nothing in the Walgreens policy about piercings. in fact we don't even have company shirts because Walgreens doesn't want to pay for them anymore. maybe they should make earings with W's on them. they would be cute and they could make some money in the process
lovebugg17 on 11/10/2010:
This just proves how horrible people r now days! What happened to its what's n side that counts! As long as u don't look like a slob I don't c what it matters! It shouldn't b this big of an issue I have my ears gauged too not quit that big but still pierced ears and tattoos r everywhere people need to get over themselves
idkd on 06/13/2011:
did no ones parents teach them diversity? where you not raised to respect others decisions, although they may not fall within the guide lines of your own? ever since I started working at age 14 I have had to fight with my supervisors over what is 'appropriate' for me to wear and what is not. the countless arguments I have gotten into over little studs on my nose, and my monroe ... enough to make me want to stop expressing myself through body modification. but that's the same moment in time that 'they' would win. I would in a sense lose my ability to lead the lifestyle I find right for me. I would not not get something done because I knew I would one day have to take it out to work on the register. I have found a job since then that is laid back (to a point) about my piercings and tattoos, however my gauges have become the topic of issue lately and quite frankly I am disgusted with the lack of freedom and open-mindedness my fellow employees have toward the subject of piercings/tattoos. I know I am young, much younger than they, but I believe anyone who does choice to gauge up, or permanatly tattoo their skin has put a little more thought into the final result then someone who does not have to wear it. being told I will never find another job, or that when a male looks at me all he sees is through my ears hurts. but I have turned over the issue many time in my head and ultimately decided it was what I wanted, and what was best for ME.
I believe there should be places of employment were it is not acceptable for people to have massive 1" ear lobs, and can not have septum rings flying all out of their nose
business owner on 08/06/2013:
Look, mutilating yourself and calling it cool doesn't make it cool. It's disgusting. It reflects poorly on you as a person. I won't hire someone who has visible tattoos, much less nose studs or gauges. I won't have people wearing hoop earrings on the factory floor either. Same reason I won't have people wearing ties out there. It's unsafe. If you are in sales or customer service you are the face of the company. The company is there to make a profit. Period. End of Story. If you look like some kind of freak show person, the customers will not spend money. The company will fail, and you'll be out of a job.
For most jobs you don't have to be exceptionally pretty or handsome, but when you intentionally ruin your looks by putting in these piercings, It says a lot about you. All negative. And that reflects on your employer. Do yourself a favor. Get rid of the nasty piercings, or better yet, don't get them in the first place.
Jake on 01/20/2014:
Hello!!!!! So I have gauges and I'm an radiologic technologist and CT technologist and I have gauges. I work in Hospital with all walks of life coming in the door homeless, handicap, all different nationalities, children and elderly. I have never once been questions by any of the patients about my gauges, which are now 3/4 of and inch. I am well groomed unlike some of my other associates lol and I treat all my patients with dignity and respect no matter there religion, race or appearance. We were not put on this earth to judge one another and I think some people forget that. I have only been questioned once by and old manager there that has now retired. This manager told me to basically take them out or I would lose my job and all I said was I'm sorry but that is discrimination to fire me due to my appearance. He stopped right there and never questioned me again. I chose to wear them bc I like them, it is a part of me it's OK if you don't like them. You should never treat anyone differently than you would want to be treated yourself, especially based on someone's appearance. :)
Add reply
Drugs Arrived Semi-Destroyed
Posted by
TEMPE, ARIZONA -- My insurance requires me to use Mail Order to buy maintenance medications. I bought $300+ of prescription medications from Wallgreens Mail Order, and the medications arrived in a manner that must be illegal! I've used mail order drug companies for years, and I've never seen anything like this. The envelope was a thin, plastic sheet, glued together in a very shoddy manner. One of the medications, Acebutolol, which is in capsule form, was in a bottle which had ripped apart due to the poor protection of the envelope. Many of the large capsules were torn at the top end and the entire envelope, and all of the other drugs, were thick with what looked like talcum powder, but which was really Acebutolol medication dust. The other meds in the envelope were all thickly covered by this Acebutolol medication. It simply cannot be legal to ship drugs from one state to another like this. The drugs came from Phoenix, Arizona and was delivered to my door in Oregon via Fedex Overnight. I complained by phone and was told to JUST throw away the 73 capsules from the bottle that opened. I complained further that I was not comfortable taking the other meds due to the thick Acebutolol dust covering them. They eventually agreed to replace all of the drugs, so I don't have a monetary loss from this transaction. That said, however, based on my 9 yr experience of being on Medicare and dealing with mail order pharmacies, the manner in which these drugs were sent from Arizona into Oregon is highly unusual. The other mail order companies use bubble wrap and/or bubble wrap protected envelopes and/or boxes. It cannot be legal to send prescription drugs in a manner that guarantees the quality of the drugs will be affected. I have pictures of the envelope and state of the drugs. I just wonder if anyone at Walgreen's even cares that they have such poor delivery capabilities that people could get sick from this...
Was this review helpful?
Add reply
Review Link:
User Replies:
Skye on 02/11/2011:
Makes me wonder if your original package had been tampered with, and this was a feeble attempt to repackage it along the way.
