RAVES

RANTS

Bartell Drugs:
It's bad enough you need meds as  you get older.  When your drug store doesn't timely refill your prescriptions, gives you the wrong items, and states the meds you get on a routine basis is out of stock, that is a sign that your drugstore is not functioning like it should be.  I used to love Bartells; my local store was awesome, then Riteaid bought them up.  Now the attitudes have changed, the process of getting your meds have changed, and they even offloaded packaging to another company.  So now it takes even longer to get your auto refills.  I'm ready to find a new pharmacy.

Safeco Ins:
15% increase in auto premiums.  No accidents, no tickets. 

Heller Models:
Purchased a Heller Model of HMS Victory.  It is 2107 pieces and spans almost 3feet in length.  It's definitely a challenge but it's also met with some pretty pathetic design flaws (leave it up to the french).  The instructions are poorly written, numbering of parts is off leaving people to hopefully figure it out for themselves.  The physical dimenstions of parts are way off.  If you are to install deck flooring, you shouldn't have to take off 1/10th inch between the left and right halves to achieve a tight fit.  Welcome to "Hell"er, where they come up with paint names such as Scorched Earth, and Sunflower Yellow".  If you attempt to actually follow the directions, you will be sorely hurt in sequence.  Per instruction for example, you are to attach the rudder however, after the next floor deck is glued into position and a few steps later (many steps later), the back section of the boat is attached however it should have been slid over the top of the rudder in a previous operation.  Nothing like having to custom build something that is a shitstorm of ignorance by this company.  This is my last Hell'er model.

2023:  Google Play
Update:
Google Play has frustrated the Better Business Bureau so much even they bailed out and said all they can do is leave the comments for all to see.  Google promissed my refund and Google play has come up with every conceivable excuse why I don't have my money.  May Google rot in hell.

Happy to take your money, not so happy to refund.  Even when promissed via response of a refund, Google makes a point to "dissapoint".  Automated responses of refund approved to, we caught it in time and your card was not charged.  Humm,,, this is of course despite the fact the items show up on my credit card.  I had to sic the better business bureau and federal trade commission on them.  This has been ongoing since April.  I have yet to make any further purchases through Google, neither should you.

Update:  After countless emails, two filings with the Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission, there seems to be some movement to process me a refund.  I don't count anything until my bank sees it though.

2023: Service Department, Camping World
You would think after leaving our 5th wheel there most of the winter for repairs due to the poor workmanship by KZ when it was manufactured, that it would be fixed.  Afterall, isn't camping world in every State for a reason?

They took advantage of the money that was given to them and failed to fix several things.  Additionally, I found new issues as a result of their repairs.  When I dump this 5th wheel it will not be for one at camping world.  I can't trust them to service anything.

2023: PPG (Pittsburg Paints) FOLLOWUP:
Originally bought 9 gallons of exterior paint in 2018 and we sprayed our home.  In 2020, we found the paint is peeling off and contacted PPG.  They were cool and sent us a check for the paint.  We scraped and repainted.  So then why you asked are they in the Rants side?  Well, we discovered the entire south side of the house is peeling again and it looked worse than when we fixed it the last time.  Contacted PPG again.  They asked for a receipt and we did not have it.  I explained the prior situation and they pulled up the history.  Yeah they said they already paid for the issue and won't pay again.  Like I made this up...  I showed new pics and they said they looked the same as the photo's in my 2020 claim.  Of course they were brand new photos but they can't read the time stamp when you click on properties.  I wound up filing a BBB complaint.  Despite PPG having "lifetime warranty" on the front of their paint cans, I am sure they won't come through.  I did ask for a professional painter to strip this all off and redo.  They claim they also don't pay for that.  So they're on my list and furthermore, because they are sold soley through the home depot, I am trying to limit my purchases there now as well.

2023: KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
Ordered a 12pc family meal original recipe from our local Marysville KFC store.  When the family began to eat we noticed a terrible taste, the texture was soggy, my wife thought it was actually overcooked.  I spent over $50 for a meal I should have returned.  I did complain to KFC corporate.  Their 12 herbs and spices don't taste like it used to, and their chicken breading is nasty.  I won't be eating there anymore.

