Do you all know that I have a little thing for watches? Ok, you in the back, you didn’t know? Well, I like watches. Most of them I have picked up at garage sales or on clearance, so all of my watches have come pretty inexpensively (except that one with the interchangeable bands that Ryan got me for our anniversary one year. He spent WAY more than I would have spent on a watch, but that’s ok, I really enjoyed that watch. I actually got him a watch for our anniversary that year, too. That must have been back in the day when we gave each other anniversary gifts. But I digress…). When your watches number in the double digits, you have to change batteries quite often. Here’s where WalMart comes in. They have the cheapest watch batteries, and they’ll change them for you for free. I’ve been known to go into WalMart with three or four watches on my wrists so that I won’t forget to get new batteries when I go in.
So, I went to WalMart today for birdseed and a few other things, and took in my pink watch to get a new battery. I asked the guy at the counter if he could change the battery for me. He asked for the watch. I handed it over, and he said, “We don’t work on this brand.” Oh, why is that? “Because we don’t sell them here.” Wow. I feel like I’ve been snubbed by WalMart.
Now if it were Target, I could understand. I’ve asked them to change watch batteries and they’ve flat out refused when they found out I didn’t buy the watch there. But WalMart? I expected them to be more open. More understanding. More willing to give me a new cheap watch battery. Now I’m going to have to remember to take this watch with me to the mall (and how often do I go to the mall? Three or four times a year, maybe) to go to the watch repair place. Grrr. And this is one of my favorite watches. It will have to sit there on my dresser–unworn, unloved, unused. Hey, maybe I can take the kids to the mall someday this week?
If there is one thing I learned about Wal-mart, it is ASK SOMEONE ELSE! You could possibly try the following: “That man over must not understand what I was saying. I think he is new. I get ALL of my watch batteries here, because I just LOVE Wal-mart, and he can’t seem to figure out how to change it. Could you possibly help me or direct me to his manager so that maybe she can help teach him?” If you are going to a woman, they will ALWAYS help you to show up the man who couldn’t/wouldn’t. Also, if you call them by their name, they suddenly feel compelled to help you because you know them or at least remember their name somehow (they forget they are wearing a name tag) and if you call them by name, you might also report them–or so they think. Just make sure you figure out their name without being obvious you are looking at the nametag.
Sounds like you got snubbed by Wal-Hud 🙂 !!
Of course I like Kimberly’s idea, ask someone else 🙂 !!
I had the same experience about a year ago. It had been a HORRIBLE day for me and I just wanted a watch battery replacement. Iwas hinging my whole, “If I can at least get this done, than this day won’t be a total failure” thought process. When they told me they couldn’t do it for me, I started to cry. He still didn’t help me. I feel your pain.
Well, if there HAD been any one else at the jewelry booth, maybe I could have asked them, but this is WalMart, you know. The first time I went by there was no one there. I considered myself lucky to find an actual person there when I went back. Oh well.
Here’s a tip for all watch wearers. When you’re not wearing it, pull the stem out so it doesn’t run the battery down. Hey! How clever is that!