ComplaintsforPrice Chopper Supermarkets

• Initial Complaint

  10/26/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 10/26 at a price chopper location, I was charged for pumpkins as a decorative item, making them ineligible for nys SNAP purchase. Under nys snap law, the store is only allowed to charge as such for purely decorative items, not ones that can be consumed. These pumpkins were used for pies and seeds, not for decoration. I have been refused as by remedy by both the store and corporate headquarters. I was hung up on repeatedly by customer service managers. Lisa, a customer service manager on duty, refused to escalate my call and told me I was being inappropriate when I asked who her boss was. I was told she had no boss and I would receive no help. I am owed $32.97 for the pumpkins I was charged for as decorative, when they were not. I will continue to escalate this until I receive reimbursement.

  Business response

  11/01/2021

  Dear Ms. *******: 
  This is in response to your complaint directed to the Better Business Bureau on October 27, 2021. Price Chopper continues to be committed to addressing consumer complaints and has a toll-free number in place for the convenience of our customers (1-800-666-7667). We have operators available Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm. 
  We are very sorry you were charged for pumpkins in a manner that you believe was improper and did not allow for NYS SNAP eligibility. Price Chopper abides by the relevant New York State Department of Taxation Opinion on this issue, TBS-A-10(30)S, which specifies that certain pumpkin types are intended for decorative or carving use and therefore subject to sales tax and not SNAP-eligible. In other words, even if you bought a pumpkin with the intention of using it for pies and seeds, it is possible that the pumpkin is of a type that is considered decorative and therefore subject to sales tax and not SNAP-eligible. We are happy to work with you to confirm whether this was the case; please reach out to a member of our customer service team at the number above and have your receipt ready so we can verify which type of pumpkin was purchased. 
  Please don't hesitate to reach out to our customer services department at the number above if you have any further questions or concerns. Price Chopper exists because of and for the people we serve, like you. 
  Sincerely, 
  Debbie W**** Paralegal 
  

  
  

  Customer response

  11/01/2021

  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.

  I have already contacted the customer service line multiple times. The manager on duty, lisa, was extremely rude and said she had no boss to escalate the situation with. I was hung up on 3 separate times by your 'super helpful' customer service employees. You cannot decide food is decorations just so you can find a way around the snap laws. That's not how the laws work. Crazy that I bought the same exact pumpkins from **** with none of these problems I'm having from price chopper, a store that until now, has been my main place of grocery shopping for over 15 years. No longer though. 

  I want my $32.97 refund, and I will not be contacting customer service AGAIN to get it. But I WILL get it. You can't just screw people over and expect to keep getting away with it. You're not that big of a company, and you can easily fall the way of bankruptcy like every other upstate NY based grocery chain who just doesn't know how to operate the right way. I want my money, and will continue to escalate this until I receive it. I've already contacted the NYS SNAP office, so I'm extremely aware of just how wrong you are in your assessment of this situation. The ONLY acceptable resolution is some form of compensation to me in the amount of $32.97. 
  Regards,
  ***** *******
  
  
  
  
  

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