Sam's Club review: Curbside pickup

I am writing to formally express my dissatisfaction with the service I received at my local Sam’s Club related to a curbside pickup order that was improperly canceled without my authorization. I placed an online curbside pickup order two days in advance and received confirmation that the order was scheduled and paid for successfully. However, less than one hour before my scheduled pickup time, I received a text message stating that my request to cancel the order had been received. I did not request this cancellation. I immediately attempted to call the store for clarification and assistance, but my calls were either unanswered or disconnected multiple times. Due to the urgency of the situation—this order was for my Christmas dinner—I went directly to the store. At the curbside pickup area, I spoke with an associate named Derek, who I was told was a leader within the curbside pickup department. Derek informed me that he canceled my order and repeatedly stated that I was the one who canceled it, despite my clear explanation that I had not. He offered no explanation, no apology, and showed no interest in resolving the situation. His demeanor made it clear that he had nothing further to say to me. I then sought assistance from another individual, Lisa, who identified herself as a manager but stated she was not part of the curbside department. She attempted to help by speaking with others and eventually returned with an associate who located my order. I was then told that I needed to pay for the order again, which was confusing and concerning since I had already paid online using a saved credit card. I was informed that nothing could be done about the prior payment and that I had to pay again in person, which I reluctantly did in order to secure my order. Once the order was picked, it was brought to my car by Cristian, who was professional, kind, and extremely helpful. Cristian was the only positive part of this entire experience, and I believe he deserves recognition for his customer service. During this process, I was also told that five employees had recently been terminated from the curbside pickup department, leaving the store short-staffed. I was further informed that associates are not allowed to work overtime or stay past closing hours to complete orders because of concerns related to corporate HR policies and additional meal breaks. If staffing limitations are this severe, then Sam’s Club should limit the number of online orders being accepted, rather than approving them and canceling them at the last minute without customer consent. This was one of the worst customer service experiences I have had at Sam’s Club, and unfortunately, it is not my first negative experience—though it is the first I felt compelled to escalate to corporate. The casual and unapologetic cancellation of an order that had been confirmed and paid for, especially during the holiday season, is unacceptable. I would appreciate a formal review of this incident, particularly the actions taken by the curbside leadership, and clarification regarding how customer orders can be canceled without authorization. I also request confirmation that this issue will be addressed so other customers do not experience similar disruptions.