Glad they replaced your meds. I don't blame you, nobody should take meds that have been tampered with, or damaged the way you describe your meds were.
Better safe then sorry.
Skye on 02/11/2011:
You may want to remove your name off of the bottles of the meds, as well as your RX number.
MRM on 02/11/2011:
Its amazing that people put sensitive information on the website.
Skye on 02/11/2011:
I just think sometimes people forget. They just want to post a photo, but forget to remove personal and sensitive information.
trmn8r on 02/11/2011:
The packaging looks similar to what I recall Medco used. The bottle simply wasn't sealed properly, evidently. Human error.
Personally I would have washed the other bottles off. I looked up Acebutolol and it doesn't look like there would be a problem touching it.
Anonymous on 02/11/2011:
Well, Walgreens can't be found guilty of a HIPAA violation. We now know that Sarah takes medication for hypertension and some type of herpes virus, shingles, or whatever. Sarah, take the picture down! Where are peoples common sense?
MRM on 02/11/2011:
John, I was going to mention about HIPAA violation but there isn't none in this case.
olie on 02/13/2011:
I receive maintenance meds through the mail, too, and they arrive in a thin plastic envelope. I've never had a problem, though.
Could the issue be the overnight shipping? I always re-order as soon as possible so that I don't have to pay extra for expedited shipping.
Add reply
Hell On Earth
Posted by
HIGHLANDS RANCH COLORADO, COLORADO -- I have worked at Walgreens for about 6 months. When I got hired, It was clear that I would be working maybe only 20-30 hours a week because I'm still in high school. The first day on the job, the manager was supposed to train me but was "busy" so had me work with a woman at the front desk. She barely spoke English and I had a really hard time understanding her. She kept yelling at me for everything I did, in front if customers, because I wasn't doing it exactly like she was. The costumes obviously felt uncomfortable and told her I was doing a good job and that I'll eventually get into the routine.
The next day, the manager puts me on the front register by myself, and the lady who "taught" me how to work the front told me how to ring a customer up. That's it, nothing else. I had no idea what I was doing, so I apologized to the customer and called a manager over. Every time I called him over he pushed me out of the way and checked them out. He was mad because I didn't know what to do, even though he was supposed to teach me and put it off to the next girl. As I worked there longer, I realized how unhappy my fellow employees were with their jobs. Everyone was filled with a hatred towards Nathan, our boss. I hadn't had any problems with him so I stayed out of the drama.
When I got my second and third paycheck, I was somewhat confused because I calculated making $400 in two weeks and I was getting just under $200. I just figured I would get the rest next pay. Nope. My friend works at McDonalds and works half the hours I do. We both are working minimum wage jobs of $8 an hour. But at the end of the month she's getting double of my paycheck. Let me note that my mother is disabled so I'm basically paying for the things I need because money's tight. That's right. They aren't paying me $8 an hour, and I know if I brought it up they'd accuse me of lying and fire me.
One night, they messed up the schedule and I was the only person working the night shift. I was okay with that until I said that I was supposed to get off at 9:30. That's when I was scheduled to end my shift. I wake up at 5 every morning, have seven hours of school, and have a 6 hour shift every day of the week. Not to mention I've had mono twice this year, I have chronic pain and chronic fatigue syndrome. I just wanted to go home and sleep. They refused to call anyone in and I was forced to stay until 10:50. During this shift it got super busy, and I was the only one working. My boss was in the office talking and giggling to who knows who. Customers were getting frustrated so I called a manager for help. He came and checked one person out and left, while there were 5 other people in his line, and 4 in mine. How lazy and disrespectful to those people.
Also, they made me go through and clean out expired items. I found things in the dirge from four to 2 years expired. All these goods filled 5 carts. They don't throw away expired things, then sell it to people, and won't return it when people figure out how old the food was. That's pure lack of any professionalism.
Recently my mother was in the hospital, and I knew I couldn't cover my shift, so three days ahead I talked to a shift lead and he told me to talk to Nathan. The next day I talk to Nathan and passes me off to talk to a different manager. The day of my moms surgery I called and the manager wasn't there, just Nathan. I told him I tried for three days to let them know I couldn't make it to work because of my mother. He basically told me that Walgreens is more important than picking up my disabled mother from the hospital. Who tells a 16 year old girl that? I didn't show up for my shift that night for obvious reasons. I told them I was quitting after several bad experiences that weren't even previously mentioned and I blamed it on the fact that I was moving.
My female manager seemed pretty understanding. Until she said I needed to work every day until I moved (I'm moving out if country) and that I should push my moving date off so I could work longer. I didn't show up to work the next day because I made it pretty clear that I quit and then I get calls from pissed employees that I left them short handed. The manager never told anyone I quit and played it off as if I was an unprofessional teenager ditching work. She never documented the fact I QUIT and ended up firing me. So the next job I apply for they automatically think I'm unreliable because I was fired even though I quit. This company makes me sick to my stomach. I refuse to ever contribute to their company again.
Was this review helpful?
