No more bait and switch

@amazon am writing to formally complain about Quality Green Products, one of the vendors selling product on Amazon.  I was looking for specific spice in a specific bottle.  Had purchased some of the same years back at a now defunct specialty grocery store.  Here is the link of what I was specifically looking for http://smile.amazon.com/Spice-Hunter-Garam-Marsala-1-8-Ounces/dp/B001EO5Y2A?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

I was pleased to find finally find it again and proceeded to order the product.  Paid for shipping as well.  When the package arrived a couple of weeks later and much to my dismay, the order was fulfilled with a blend spice.  Here is the link  http://smile.amazon.com/Spice-Hunter-Garam-Masala-1-8-Ounce/dp/B00BEQONAM?ie=UTF8&keywords=spice%20hunter%20garam%20masala%20blend&qid=1463863103&ref_=sr_1_1_a_it&sr=8-1

And included here is the picture of the product received.  http://smile.amazon.com/Spice-Hunter-Garam-Marsala-1-8-Ounces/dp/B001EO5Y2A/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1463863259&sr=8-2&keywords=spice+hunter+garam+masala

Here is the chronology of events:

1)      Upon receipt on Wednesday May 18^th 2016, I contacted Amazon and they said the refund would be processed and I will hear from the seller

2)      I received a note from the seller on May 19^th asking what was wrong and I told them it was not what I ordered

3)      Replied and advised that it was the wrong product

4)      On Friday, May 20^th, since I had not heard anything more, I contacted Amazon

5)      I was assured that the credit to my account was forthcoming

6)      On Friday May  20^th evening, I got a note from Amazon saying that my claim had been denied

7)      I called again and was once more reassured the credit for the product was forthcoming and that I would receive an RMA label from seller

8)      This morning, I had another email saying that my claim was denied

9)      I called Amazon again and was showered with profuse apologies and assured that the credit would be forthcoming

10)   An hour later I was advised via email that claim was denied

11)   I called again early afternoon and the Amazon rep hung up on me

12)   So I called again and Abba took the time to listen and escalate the issue

So here is the issue_

1)      If you order a box of Godiva chocolates and I  send you a Hershey Bar, will you accept it?

2)      No you won’t

3)      Why

4)      Because it is not what you ordered-Godiva chocolate

5)      But I say to you-it is chocolate and meets the definition and description of the product ordered

6)      Would you accept the product?

7)      I don’t think so

Your criteria states:

“2)  When the buyer received the item, but the item was materially different than as depicted in the seller's description.”

Again, is it garam masala?  Yes.  Is it what I ordered? NO

The product fulfilled is a blend available on Prime for half the price.  If that is what I wanted, I would  have ordered it and not waited two weeks for delivery or paid for shipping.

Again, are you are willing to accept a Hershey bar because it’s “chocolate” instead of the Godiva which you ordered?  No

Well I am not willing to accept a blend product that I can buy locally for the half the price or could have ordered it to begin with when the spice I want is what the seller displayed on the web site.  You see, as a professional chef, I can tell the difference in taste between the two much like you can tell the difference between cheap and expensive chocolate.

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

#amazon #qualitygreenproductsfail #amazonfail

 

Nest Thermostat heads up

 

http://www.vbprofiles.com/tb/company/4ed54a52091eb05f4d00006b/Nest/https%3A%2F%2Fnakedsecurity.sophos.com%2F2016%2F01%2F18%2Fnest-smart-thermostat-glitch-leaves-cold-feet-and-steaming-mad-customers%2F?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Think trains buses are crowded here? Think again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food for thought

 

Yesterday after shopping in our local supermarket, I was in the queue at the Check Out, and heard when the young cashier suggested to the much older lady that she should bring her own grocery bags, because plastic bags are not good for the environment.

The woman apologized to the young girl & then sighed, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my earlier days."

The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. You folk didn't do enough to save our environment for future generations."

The older lady said "Ahh yes you're right -- our generation didn't have the "green thing" in its day." 

She sighed then continued:

Back then, we returned milk bottles, lemonade bottles & beer bottles to the shops. The shops then sent them back to the plant to be washed, sterilized & refilled, so those same bottles were used over & over, thus REALLY were recycled. But we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day.

Grocery stores put our groceries into brown paper bags that we reused for numerous things. Most memorable was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our school books. This was to ensure that public property (the books provided for our use by the school) were not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalise our books on their brown paper bag/covers. But, too bad we didn't do the "green thing" back then.
I remember how we walked up stairs because we didn't have an escalator in every store or office building; walked to the grocery store & didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go 200 yards.

. . . But she was right. We didn't have the "green thing" in our day.
Back then we washed the baby's nappies because we didn't have the throw away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts. Wind & solar power really did dry our clothes back in our days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. . . . But that young lady is right; we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day. 

Back then we had one radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And if anyone did own a TV, it had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of a football pitch. When cooking we blended & stirred by hand coz we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send by post, we used layers of old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.... But she's right; we didn't have the "green thing" back then.

We drank from a tap or fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, & we replaced the razor blade in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the "green thing" back then. Back then, people took the bus & kids rode bikes to school or walked instead of turning their mothers into a 24-hour taxi service in the family's expensive car or van, which cost what a whole house did before the "green thing".. 

Oh and we had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest leisure park.

. . . . But it so sad this current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the "green thing" back then? . . . I think you should forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from some smart ass young person. .. ...
We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to piss us off... Especially from a tattooed, multiple pierced smart ass who can't make change without the cash register telling them how much!

and the beat goes on!

So the eager neophyte that insisted I wear shoes turns the other cheek at other members without shoes. Go figure. #restonsportandhealthfail

 

 

 

A double standard

 

So as you know yesterday, some eager neophyte at #restonsportandhealth busts  my chops for riding the stationary bike with just socks on and no tennis shoes.  Club rules she says and emphatically lets me know.  30 years plus of riding with no shoes and 15 of those at this club.  Not a word except a few jokes from the trainers.  “maybe we need to set up a toning regime for your ankles”.  Be still  my heart.  A kick boxer training in the gym today on the punching bag.  No shoes and no socks and not a word!!   Like I said yesterday, focus on what is important.  You will make a better place for members to visit.  And please leave me alone #restonsportandhealth.

 

 

 

#restonsportandhealth

Here we go again.  Been gone for two weeks.  Come back and get on the stationary bike like I always do and have done for 15 years.  I ride without shoes so my calves don’t cramp .  Been doing so for 30 years and 15 of them at this gym.  Not a word from anyone and in fact many of the staff joke about it.  So some new eager neophyte shows up and starts telling me the club rules. Shoes required on the floor.  I am not on the floor.  I am on a bike.  Instead of paying attention to the basics keeping the place clean, they are busting my balls about not wearing shoes.  #fail  When will they ever learn?  If you start implementing just one of the many suggestions made by members, perhaps members will start respecting and paying attention to you!!  #restonsportandhealth still sucks!