What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?

August 21, 2010

Which consumer experiences cheered you recently and which ones made you want to scream or weep?

Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:

My best: Selling things on Craigslist

Craigslist worked well once I got the hang of it. At first, I thought you had to wait for the photos to appear after you uploaded them. I discovered that you needed to hit "Continue," then the photo would finish uploading.

I also found that reposting items on Friday brought interest on the weekend. People had more time to come to look at things or buy them.

The people inquiring and who came were interesting. One couldn’t come on the date she said. And, when she did show up, she was late. Another was very organized, bringing two helpers and a pickup for the table and chairs she wanted to buy.

I’ll certainly try Craigslist again. The tip to start two weeks in advance was helpful. It takes a while to find the right people for your items.

My worst: A doctor who wouldn’t help in an emergency

In the parking lot at 5:05 p.m., my granddaughter choked on one of those pieces of hard, red-and-white candy that she got at Spanish class.

She choked, vomited a little, and struggled to breathe. After drinking some water, she said her throat still hurt.

Wondering what to do, we went to a nearby doctor’s office. The receptionist said they were "all closed up" and couldn’t help us. She didn’t say the doctor wasn’t there, but implied that since it was 5:10 p.m., they couldn’t help in an emergency. So much for the Hippocratic Oath.

My daughter talked to her pediatrician’s nurse. The nurse said since my granddaughter was having pains in her chest, we should go to the Emergency Room.

Fortunately, a satellite ER for a local hospital was nearby. The doctor said if she could drink water she was fine.

I'm so happy the choking incident ended O.K. However, the doctor's office that wouldn't help a family in distress gets a "thumbs down" from me.

Posted at 09:03 PM in Consumer Experiences, Consumers, Emergencies, Finances, Food, Grandparenting, Health, Home Furnishings, Internet, Safety, Services | Permalink | Comments (0)

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