2022/2023: New Years Eve at the Keg Restaurant
Update:  Jan 23rd.  An email was received by Keg management in lynnwood.  He felt this was an unusual situation.  Furthermore, he believed we were drunk (we had not had a drink, my sister inlaw was on her first and only glass of wine).  They decided w/o knowing the facts but still insisted that we needed to be shut off from drinks due to a remark made to me when I couldn't read the name on the nametag of the waitress.  While the comment was made to me, the waitress heard it.  I was not looking at her boobs, I was trying to read the name tag.  I cannot see small stuff, hence why I just had two eye surgeries.  For such a business to pull this stunt is unbelievable, but we will not go there again until they appologize.  I also will not recant any opinion surveys on restaurants.
 
My wife set up reservations at the Keg, which is a steak house in Lynnwood Washington.  The parent company is Canadian.  They are trying to be an up-scale type restaurant but the customer service is one not desired.

We have a party of 4, my wife and I plus her older sister and husband.  The sister and husband were having a glass of wine when we appeared.  We were seated within a few minutes.  The waitress introduced herself and we began dialogue.  We were told she'd been doing this now 5 months.  We explained we hadn't been there in 20 years.  The sister whom was just finishing up her one glass of wine is wanting another glass.  The waitress had taken our orders of which we stated to split the check.  A bit later my wife and I received our drinks however the waitress came over with bad news.  She said that she didn't know how to say this but she's been told to tell the sister that she has to be cut off on alcohol because she is too loud.  She's normally loud, and she only had the one glass of wine.  So now she's upset and crying, so my wife and her went outside.  I noticed what appeared to be a manager and as he strolled by, I stopped and asked if he was a manager and he replied he was one of them on duty.  I asked why was my sister cut off after a single drink.  He stated that the waitress did not feel comfortable waiting on this table, that the sister was loud and that we are free to leave if we wanted to.  The girls came back and I explained things to them.  My sister again started tearing up and we are all soured over this.  We had done nothing wrong.  Weren't obnoxious, not really loud, it just seemed this waitress got a bugaboo about us.  We are in our 50's and 60's mind you, not young kids.  The salads came to us, they were not very good at all.  I've had much better at the spaghetti factory costing 1/3rd the price.  The manager came by asking if all was good, we remained silent about things.  I recall stating "no comment".  The meals came and the girls quickly found their steaks were medium rare, they asked for medium well (no mooing)...  My steak was okay and can't recall if the other meal had any issues but he did say he's had better.  Now a reminder here, we asked a second time during the ordering to split the check.  The manager came over to ask if the dinners were okay.  The girls noted the steaks were not cooked the way they asked.  While the manager said he would redo them, the girls said no.  I simply asked for a box (my 20oz ribsteak was hardly touched as we were all distraught by the waitress and managers attitude.   We had to request someone get our check because nobody was coming by.  The check came and it was not split.  We told the manager this is the 3rd time we are stating the check was to be split.  The manager said the waitress didn't tell him.  In our heads we are all saying the same thing "that's not our problem".  But we kept the peace.  The girls left so we can resolve the check.  The manager then comes back over, takes the check and tells us this meal is on the house and you're free to go but you are not allowed to ever return.

Since the occurance, we've notified the parent company whom responded that someone in the region would be getting back with us.  So far, not a peep.  I give the Keg a solid F.

2022: Spirit Airlines
Upon a return trip home from Vegas, the wife used the SPIRIT application to purchase baggage.  SPIRIT is one of the few that charge even for overhead so strike one...  Anyhow, her overhead bag became a $50 charge.  She tried to use the app and it was not functioning properly.  She called SPIRIT and sat on hold for almost an hour then her phone battery died.  The next day was her flight.  She went to the ticket counter and explained everything.  Rather than customer service honoring the online price they mandated she pay $74.  She travelled with another and was paying for both so it wound up costing $148.  The next day, we called SPIRIT up and explained everything.  The rep put us on hold for about 15 minutes then came back stating she could not and we would have to be transferred to a supervisor.  Another 20 minutes go by and finally a supervisor came online.  Again we explained the situation and she also said she could not do anything and to file it online.  The online complaints would only address things like lost luggage but not our situation so we couldn't use the app.  I then ranted publically on facebook and their messenger service.  I also stated I was filing a report with the FTC.  Only then, did SPIRIT get off their ass just a tad.  They offered a credit voucher to be applied on a next flight.  Like we are going to fly with SPIRIT ever again.  I provided them the FTC complaint report number.  I also had filed the complaint with my credit card.  SPIRIT came back and stated they would provide full credit back for the charges.  It should never have taken this amount of effort for a business to do the right thing.