Add reply
Review Link:
User Replies:
Shayen on 05/09/2014:
The discrepancy in pay between you and your friend could be due to the number of exemptions you both claim. You should have access to a patstub or computer printout of your paystubs to see what and how much was withheld. Contact HR for that information. Really though, to let that go for 6 months doesn't sound right to me. If you have been there roughly 6 months, you should have received a W2 for time worked in 2013. Didn't you check the W2 to see what your withholdings were? Regarding the "firing" issue. If they maintain you were fired, you should try to get unemployment.
Paul on 05/10/2014:
Don't let the fear of a black mark deter you in seeking employment in the future. I wouldn't go into a lot of detail if that job comes up - employers should understand it's retail and it's crazy. You got a taste of that - good inspiration to study hard in school and find a much better job one day. I had a job in retail myself and was fired, come to think of it, as my first job in high school. The guy tried to intimidate me and tell me I'd never find a job. Ha - I had no trouble finding another job, and I never worked retail again.
Your paycheck should have enough information for you to figure out why you were paid what. Use your brain.
Don't worry about these jokers - retail employment is a zoo.
Soaring Consumer on 05/10/2014:
File a complaint with the department of labor's hour and wage division.
Add reply
Posted by
AURORA, COLORADO -- I am a mid 40s, educated, tax paying, voting, credit card carrying consumer. On this Sunday afternoon I walked into the Walgreens at Havana and Alameda to look for hair color, hot and tired after a day of errands and shopping. I had a backpack fully on - both shoulders, not just slung over one (and as such, impossible to unzip or access without taking it off completely), a shopping bag from another store in one hand, and a jug of iced tea in the other hand.
While looking for the hair color stock, I was stopped in the aisle by an employee informing me I'd need to leave my bags at the counter before I could shop anymore - then further - that my backpack too would need to be left with the staff. I stated I had a laptop in my backpack and wasn't prepared to simply leave it at a front desk. I was informed that they would be there, but that I should have been stopped at entry rather than allowed to come back so far. I was being addressed with a tone one might expect to hear at age 7 - as if I needed watching over and direction.
She continued, making it clear that I would not be allowed to shop if I didn't agree to leave my merchandise and backpack with her. It now being abundantly clear that I was for whatever reason under suspicion for possibly intending to steal from them, I told her I didn't need to shop there that bad - that I'm not looking to steal anything, and turned to leave - however, on walking back out of the aisle, I noticed a number of other shoppers, many with backpacks, who'd apparently not been singled out and forced to entrust a Walgreens employee with hundreds of dollars in computer, software (in the backpack), and paid and bagged merchandise from other stores as well, if they cared to spend a few bucks there. I was the lucky one receiving that special attention.
Only one other time in my life have I been blocked from shopping unless I agreed to leave my possessions with a store employee, and in that case it did actually seem to be a policy applied to everyone entering, not just me - however, even then, I was offended enough at the presumption being made of customers, that I not only left and spent my money at a shop down the street (which didn't require customers hand over possessions to spend money with them) but have not returned to any of that chains stores in the years since - highly recommending against it to others should the company come up in conversation.
Walgreens already has the competition of other stores that sell more and for less all around them. This particular store has a Target and Costco (which I am a member of - and neither of which has ever requested bags and or backpack be handed over to shop with them) about a mile down Havana. While I've noticed there are some retail stores now taking an assumptive approach toward customers as potential shoplifters on entry, I am of the opinion that all customers, no matter what their age, appearance, or demeanor, until they prove otherwise, deserve to be treated with respect by the companies profiting for their interest and time - If I don't feel afforded such by any company I attempt to do business with, I simply don't return - and in the case of Walgreens, and being embarrasssingly singled out and so completely and without evidence or reason for suspicion, barred, I not only will not be returning to this store or any in the chain, but am now posting the events and experience as well. Embarrassing, offensive, and stressful - all for thinking I'd see if Walgreens might be a good place to purchase hair color from.
Was this review helpful?
Add reply
Review Link:
User Replies:
onlooker on 08/20/2012:
That was unfortunate. You do have the right to leave and shop elsewhere. I would not have left a computer there for someone else to watch. And like you I would have left an unhappy ex-customer.
It is good you had other options for shopping.
CowboyFan on 08/20/2012:
Was the OP walking-not driving, otherwise why didn't the OP leave that stuff in their car? If one brings a lot of bags into a store, then one should expect to have to leave them at the front counter. Don't act or dress a certain way and expect that people won't respond to that. Why would a person have a jug of ice tea, a bag from another store, and a backpack - seems odd to me.
The fact that others were allowed to have backpacks, may be because they were known to the employees as regular customers, or for some other reason represented no threat of theft.
box12358 on 08/20/2012:
The reason I didn't leave my backpack, drink, and shopping bag in a car is that I have a health condition due to which I've never driven a car in my life, so I carry a backpack and some sort of drink and anything else I buy while out, and walk, bus, and cab everywhere I go.
box12358 on 08/20/2012:
I didn't leave items in a car because I have a health condition due to which I've never driven a car in my life, and so carry a backpack, some sort of drink, and any merchandise purchased, while walking, busing, or cabbing from place to place. I didn't act any way other than a person who'd been walking and busing and running errands all day long might act. I don't know how one dresses for buying hair color, but I was wearing heals, jeans, and coordinated matching top w/a shrug topper and hand beaded jewelry. I've given a presentation dressed in the same clothes - although the idea that a company, in this case Walgreens, might consider it their right to discriminate based on attire and assumptions for someone not having a car to leave items in is even more disturbing.
