Old Fashioned Thinking

No, I'm not referring to the drink, although I could have used one yesterday afternoon, just trying to help someone.

I can always use a tree peony, flower, though.  My very first flower from a plant purchased a couple of years ago.

The Last of my Tulips

Let me tell you a little story about modern life and online shopping.  But before I do, let me take a deep breath...

...because, as the saying go, it was educational.

I wasn't working yesterday, and, after my appointment with my chiropractor for my latest back issue, we decided to travel to the local (if you call 30 miles/48 km local) "Amish" store, and a nearby nursery/farm store, where I was hoping to find something.  The trip was a little hard on my back, and spouse and I were fairly exhausted by the gardening we (especially he) had done the past few days.

So, I ended up resting my back on the couch, and spouse went out the front door to do something.

Spouse came right back with a plain, open, brown paper bag he found on our front porch. Plain, as in no logo. Open, as in "not even sealed or stapled".   Inside were two brand new Fruit of the Loom bras. On the bag there was a label, with the name "Ambient", an order number, a couple of other numbers, and a customer's name - an initial and a last name.

Not mine.

The name wasn't familiar but then again, I really should know my neighbors better. (That's a story for another time.)

 I grabbed my laptop and did a Google search for the name.  I came up empty.  Then I Googled "Ambient" and found it was a delivery service for Wal Mart.

We have two Wal-Mart stores in our area.

I picked one, and called it.  After listening to the obligatory recorded greeting, which offered to tell me all about their COVID-19 policies, I finally maneuvered the phone tree to a real person and explained that I had someone else's bra delivery, although I wasn't sure which store it was from.  "I'll connect you to that department", he said.   No one ever answered, and after three beeps, I got disconnected.

So I posted on Facebook asking for advice.  Several people responded and I thank them for information they gave me. (If you, dear reader, was one of them, thank you!) One of my Facebook friends gave me a link to a Walmart chat function. But I couldn't use it without some fumbling around their site first, because all I really wanted to do was email them or call and explain my situation.  I couldn't find a phone number or way to email.  I finally found the chat button.

It started a chat with a chatbot:  the chatbot is in red.  My responses are in blue. The "Walmart bot" and "You said" came directly from the chat, which I wasn't able to do a screen capture of, but I could copy and paste it.

Choose a common issue from below or feel free to explain it in your own words.

You said

I received an order that does not belong to me. It was delivered by Ambient. I understand that is the service Walmart uses. I want the right person to get this order. The contents of the plain shopping bag are two Fruit of the Loom bras. Nothing indicates the store this belongs to.

Walmart bot said

I might be able to help you with that. Select an option below or choose something else to talk to an agent.

You said

It's something else

Walmart bot said

We will need to connect you to an associate to finish helping you with this issue. Please provide the email address for your Walmart account.

You said

I don't have a Walmart account. I got an order left on my doorstep. It is not mine.

Walmart bot said

That doesn’t look like a valid email address. Please try again.

You said

(my email address).

Walmart bot said

That email doesn’t match a Walmart account or any Walmart online orders. Please try again.

Sigh.

I am not repeating my response, which expressed my frustration.  For the record, I don't have a Wal Mart account and I was getting nowhere.  (No, it wasn't profane or rude).   To Walmart' credit, the bot offered to call me if I provided a phone number, which I did, and a rep called in seconds.

To summarize the few minutes of conversations, I explained about this wrong order and Ambient, and emphasized I had no idea if this was a Walmart order because there was no way whatsoever to identify the store the order came from.  He asked me for the order number, which I gave him.

Then he asked me for my name.

I replied, this wasn't my order.  Knowing my name won't help you.  I want someone to know this order went astray and I don't know who the merchant was.

Making a long story short, the rep told me he couldn't give me any information about the order (which I can understand).  He told me to "recycle" (his words) the merchandise.  

I'm hoping that the order number was a Walmart order number and that my conversation alerted their system that the order wasn't delivered properly.  Later yesterday, Walmart sent me an email asking me to rate my experience with the rep and I I did - for what he was able to do, I thought he handled it well.

Another Facebook person told me "don't try any further" and that was good advice.  I imagine when that person doesn't receive the order, he or she will take it up with the website.

As far as the "recycle" advice the Wal Mart rep gave me, still another Facebook friend gave me some advice, which was quite interesting.  The world has changed so, over these past years.

In enough ways, I haven't kept up with our changing world.  Call me an old fashioned thinker.