ComplaintsforOunce King Cannabis

• Initial Complaint

  12/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Discrimination! first its a regular day for me..first I enter the store. This is my first time being at the store ever, the budTender asked me that then he proceeded to pull me out different strands of marijuana. no one besides me nd him was in the store As I proceeded to look and noticed some strands wasnt to my liking.. so then I proceeded to look on the website to see if I could see items that he isnt showing me. i took a less than 1 min as scrolling you can tell by his body language that he wants me to hurry up and pick something .He then begun to ask me what my preference was What was I looking for so he could help more, *** then told him density, a good smell, texture. are my personal preference. he then began to get a little rude saying well i cant do anything about that and rush me because I wasnt picking fast enough for him and didnt like what he picked out but again he asked me for my preferences. As I felt like I was being rushed nd not valued I then told him I didnt want anything and you could put everything back. then Started to leave the building as I was leaving, he called me by my first name I turned around because I thought I left my ID. He then proceeded to say dont come back. You wasted my time. *** personally felt like that was totally disrespectful because I have a right to say yes or no to any item I want he then began to call the police after that. I felt very humiliated and emotional, because I have never had anything like this happen in my life. Since I am a black African-American, I feel like he treated me like that because he think he can being a white american. If i dont want the marijuana u are providing I have a right to say no and leave and just because i said no he says and i quote dont come back you waisted my time . a white couple enter the building and didnt get that same interactions at all. and i feel soo humiliated and its all because of my skin tone ! i asked for the manager nd he declined. ********** believe

  Business response

  12/06/2023

  First and foremost, Ounce King Cannabis does not engage in any type of unlawful discrimination. 

   

  According to ************** own testimony, she was welcomed into the store and the budtender on duty showed her different products to look at, and she said she didnt like them. She claims she was only on her phone for less than a minute, but surveillance footage shows that she was in the shop for triple the amount of time as our average customer. According to the budtender, she was being unpleasant and difficult to work with the entire time.

   

   

   This is his statement,

  I tried so hard to help her, I asked her why she didnt like what I showed her, what strains she likes, what brands she likes, what she normally spends, where she normally shops... All the basic questions I ask to people so I can better find the product that is perfect for them. She did not answer any of these questions and then ignored me to look at her phone for over 2 minutes. She finally said she "likes stuff that smells good." I informed her it was illegal for me to open containers for her to smell. So I asked her what type of smell she likes (fruity, skunky, citrussy, earthy, etc.). Again she refused to answer and decided to leave. The whole interaction was frustrating and I considered her behavior to be disrespectful of both myself and the store, so I did ask her not to come back.

   

  
  Upon being told not to come back, ************** became confrontational. She pulled her cellphone out and began recording the budtender. She was then informed that she was on private property, did not have consent to record, and was told to leave immediately. She refused to leave which is against the law, and because she was breaking the law, the police were called to ****** her off the property.
  

  
  ************** is permanently banned from Ounce King because she was disrespectful, broke the law, and prompted a 911 call. She has no right to claim she was discriminated against for being African-American. Ounce King Cannabis is located in a black neighborhood and the majority of our customers are African-American. We strive to provide excellent customer service to everyone, so long as they are respectful towards the business. This is evidenced by the fact we have over one hundred 5star reviews, many of which were written and posted by African-Americans.
  

  
  Surveillance footage will corroborate these claims as well as our customer data base and business profile. We would be happy to provide any evidence or information to an official BBB investigator if necessary. If a BBB agent or investigator has any questions please call the shop during business hours and ask to speak with a manager.

  Customer response

  12/07/2023

  according to Ounce king *********** I was in the store longer than an average customer   As i stated in my previous statement I was a NEW customer. So i would expect a new customer to take  longer than an average customer  youd usually comes across that from Checking out products, deals and so on and so forth. 
  