CowboyFan on 08/21/2012:
Your explanation makes the behavior of the Walgreens' employees even harder to understand. They certainly would have no reason to act like they did.
I am not a fan of Walgreens. One thing I notice about Walgreens around here -Florida- is that their aisles are narrow and their merchandise is piled high above the display counters, so it is hard to see throughout the store, unlike CVS. Maybe they are paranoid about theft, or the employee took instructions literally. Hard to tell. Fortunately, we have other choices as to where to shop.
I read "anyone who says money doesn't buy happiness, doesn't know where to shop." by Bo Derek.
leet60 on 08/21/2012:
This is an unfortunate result of a store/company's costs of "shrinkage" (I.e. shoplifting losses). There are many habitual shoplifters that utilize backpacks, bags from other stores etc as a repository for the items they attempt to shoplift. Loss prevention in many stores has established policies against backpacks, outside bags etc. Unfortunately a few thieves make the shopping experience more expensive and less enjoyable for the rest of us.
melissa253 on 08/29/2012:
When I go into a store and the Company policy is that all backpacks are to be left at the counter....
mayra on 02/26/2013:
I definitely do not recommend this store, I personally thing happened yesterday I was there to take me a passport photo, no one was available to do the service, a person said to be the manager and you would have to add 30 minutes to wait reaches the person making the service, although I had to do some shopping I did not expect bad, after 45 minutes had not arrived I asked again and she told me a little upset I'm going to take the picture, after taking photo said ..... you have to wait 20 minutes more ..... what? This red-haired lady was playing with me decided to get out of there after losing over an hour of my time. Stop at Walgreens of havana and colfax They were exposed where my photos ready in 5 minutes and I felt worse than I realized the terrible service and the incompetence of the charge of photography that never returned to work and the person claiming to be a manager in the havana and Alameda ave
again huh on 06/15/2013:
The policy is all backpacks, shopping bags, etc. get left at the door. We can't ask one without asking everyone. Your first sentence tells me that you believe you are above anyone who would work at a place like Walgreens. It may surprise you to know that most of us are "educated, tax paying, voting, credit card carrying". We are working there because circumstances have forced us to find anything to put food on the table. You are no different than any other customer that walks through the door. Leave your bags at the front.
beverly on 07/28/2013:
stores have rules for reasons while the employee was wrong in speaking like a child to you the rules for leaving the bags at the front is not toward just you it is a store policy to prevent theft, though you may be an honest person does not bend the rules everyone has to abide by them and you have a choice not to go into the store if you do not like the policy. many store are now asking for bags to be left at the front for the same reason. when stores have the loss prevention it doesn't mean that they can not apply rules to keep the level of theft down. Next time you run into this type of problem at another store then you should stop and ask yourself if they have reasons behind asking you that. all stores like wal-green, and Rite Aid have their share of shoplifters that go into their store and the lose product and unfortunately rules are applied to everyone so honestly I would not take it personally but you can do something about the employee that spoke to you in that manner because its a business and they need to be professional at all times.
Sam on 01/09/2014:
I have had the same experience at a Walgreens. I ride a motorcycle and had my helmet and everything. I was asking a question about a product and what aisle to find it and was soooo rudely interrupted and told I can't have that back pack on and to leave it up front or leave the store. I would have appreciated a notice out front before entering I'm a 5 foot 2 female and have brought purses and bags from other stores but nope no back packs allowed.
Add reply
Everything You Want To Say But Didn't Know How To Say It
Posted by
This email was sent back in February by an hourly assistant manager to the CEO of Walgreens, Greg Wasson, right after our pay cut was announced. It was forwarded to me from a friend of the author, and I deleted the author's name to protect his privacy. It is lengthy, but well worth the read for anyone that still has a thorn in their side. I know I do.
To Greg Wasson, CEO, Walgreens
Mr. Wasson,
Pursuant to Walgreens policy and the Walgreens Open Door Policy, I am hereby formally exercising that privilege to speak with an open and frank mind about recent decisions made in Deerfield.
I am writing you to request that among the decisions being made by Corporate and the consultants you have hired, that the decision to officially scrap the Four Way Test and the Walgreens Creed become official.
After all, over the past three years, both have become increasingly irrelevant. With the decision to re-neg on the agreed upon compensation rates for MGTs, and the shady, cowardly way it was communicated (after hours, Monday afternoon, straight from Store Ops, completely bypassing the DMs), the Four Way Test and the Walgreens Creed are no longer relevant.
In the minds and hearts of many of your store employees, in fact, they are non-existent.
Before you label me as just another angry malcontent with a sharp mouth, please bear with me. Not all that long ago, I was in your same position. I was a senior managing director at a large, top-ten marketing agency. When the handful of us that were recruited in to âsaveâ this agency arrived, we found the state of the agency in dismal shape. We had just lost over 25% in capitalized billings via the loss of a major client. Adding to our frustration and angst was a struggling economy.
