Real Groovy — Local services in Waitematā

Have been a Real Groovy shopper for almost 30 years. Never will be again. We bought our son a tshirt for Xmas. As we no longer live in Auckland, we bought it online, Dec 2nd. The tshirt was too small. Our son always wears a men’s medium but this shirt was either labelled wrong or poorly manufactured. I read the return policy and it said returns must be made within 2 weeks. That’s the first problem: Christmas came after the return period ended. I knew we’d be in Auckland again for a concert mid January, so we used that time to visit Real Groovy as a family. Our music loving son had never been before and we’d told him how great it was as we’d been shopping there since we were teens ourselves. We had quite a shopping list of items that we wanted to pick up. The first thing we did was approach the counter and politely ask about getting the shirt exchanged. The staff member said he’d get the manager as he didn’t think it was possible. The manager (wish I got her name) just rather rudely said it can’t be exchanged now because more than 2 weeks had passed. Despite trying to explain it was a Xmas gift and that the shirt, as importantly, was not fit for purpose, she just looked at us blankly before repeating the two week rule. She then said if we’d emailed first it might have been ok. That just made matters worse because now she’s implying that it would be ok to overlook the two week rule but not in our case because we should have emailed. We’d driven across Auckland and paid for parking, etc. specifically to shop at Real Groovy. We ended up walking out with nothing but the tshirt we arrived with. I cannot understand how a company like this, so engrained in the culture of the city, cannot understand the lifetime value of a customer. Their one act of refusing to allow a teenage boy to swap a gifted tshirt for one that fits has cost them future business from us. Never again. Such a terrible experience and the worst part is that our son didn’t get to explore and our had the things he wanted. Do better,...

Well, I've been a long time customer and fan of RG for years, but have come away today feeling like I had the worst customer experience ever. I'm resisting the urge to do 1 star but it was only one person that really put me off. After dropping nearly $400 last week (birthday shopping) I realised I had doubled up on vinyl I already had. Took it back this morning with the receipt to exchange (not refund). Was told by the guy behind the counter they wouldn't accept one back as it had a crease in the cover (really? Not even a crease.) and I'd have to take it to another counter where they would evaluate it (as a second hand LP) and offer me a price. I decided to take it home and regift it. He then proceeded to tell me that I "was lucky we're giving you a full refund on the other one, as we don't have to. You should be grateful because that's our policy." I should be grateful. Well you know what Mr Customer Service person, you should be grateful that I kept my mouth shut in the store, and you should be grateful that I periodically drop several hundred dollars at your store that pays your wages and keeps you employed. You need to find another way to let customers know we should be grateful. Actually, I'm grateful that JB HiFi is just down the road and they have a great vinyl collection, and of course there's Flying Out in Pitt Street, oh, and Slowboat in Pōneke, who will now be getting my business. Don't act like you are doing us a favour people, because you're not. We are supporting you, not the other way around! Re: Owners Response. Thats a fair call - however not the reason for my review, my issue is with the attitude of the staff member. Their holier than thou attitude is the poorest customer service I've had...

The Good

A delightful array of genres available on vinyl. Truly, something for everyone, assuming you’re not too picky about condition or rarity.

The charm of listening to secondhand records. Who doesn’t love a little crackle and pop?

A great selection of old releases. Nostalgia, anyone?

The Bad

Often hilariously overpriced records. Clearly, vinyl is made from gold these days.

Modern releases? Who needs them! Not this store, apparently. Staff who are as clueless about the equipment as I am about quantum physics.

Custom ordering vinyl? Oh, don’t be ridiculous, you’ll take what’s in stock and like it.

Items sold as "new" often come with scuffed packaging, but hey, no price adjustments here! That’s the charm of "already adjusted" quality.

Response to the Owner’s Comment

Oh, a "fake account" with nearly 400 reviews and photos from actual places I’ve visited? That’s some dedication to fakery, huh? Maybe click my profile and take a look before throwing baseless accusations. It’s sad, really... rather than learning from criticism, you choose to bully your customers instead. Pro tip: Accepting feedback gracefully might just be better for business.

Adjusting my rating from 3 stars to whooping 1 based on "superior aftersales" and "outstanding customer service"

Disclaimer: My reviews reflect my genuine experiences: good, bad, or exceptional. Five stars are reserved for service that exceeds expectations. With over 400 reviews written and 7000 contributions , I don’t nitpick over trivialities like a $5 overcharge or a bitter coffee. As a former reviewer for The City Guide weekly, I base my feedback solely on the quality of...