  
  I have A right to claim discrimination when its encountered, no matter the location of the 
  facility!  I have a right to look in the store even if i dont buy anything and say no!  I have a right to take my time  however long that *** be! I wasnt breaking any laws while the situation of me LOOKING occurred if i want to look on my phone for assistance I have a RIGHT to do so without being rushed ... he can offer me suggestions but i do not have to agree with them , I can look for myself and if i need help thats where he comes in He can not force me to be in and out of a store within 1mins-10 mins or when he feels like i should be done . they stated i took  longer than an average customer but its exactly that I am not an average customer I stated i was NEW when i first walked in and you shouldnt assume someone is a regular either that alone is discrimination, and thats what this whole situation is about assumptions . I didnt know it was okay to let your employees say rude things to customersyou wasted my time was totally unacceptable because i denied your products and left the store theres no ownership whatsoever no apology ,  just denial and Disregarding my feelings. statistics shows white Americans average more than African-Americans in that location 2020-2023. the numbers dont lie..  I dont care to come back to this location I WILL NEVER COME BACK i personally  dont want another african american to experience what experienced !!
  
  
  He say i asked her all the questions and she ignored me , but if i would have ignored him he would have never got my answer of me saying the  texture , the smell , the appearance,   i believe he doesnt want to mention that because he knows that i said that and they have footage to provide with it he then proceeds to bring up the smell . I am aware you arent allowed to open them thats not what i asked him to do whatever he simply asked my preferences and i answered.  you have audio and surveillance footage to prove my statement of the situation 
  
  
  on the behalf of me pulling out my camera.. i was recording myself..  my safety was at risk at the very moment  and i did so for my own personal safety. I was being confronted AGAIN after i had denied services , turned my back  and  proceeded to leave the location . He said those disgusted words at me and I quote ***** dont come back you wasted my time at the point i felt unsafe , pulled out recording Myself for my own safety as i proceeded to ask to speak with a manager.  I was never escorted out by  the police department i willingly left and the police left me go because there was no foul play done during my appearance and they have that surveillance evidence to prove statement as well  as both police officers i spoke to . The evidence speaks for itself . 

  Customer response

  12/08/2023

   
  Complaint: 20939925
  
  I am rejecting this response because according to Ounce king *********** I was in the store longer than an average customer   As i stated in my previous statement I was a NEW customer. So i would expect a new customer to take  longer than an average customer  youd usually comes across that from Checking out products, deals and so on and so forth. 
  
  
  I have A right to claim discrimination when its encountered, no matter the location of the 
  facility!  I have a right to look in the store even if i dont buy anything and say no!  I have a right to take my time  however long that *** be! I wasnt breaking any laws while the situation of me LOOKING occurred if i want to look on my phone for assistance I have a RIGHT to do so without being rushed ... he can offer me suggestions but i do not have to agree with them , I can look for myself and if i need help thats where he comes in He can not force me to be in and out of a store within 1mins-10 mins or when he feels like i should be done . they stated i took  longer than an average customer but its exactly that I am not an average customer I stated i was NEW when i first walked in and you shouldnt assume someone is a regular either that alone is discrimination, and thats what this whole situation is about assumptions . I didnt know it was okay to let your employees say rude things to customersyou wasted my time was totally unacceptable because i denied your products and left the store theres no ownership whatsoever no apology ,  just denial and Disregarding my feelings. statistics shows white Americans average more than African-Americans in that location 2020-2023. the numbers dont lie..  I dont care to come back to this location I WILL NEVER COME BACK i personally  dont want another african american to experience what experienced !!
  
  
  He say i asked her all the questions and she ignored me , but if i would have ignored him he would have never got my answer of me saying the  texture , the smell , the appearance,   i believe he doesnt want to mention that because he knows that i said that and they have footage to provide with it he then proceeds to bring up the smell . I am aware you arent allowed to open them thats not what i asked him to do whatever he simply asked my preferences and i answered.  you have audio and surveillance footage to prove my statement of the situation 
  
  
  on the behalf of me pulling out my camera.. i was recording myself..  my safety was at risk at the very moment  and i did so for my own personal safety. I was being confronted AGAIN after i had denied services , turned my back  and  proceeded to leave the location . He said those disgusted words at me and I quote ***** dont come back you wasted my time at the point i felt unsafe , pulled out recording Myself for my own safety as i proceeded to ask to speak with a manager.  I was never escorted out by  the police department i willingly left and the police left me go because there was no foul play done during my appearance and they have that surveillance evidence to prove statement as well  as both police officers i spoke to . The evidence speaks for itself . 

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

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