Archives:

2021: Federal Express
Purchasing something shouldn't from amazon normally doesn't take that long to arrive, that's unless they ship by fed express ground.  While it was picked up fairly quickly, it travelled from Nevada to Kent in just a couple of days, it's sat now in Kent Washington "delayed" for 5 days.  Talking twice to federal express, they fai to prove a reasonable excuse.  They say they'll let us know when it leaves for the Burlington transfer station then to Marysville.  Why not transfer it to Everett which is 4 miles away?  Burlington is 35 miles north?  How does fedex stay in business with such terrible service?  Watch this christmas present show up after christmas.  Baa Humbug fedex.

2021: Fred Meyer
Freddys refuses to enforce state mandated mask requirements.  I'm no fan of mask wearing.  When in public, I don't see people wear masks but when you go into a store you expect stores to enforce the state mandate.  Oh heck no, not at fred meyers.  At least a dozen spotted in my last visit.  The horns came out, pissed off the wife too.  People do not like this guy when he comes out either.  Mutter comments so they hear it you know?  Seek out management and they don't even want to talk about it.  I filed two complaints with the State.  Finally Krogers contacted me but you think they took me seriously?  Nope!!  Called it isolated... I called them ignorant for blowing it off.  Full of excuses... 

2021: Google Play Store
If you are making purchases through Google play, usually they are pretty cool in their returns.  Buyer beware!!!  Purchase a 3rd party app such as NFL game pass and let the red tape begin.  NFL lied about their "watch every game" with the game pass.  We couldn't watch the 2nd preseason game while camping.  Online it stated it was a local game and was therefore unavailable.  This was on day 7 of the free 7 day trial.  So we tried to cancel.  The sign up was done on the computer through NFL.com however nothing indicated it was actually through Google.  We found nothing that indicated we were canceling so we notified our credit care and filed a claim and a provision credit was provided.  Investigation commenced...  Citibank got word back from NFL.com that I had no signed up and it was through Google or something which would indicate to Citibank that it would be my responsibility to resolve?  Citibank recharged my account rather than pursue contacting google.  I contact Google (impossible task mind you) nevertheless via instant messaging and advise them that it shows clearly on their site it states cancelled and refunded yet I have no money.  Google says it is my fault, I have wrong information despite the fact I make other purchases and they have no problem in pulling money from my card for those purchases but just can't seem to put the money back where they took it from?  Come on!!  Later, after chewing on them some more, I get a claim number, they ask for alternate information and tell me it'll take 6-8 weeks to process a refund.  I contacted Citibank Dispute center and spoke with the manager.  I explained that 1) I should not have to perform their job in investigating and 2) I should be getting protection per the contract with the credit card.  I got neither and now I've had to advocate for myself.  She researched the file and discovered that Google had just sent a letter notfying that they would be crediting my account $109.29 within one or two billing cycles.  Now that is still way too long and Citibank should be crediting my account while waiting on this but this is what happens with big business.  Nobody cares about the little guy.  Google was wrong and their time frame to fix is completely out of line.  If I didn't always pay off my Citibank Visa associated to Costco where I get a good check every year, I'd dump this card fast.  Citibank is as worthless as book of GreenStamps.

2021: Newegg Update July  21st
The Saga continues.  I'm beginning to think Citibank has even given up.  Newegg is still refusing to reimburse the refund because the visa company will not remove the complaint. 

So as you recall from below, we returned a bad monitor and after attempts to replace, we simply requested a refund.  Newegg made it so difficult we contacted our VISA company over it.  Newegg then came back at us saying they refused to refund until we took the VISA company complaint back.  Today being March 30th and we have not had any merchandise in our hands since the beginning of January, Newegg is simply making a big issue with our credit card company.  Thankfully, our VISA investigators reopened our issue, gave us back our provisionary credit when they saw what was really going on.  Seriously, avoid Newegg purchases.

