ComplaintsforTops Markets LLC

• Initial Complaint

  04/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Called and spoke with a clerk at store #49 who said that they would check to see if the ******* *****-3lb dry roasted, unsalted in the shell peanuts(yellow bag) were mold-free before I made the commute to the store for purchase. After his brief inspection he said they are mold-free!. I get there and Mold is on all the yellow bag peanuts. I was told by other clerks that it is dirt, and by another that it is charring from the roasting process. Another consumer over hearing our discussion made her own observation and she too agreed that it was indeed black mold! When alone one clerk who said it was dirt recanted his remark. I said I know they are subterranean but this is not dirt. His response "you are right". However both store manager and office manager play the idk game...zero accountability! Store manager proceeded to fluff the moldy nuts as to make a better presentation after we shuffled them for examination instead of removing from shelf until further review. In Buffalo, NY. Niagara Ave, South Park Ave, locations alike. This is not a shake down or gotcha scheme... I do not wish for compensation. I pursue only quality products from a trusted vendor who has been established for 60 years... To raise the bar, have them removed, and possibly reimbursed with a possible recall on said product. Next time you frequent your local tops proceed to the produce department and seek the yellow bag and examine. What is your observation?... Dirt? Roasting process? Or good ol black MOLD?

  

  Business response

  04/18/2022

  This customer has reached out to us about this, at no time did he request a refund.  On his behalf we did reach out to ******* ******. The response is as follows:  "What the customer is seeing isn’t dirt or a result of the roasting process, it actually happens during harvest. It’s more of a “stain” from rain/fog during the drying process, after the peanuts are pulled from the ground. The drying process usually takes a week or so, so unfortunately mother nature doesn’t always cooperate.
  
  The shells aren’t the “prettiest”, but they are within spec. These peanuts are NOT affected by mold (mold would impact the peanut kernel inside, and typically be a blue/green color and appear “fuzzy”). These are called “dalmationed peanuts.” When peanuts have been pulled from the ground and turned over to dry naturally in the sun, a rain shower can come through and blemish the shells. Heavy fog can also cause some shells to turn darker. The shells may be blemished but the kernel inside is perfectly fine and within spec.
  The peanuts are tested for mold before ******* ***** purchases them for their use. There is a chance the consumer will see this again. Some growing areas have given ******* ***** pretty shells, but most didn’t.
  I hope this helps explain the crop that ******* is working with this season."  I apologize he does not like the answer.  He did state that he is seeing this at other retailers as well.  Tops markets stands buy its products.  If he is not happy with the bags of peanuts he can return them. As far as the explanation, he needs to contact ******* Peanuts and discuss further.  

  Customer response

  04/19/2022

  Better Business Bureau: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.Regards, Rio Reid So it's not a fungus? The deception continues... Root knot nematode disease ring a bell anyone? If the Farmer deceives ******* *****, and ******* ***** deceives Tops, and Tops deceives the consumer... Who deceived the Farmer?... Mother Nature? Peanuts are grown under ground! Would not the staining occur there first? Yes! That is because of the nematode worm infestation. It's been well documented. .000001% of a lie corrupts the entire truth!

