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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to push for more from this high street company that lied and humiliated me?

555 replies

redrugroffle · 30/05/2012 10:20

Sorry, name changing old timer to protect my RL identity on here (yawn, yes I know- please feel free to quiz me on MN howlers past and present)

I was shopping on a busy saturday in a chain. A lady approached me she was the manager.

She introduced herself and said she wondering if I would help her as she'd had no luck for the last hour and needed a candidate to take part in a radio phone in show- prizes/money going to charity and their staff and the chance to win an electrical appliance for myself???

I asked how long it would take and agreed as long as it would be swift as I felt a bit sorry for her Blush- I also asked what charity it would be for and whether it would be filmed? She was vague and said she wasn't fully briefed on the details. She then laughed and said that this was very much the "style" of their company. That they were very up on motivation for the staff, crazy competitions, incentives etc. I took this on trust and they are a very big company.

We went to her office and the phone rang on speaker phone- radio guy with jingles in background etc- asks me where I'm from, age, name etc.

It was then put on handset and I had to answer a few qs and agree whether or not to perform some silly tasks (think Chris Evans old style larking) some I did some I refused (every refusal got money for the charity)

Anyway- fast forward 20 mins and I cut ot off (as I wanted to go and was stretched for time. I'd won ££ for charity, 2 prizes for the staff and a prize for myself to be collected from the store on the following Tuesday and £3000 worth of stuff.

I was really pleased and as I fundraise for a local charity I asked if my prize could be donated to my chosen charity as well as thiers (I've got no need for another toaster of cake mixer Grin) I was told we will see on Tuesday.

I arrive on Tuesday (this place is a 55 mile round trip for me)

The manager looks solemn. She takes me to the office and tells me she's been stupid, it was a hoax, nobody was coming in.

She gave me a £20 voucher for my girl (it was her birthday) and asked me to leave. Sad

I've since called their customer services to demand an inquiry into her behaviour and to get some token for being humiliated, out of pocket and time.

They've not called me back.

They've said they're sorry but these things happen????

I've nobody except my close friend to asked and he advised me that he'd be going for the complete amount of things I was promised and to not compromise.

So your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
gettingeasier · 30/05/2012 19:19

Hmmm

LaMeuf · 30/05/2012 19:34

OP, you mention that you are familiar with the radio station you thought you were speaking to (you said you'd emailed them?). Given that the radio station seems to be a separate entity from the shop I can't see how the shop are to blame, unless the manager reasonably should have known from the behaviour of the 'DJ' that it was a hoax.

But then, what I don't understand, is why if it the radio station was a separate entity, she would have thought the whole thing would be her own employer's zany way of motivating employees?

In any event, I think you are onto a hiding to nothing legally, sorry: if I dressed up as Richard branson and said I would give you a million pounds you couldn't claim the money from the real Sir Richard. Unless you can prove fault on the part of the shop that is.

Extraordinarily weird. Marking my place in any event,

ScrambledSmegs · 30/05/2012 19:37

Well, I'm pleased that you're happy with the response you've had from the Operations Manager of the shop, OP.

I can't say I'm any clearer on what's happened, but I guess if they actually do pay something to charity then that's a step in the right direction.

Will you ever be able to tell us what really happened, do you think?

BrightnessFalls · 30/05/2012 19:39

This would never happen in Waitrose.

limitedperiodonly · 30/05/2012 19:51

brightness can I just say that I said that ages ago?

BrightnessFalls · 30/05/2012 19:55

Yes you may. I must confess, I skipped the middle bit!

IAmBooybilee · 30/05/2012 20:04

is it possible that the shop haven't paid the money to the charity as to do so may look as if they were accepting blame/responsibility for it. as in, if they did it for the charity, then they might have to pay you the £3k and the gifts to the staff members

limitedperiodonly · 30/05/2012 20:11

We all make mistakes. Just don't do it again Grin

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 30/05/2012 20:15

wrt "it wouldn't have happened at Waitrose", last weekend I asked a Partner there where I might find the polenta. He didn't know, and what is more he didn't even know what polenta is! Shock

You couldn't make it up. I considered starting a thread on it, but thought better.

MardyBratannia · 30/05/2012 20:28

I hate polenta. Doesn't taste of anything.

LindyHemming · 30/05/2012 20:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

crunchbag · 30/05/2012 20:34

I guess the store also has to confirm that the OP is who she says she is and not part of the scam.

Agree that polenta tastes of nothing :)

FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 20:42

never heard of polenta, then again I dont shop in Waitrose Wink

DogEared · 30/05/2012 20:42

You asked a partner where the polenta is? Now forgive me. I have never been into a Waitrose. Do they call their staff partners?

fatherchewylouis · 30/05/2012 20:49

Dog: they are technically "partners" I believe, that's the whole John Lewis Partnership thing. All the staff are technically partners (I think)

FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 20:50

I know someone who works at waitrose and they get a share of the profits so I think they are partners in that sense, yes.

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 30/05/2012 20:56

yy, Waitrose staff, being of the John Lewis Partnership, are indeed known as partners.

I don't like polenta either Mards, as a rule, hence not knowing where it's kept. But it makes an excellent coating for fishcakes.

I done MN proud btw. When the chap's colleague said he wasn't sure they had any, I exclaimed "Of course you have polenta - this is Waitrose "

I am a prize twat Grin

Clytaemnestra · 30/05/2012 21:01

Oooooh I used to go to a restaurant on Holloway Rd which did Pizza di Polenta. Pizza base made out of the solidish polenta then cheese tomato and yumy toppings.

My mouth is watering now.

Oh and YABU to expect a large company to start handing out money on the spot. They need to investigate, check out it's a real charity and then do it. They don't just grab 50 quid off the money tree and hand it over.

ZillionChocolate · 30/05/2012 21:19

I vote C&A.

BeardofZeus · 30/05/2012 21:31

Clas Ohlson .... ?

DoingTheBestICan · 30/05/2012 21:40

I work in a high st shop and we had a memo from HO yrs ago about a scam going round where someone rings the store to get a member of the public on the phone and gets them to do various tasks.
Not sure what the point of the scam is but like I say it has been doing the rounds for a long time.
Do we know the name of the shop yet?

limitedperiodonly · 30/05/2012 21:55

Put lots of cheese in it mardy preferably pecorino stale cheddar because it's a bit cheaper than parmesan

limitedperiodonly · 30/05/2012 22:00

crunchbag polenta with no cheese and butter and pepper and salt is the Italian for wallpaper paste

LuvileeJubilee · 30/05/2012 22:15

I do love MN - I flipped the thread to see the outcome, of course it's turned into a discussion about the merits of polenta.

FartBlossom · 30/05/2012 22:16

doing no we dont know because the OP doesn't want to say so she doesn't jeopardise the money and prizes that she thinks she's entitled to.