Showers of Coupons

I don't write the eValue-ator to get free (or discounted) stuff, but it never hurts when a company attempts to placate me with freebies (or discounts) as they try to figure out if my complaints are those of a one-off crackpot or the first ripples of a market-share-shrinking tsunami of customer resentment. After all, I did fork over cash for a product whose packaging asserts the presence of certain positive attributes. And the comments I am submitting  represent data that should have some value to them, as such information could at least theoretically help the manufacturer make their product better live up to the attributes their packaging claims. So, since I've never gotten an immediate response of "We'll immediately stop the production line and address the issue you raised", I will accept coupons as one step up from no response, though a step below an outright refund.

In the case of the Tia Rosa Tortillas problem, parent company Bimbo Bakeries (I'm not making that name up) left a nice message on my answering machine and sent two $1 coupons for any Tia Rosa product--within about three days of leaving a comment on their site. And since this was only a packaging-related issue, I will probably apply them to more of their tortillas and double-wrap before switching back to another brand with functional packaging (probably Azteca). The important thing is that they thank me for taking time to contact them, value my comments, welcome my suggestions, and strive to produce quality products that meet my expectations.

Dakota Style insisted in a follow-up email that there is no way their meaty-tasting sunflower seeds have actual meat in them. Though this little South Dakota company sells their own brand of beef jerky, they claim it is not made in the same facility. They sent four dollar-off coupons, which will allow me to cover four bags of their previously excellent sunflower seeds and hope that they've finally cleared up whatever problem they had with what they call accidental "over roasting."

Informing companies that we have a problem, so they can get better and thrive . . . It's a heavy responsibility, but one that the eValue-ator will never slack on.