But, unlike your consultants and inner circle, we made the decision to take care of our employees and clients first before we took care of the analysts and brokers on Wall Street. We chose to take care of the staffers who were doing the work before we took care of those of directing the work. Yes, we had to make some job cuts, but again, unlike your consultants and senior executives in Deerfield, we chose to cut those directly responsible for the agencyâs rapid descent.
We didnât start in the middle of the ranks, or at the lower end. We started at the top of each department and group. And those who were responsible for the agency having lost valued clients such as Frito Lay and Taco Bell due to mismanagement, poor decision-making, complete lack of leadership, cronyism, and an attitude of âwell, thatâs how weâve always done thingsâ found themselves terminated. No severance package. No parachute. Sure as hell no early retirement.
In other words, those who had mismanaged the business were not rewarded or praised or excused. They were fired. Period.
Unlike Walgreensâ corporate, we did not go looking for mid-level copywriters and account executives and media buyers and inform them that we were reducing their salary and compensation packages due to the poor decisions of upper management that got us into this mess. Those employees, much like the assistant managers here at Walgreens, were not the problem. Our senior people that mismanaged the business and who made the bad decisions were the ones shown the door..
I saw the blurb the PR spinners sent out regarding Wal-Mart cutting seven-hundred-plus jobs from its Bentonville, AR, headquarters. I know several of the senior marketing executives for Wal-Mart, and I know the principles at their two advertising agencies (Bernstein Rein, Kansas City, and GSD&M, Austin, TX) extremely well. And there is also more to this story than what was sent out to our stores by the spinners. Quite a bit more, actually. Wasnât hard to find, either. The Wall Street Journal did a nice piece on it.
Wal-Mart cut the fat and the bad decision-makers from its headquarters.. That money is being reallocated to their store levels, where, and I quote from one of their marketing VPs, âWhere the revenue is generated and where the revenue will always be generated.â
I see excuse after excuse coming from Deerfield about a challenging economy. Yes, it is challenging. But strong leaders find strong solutions that result in strong motivation. Easiest thing in the world is to cut the jobs or salaries of employees you know youâll never see and never have to face. Hardest thing to do is to look the senior staff in eye that youâve seen everyday for the past five years and tell him, âFred, I hate to say it but youâve made far too many bad decisions in the last few years and weâre paying the price. As much as I like you, youâre out of a job.â
The single worst decision made in Deerfieldâand continuing to be madeâis putting the shareholder in front of the employees and customers.
The most successful airline in the history of this nation is Southwest Airlines. Herb Kelleher never gave a ratâs rear end about Wall Street. He and Colleen simply continued to build, grow and run their airline by putting their employees first with the caveat that they take care of Southwestâs customers in a manner that would put all other airlines to shame. In doing so, they created a customer service reputation that is legendary.
Southwest also made a profit every single quarter, but often times Wall Street would criticize them for ânot meeting expectations.â Again, Kelleher cared about making a profitânot what some Ivy League weenie on the Street thought. When you do that, your stock will take care of itself.
When I came out of semi-retirement and joined this company five years ago, There was little doubt that Walgreens put employees first. Today, there is zero doubt that Walgreens puts Wall Street first. Mondayâs late day announcement regarding assistant managersâ compensation drives that point home even harder.
Everyone realizes that Wall Street loves debt and acquisitionsâhow else does one explain CVSâs stock price? But the single most attractive thing to me when I joined Walgreens was that it was a cash-solvent company. That said to me fiscal responsibility.
Where has that fiscal responsibility gone? Deerfield crows about record sales and upward sales trends on our ânews pageâ on Storenet, then in e-mails to the stores, talks about declining sales that precipitated taking money out of over 16,000 assistant managersâ pockets.
We read about awesome January sales and then we foolishly think, âHey, maybe weâll get some of those lost hours back in the stores.â Silly us. Deerfield then announces weâre spending that money to buy more Rite-Aid stores out in California if an effort to please Wall Street analysts.
We, as a company, used to mock CVS for that very same attitude and for their growth-by-acquisition mentalityâbut then here we go and do the same exact thing . . . only we take money from the employees to help fund the acquisitions. And now, weâre doing everything we can to model our store operations after the very competition we used to deride and mock.
When I joined this company, the line was, âWe donât want to be the biggest drug store in America. We want to be the best drug store in America.â We strove for quality over quantity. Now we trade chase quantity at the expense of quality.
Bottom line, Mr. Wasson, is that youâre demanding that your source of revenueâthe storesâdo more and do it with less people, which means working harder. Thatâs fine. Most of us are used to doing that. But then you demand that we do more with less, having to work harder, then do it for an average of 20% less so that we can continue to fund your ill-advised acquisitions based upon what a bunch of consultants advise, solely in order to please Wall Street over Main Streetâall the while asking Main Street to pay for it all and accept the longer wait times, the decreased service, the run-down stores that Deerfield will not invest in to refurbish, the unreliable equipment that processes film and prints while demanding more out of the people manning the equipment.
Is it any wonder complaints, chain-wide, are climbing faster than a homesick angel? But weâre sure the consultants have an answer for that, too.
