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I shopped with my brother at the Shoppersdrugmart at Centre Street NW of Calgary this early morning (around 9:30am) and the shopkeeper stopped me from using my Shoppersdrugmart Optimum card to buy anything for my brother. Without any clarification, she assumed that it's my brother making the purchase and insisted that my brother use his own card. I told her that my brother had no card and we had been using the same card for almost 10 years since the very first release of Shoppers Drug Mart card, but she insisted that my brother should get his own card and I could not use my card to buy the product for him. Although my brother was the one who took the product to the cashier desk, why should my brother instead of me be buying? I told her that even Airmiles cards were for the whole family but she said it's her company policy that each person could only use his/her own Optimum card. We bought the product anyway since it's just a can of Excel Spearmint (60pc) for a few dollars which could not possibly earn us many points, but her racist and discriminating manner made us sick. I told her that we were of the same family so why couldn't I use my card to buy anything for my brother, but she insisted that each person should only use his/her own card even if they're in the same family. Is that really? If so I would cancel my Optimum card with immediate effect for this very negative shopping experience due to such a fool's logic that the card could only be used by the corresponding card owner and could not be used to buy anything for others. While Shoppersdrugmart allows card points transfer, why can't a card holder be allowed to use the card to buy something for others as gifts? And why did she stop me from buying any regular priced products for my brother and insisted that my brother to buy it when my brother didn't even have an Optimum card? I strongly believe such racist and/or discriminating service is intolerable. I don't think any of my family members and my friends will ever return to Shoppersdrugmart again! To whom this may interest, that irrational shopkeeper was a Caucasian woman aged about 40, short, a bit slim and wearing eyeglasses. She did not even say thank-you after our purchase.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
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that is completely unreasonable! :(
i work at a shoppers drug mart in ottawa, and i know that you ARE in fact allowed to share optimum cards. we actually encourage that couples and families use the same one for convenience reasons. i hope this negative experience wont keep you from choosing shoppers drug mart ever again... because really, you cant base a whole company on one irrational employee... and i know that no one at my branch would ever be so rude to a customer! might i reccommend that everyone in your family write down the number on a slip of paper instead of using the card? the cashier can enter it into the cash without scanning it that way, and it will be less conspicuous to the shopkeeper. however, truly, you shouldnt have anything to hide... it is not against store policy to share a card, at all! you have a perfectly good argument if you choose to report this to head office.
I just stumbled across this board by accident and I agree to disagree with both the complaint and the staff member here.
Although the cashier in this case was a little overzealous she was right to try and enforce a corporate policy. The corporate stance is that everyone has their own card. Although this may sound stupid (and in my opinion it is), this decision came from a divorce court case involving Air Miles points. At least that was what I was told in the original brief. So the decision stands that each person has his/her own card to avoid future litigation issues.
Your comment "I strongly believe such racist and/or discriminating service is intolerable. " might make you the racist in this complaint especially followed by your ending line "To whom this may interest, that irrational shopkeeper was a Caucasian woman aged about 40, short, a bit slim and wearing eyeglasses. She did not even say thank-you after our purchase." Caucasian? You have made a racist remark without realizing it.
Now onto the staff member from Ottawa. You are either misinformed or did not read the fine print for the Optimum program. You CANNOT share the card. It has been corporate policy since day one. As for hand entering the card number, that is also a no-no and is tracked by reports that reach Loss Prevention. Punching in the number off a piece of paper is also against corporate policy and also opens yourself to legal action by the actual card holder.
Look at it this way. What if you lose the sheet of paper and I find it. I find out how many points you have by calling [protected] and using the automated service, I find out you have 75, 000pts. Guess what? on my quick trip to the store, you have just lost your 75, 000pts because I have your number and the cashier punched it in off the sheet of paper. There is no double checking done these days so almost anyone can cash in your points without you knowing if they have your number and the store punches in the number off a piece of paper.
Now the final point. Both of you can call head office if you wish, but they will tell you exactly what I have typed here.
Regards,
RedEagleOne
I also have experienced rude and unreasonable behaviour from salespeople at Shoppers Drug Mart, so I can sympathize with you - up to a point. However, what makes you assume automatically, it would seem, that the salesperson was being racist. Are you in the habit of thoughtlessly tossing these accusations around? I also am Caucasian, and I have, on occasion, been subjected to rude behaviour from Caucasian salespeople. How do you explain that? I guess I must be the victim - of what, racism? I would suggest, my dear, that you are guilty of stereotyping, and that in this case you are the racist.
I am afraid someone's trying to deviate the focus of the problem with the word "Causasian" used there in the original context. Obviously it's only used to identify the corresponding staff and no stereotyping or racist intentions are involved. If it's omittted, how could the responsible staff be identified? Just say "a staff"? "A human being"?
How do you expect to get "nice treatment" from Shoppers Drug Mart Staff? The whole Shoppers Drug Mart corporate designation encourages rude behaviour and mean customer service. All this company cares is how much you shop. I have been in the store after a dental surgery and could not wait too long, store was empty and there were at least 3 pharmacist at the pharmacy counter; they told me I have to wait (AND SHOP) at least 20 minutes before they can give my prescription, and if it does not work for me I can go to another store! Ofcourse I could not drive somewhere else as I was in so much pain. I totally hate Shoppers Drug Mart and never ever shop from them.