BAD SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

  Have you also, at some time, had a bad 
  shopping experience at your pharmacy?

   I recently filled a script for 30 Rythmol 
   tablets. I  didn't open the box right away
   as I still had a few tablets left.  When
   I did open it I was shocked to find 
   that they had only supplied me with 20 tablets.  I had no recourse - I didn't know until it was too late. This is a big loss to me as  10 Rythmol tablets cost R90 and you can only get them on script.   I now  check the contents as soon as I receive my medication.

On another occasion, further back in time, I purchased a jar of Nivea Q10 Plus  night face cream.  At that stage it was priced at R150.  I took it off the shelf, put it in the trolley, paid for it and on arrival at home locked it in a drawer in my wardrobe as I still had some left.  This jar was encased in a perfect box, no scratches, no dents, no signs of damage, just perfect.

When I opened it a few weeks later,  the box was still in the same pristine condition, but when I turned the lid of the jar to open it   I found, to my horror that it  was crushed - not merely cracked but crushed. Needless to say, the contents were unusable as the cream was spiked with crushed glass.  That glass jar was deliberately placed in that perfect box.  There are three different ways to explain why  the jar was in that condition. It could have happened at the factory before or while being packaged, it could have been a curious customer who opened the box dropped the jar onto the floor put it back into the box  and quickly replaced it on the shelf, or otherwise some staff member of the pharmacy was responsible.

Again I had no recourse - again it was too late.  I did send them a letter of complaint but to this day, have not received an answer.  I no longer buy face cream as I do not have time to examine the contents of boxes before I make a purchase.  I personally feel that it is up to the supplier of the goods to ensure that the goods they sell are up to scratch.

On yet another occasion I purchased among other things, a tweezer without a price tag. After paying the bill I realized that it was a lot higher than I had expected and so queried it and found that the tweezer price was over R200 as it was gold tipped. As I do not need gold tipped tweezers I asked for my money back. I was forced to make a scene in order to accomplish this.  They had just taken my cash and now tried to fob a credit note on me.

I am interested to know whether other customers open boxes and turn lids on jars before purchasing them and also whether everyone checks the pills in their packaging immediately they arrive home.  Is it only me that is so foolish?