But just remember what we used to say back in the military: âThose who can, do. Those who canât, teach. Those who can do neither, consult.â It has never been more true than it is today. Which is why should I ever have the occasion or pleasure to meet Kevin Walgreen, Iâll be honored to shake his hand and buy him the beverage and meal of his choice.
Mr. Wasson, I know you inherited this mess and I salute you for trying to straighten it out. But foregoing and abandoning the principles and values that built this company and made it great is not the way to do it. I wish you all the luck and fortune in your challenges, and if I did not care, maybe as deeply as you about the future of this company, I would not have taken the time to write as much as I have nor in the tone I did. I hope you understand and respect that.
With sincerest regards,
5-year Assistant Manager
Was this review helpful?
Add reply
Review Link:
User Replies:
Anonymous on 06/08/2009:
long story short, Walgreens is cutting out the fat and demanding people work smarter, not harder.
tacpdt on 06/09/2009:
There's no room to work smarter. Manpower is being stretched to the limit and several of my regular customers that usually enjoyed great service have complained several times about the lack thereof. Managers are expected to get the same amount of work done with less help, less time, and for less money. When this recession is over, working smarter involves finding a new job.
TGT101 on 06/09/2009:
Their options are paycuts or layoffs which would you prefer?
jktshff1 on 06/09/2009:
TGT, sounds like they have already done that. A lot of thought was put into this. Well written. The writer makes good points that it's the people on the front line and the customer that make a company worth something.
On the other hand with the tight economy, sacrifices are being made all over and those that do well are the ones that can go the extra mile.
goduke on 06/09/2009:
While the underlying letter is well written, it has some real flaws. I wonder how much of it Wasson actually read.
The officers and directors of the company have an absolute duty to the shareholders of the company. It's known as the fiduciary duty. Why? Because the shareholders are the owners. The duty is to maximize the profitability of the company. If they don't, the can be fired, and likely would be.
Southwest and Walmart don't care about Wall Street? What planet is this guy on? They both care a lot about the street, and spend a great deal of time making sure the street understands their business model.
2008 was a horrible year for the mid-level chains like Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid, etc. Sales simply tanked. Even pharmacy was way off as people were not taking their scripts in order to save money. The companies had to make some very hard decisions. No one likes being told there are no raises or bonuses, or that OT is eliminated, or that some jobs have to be eliminated. But the company has a duty to its owners (the shareholders).
Oh..and at Walgreens there were a lot of jobs at the high level that were eliminated. Heck..the CEO was booted (or at least resigned under a lot of pressure).
AnxietyCase on 05/31/2012:
TGT101 you wrote "Their options are paycuts or layoffs which would you prefer?" My Companies magazine January walgreenworld stated 2011 by the numbers. This was our 37th consecutive year of record sales, and we set three company records: nearly 72.2 billion In sales,a 7.1% increse over 2010.20.5 billion in GROSS PROFIT, an 8% increase, and $2.94 of earning per diluted share, a nearly 39% increase. The CEO gave himself a 38/39% bonus increase.
They completed the rewiring for growth initiative, exceeding the goal of one billion dollars in annual cost savings.There is no reason for a paycut other than a BIGGER BONUS for the CEO aand higher dividends paid (upper mgmt millions in stock options, it's in the contract!!!). You wouldn't want to fire Jefff in the office next to you because he's not doing his job...He's your best competition on the golf course.
So you opt to cut money way down low, well you can't paycut your front cashier, they're at minimum wage.....The state won't allow you to go no lower. ? So you go up the asst mgr .........aghhhhhhhha ...they make some descent money even after we took away their overtime they were told they'd always have since we don't get a bonus!!!(haha....LIES) This money wil help make up for Express Scripts we planned on getting rid of anyway.....it won't hurt us....we're too BIG..WE"RE WALGREENS!!!
FYI: After they do the paycut along with the OverTime taken off of us, IT WILL BE 46% OF OUR PAY WE LOSE!!! There are taking $6 per hour from us. YOU CAN NOW CALL US THE BIGGEST LOSERS!!!!!!! THANK YOU WALGREENS. I heard St. Louis lost a lot of asst mgrs. I guess it's time to look for a new company that takes care of their employees. I can't believe what happened a few days after they told us this info. There was a full page on what to do if an aggressive shooter comes into the store!!! WHY??? The bottom line is I lose my car or my house....time too choose. I have to start eating hotdogs and fries to survive....NO FRUIT...can't afford it. Thank You Wasson
Add reply
Walgreens AARP Pharmacy Mail Order Prescription Service
Posted by
TEMPE, ARIZONA -- This is a letter that I wrote to the "powers that be" at Walgreens Health Initatives I have removed any names...other than Walgreens Mail Service and Walgreens Health Initatives and AARP. It is my opinion as a member that AARP needs to reconsider affiliation with this company.
"I am writing you because I found your name on the Walgreens Pharmacy Benefit Management page of Walgreens Health Initatives website. I am at a loss as far as exactly who to contact regarding the problems I have been having with Walgreens Mail Service. The problems have been going on far too long and even speaking on the telephone to supervisors has yielded little help or results.