• Initial Complaint

  03/31/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I shopped at the Depew NY / D&L Tops Markets today. At the self checkout, I selected to receive $60 cash back from my debit card with the transaction, & the machine froze. We asked the self checkout employee for assistance. She told us that the maximum amount allowed for cash back is $50. She stated that she voided the debit card transaction, & told me to try again but with requesting only $50 back. I did, & the machine printed my receipt and a coupon, but no money was dispensed at that point. When I looked at the screen, it showed a total of $43.18, so I figured that the cash back transaction was not approved. I glanced at the receipt on the way out, and the total said $43.18, paid by Debit. However, I received the banking alert from *****, and the total debited was $93.18. I looked at the receipt again, and about 3/4 of the way down just above the survey message, it read $93.18. I immediately called the store and told them what happened. They transferred me back the the self checkout employee, and she told me that the machines have that issue often, and that she was even once "screwed" out of $50 in a cash back transaction where the money did not dispense. She told me that Tops won't do anything about it because they don't care, then said sorry & hung up. We drove to the store, and asked for a manager. We spoke with Joe, & explained what happened. He took our receipt & went to the back office. About twenty to twenty five minutes later, he returned, and said that the money was dispensed but we never took it, and the customer behind us got it. However, my wife & I both looked down and saw no cash. Manager "Joe" refused to help us, & did not allow us to see the security camera video footage when we insisted that we both did not see any case in the bill dispenser. Also, these machines are "voiced", & tell you when you have change or cash back, by a recorded message that states; "Your cash is being dispensed below", but it never played the message.

  

  Business response

  04/18/2022

  I apologize for this.  This is a franchise location and because of that I will have to refer you to the store manager.  His name is Paul.  I have forwarded your complaint to him for review along with my recommendations.  If you do not hear from him within 7 days please reachout to our call center.  They will put you in contact with Myself, Cheryl C******.  I am the director of Customer Experience.  

  Customer response

  04/18/2022

  Better Business Bureau: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  Regards, *********** *** ***** *******

• Initial Complaint

  08/21/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Was trying to use e-coupons on 8/20/21. Tried registering bonus card but kept getting errors (wouldn't accept card number). Registered a new digital card, and loaded e-coupon. Went to store to purchase items, but e-coupon wouldn't work at register. Store personnel basically said "tough luck", and couldn't/wouldn't do anything to help. Went home & confirmed that e-coupon was loaded to card, & that phone number & card number were correct, all of which were. I realize this is a relatively insignificant amount, i.e. the coupon value, but it points to other larger issues. Like advertising issues. Incorrect price issues. The fact that store personnel couldn't/wouldn't do anything. Perhaps Tops should reconsider their tag-line to Tops Unfriendly Stores. Web site issues. A person shouldn't have to go thru so much hassle to simply register a loyalty card. A person shouldn't have to endure helpless store personnel, whom seemingly have no abilities to provide service and/or resolve issues.

  

  Business response

  08/23/2021

  I apologize for the inconvenience.    I will reach out to the store and make sure they are trained properly.  I will be placing a $10 gift card in the mail for you to use in the future.  

  Customer response

  08/23/2021

  Better Business Bureau:I appreciate the reply.I want to make you aware of other issues from my last few visits at Tops:A couple of weeks ago as I was shopping at the Northfield Tops, I had placed my hand held cart onto the conveyor belt, to save space (I had asked about this before on a previous visit, and the Cashier said it was ok), but this Cashier (older woman) proceeded to angerly dump the contents of my cart onto the belt, spilling my items everywhere.  Damaging many of those items.A few days later I visited this Tops again and couldn't shop in the Produce section, because so many Employees were crowding the section (one guy was rearranging the produce, and several more were just standing around watching this one guy).  I couldn't even maneuver around.  Most every item I was looking for had been removed, and stacked onto a cart.  When I asked if I could get to certain items, they just said "no, we're rearranging stuff".Then, just this past week, a couple of days prior to the issue that is the subject of this complaint, I was again trying to shop for produce.  This was late morning, and yet very little was out/restocked yet.  No corn, no lettuce, no radish, no peppers.  I didn't get a single produce item I was looking for.This store is an absolute nightmare.I try to go out of my way to shop at smaller stores, rather than the grocery giants, but this Tops is making that absolutely frustrating. I honestly can't remember the last pleasant visit I had to Tops.I was recently reading about how much Tops is struggling to compete with the larger stores.I say, no kidding.You can't keep providing terrible service, angering people, turning them away, but expecting them to come back.It certainly seems as if they don't want business.  Like they go our of their way to turn people off & away.I've lost most all desire to even try to shop at Tops anymore.  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. bringing this   Regards,

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