My complaint:
I went to to this supermarket to buy my kids some ice cream from their serving ice cream bar. While I waited for 5 minutes for someone to come no one came they told me the person in charge was not available. So I decided to just grab some ice cream from the freezer section. As I go to pay I realize I do not have my actual ebt card in hand but I do have a photo on my phone with the numbers and an actual picture on it showing that it belongs to me. The cashier tells me she can not take the payment if I want I can ask her manager if she will let me make the purchase with my phone. As I go and speak to the manager in charge she tells me that no that is the rules it does not matter if my face was on it she can not. So I asked if she can provide me proof that is actually a rule since I have been able to make payments in other stores as long as my picture was on it and name. She saids she does not have to show me proof. I say ok you may be right but there should probably be sign up so this can make things a little less embarrassing for the customer. I also asked can you give me corporate number or some where I can complain about this because this is a little unfair that I have all the proof that this card belongs to me and you can not punch in the numbers manually. She gives me the number. With attitude and I as well say thank you with attitude. I proceeded to go back to the register to continue to make the purchase with a different card I found I had and she follows me all the way there and stand on the side looking at me weird. I pay with the other card I had as I grab my stuff I tell her god bless you and she tell me god will bless me and I don’t know why you are mad if you paid with an ebt card anyways. Which I thought was so rude and unprofessional to be screaming my business while other customers where there making purchases. I proceeded to tell her I only had $8 on that card and did not want to get declined and feel more embarrassed that’s why I walked all the way over to her office to ask in the beginning so that it was spoken quite. Going back i told her she did not have to be screaming that in front of peopl and she did not have to follow me to the cashier to watch me pay. I leave the store and I ended having to come back not even two mins later because the ice cream I purchased was melted as I’m walking back I catch her speaking to her co workers and other customers about me that I made a scene and I still had different payments to use. And that is so unprofessional on her behalf because the situation ended and she should not be talking about another customer while there are other customers around. She claims that she was telling her co workers the rules but that’s not what I heard as approached the register to make my return. She as manager should not be antagonizing the customer by following them down to see now how I was going to make my payment. Her job was to inform if yes or no and give me the number to corporate. That’s where the situation should have stood. Instead she followed me as if i did something wrong by asking her if I can use a card that is on my phone. In my opinion that made the situation escalate and cause me to react in embarrassing emotional way. And still when I called the number she gave me it was not corporate it to the store it self. As I started to record true situation to protect my self I asked why could she not give me the number she said she did not have it.if she is left in charge she should have the right information to provide to customer to make a complaint. My point is if that is such a rule it should be place some where in the store to aware customers of how you can purchase using it ebt. I have downloaded the rules of ebt and no where did I find you can not make a purchase using a photocopy or picture it has to be in physical form. As right now there are so many supermarkets and grocery taking online ebt payment by just entering your numbers and pin no physical card needed. I also made a complaint to the snap office that if this is a rule it should be provide to us the consumers of these cards so we know all the rules as well. As for Managment they should be a little understanding with the community. I provide as much information as I could. And after she resolved the situation there was no need for her to continue to follow me to the register as that made the situation uncomfortable.
Suggested solution:
They should post more information about how the ebt card can be used in their stores.