Unfortunately because these difficulties were totally unexpected I did not keep a day by day accounting of exactly what happened when. It has been almost a month since I mailed in a prescription from my physician to the mail service. I waited and waited before I called the first time - a recording told me the prescription was being shipped - when the prescription never arrived I became concerned and called again, this time speaking to a person. I was told that the prescription was on it's way and to not be concerned because it sometimes took 5 to 10 days to arrive.
Once again the prescription didn't arrive so I called again - I believe this was on a Wednesday or Thursday the first week of September. This time the person I spoke to asked me for my address, when I told her she replied that the prescription had been sent to a neighboring city in error. She double checked my paperwork and said that she could see that the address was correct on their records and could offer no explanation as to why someone would send it to another city. She said that she would have a new prescription sent out right away but that it would not arrive right away because of the Labor Day Holiday.
At this point I had little faith in what I was being told so I started called the info line (recording) to stay on top of the day the prescription was actually being shipped. It turns out "right away" was not so right away and I decided to look into the problem further. I finally called and asked to speak to a Supervisor on the 9th. I did not get that woman's name. She told me that the prescription was being shipped overnight via a carrier and I could expect it on the 10th. I explained to her that my address was a rural one and that most carriers do not deliver to rural mail boxes. She put me on hold to check with the carrier. When she came back she said the carrier had not yet received the prescription and that I should call them later that evening and the first thing in the morning to change the address, (although she didn't know if they would allow me to be the one to change it). At that point I was become very angry and I told her that I did not feel that taking care of the address change should be made my responsibility - Walgreens should be the one to handle that. She said she would take care of it and that she would stay in touch. Once again that never happened and yesterday, the 10th of September the prescription did not arrive.
I called again today and once again asked for a Supervisor. The woman I spoke to would only give me a first name. I asked her for her extension # and she said it was xxxx (attempting to reach her at that extension later was impossible, she apparently made it up on the spot). She told me the reason my prescription had not been delivered was because the carrier did not deliver to mail boxes!
I am totally frustrated and very angry with Walgreens as probably any reasonable person might be at this point. This is no way for customers to be treated and I feel someone should investigate what is going on. The person I spoke to today said she talked to the carrier and that they would try to have the prescription delivered today. She also said she would call me back to let me know if the carrier was going to actually be able to deliver it. I don't hold out much hope for either one.
I am sure that you or someone there at Walgreens can look at the file for my order and if what has happened with the order has been actually documented you will see that the Mail Service is handling such things most ineffectively.
I would greatly appreciate hearing from someone regarding this matter."
After writing this letter I called Walgreens Mail Service again - first they told me they couldn't understand why it wasn't delivered and told me that I should call the carrier and talk to a supervisor there to find out why it wasn't delivered. Once again I had to explain that I did not work for Walgreens, I was the customer and it should be up to Walgreens to find out why overnight shipping, for which they paid, wasn't made. After being place on hold the person I was speaking with returned and said that allegedly the carrier attempted delivery of this prescription today, Sept 11 and was unable to deliver it. There has been someone here all day waiting and no one came. Now they tell me that it may be delivered on Monday. In addition they actually charged my credit card 1 cent for the redelivery!!! I told them I absolutely refuse to pay LOL! Also, I learned that Walgreens called my doctor's office to get yet another prescription - huh? What did they do with the first one?
Was this review helpful?
Add reply
Review Link:
Not Professional and Bad Attitude!
Posted by
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA -- I am usually not one to complain, let alone write a complaint, but what happened today to me was uncalled for. So today March 12 at approximately 9PM, I was shopping for some makeup and hair products. I decided to pop off the cap of a hairspray to see if I can smell anything, if so, does it smell good. Then I noticed one of the employees watching me about 20 feet away. She then yelled across the store saying, "Hey! You can't spray that!" in front of all the customers and my family. Very embarrassing for me since everybody turned and looked at me as if I did something wrong. I was shocked because I didn't spray anything, I was trying to smell it, I never once sprayed anything. I replied back to her, "I didn't, I was only trying to sniff for a scent." Her response was, "Yes you did, I saw." Right, she saw me over everything and somehow saw this invisible spray since I never did. False accusation isn't the only problem here, it was her tone. She yelled at me with a convicted attitude like I was stealing or something; I was only sniffing. Last time I checked, it wasn't against the rules to smell something to see if you like it or not. This was a very poor representation of how a customer should be treated. After I decided to ignore her and walk away, I could see her following me throughout the store and watching me, like I was some criminal. I think how wrong this was of her is obvious. I have done nothing wrong, yet she treats me like some criminal. It would have been okay if she had walked over and asked me if I did spray in privacy, saving me the embarrassment. Yelling across the store and following me though, isn't okay. I would like for her to be disciplined by her superiors and taught a lesson on how to talk to a customer properly as she should have.
Was this review helpful?
Add reply
Review Link:
Pharmacist here profile their customers and lie about having medication.
