Good and Bad Company Experiences in 2008

As part of my series on looking back at 2008 posts, I thought it would be fun to review the companies that I had good and bad (and mixed) experiences with in 2008. It was interesting to go back through all the posts I had talking about company experiences -- who knew I had so many interactions with businesses worth writing about in 2008? Anyway, here's the list -- enjoy:

Good Experiences

• Menard's -- Very few companies make cents these days like they do.

• Logan's -- They seemed to deliver again and again.

• AAA -- Worth the price.

• Bed, Bath, and Beyond -- Always seems to have a good experience here.

• Chase -- I know, a shocker. But they made good for me in 2008.

• Dick's -- Usually high-priced, but they gave me the correct price on a mis-marked item.

Bad Experiences

• Checks in the Mail -- They just don't get it.

• Dell -- Are their computers really as crappy as their salespeople make them seem?

• Macy's -- Not much good to say about them.

• Kmart -- Not much to love here (except they help me buy cheap stuff to work off the Sears card I got as a refund.)

Mixed Experiences

• Costco -- I love how much I can (usually) save at Costco, but their (usually great) calendars were not up to par this year.

• Target -- They got a bad review early on, but turned things around in the end.

• Sears -- Sears came through on 2007's issue, then I had ANOTHER problem with them. It finally got resolved (though I had to write a letter to make it happen.)

• Walmart -- Thought I was done with them, but I went back and it's been "ok."

How about you? Are there any businesses that were clear winners or losers for you in 2008?

Comments

[Frank]

In regards to Bed, Bath, and Beyond... it seems they are already changing policies in lieu of Linens and Things closing.

No more expired coupons as of February 1st. Lame.

I don't need to shop at you BB&B, I'll just to to one of the many stores that have the same merchandise.

[Tarah]

One winner is Dress Barn. I'm at the line between regular and tall clothing, and their clothes have been fitting me, which is very rare to find.

One loser is Hancock Fabrics. They have a great selection and good prices, but the workers there seem to go out of their way to be nasty to me on many different visits. It has made me a convert to Jo-Ann's.

[Paul]

I had a bad experience at Walmart in 2008. I went there to get a new battery for a watch (bought in 2004 at Walmart for approx $60), and the Walmart person broke the watch in attempting to put the back plate on. I blame the person for being untrained on the use of the tool that is used for snapping the back onto the watch. Neither the local store or Walmart headquarters apologized or offered me anything in return for breaking my watch.

[justatron]

Paul, that is interesting regarding Walmart and your watch battery. Mine went out last week and I took it there to get replaced. There was a big sign at the Jewelry department stating that Walmart does not replace watch batteries in watches that they did not sell. I ended up taking it to a kiosk in the mall when other regular jewelry stores wouldn't touch a watch they didn't sell either. I wonder if regular reports of employees breaking watches led to this policy?

[JimL]

I seem to be having the same good and bad experience as FMF. We were looking for various items for our house this last week (towels, sheets, etc.) and I could not believe what they called "sale prices".

With Dell, I had ordered a computer with the Black Friday sale as a present for Christmas. They kept pushing off the delivery date and then said they could not deliver until February, unless I wanted to pay almost $200 more for a comparable computer. No more business with them.

Sears and Target did great for me during Christmas shopping by offering up great substitutions for out of stock items.

Loved shopping at Menards when I lived up north.

[Tarah]

Paul,
Go to an independant jeweler. They're the only ones I would trust to change a watch battery. The discount retailers almost always ruin the watch (I've had better luck doing it myself with the jewelers screwdriver set that I bought to adjust my flute, but I've been known to break watches myself). Independant jewelers want repeat business more than a mall kiosk, so, for the most part, they're going to give you better service.