Losing Trust
Nowadays, there are a lot of brands that have risen up to worldwide recognition. But what happens when these companies disappoint their customers so much that they lose them?
The following is a list of customers that lost faith in their favorite brands forever. Their stories might make you change your mind about some of the biggest companies in the world, even if they're among your favorites.
The New Pinterest
On Pinterest, you could click to read and get the info a while ago. Now it takes you to another site with tons of ads where you have to scroll a mile to get it all. You might even have to give your email if you truly want the info. I find myself skipping those.
Pinterest also ruined Google searches. Nothing is worse than clicking on a search result and ending on the Pinterest home page. It doesn't even take you straight to the pin that appeared in the search. Do people still use Pinterest?
No More Reliable Tools
Craftsman, Black, and Decker, Stanley, basically every old American tool company is now a shell of its former self. I think there are still some good ones, but it turns out the consumers prefer to buy a new wrench every year that costs half as much than pay double for one that lasts decades.
The race to the bottom is real, and "opening up China" in the '80s and 90's really did a number on how American consumers perceive value. I can't find a good tool anymore in these stores.
No More Etsy
Etsy used to be about handmade, creative, artistic goods and materials. Now, most shops you purchase from overseas mass producers and ship you those items. Large-scale businesses took over, and the fees were very high, but the mass producers could afford it and still make a profit.
Etsy is making a lot of money, so they don't care too much about their original business plan. There was a famous scandal where Etsy spotlighted a producer of supposedly handmade furniture made from old boats, but they weren't. I haven't bought from or trusted Etsy since then.
Macy's Downfall
Macy's is just an ordinary store now. Most of their locations are sad, ugly, and depressing. Those who remember the good old times are very disappointed in how this brand turned out.
Macy's used to be the "fancy" store you went to when you wanted quality clothing. Now it's the same stuff everyone else has. I no longer shop there.
Lowe's Underhanded Practices
I worked for Lowe's for five years. The stories I could tell you of underhanded practices and horrible business decisions will horrify you. And their need to be the blue Home Depot is so outrageously pushed to no end. It used to be a fantastic place where you could retire and have great benefits.
They want to sell like Home Depot but specifically market to middle-aged women on Pinterest. What a Joke.
Victoria's Secret
It's obvious that Victoria's Secret is desperate to keep afloat and will take almost any measure to do so. They have tried: new angels, third party brand collaborations, use of influencers, massive sale discounts, and even selling third party products (swimwear) and pushing new fragrances, cosmetics, clothing, etc. Despite their efforts, sales continue to fall, and VS is left closing multiple locations across the US.
I think their biggest issue is price. You need to pay $70 for cheap, shapeless lingerie. I could go to a department store and buy half-decent lingerie for $40-50, or a good lingerie store and buy quality lingerie for $70-80. Same with their clothing. Who pays $40 for a basic cotton jacket?
Fry's Electronics
As a tech guy, I used to walk in and almost hear an angel choir welcoming me to heaven. I walked the other day to a huge section of beds. How did they decide to start selling mattresses and all sorts of random stuff?
I recently watched a sorry YouTube "documentary" on Fry's showing clips of how it used to be. To be honest, I think they were absolutely decimated by online sites like Amazon. The hobbyist electronic market dwindling, and the massive overhead associated with running massive brick and mortar stores.
PayPal's Lack Of Customer Service
I've been denied withdrawing my money from my PayPal account for literally no reason whatsoever. I've had to verify my card five times, and the customer service is non-existent. I sure hope this isn't the experience everyone gets.
The customer service is, at worst, non-existent and at best an experience so lazy that there are legends about just how bad it is.
GameStop's Ways
I used to love buying physical copies, so I'd always go to my local GameStop to buy my games. Life started to get busy, so I'd buy them on the PlayStation online store instead of pre-ordering games at the physical store. The nail in the coffin was just the other week when I purchased a pre-owned game and was accidentally charged twice for it on my debit card.
It took three phone calls, two emails, and a visit to the store before I could make any progress in getting a refund. Just finished my call with customer service, and I should finally get a refund within ten days. Still, that experience has sealed the deal for me that they will no longer get my business.
Adobe's Subscription Model
Paying €130 for Lightroom with an upgrade to a new version (every 1-2 years) costing €70 was a very fair deal for hobby photographers. Buy the software and then buy every other upgrade (or not) and use it forever. But, Adobe had to switch everything to their subscription model, so now you pay €12 per month to keep using the software.
The "perpetual license" version hasn't received feature updates in pause time. It recently got its last camera/lens support update. I'll keep using the software as long as I have a camera/lens supported and it's not outdated. Still, once there's a need to update, I will look for something that's not made by Adobe.
eBay's Buyer Protection Program
Their buyer protection encourages rampant fraud and abuse. Electronics and vinyl pieces in particular. A perfectly fine item will get a return requested when all of a sudden there's a "scratch" or defect that never existed before. Try and deny it, citing your multiple pictures and description. eBay says no and takes it from your PayPal.
I have never heard of a dispute going in a seller's favor. You're forced to accept the return, still owe them the final value fee, and pay for shipping back. Try and get eBay to take care of that. They'll say it's not their problem or require further proof. Excuse me? Do not use eBay!
Denny's Management
I had to wait 40 minutes for cold food and 20 after we finished eating to get the check. There were four people with four separate checks in line, and every ticket had our collective mismatched food.
It took 15 minutes for the manager to fix it. Some of the stuff on the ticket we didn't even get. Waffle House is home. I will never go to Denny's ever again.
Mcdonald's Is Actually Expensive
I know McDonald's has never had quality food, but at least it used to be cheaper than the other options. A while ago, I stopped in and paid 8.50USD for a breakfast sandwich, small orange juice, and an undercooked hash brown.
I went to a local bagel shop. They offered me the same ingredients, better quality, bigger portions, and a final cost of 7 dollars. Never again will I give McDonald's my money.
Uber's Lack Of Security
My Uber account got hacked, and someone got a couple of rides in Beijing using my data. I live in the USA. I contacted their support about it, and they gave me CREDITS.
They wouldn't just refund my money after my account got compromised. Such an awful company. I have started using Lyft instead and haven't had any problems yet. Bye Uber!