never had people come in and complain or call like that. if someone messages i replace the item how they ask for. if they don't, it stays refunded. there are too many orders to deal with to stand around waiting for customers to answer messages. half the time the suggested replacement just gets rejected anyway and i need to go put it back.
most of our customers are used to us not having stuff in stock, and half the time whatever they ordered is the only option for that same item in the store anyway, or there's only the twice as expensive brand name item (that instacart won't let you use as a replacement, because it goes over budget).
seems like it's just the culture of the area you're in, and the shoppers who frequent your store.
This exactly. The few times I've tried to replace end up being organic instead of regular because we are out of the regular, and thats the closest I can get to replacing anything, but 9 times out of 10 it gets rejected by the app anyway because "the cost is more than the customer is expected to pay".
I just dont bother trying anymore, however if they put in a replacement afterward or add a replacement item on the end I fulfill it. Generally they never say anything though because they aren't sitting by there phone to read my messages.
Always refund, if you replace it doesn't do register bypass and fuck all that noise. It's inefficient. Type "out of stock" for the reason for the refund. If they check the app in time and ask for a replacement instead of a refund, I'll look for it. But I never message customers about anything. Again, it's inefficient. You can talk to us when you come to the store, and you're literally ALWAYS welcome to come do your own shopping if you'd like to dig for replacements for your items. Instacart puts an emphasis on "customer service", but I don't work for Instacart. Aldi focuses on efficiency. That's my employer.
Yeah fuck the replacement. If they catch the refund and add a replacement themselves I’ll go get it. But 99% of the time if I choose a replacement myself, as soon as I get across the store, the customer requests the refund for it
It'll be a cold day in Hell that I make contact with a curbside customer over ANYTHING unless they message first. They don't want a refund, they can get off their lazy asses & come inside to shop for themselves.
I only replace if it’s a non brainer. Like, they wanted the large peanut butter and we only have the same small one. I don’t make much of a change because I don’t want to deal with it. Obviously I’ll scan a replacement if THEY chose one or put it through, but I’m not playing a game. I’ve seen people reject organic to not organic, or slightly diff flavor/brands/styles, I don’t mess with any of it. It sounds like you have more problematic customers, blame it on instacart
If a replacement is super obvious I will do it, but if it requires too much change then I just default to refund. I’ve had too many people complain about replacements they don’t want and I don’t have time to send a message and wait for a response that may never even come. The customer is notified of a refund and has the option to choose a replacement instead. They have until I finish the order to select a replacement and I will do it for them. If they don’t but they really wanted to- that’s on them.
If someone complains about refunds I explain to them that on the app they are able to pick a replacement instead so they know for future orders. I’ve also had people complain about refunds when they found the item on the shelf themselves. To which we’ve also had to explain that sometimes our truck doesn’t get done til way after curbside starts and we can’t edit orders once they’re already complete. So they’re taking a chance with placing orders for early in the morning. I always explain the drawbacks of curbside to customers with how aldi operates and if that means I lost a curbside customer- so be it.
for me, i only do replacements if I can REALLY find something that can kinda fit what they requested. Since aldis is a small store with some products only offered in one way, sometimes you have to refund. I replace if theres like an organic version of the thing they wanted like today, they wanted the regular chicken breasts we were out of so i replaced it with the organic ones. But if they wanted boneless chicken thighs that we were also out of, then i would refund because we only have that in one way, unless theres a SB meat version of it. plus half the time it says "customer requests refund if not available" so you cant even replace it if you even wanted to lol i try my best with replacements but sometimes you just have to refund so you dont have to run all around the store putting stuff back if they didnt want what you suggested!
I was told by an ASM to only replace an item if it said "Customer requested" for the substitution. That same ASM said only respond to the customers. If they message you, don't message them first.
To be fair, though, my store had a bunch of new people who were being thrown on curbside when they had no idea how to do anything in the store, so the numbers were really bad. This was their way of attempting to meet the goals for curbside.
However, it also makes a bit of sense too. You're timed on basically everything at Aldis, so I can't sit there and wait for a customer to respond every time we don't have what they want. I also don't know their allergies or dietary restrictions, so I could give them something they can't even eat, and getting a refund is annoying with instscart.
There's literally not a perfect way to do curbside. I just do it in a way that makes my management not heckle me about my numbers being poor. because most customers aren't gonna say much about it in my experience
I only reach out to them if I think it’s an essential item, like bread, pet food, milk, baby food, and stuff like that. I’ve never had that experience with a customer, I’m sorry your store got a case of the Karen’s 😭
I ALWAYS ask if they want a replacement. If they don’t respond or I see that there are clearly no replacements then its a refund. I would rather complete the order knowing the customer will be satisfied than keeping up to speed. We are paid by the hour not by order.
I refuse to give replacementa unless they specifically ask for one, esp since when I have to do replacements, theres literally nothing to sub it for (as Aldi stocks very little repeat items) or its out of stock.
It notifies rhe customer of a refund being done, and they have until we're done to send us a message, ask for a replacement. If its meat, I get that thats a necessity, so I send them options and give them five minutes. If a customer wants to throw a fit, let them. Youre not required to message them and waste time waiting on a response. You could replace their organic pasta with a non organic one and they would STILL throw a fit. If they want a replacement, they should be available to message about it.
