H-E-B plus! — Attraction in New Braunfels

While at HEB today my husband and I were trying to win a toy for our daughter from the claw machines at the front of the store, and we found that the machines were incapable of actually picking up the toys themselves to win them. We spoke to a woman at the self checkout counters to inquire about how to buy it from the machine as it has a "Win it for $1 or Buy it for $15" advertisement. She was unaware of how to do that so she called over her "manager", Mr. Shelby. Shelby was also unaware of how to buy them from the machine even after asking other employees including in the business center and repeatedly stated it was the sole responsibility of the third party supplier of the machines. He also continuously tried to direct us to the number on the machine (which as it turns out was only a "request repairs" number) and called the store manager to the front as per our request. Miss Gwen came to the front of the store to address us and unfortunately had no more information to give or anything else to add besides her dismissive and condescending tone and to once again, for the umpteenth time, direct us to the useless number on the machine, shirking any personal responsibility onto the company and proving no one at HEB was going to take credit or responsibility for allowing, encouraging, or possibly asking the third party supplier to put these machines in the store to waste their customers money and disappoint many children and patrons. Our main grievance was that no one knew anything and didnt try to find out any more information about these machines regardless of whether they are third party suppliers since they are in their store and probably have cost many people money that have been confused by the advertisement of the machine or their "malfunctioning" without the store trying to find a way to contact them besides "whenever them come next" as stated by Gwen when she smugly offered to take our name and number and leave it at the business center for these unknown people at whatever unknown time they would appear.

When this was explained to Gwen she dismissed us, in our opinion, under the impression that we had insignificant knowledge in comparison to a woman her age, doubtful that she realized regardless of our respectful nature and blatant clothing choice that made it obvious of my husband's veteran status for fighting for the right she has to act so prejudiced towards us as younger patrons and be a disrespectful and rude store "supervisor". Nonetheless we took a peaceful leave and respectfully wished her a pleasant day.

We will be reporting it to corporate management and posting it on any social media platform necessary for anyone to know so no one wastes their money in the claw machines and the staff at HEB be re-trained in customer care or replaced with more knowledgable, respectful, and caring employees.

This was a big disappointment for us because we choose to shop here so often and usually the store has very helpful and understanding employees that work hard to maintain the quality of business and customer appreciation that HEB is generally known for. This experience puts a bad taste in the mouth of common patrons and that is very unfortunate for the community and the business/local business.

No one else seems willing to bring any of these matters to the attention of the public as even Gwen remarked that she didnt get any complaints" so we will be those people to hopefully encourage others to do so also and help...

Today I picked up a curbside order at your store My order was supposed to include Bounty Select-A-Size Double Rolls Paper Towels, 12 ct. I did not allow for substitutions on my order. When I got home, I discovered that I had not been given the paper towels I ordered. I had instead been given some bounty napkins which do not cost nearly as much and which I didn’t want and did not order. I immediately contacted the store to let them know. The curbside employee who initially answered stated I could drive back to pick up my paper towels. I explained that I lived 11 miles away and didn’t want to drive that far just to pick up paper towels that should have been put in my car the first time. The employee then stated she would need to talk with a manager about a refund. I sat on hold. When the employee came back on the line she said I would need to send a photo of the incorrect item to her manager to be considered for a refund. I informed her that I found it objectionable that after failing to provide the item I was charged for, the company now wanted to waste my time with sending an email in order to be “considered” for a refund. She then placed me back on hold. I next spoke with the curbside manger named Justin. He felt the need to assure me that the request wasn’t based on not believing me (which I had never implied it was, my objection was to having my time wasted.) But responding with “it’s not that we don’t believe you” when that has not previously been suggested is something you only do when in fact you do not believe the person. They have security cameras and paper towel packs are large so they are easy to see on camera, the store could have reviewed camera footage rather than insulting a customer. They failed to provide an item they charged me for, wasted my time with calls, sitting on hold and a request for an email, and implied that I am a liar. I would call that terrible business practices and terrible customer service. Justin supposedly submitted for the refund. When I asked whether I would get an email reflecting that, he told me that, if approved, I would get an email confirming the refund in 3-15 days. He did not apologize for any inconvenience. When I later logged onto my HEB app, I didn’t see the refund request reflected so I reported it myself through the app and requested a refund.

Update: I received an email confirming the refund within minutes of placing a request through the app. HEB is great but I recommend avoiding this store. This is not the first time they have messed up my order (it can happen with curbside) but this was one of the worst customer service experiences of my life and the manager’s behavior was completely...

Last night I came into this location as ai usually do because I love my shopping experience here and I am close to home all of the staff very friendly especially at the checkouts I purposely avoid self checkouts because I still enjoy the human experience the staff makes my shopping here great from the deli to fish market I am a loyal shopper so last night I had a really bad experience with one of the checkout clerk's her name was Mia she was not engaging as I enter the line towards the end of her scanning my last item I remembered I wanted to grab a shopping bag I noticed her on her phone so I placed the shopping bag on the black top for her to scan as she was texting on her phone she never acknowledged the shopping bag was there so I placed in front of her so she can scan it as I did that she said very rudely (you need to put the shopping bag on the black top) my response to her was I did place it there if you had not been on your phone you would have noticed Mia continue to be rude with her saying I was on my phone because an item did not have a barcode which this checker never mention to me had she communciated that it would had not escalated to me writing this long review instead she proceeded to be rude I had to ask her for her name as she did not have her name tag and she rudely gave me her name and stated that it was on the receipt as well as she gave me this smirk on her face so I ask to speak with a Manager at that point I spoke with a Manager on duty Jordyn I believe that was his name very friendly I explained to him what took place with one of his checkers as I was leaving I did noticed she was removed from the register the 5years I have been living here I had never experienced a rude, unfriendly associate at HEB totally surprised at her behavior I know HEB's focus is customer service I love my HEB store but one bad apple can make one shop elsewhere and affect what HEB stands for when it comes to servicing...