Two weeks ago, I finally uploaded my digital photos to print at riteaid.com There was a 50 free print coupon. I couldn’t find 50 good ones and uploaded 41. I chose the Rite Aid downtown and was happy.<\/p>\n
Last week because I didn’t have a printer, I wrote down the confirmation number on a slip and went downtown.<\/p>\n
The Rite Aid Photo lady said in her accented English, “You need receipt. How can I tell if it’s yours?”<\/p>\n
Stupidly, I didn’t argue that if she looked inside the photos she was holding that she would see many photos of me from multiple angels. Instead, I sullenly went home and planned for my next step.<\/p>\n
Today, I stumbled down to Rite Aid during my lunch break. The photo area was EMPTY. I saw some people in the back room, but was afraid they would kick me out of the store if I went behind the counter to knock at the door.<\/p>\n
I let out a soft squeak as I continued stomping around passive aggressively, “Excuse me?!”<\/p>\n
Eventually, I went to the cashiers upfront where 10 people were in line and told the cashier in my passive, congested voice, “Um…there doesn’t seem to be anybody at the photo counter…”<\/p>\n
She looked at me and said, “There’s always someone there.”<\/p>\n
“There isn’t now,” I said with a rising anger.<\/p>\n
She picked up a phone to announce to the store, “Customer service requested in photos please.”<\/p>\n
A few minutes earlier, I noted that someone requested customer service at the ice cream counter, but the counter was still empty.<\/p>\n
I stomped back to the photo counter where it was still empty. A few customers had been waiting to pay for the copies they made from the copier. After waiting for another five minutes, they walked out.<\/p>\n
Eventually, I started waving to the one-way window that was part of the back room. A panicked wave. Finally someone noticed me…and came out.<\/p>\n
She looked at my crumpled printout and said, “Where’s your coupon?”<\/p>\n
Exasperated, I said and pointed, “I entered the coupon online. See the receipt says $0.00.”<\/p>\n
She took a coupon she had on her register and showed it to me. “A coupon has a bar code.”<\/p>\n
“You see, I entered the coupon online. If I had to pay, I would have paid online. But it didn’t charge me because I entered the coupon.”<\/p>\n
There was no way I was going to be sent away again because I didn’t bring a coupon. And to my knowledge, I don’t recall even seeing a coupon. I remember only entering a coupon code: 50FREEPRINTS<\/p>\n
“There is no coupon with a print-out. The receipt already says my total otherwise I would pay what it says to paid. But I would have paid that online! With a credit card! I shouldn’t have to pay anything at the store.”<\/p>\n
Finally she called another photo lady who recognized me from my first visit. “How am I supposed to charge her?” the employee asked.<\/p>\n
How are you supposed to charge me something that doesn’t have a price on the receipt?<\/i> I thought in annoyance.<\/p>\n
The photo lady finally just handed my packet photos. “Well she doesn’t owe anything.”<\/p>\n
I stomped angrily out of the store, vowing not to print my photos at Rite Aid again.<\/p>\n
A few moments later, I opened the packet of photos as I was crossing the street. I dropped the cover receipt which had my name and phone number. A few steps later, I saw it in the middle of the street and quickly rushed back to pick it up.<\/p>\n
Good thing I am now in the financial district.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Two weeks ago, I finally uploaded my digital photos to print at riteaid.com There was a 50 free print coupon. I couldn’t find 50 good ones and uploaded 41. I chose the Rite Aid downtown and was happy. Last week … Continue reading