Posted by
ST.PETERSBURG, FLORIDA -- I went in to the Walgreens drive through at 9:43am on September 27, 2013, to have my pain medication filled. Now the month prior I had filled it here using this same pharmacy but with a different pharmacist. When I got to the window I handed my prescription over and as soon as his eyes met paper he came at me with a resounding "Now we don't have this and haven't for several months!" I told him well that curious cause I had just filled it here last month. He then was caught of guard and being to stumble across his words and his then went to the computer and said, "Well I see if we have any available." At this moment I was so pissed off I felt like exploding however I wanted to get my prescription first and go home and do some research. I wanted to find out if a pharmacist can deny a legitimate prescription and if so on what grounds. He came back after a few moments and stated that, "okay I'll fill it but I need your ID," to add insult to injury and insisted that I tell him what I was being treated for. I told him back pain. Now he came back asking me several more times the same question and I gave him the same answer. He said can I have something more specific and I told him back pain. After this difficult, not to mention, rudely invasive back and forth the pharmacist went about his business. As he handed me back my ID he told me to be here in an hour.
I came back at 10:55am. I was prepared with some information I had found online whereby others have had this same issue. This fact made me a bit more heated but controlled. As soon as I walked in I politely but purposefully requested a store manager. When Kim responded to me I asked her to accompany me to get my medication and that we could talk about my problem back there. She hesitantly followed looking worried. I guess I came off as a man on a mission. Well once I got my meds in hand I began my explanation to the above. All that Kim did was back up the Pharmacist and tell me that the Pharmacist has to make sure that I fit into some policy schedule that I was not privy to upon request and I was quoted DEA law which I also could not see with my own eyes. I told them that this was unacceptable and a completely ridiculous hardship for the Pharmacist to lie to me outright which would cause me to have to drive from one pharmacy to another unnecessarily when he had my medication all along. She looked at me with a deer in the head lights.
At this point she was getting frustrated with me cause all she could do was spew this nonsensical data at me which meant nothing and was backed up with even less information. I then asked for the name and phone number of the regional manager because my situation was not resolved and it seems that if myself or anyone else will be dealing with these issues over and over again at this Walgreens location. She gave me the 1800Walgreens phone number. I called and left a message we'll see how that turns out but I'm not hopeful that anything will change or that I will be taken seriously.
Was this review helpful?
Add reply
Review Link:
Bad Customer Service and Bad Leadership
Posted by
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA -- Every week, I purchase something from Walgreens. When I make purchases, the store representatives are helpful, kind and professional. However, that has recently changed under the store's new leadership. On 09/02/2012 at 05:10 P.M. I took a pack of Biscoff cookies, 2 Pringles Ranch Chips, two Hallmark cards and a ITune Gift Card to the counter for purchase.
Without a hi or hello the clerk held the ITunes card in mid air and immediately asked how are you going to pay for your purchases? I responded that I did not know how I was going to pay for the purchases because I only keep a certain amount of cash on my person and if I do not have enough cash, I usually pay for my items using my debit card. Nevertheless, I was told that I was unable to buy the ITunes card with my credit card because it was a gift card. I informed the clerk that this could not be the case because I regularly purchase ITunes cards and Microsoft points with my debit card all of the time. Incidentally, I purchased ITunes on 08/31/2012 with my debit card. She responded that's the policy and she is simply doing what she is told.
Then, the representative swiped the ITune card and it immediately had a problem. The ITune card would not go through for processing or purchasing (activation code problems). The manager pressed a few button and then explained to me that the store needs to be careful allowing customer's to purchase ITune cards with their credit cards because that it not the policy. I asked then why was I able to purchase the ITune card with my credit card previously and I was told that I could purchase the card but the store needed to be careful. He then reassured the representative that she was doing the right thing. I was in total shock and upset but I kept my composure. I responded that his explanation did not explain why I was able to previously make purchases with the card. The manager then held the gift card to my face and stated, "Read it." I responded that I have a MBA and can read very well. He said, "You just have to have the last word."
I told him that this is not about the last word but rather inconsistency in how policy and procedures are applied. He then proceeded to read the terms and conditions on the ITunes card. However, once they were able to get the activation to go through, I was able to make my purchase with a debit card.
I contacted the corporate office only to find out that customers can purchase ITune cards with debit cards or cash. The corporate representative could not find any information restricting the usage of credit cards to make a gift card purchase.
I am contacting the corporate office on Tuesday after the Labor Day Holiday to discuss my concerns. I will no longer shop at this store and especially thank God for Amazon. Nothing I need in the Walgreens can't be purchased in CVS or online. I also completed my online survey as well. I only can kick myself for being so persistent in purchasing the ITune card. Instead of standing there pleading my case, I should have put everything down and went to the CVS across the street.
Was this review helpful?
Add reply
Review Link:
User Replies:
GenuineNerd on 09/03/2012:
Because of the fraud issues involved regarding credit cards, especially involving stolen and/or forged/counterfeit credit cards, some retailers will not sell gift cards or phone cards. A few years ago I tried buying a prepaid phone card at a Rite Aid with a credit card, and they did not accept it. I had to pay cash for that card. However, I have bought phone cards and gift cards at Walmart and Giant Eagle with credit cards, with no problems.
Anonymous on 09/03/2012:
This is becoming increasingly common. A lot of retailers will only accept cash for giftcard purchases. My husband tried to buy me a VISA giftcard using his bank card and was denied, but they did let him buy a restaurant GC instead.
Add reply
Next Page >
Top of Page
Next Page >
Consumer Resources
Company Responses
Site Rules
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
About Us