09/19/09

It's a grocery store, why do you need customer service?

by Dexterous1

Maybe these nit-pickers that are writing bad reviews are used to feeling important at their local Kroger or by the KFC manager. You buy groceries. If something has gone bad, don't buy it. If you don't like the smell, don't buy it. I love this place. You just have to know how to do it right. The only thing I don't buy is cheese, but the smell on everything else isn't too bad, I've actually grown to crave it.

They save money by not hiring cart boys and having a typical customer service. Do you need someone to hold your hand? I'm sorry, but I'm glad they don't waste their time on petty complaints. It's kind of like the Vortex, they produce good food and don't give a damn if you never come back. I know I appreciate the great quality and prices. I'm glad I'm not paying more because someone gives a damn your graham crackers smell like the market you are shopping in. Spare me.

• Pros: Buffet, Croissants, Buffalo, Cheapest Organic produce
• Cons: Dumb people that are out of place

09/12/09

Food tastes like the Dekalb Farmer's Market

by Mishy48

DeKalb Farmers Market = Customer NO (0) Service. No one will talk to anyone who wishes to complain, ask questions about products, need info. Unable to reach management. Market must be run by the cashiers and floor staff.

Buford Highway Farmer'...s Market (cheaper) , H Mart, etc. much better and they actually have active customer service personnel who try to help. Buford Highway FM has a person stationed in product dept to answer questions and provide customer service.

My main complaint is that the packaged food, deli food, refrigerated etc. starting to take on "extra taste/flavor" of entire Market - just like when it was at its old location on Medlock. Bought some graham crackers - had to throw away due to nasty Market taste. Perhaps a thorough cleaning and sterilizing of the store would help. Tried several times to talk to someone, left comment cards. No one ever responds and I mean ever!

This has gone on for about 1-1/2 years. So time to move on.

I work at a high end gourmet cookware store and have heard this same scenario from many customers and co-workers. I recommend Buford Highway FM and H Mart, regular grocery stores, Whole Foods and Fresh Market, but NOT DeKalb FM.

Time to shop elsewhere like the Buford Highway Farmer's Market. They are cheaper and are always willing to listen and improve.

Former loyal customer of over 25 years. I know they will say too bad so sad, because they do not care.

• Pros: None
• Cons: No customer service.

07/15/09

Great prices!!!

by CSMobileUser

Putting aside customer service, the selection & prices were amazing. For $83 I got enought food for three weeks. I will go there as long as I live in Atlanta.

05/29/09

Horrible Customer Service

by yellowband

Something has clearly changed at the DFM. I have never been treated so disrespectfully by a store manager in my lfe. Mike manager who will not give his last name needs to be fired. He also needs to get a life.

• Pros: good variety
• Cons: rude management rude employees

05/18/09

extremely rude with customers, morally impaired management

by Juzeppe

...it was about 9 p.m., we almost finished filling our carts when they were going to close. They didn't allow us to take the last item, used of the dirty language and behaved an offensive way (the workers as well as the manager). Moreover, they literally pushed us out of the place without all the staff in our carts we were going to purchase.

They treat their customers like sh1t. No more shopping there! i will better pay more in the other places. The manager is truly morally impaired. With such a "service", I hope to see them out of business soon. People like those, strangle this beautiful country.

• Cons: they treat their customers like sh1t

05/18/09

YDFM passes counterfeit bill, then bans customer

by elljayess

I purchased food from Your Dekalb Farmer's Market's (YDFM's) "cash only" cafe. My amount was $6.34. I paid it with a $20.00 bill. The cashier returned to me $13.66 in change.

After eating, I shopped for groceries which came to approximately $19.76, I attempted to pay with another $20.00 bill, and the $10.00 bill that came from YDFM's $13.66 change. The cashier marks both bills, then states that the $10.00 is counterfeit. In the confusion, she never gave me back my clean $20.00 that I tried to put with the $10.00 YDFM passed to me. This $10.00 is eventually given to Mahburbuy Rahman. Rahman, who later stated he was a supervisor, and not a manager, asked for my receipt. When I told Rahman I threw my receipt in the trash, and that someone would have to find it, he stated that he did not need the receipt, but that he would find the cafe cashier to see if that person remembered passing the $10.00. When Rahman brought an employee to me, I did not remember him, and the man did not remember me. When I restated that someone needed to go through the trash, Rahman replied that I could go and look through the trash, but that no one would accompany me. Both YDFM's undercover security, who were extremely unprofessional, concurred.

