Topic: AAFES Flyer

[TheFreud]

Hey Quityer....
I have one for ya... Went shopping yesterday, like the mad woman that I am. I actually had to go put money on my kids lunch accounts, so I was in the BX on Thanksgiving weekend- stupid, I know, but still...
Was talking to a woman in line who was incredibly upset. She had a sales flyer in her hand, she even had items in it marked off, as if she had carefully planned her expenses. Not a single one of the items AAFES advertised in the flyer that she came into buy was in stock. Not one. She came in for 6 or 7 items and left with a few she had to settle on, and none of things she refused to compromise for.
I suppose she could order it online- but the USPS is not the most reliable, especially during this tim of year... and should she want to ship it back out to someone in the states, she is screwed... Same thing with a raincheck, I'd wager- as it took me 9 months to get one item- I can't see her getting her gifts in time with the slow boat to AAFES.
Now, I know we always have the option to go off base on the economy- but who wants to send a 220v gift to a relative in the states- shall we ship them a bonus transformer too? I don't expect the stores to carry everything that WAL-Mart does- but you think they would carry the crap they advertise.
Sweet darling Manager- take thee this weeks sale paper to the Vogelweh PowerZone and see how much of it is NOT there. You might even try this trick in the Main store, if you wanted a real challenge. Care to explain?

[Quityerbitching]

What Items .... some Items were very limited.. some were late .... tell me and I will tell you what and how many they had..... and as far was walmart goes .. those $400 laptops they were advertising so hard .. each store only got 12.... wewwwwhooooo..... hundreds of people in line for hours all across America .... 12 CPUS .... Things sell out ... its  called BLack Friday for a reason ...   

[TheFreud]

1. Not my job to do your footwork for you. You want ME to tell YOU which items are not there so you can offer up a plate of excuses as to why. Not happening.
2. "Some items were limited, some were late"... THEN DON'T ADVERTISE THEM... at least have enough in stock of 98% of the crap in your flyer to cover the demand your flyer creates.
I could understand running low on or out of some items, but everything on someone's list? That's just ridiculous. I assume the AAFES upper management knows approximately how many people live in the KMC, and can estimate the demand for some items. For cripe's sake- you know how many kids we have as you now admin the lunch programs... You can't order enough bikes and playdough for us?

As per usual, an AAFES employee offers nothing but excuses and arrogance for the lackluster service and selection. It is the same old "It's not our fault, and there is nothing we can do."
... I didn't see anything on sale as GOOD as a $400 laptop to bring in the customers, smart-arse.

Make a change and save your excuses for someone who hasn't heard them all, buster.

[Quityerbitching]

listen .. that is not my store .. I dont know why they didnt have what they didnt have ... I was trying to help .... Buster ....? who that hell says" buster"

[TheFreud]

Buster ....? who that hell says" buster"

LMAO... I dig words like... "Buster", "Sister" and "Hoss".
C'mon you know I'm funny.
It's why you com back here- for the big ha-has.

[Quityerbitching]

NO no .. I come back for the big TA TA s ..... youre the one wiht the DD bra problems right?

[TheFreud]

 

[aafesmanager]

I am not for sure if I can hang with you guys!

AAFESMANAGER

[ajtsmith]

Don't try using AAFES.com based on items that are listed in a flyer. Although it may say "available at AAFES.com" that is just not the case. I was looking for a video camera listed in a current Jan 2010 flyer. It was not available at the web site and when I was able to get someone to "live Chat" on line, they first stated the item was not available, then the item was sold out, and then (before I ended this ridiculousness chat) she said the vendor removed the item. It almost made me laugh. HA

[Disgruntled]

Don't try using the flyer to shop--period.

Anything good is:

1) Shipped in such small quantities (like two computers for a major event--see the Black Friday flyer for a prime example) and is gone within five minutes of the store opening. The "substitute" item is always more expensive, too. To make matters worse, you might get a rain check, but then the item is phased out.

2) Not shipped in time for the sale. That is fine IF you can get a rain check, but the stuff that is listed as a "special buy" is not eligible for a rain check. Of course, the merchandise turns up right after the sale ends AT FULL PRICE.

3) The sale items are put out for regular sale a month ahead, so there is nothing left when the sale starts.

Why have things on sale if you can't deliver?

[kempoka]

AAFES does not just go buy a bunch of stuff and then print up a sales flyer and ship 'em out.

They negotiate with suppliers, then plan the purchase, and get a commitment from the supplier for delivery. Easy so far, right? yeah, right. If a supplier don't come through, or a product has to be pulled or recalled, guess what - naw, it ain't gonna be in the stores. But by now, by the time AAFES says, "Where's our stuff?", the flyers have already been printed and sent out. Of course, they COULD just force the supplier to send it out anyway. Anybody got a PSx or Wii with a bad power supply? I thought so.

Especially with OCONUS stores, the lag time is even longer. Let's try to have realistic expectations with AAFES, which is after all a military command, with all the rocks and shoals of any military organization. Shopping at AAFES is never going to be ike shopping at a civilian store. Me, I shop both, and get the best I can from both.

[Cowboy]

It is a very good point that you bring up kempoka, but here's my question to it.  Why does it happen for EVERY sale?  I fully understand that occasionally a manufacturer or a supplier will screw up.  But it seems a little coincidental for it to happen every time.  Perhaps it is just coincidence.  I lean towards retards being in charge of ordering and negotiating.

Just like tobacco items running completely out of stock before any more is ordered.  I don't mean one brand ran out due to some unforeseen shopping spree, I'm talking about every last can and/or pack being sold before new stuff hits the shelves.  And they always order more of the same crap that didn't sell last time until there was no other option...  It doesn't take a brain surgeon.  It's low, you order it.  You sell it fast, order sooner, and order higher quantity.  There's even a computer program in place that not only tells you what current stock is, but how much was ordered last, and when that order was received.  Pens and paper and braincells need not be wasted any longer.

I happen to think that I have very realistic expectations of AAFES.  I also think I'm very fair about any issue that I have with AAFES.  I still  AAFES is a company that needs rebuilt or replaced.  When your entire customer base thinks that you are a giant waste of space and only go to you because you have a working air conditioner, then you don't deserve to have a customer base.  I know of no Soldier or Airman that is truly happy with AAFES.  Not any that have ever been to a deployed environment anyhow.  Out here opens your eyes to how much they really suck.