2021: Newegg 1/29
Here's a company that just doesn't get it.  Zero on the customer service scale.  They've been in business for a long time.  Originally as Egghead softtware but went under some twenty years ago as their prices were steep and they didn't really cater to those that couldn't talk at their level.  They emerged later as an online company as NewEgg.  I've made several purchased and built a few new computers and several upgrades.  Never had any issues to speak of as far as needs to return things.  I've even had "some" dialogue with them on technical support but ended up talking with companies like corsair and such as Newegg didn't really have the knowledge or desire to really want to help.  We purchased a gaming monitor for our autistic adult son for christmas.  We discovered a light bleeding condition and had to seek replacement.  Got a return authorization and once they received they would ship us another.  No big deal, said 7-10 days.  We waited but did call once we discovered that UPS acknowledged it was delivered.  First person we talked with said  they would try to expedite.  Second person we talked with a few days later was rude and condescending stating our request to expedite was quote "rejected". This monitor has been sitting on their dock waiting to be checked in, meanwhile we are waiting.  The third phone call in, I again explain an autistic person is waiting on this and they did not care "we are not going to have you jump in line just because xxxx", offered to transfer me to a manager....  Several minutes later, they get back on the phone and I said, hey don't worry about it, you have the monitor, just refund the purchase, they said "no", not until it's "received in".  I said I would notify my credit card company and this would  my last purchase experience with Newegg.  I filed my complaint and a provisional credit was placed on my account. Several days later, I received an email from Newegg stating they had received and process the return of the monitor.  Minutes later they sent another email stating they were processing the shipping of the replacement monitor.  I returned the email with explanation that I will not be responsible for it nor will I be charged for it.  I also went on facebook and complained via messenger.  The response was appologetic and asked if I would reject the package.  If I can't catch the rejection to kindly take it to UPS and return it.  This is the problem with Newegg.  They don't communicate, I shut down the transaction, they still ship the product and expect me to fix their problem.  Add insult to injury, because my credit card transaction was via Paypal, they sent an email stating they were concerned because they were not contacted.  I promptly let them know that it's my credit card charged not Paypal.  Also there are many other avenues besides Paypal and I can certainly close them if they don't like it.  My suggestion is to stay FAR away from Newegg.

2020: Alaska Airlines
Who says your luggage won't fit in the overhead?  Flying a Q400 we stored our take on luggage snuggly in the overhead bins.  Upon our return flight on the same plane, the airline representatives insisted our luggage would not fit and that they would take them under the plane for storage.  Now I just had my birthday and couldn't eat my cake so it was neatly packed away in a cardboard box in my carry on luggage that they insisted would not fit.  I can't argue with them or we wouldn't be able to fly home.  So we got home, opened my suitcase and the box remained intact.  Upon opening my cake box to snack upon my scrumptious chocolate cake I found it completely ruined.  Now I'm ranting about it all and did complain to the airlines.  They did offer a $25 voucher good for a new flight.  To be honest I hardly ever fly Alaska Air because they cost too much.  Southwest doesn't charge for luggage and they have better airfares overall.  I also can't eat a $25 voucher for desert.  I did find myself laughing about it afterwards,  "you can't have your cake and eat it too"!!

2020: Good Sam / Camping World
Wouldn't it be nice that when you decide you no longer want to receive emails and junk mail you can simply notify the vendor and they'll ablige?  Nope, not Good Sam.  Despite several weeks of deselecting the email preferences and promisses, I continue to be bombarded by their business.  I'm tossing them under the bus because in this case, I no longer do business with them, nor do I even own an RV any longer.  They are extremely persistent so my advice is to never sign up with this business to begin with.

2020:  All banks...  When I was a kid growing up, I had a savings account with Seattle First National Bank.  I recall the interest rate at around 5-6%.  Banks today only offer 0.75-1.5% interest.  With the national rate of inflation at 2.5% and locally my inflation rate is 3.2%, why on EARTH would you support your bank by putting money in their hands?  Banks return the favor by loaning your money back out charging 15-25% on credit cards and personal loans.  Yes, I'm in agreement Banks should make money but this is ridiculous.

2020:  Costco...  I understand the virus situation and Costco is normally crowded.  But there has to be a better method of allowing people in than waiting in a line wrapped around the building.