Worst customer service ever at Asda

[motherofcatsandbears]

I bought something to drink from Asda last week for me and my friends. We tried it and didn’t like it - some left in glasses.
I tried to return the (admittedly empty) bottle, not thinking to put the remaining liquid back in the bottle before trying to get a refund on the try me love me policy they claim to stand by.
I ended up speaking to a manager (after having to ask the service desk employee not to call me “my love” as I find it patronising and extremely rude. The manager listened to me and said that if I brought back what was left he would reconsider a refund. I did tell him that I realised I should have poured what was left back in the bottle but it smelled so foul, i couldn’t bear to smell it again.
I returned on Monday and the service desk employee opened the bottle to smell the drink and poured it back in after not finding I’d tampered with it and left a sticky mess all over the bottle.
She went to get a manager (different person from last week) who, before even listening to me, said that she stood by last week’s decision still stood. I asked her why she didn’t even listen to me and she couldn’t answer.
I have emailed Asda head office and I’m waiting to hear back from them.

Why were you leaving the drinks glasses out for so long? Odd behaviour from you

Love me or money back means you can try the product you bought before deciding you do NOT love it. As much of the product as you like!

OP I don't think you have helped yourself by the second go-round (which I didn't entirely understand) but I'd just ring Customer Services, or even better if I could be bothered, write a letter so you can control the exact narrative. I wouldn't lie, but I would omit confusing whataboutery about what ensued in the store. I would focus on the fact that they wouldn't honour the offer of 'love it' or have a refund because the bottle was empty, but that this doesn't make sense given that, as many normal people would, you poured it all out and shared it among friends. The offer isn't even that none of you love it, it's that you, the customer, don't. They are not adhering to their advertised offer. Also, although it is not required, it can help to stress that this is only the 1st (or 4th in how many years or whatever) time you have tried in invoke this customer satisfaction offer, and that you are very much not satisfied that it hasn't been honoured, and that you might change your supermarket if you don't get a fair result now you have written in.

They are very unlikely to check anything with the branch, they'll likely just refund it and probably apologise and send you vouchers too more than the cost of the item in the first place.

I used to shop at an Asda and had success with their Customer Service line on more than one occasion about different things with no problems or excessive questioning.

"3.4.8 Many of Our own brand products carry the Try Me Love Me promise and if You’re not 100% satisfied with them please contact Customer Services via our our Help Centre and We will arrange for a refund and also an e-voucher will be credited to Your Account (to the equivalent value) to allow You to choose a replacement product as part of your next online shop with Us. Our Try Me Love Me promise applies to any item featuring Try Me Love Me on the packaging."

https://groceries.asda.com/event/terms_and_conditions_preview

So yes I suppose they should have refunded you

It smelled so bad you couldn't pour any back in the bottle but you left glasses lying around for days and then refilled the bottle from them for the second attempt? Can you clarify :
-what happened on the return visit, was it the old bottle and days old liquid you'd had lying around in glasses despite being so offensive you couldn't smell it again
-what is this mysterious drink

• did the Asda manager keep a straight face

I am sort of with you on the 'try me love me' angle, but surely any sane person knows you can't take an empty bottle back and demand a refund.

From the OP, and follow up posts, I'd go out on a limb that you were so rude and entitled the shop staff wouldn't have been particularly inclined to go out of their way.

People do understand and we all have "sufficient literacy to be able to read and comprehend a post" but it's just mad that a) you took the empty bottle back which obviously looked like you'd tanned the lot and then been chancing it to get a refund - I feel like this is not what they intend their policy to cover or what's to stop people taking back their empty filet steak packets back for a refund after having them for dinner and b) you went home, poured the drink from the glasses back in and tried again on another day. Why did you still even have these dirty half full glasses sat around? It obviously looks weird and like you've just filled it up with anything you had at home! Yes, we all get the Asda policy but I still think this is nuts!

Eee FGS, would you ever?

Op how many times have you done this. Have you taken back empty products In the past. I find it odd that a different manager knew all about the situation unless you created a massive scene or this is a regular thing you do after eating and drinking things.

Bet your the talk of the Asda staff room OP

So you opened a bottle with friends, all drank some, rejected it due to taste and smell and then left the liquid in glasses in your home until days later when you poured it back into the original bottle and tried to get a refund.

You are either filthy or telling a tale.

Are you high?

Sorry op but I just couldn't do that.

I know in principle they say take it back and I get your point but your coming across as a twat to be honest.

Being rude to the staff will just tile them up and is totally unnecessary

Yes calling you my love probably grated on you but I wouldn't say anything because she's not doing it to be rude is she.

You need a little reality check I think

Absolutely they should have when she took the half filled bottle back . I would have used social media to take it further if they'd refused.

I would not have wasted that money. Not all of us can afford to.

So that happened.

I fully comprehend your post but I still think you are a cheeky fucker 🤷‍♀️

Am I the only person utterly bemused that the op had the drinks in glasses sitting in her house to pour back into the bottle!

Yeh, we did.

How much was this drink?

I have read your post in full...you clearly didn't bother to read the actual policy do rasda returns.

See picture attached.

You failed to fulfill your end of the policy, you have then filled the bottle with God knows what that has sat out in glasses for days (who the hell does that) and then expected them to refund something they cannot prove is actually there's and hasn't been tampered with...

I think you need a reality check!

@motherofcatsandbears - if it smelled so foul, why was it still in the glasses, in your home, so you could put it back into the bottle for the second trip back to ASDA?

Pop the bottle is recycling next time. Don't understand why you taking it back to asda. You drunk it.

@motherofcatsandbears I get the returns policy for Asda wine. What I don't get is you had friends round, poured the full bottle of wine out without anybody trying it even though it was a new wine to you all.

Then you all decided you didn't like it, fair enough and wanted to return it under their policy how on earth did you think they'd accept an empty bottle otherwise we'd all just drink the wine and keep returning the empty bottles ever week!!

Plus, and this is the bit that gets me. After they (rightly) refused to accept your empty bottle you went back home and poured the wine back into the bottle in order to try and return it again a week later. Why oh why was the wine still just sat in the glasses.

Surly when you all decided you didn't like the wine you'd have poured it down the sink (or back into the bottle to return) and washed the glasses. How long did you have half drunk glasses of wine just sat around your kitchen whilst you were making a fool of yourself at the Asda customer service desk???

One for the classics. A wind up, right? Or is this something you saw someone else do? Being triggered by the phrase "love" is ridiculous too.

I've read and understood the post.

How embarrassing for you. You didn't like the drink; pour it down the sink and don't buy it again. Good god.

Just checking I'm understanding this....

You bought a bottle of something (what???) and shared it with many friends but you all hated the drink? You then took the empty bottle back for a refund but the manager couldn't help (what with it being an empty bottle and all) so you went home, decanted the dregs of glasses you'd had laying around and then went back with a half full bottle and again requested a refund?

I'm agog.

You left glasses of drink all around your home for 2 days?

This story has surely made the rounds within their CS dept and everyone has had a good laugh. I used to work in CS and we had some good ones.