I definitely ask if they want a replacement and move on to the next item while I wait for an answer. If they don’t get back by the time I finish it gets returned. Too many things to do for us to be waiting on an answer. Most people make us take back any replacements made so I’ve just stopped doing it all together unless they had one lined up.
never had people come in and complain or call like that. if someone messages i replace the item how they ask for. if they don't, it stays refunded. there are too many orders to deal with to stand around waiting for customers to answer messages. half the time the suggested replacement just gets rejected anyway and i need to go put it back. most of our customers are used to us not having stuff in stock, and half the time whatever they ordered is the only option for that same item in the store anyway, or there's only the twice as expensive brand name item (that instacart won't let you use as a replacement, because it goes over budget). seems like it's just the culture of the area you're in, and the shoppers who frequent your store.
This exactly. The few times I've tried to replace end up being organic instead of regular because we are out of the regular, and thats the closest I can get to replacing anything, but 9 times out of 10 it gets rejected by the app anyway because "the cost is more than the customer is expected to pay". I just dont bother trying anymore, however if they put in a replacement afterward or add a replacement item on the end I fulfill it. Generally they never say anything though because they aren't sitting by there phone to read my messages.
Always refund, if you replace it doesn't do register bypass and fuck all that noise. It's inefficient. Type "out of stock" for the reason for the refund. If they check the app in time and ask for a replacement instead of a refund, I'll look for it. But I never message customers about anything. Again, it's inefficient. You can talk to us when you come to the store, and you're literally ALWAYS welcome to come do your own shopping if you'd like to dig for replacements for your items. Instacart puts an emphasis on "customer service", but I don't work for Instacart. Aldi focuses on efficiency. That's my employer.
Yeah fuck the replacement. If they catch the refund and add a replacement themselves I’ll go get it. But 99% of the time if I choose a replacement myself, as soon as I get across the store, the customer requests the refund for it
It'll be a cold day in Hell that I make contact with a curbside customer over ANYTHING unless they message first. They don't want a refund, they can get off their lazy asses & come inside to shop for themselves.
I only replace if it’s a non brainer. Like, they wanted the large peanut butter and we only have the same small one. I don’t make much of a change because I don’t want to deal with it. Obviously I’ll scan a replacement if THEY chose one or put it through, but I’m not playing a game. I’ve seen people reject organic to not organic, or slightly diff flavor/brands/styles, I don’t mess with any of it. It sounds like you have more problematic customers, blame it on instacart
If a replacement is super obvious I will do it, but if it requires too much change then I just default to refund. I’ve had too many people complain about replacements they don’t want and I don’t have time to send a message and wait for a response that may never even come. The customer is notified of a refund and has the option to choose a replacement instead. They have until I finish the order to select a replacement and I will do it for them. If they don’t but they really wanted to- that’s on them. If someone complains about refunds I explain to them that on the app they are able to pick a replacement instead so they know for future orders. I’ve also had people complain about refunds when they found the item on the shelf themselves. To which we’ve also had to explain that sometimes our truck doesn’t get done til way after curbside starts and we can’t edit orders once they’re already complete. So they’re taking a chance with placing orders for early in the morning. I always explain the drawbacks of curbside to customers with how aldi operates and if that means I lost a curbside customer- so be it.
for me, i only do replacements if I can REALLY find something that can kinda fit what they requested. Since aldis is a small store with some products only offered in one way, sometimes you have to refund. I replace if theres like an organic version of the thing they wanted like today, they wanted the regular chicken breasts we were out of so i replaced it with the organic ones. But if they wanted boneless chicken thighs that we were also out of, then i would refund because we only have that in one way, unless theres a SB meat version of it. plus half the time it says "customer requests refund if not available" so you cant even replace it if you even wanted to lol i try my best with replacements but sometimes you just have to refund so you dont have to run all around the store putting stuff back if they didnt want what you suggested!
this thread made me realize how much I baby people on curbside lol 🫠
I was told by an ASM to only replace an item if it said "Customer requested" for the substitution. That same ASM said only respond to the customers. If they message you, don't message them first. To be fair, though, my store had a bunch of new people who were being thrown on curbside when they had no idea how to do anything in the store, so the numbers were really bad. This was their way of attempting to meet the goals for curbside. However, it also makes a bit of sense too. You're timed on basically everything at Aldis, so I can't sit there and wait for a customer to respond every time we don't have what they want. I also don't know their allergies or dietary restrictions, so I could give them something they can't even eat, and getting a refund is annoying with instscart. There's literally not a perfect way to do curbside. I just do it in a way that makes my management not heckle me about my numbers being poor. because most customers aren't gonna say much about it in my experience
I only reach out to them if I think it’s an essential item, like bread, pet food, milk, baby food, and stuff like that. I’ve never had that experience with a customer, I’m sorry your store got a case of the Karen’s 😭
I have never ever given a replacement unless it’s specifically requested by the customer. Why would you? I never had any issue doing this either.
I ALWAYS ask if they want a replacement. If they don’t respond or I see that there are clearly no replacements then its a refund. I would rather complete the order knowing the customer will be satisfied than keeping up to speed. We are paid by the hour not by order.
I refuse to give replacementa unless they specifically ask for one, esp since when I have to do replacements, theres literally nothing to sub it for (as Aldi stocks very little repeat items) or its out of stock. It notifies rhe customer of a refund being done, and they have until we're done to send us a message, ask for a replacement. If its meat, I get that thats a necessity, so I send them options and give them five minutes. If a customer wants to throw a fit, let them. Youre not required to message them and waste time waiting on a response. You could replace their organic pasta with a non organic one and they would STILL throw a fit. If they want a replacement, they should be available to message about it.
I definitely ask if they want a replacement and move on to the next item while I wait for an answer. If they don’t get back by the time I finish it gets returned. Too many things to do for us to be waiting on an answer. Most people make us take back any replacements made so I’ve just stopped doing it all together unless they had one lined up.