By this time, I had called DeKalb County police to make a report. I also knew better than to reenter YDFM without an escort. When police officer Wright arrived, I explained what happened and walked him to the cafe stating that I needed a report, and either a copy of the receipt, or that I would need to get it from the trash.

Long story short: YDFM did not have a duplicate receipt; I looked through the trash until officer Wright needed me to come out front; officer Wright stated YDFM was not pressing charges; I told officer Wright that I was the one who should press charges since YDFM passed the counterfeit bill to me; officer Wright stated that YDFM wanted me to leave the premises; the second YDFM security person stated that I was banned permanently; officer Wright stated that was YDFM's right.

So I am out of not only the $10.00, an additional $20.00, my weekly groceries, and basically the only place that I shop for groceries.

• Pros: Cheapest prices
• Cons: Bad customer service

03/08/09

They do not refund or exchange, very bad customer service

by chocolatepie

They have a terrible customer service!! I bought a bottle of wine that had price tag of $3.99 below the shelf and I just grabbed it without checking the name of the wine with price tag, I bought whole bunch of other stuff and I did not check the price when they scan it at cashier. A day later, I checked the receipt and I paid $ 11.29 for the bottle! I went back and asked for refund, but they told me it is my falut that that I did not check the price before I went out the store and they can not do anything about it. They are very rude and no customer service at all. I am very disappointed and I do not want to shop there again. Please be careful when you buy things there, you do not get to exchange or refund.

• Pros: reasonable
• Cons: worst customer service

01/02/09

Great food selection not worth the abyssmal customer service

by Artemis664

I have never had such poor customer service! I bought plums to make my daughter's baby food, and when I cut them open they were all spoiled. That same day I went back with the cut-open plums, the original bags, and the receipt, and the store refused to refund my money, or even issue a store credit! I had to argue with the woman at customer service to even speak with the manager, and when he finally came to speak to me he said there was nothing he could do. He even told me that he couldn't be sure I hadn't bought the plums at an earlier date, and was trying to return them with a different receipt! I was outraged, but filled out the customer complaint form which supposedly was going to lead to a call to me from the owner. I haven't heard from the owner yet, 5 days later.

I am really disappointed in such poor customer service. I love the Farmer's Market for their variety of fresh foods, but I don't like to patronize stores with blatant disregard for basic customer service. It's bad enough not to be refunded my money, but it was unacceptable to be accused of lying about when I bought the spoiled produce.

• Cons: terrible customer service

10/28/08

Best prices, best produce, best wine selection, but, yes, it stinks

by SleepyLabRat

The prices are amazing (especially on spices! wow!), the produce is incredibly fresh, and you can find just about any unprocessed food you could want.

But beware the stench. "Fish and bleach" is exactly the conclusion my husband and I came to and every time I return home from this place, he sarcastically sniffs my hair and says, "Ahhh... eau de Dekalb Farmer's Market!" The smell gets in your clothes and hair if you spend more than a few minutes inside.

The produce and grains are located sufficiently far enough away from the seafood department that they don't seem to be affected, but steer clear of the breads and in-house-packaged cheeses.

We buy all our coffee there and haven't experienced a fishy cup yet. On the contrary, their coffee is delish! And they even sell green beans for the DIY-er.

They also have an incredible wine selection at prices far below what you will find anywhere else.

• Pros: Prices, selection
• Cons: The unavoidable aroma of bleached fish

10/07/08

Is it the fish?

by kcs404

I agree with the last post. I'm glad to know that it's not just me.

Been shopping there for a long time. Off and on. Came back recently because they have good prices for fresh produce. However, the smell! What exactly is it?

I've noticed it before, but it seems to be getting worse. I bought a block of cheese (not prepacked) that reeked. Totally inedible. The breads have the smell too, but noticed that it goes away for the most part when I toast it. Then there was the coffee. Got the whole beans, brewed it up one weekend and sure enough, when I took a sip, there it was! Y-U-C-K!

Is it the fish? Really?

• Pros: Variety and price of fresh produce
• Cons: That prolific, invasive stench