I’ve been shopping at Ben’s Independent Grocer (BIG) in Publika for a few years. It carries a lot of imported fruits, vegetables and dry goods like candy which appeals to me. I remember a lot of my wacky cooking adventures are based on products bought here, like Gordon Ramsay’s duck breast with Madeira jus, tomatillo apple cranberry chutney and parsnip purée, How to Make Stuffed Artichokes and Buttered King Grouper with White Wine Reduction in Bouchees Poissons. I also got our turkey from them two years running – for both our 2013 Christmas dinner and 2014 Christmas dinner.
No, this is not a sponsored post or an “invited review”. I’ve never met the people from BIG – I’m just a customer, like everyone else. I just wanted to highlight a rather interesting experience that happened over the weekend.
It’s very easy for people (including myself) to slam a brand/store/restaurant when something goes wrong. However, I don’t think enough thanks go to them when something goes right – it’s like the toast falling buttered side down theory, it seems like we’re less inclined to remember the good but never fail to recall the bad.
Anyway, I was at BIG in Publika to check out their Chinese New Year stuff and bought some items made by Maxim (the famous Hong Kong bakery). I love their stuff and the Mahjong pineapple tarts I got last year was a huge hit. I got a metal tin of Mei-Xin Egg Rolls (Classic) and Mei-Xin Almond Mille-feuille to try out with my better half.
I thought if they were good, I can buy more to bring back to Sibu and stock up over here. The point is that, we wanted to try them first.
However, I noticed that the Mei-Xin Almond Mille-feuille was *missing* when I got home 3 hours later. I think the cashier might have packed it in two different bags and I only brought one back.
I called the number on the receipt and spoke to a guy who identified himself as Fikri, and he said my Mei-Xin Almond Mille-feuille is there and I could pick it up anytime. I’ve done this before at other hypermarkets (having atrocious short term memory) but never had any success getting it back before – either someone else took it, or worse, apparently the cashier did (at a memorable instance in a local hypermarket chain which I won’t name).
It goes to show how good BIG is and the clientèle they attract that none of these things happened.
My missing Mei-Xin Almond Mille-feuille (RM 49.90) was logged in their log book and they were waiting for me to call. I was unable to pick it up the next day so I sent a photo of the receipt to my better half for her to get it on my behalf.
She didn’t need it at all – the lady at the counter just picked up another Mei-Xin Almond Mille-feuille from the large display they have there and she signed off the log book and I got it back at night.
BIG at Publika is my favorite place to shop, not just coz of good incidents like these but due to the overall customer experience. It’s the reason why I only shop at Coles when I was studying in Australia – they have a great policy where if the cashier scanned a wrong item, the entire bill will be free (not advertised anymore) and you can open a drink in there for a long shop and just scan the empty can at the end.
BIG used to have the same policy about drinking in their store too, but there are signs prohibiting that now. I think the trust system doesn’t work very well when it’s open to everyone so that’s understandable in Malaysia.
Still, it’s a great place to get groceries and small positive experiences like this makes it all the better. 🙂
Is that for me? Wink! Wink! Muahahahahaha!!!!!
I seem to leave things behind very often these days – old age…especially when they put the things in several bags. Once, I left a bag of ham, bacon, sausages…expensive stuff but when they saw me walking back to look for it, they came running out to pass the bag to me. So nice, the people at the supermart at the mall near our houses. Another time, they sent a girl to run after me. Must try to concentrate more, stop browsing online while doing stuff. Hehehehehe!!!!!
You are very lucky to be able to clarify it with that Fikri guy.. When I was reading your post, I was imagining they said they couldn’t help you if you had forgotten to pickup your goods at the counter.. I’m still imagining it now.. Imagine calling back to the hypermarket after 3 hours telling them that I’ve forgotten one of your bags, I think the people there already sapu-ed my bag, no chance getting it back already..
haha .. Lucky you ! Seems like you are shopping for CNY !
I had that happen to me before at my neighbourhood supermarket (Jusco) and managed to get it back too.
You eat a lot of Nestle products!
i will be heartache if unable to claim that RM49.90 Almond Mille-feuille coz it isn’t cheap! U r lucky for being able to claim back, such occasion is so rare.
I love egg rolls and pineapple tarts! Just that best not to consume the latter one at the moment… Hehe~
Recently I had lunch with the boss of Carat Club there after buying his groceries. Smart shoppers go there and well heeled also shops there. Now I know HB hangs out there for years too. Wow!
Kudos to Fikri and everyone at BIG. I really hope that more people can ditch that finder’s keepers mentality in Malaysia.
I haven’t left any grocery bags behind before but I’ve dropped a whole host of other items before. For example, I’ve lost my current cellphone THREE times but managed to recover it every time. More recently, I left a freaking camera lens behind but someone turned it over to the lost and found counter (happened in Japan though).
That’s very efficient of BIG!!!
My Mom made a grocery purchase at this hypermarket (which shall remained nameless) once and forgot to bring it with her until the cashier chased after her…. that brings to mind this incident at Ikea too. It didn’t happen to either me or my Mom but someone else.
I personally haven’t left behind any grocery bags, but there has been cases where I have forgotten to inform the cashier that the other item lying there is mine as well.
It is true what you have said. Many times when things goes wrong, we tend to slam and rant about a store/service but when things goes right, there is never a “thank you”.
Good of you to blog about this
Yes, self check out works in Australia but i don’t think its applicable to Malaysia too hahahaha!
When I read your post, I remember once, I left behind my entire bag of grocery as I just took back my credit card and receipt and left without the things I bought at Aeon Supermarket. Only realized it when I reached home but I went back to the supermarket immediately to the same checkout counter and another cashier was on duty at that time but they kept my bag of grocery under the counter and gave it back to me when I showed them the receipt. I guess they did expect that I will return for the bag.