That is nice of them; however once the bird is at your house its really the consumer responsibility.

To be honest, not sure why they provided it for free, unless the reason it was in back was because something had happened which made it unsaleable.

The biggest problem with this story is now the REAL scam artists will try to pull this as a stunt, and folks who actually do need a replacement bird are going to get flagged as scammers.

I worked at a Winn-dixie (yeah, I know) MANY years ago and saw a variation on this scam.

Someone called into the store saying they had mistakenly received a turkey they didn't purchase. They offered to bring it back seeing as they didn't need it, and it was the right thing to do. 'OK, thanks for being so honest, see you soon...bla,bla,bla.'

Then someone called in to say they paid for a turkey, and never received it. They had the receipt and everything. Now, someone would put 2 and 2 together (in this case mistakenly) and figure person A got person B's turkey. This used to happen all the time. 'OK, come on over we'll figure everything out.'

Well, person B shows up, receipt in hand, looking for their turkey. The manager really has no choice but to give them another bird, and besides the other one is on the way right?

Wrong. The turkey from party A never shows up. This is when we realized we got scammed.

Just in case anyone was trying to test out this theory, I'm pretty sure it's common knowledge in grocery circles by now. It's still a pretty inventive scam though.

They do, but there is a stigma because it is less kitschy than trader joes. It's like a Sav-A-Lot, but IMO much better quality and very nice. I have never had a problem with anything and it is either on sale or it isn't, no need for extra coupons or discount cards! I go there mainly for baking ingredients, butter, eggs, and other things necessary for baking as well as pasta, rice, et. They have great imported chocolate for VERY little money at all. I love it.

They have good products at fair prices, and treat their employees well.

They sell Niemen Ranch applewood smoked bacon right next to Trader Joe's applewood smoked bacon, for 50 cents less. It's the same damn thing, with a different label. I get to pay 50 cents less because they buy in bulk.

They get good deals, and pass them to the customers. They don't have those evil "discount" cards that get you a better price by handing over personal information. They have a huge selection of organic and/or fair trade items.

I don't know what Aldi is, but if they offer good products at good prices with great customer service, I'd shop there as well.

Your argument holds no water.

@pecan 3.14159265: He thinks the headline is misleading because Larry Bird never played for the Nets.

If they are the types to "screw over any store they can for a free product," they don't need the innernets to tell them how to do it.

@Julius Seizure - Canuck: I make my own flame wars at home.

When I lived in D.C., I LOVED Trader Joes. Great products and good prices. I wish we'd get them up here in Canada

@MostlyHarmless:

The popular phrase "stole my thunder" was coined by John Dennis, an English critic and playwright. In 1709 John Dennis wrote a play called Appius and Virginia. For Appius and Virginia, Dennis created a way to simulate the sound of thunder. The thunder was well liked by the crowd however Appius and Virginia was not. Dennis was forced to cancel Appius and Virginia because the theater was not happy with its lack of audience. Later Dennis returned to the same theater to see Shakespeare's Macbeth. As Dennis sat in the crowd he realized they were using the same method that Dennis used to create thunder. Dennis stood up and screamed, "That's my thunder, by God! The villains will not play my play but they steal my thunder."

@katstermonster: Ditto that.

@JanDuKretijn: How is the headline misleading? The OP made a phone call to Trader Joes, ends up with free turkey.

@Sudonum: Brining is not necessarily adding spices. You can brine a turkey and then add more spice afterward. You can buy a pre-brined turkey and add your own spices after as well.

@pecan 3.14159265: I found the comment odd, in fact insulting to the poster. So i inserted which I thought was clear sarcasm. You are of course correct

@Smashville_Flippin the Bird Before Bud Adams:

As long as you spell douche with a Hello Kitty Bow on top of it, they will buy the bags.

@East_Coast_Midwesterner:

That would have been a better tag than "Thanksgiving Miracles" but I am sucker for some southern rock.

@MostlyHarmless: I wanna see that one! I'm so curious.

@hammitz: Please, PLEASE tell me your comment is a joke . . .

Otherwise I will cry a little for you and the sad, humorless world you live in. :(

Or just keep buying the pre-brined birds. I prefer to add my own spices however.

Dude,

DO NOT knock Aldi or Aldi-like places. I shop there for most staples and their chocolate is German and awesome. Aldi in the UK and Germany was even better, but still, it is pretty kickass.

@Hoss: You can store a turkey in the refridgerator. What makes you think you can't?

And that's precisely what she did. It's not her fault the fridge broke.

@hi: Where do you shop then? Cause all stores do this, and it's well-documented. Wonder also makes generic packaged bread in their factories. Kraft makes generic packaged mac n'cheese. We know manufacturers do this. It's just that we who buy generic brands sometimes benefit by getting the name brand product at a generic brand price.

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: I make my own flame wars and open threads at home.

@pecan 3.14159265: Yes but they also sell the regular brand at a higher cost. The same exact two products side by side made by the same company yet one costs more than the other and they both have different label and nobodys is the wiser.

I dont know.. maybe I'm just old fashioned. It is a pleasant store to visit.

@Darkneuro: Yeh, or a child could have played with the bird and gotten hurt or the car could have backed into the fridge and freon would have killed the family cat. What kind of mental illness makes people think they can store a turkey in a refrigerator? Did she think the brine would save them from certain death?

I want saturday please. Savy con == manipulative bitch. A pirate is a pirate.


+ Watch video

@hi: But Trader Joes is a store comprised of products that are sold under their private label. Unlike other stores which carry more variety from different manufacturers and the private label stuff is a minority. At Trader Joes, the private brand is the majority. So it makes sense that 80% of Trader Joes products are under the company label.

@Lez Lemon: I'm not sure how we got started talking trannies... but anyways:

Trader Joes doesn't make their own food and they keep who makes the food a secret. This bothers me.. of course all stores do this... and this bothers me. Of course everything bothers me now-a-days. I hate where this country is heading.

"Eighty percent of Trader Joe's products are sold under the company's private label, but TJ's doesn't make them."

[www.chow.com]

@katstermonster: I already won the flame war on Open Thread.

@pecan 3.14159265: Th NR ncdnt came close...heh. [consumerist.com]

@pecan 3.14159265: Seems like it would happen in April. We would look like quite the fools. The April fools if you would.

@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: I want to see a thread in which every post is disemvoweled. And it can't be 10 posts of "Why s ths n Cnsmrst?" It has to be full on hate.

@katstermonster: That's not what you said last night. Ohhhh.

Oh wait. Friday...nevermind.

@hi: Does Aldi sell 2 dollar Napa wine?

@RandomHookup: "And this freeee bird will never change..."

This is on Consumerist because Phil Villareal put it there! Deal with it!

@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: Oooh I call dibs! I'll make it happen.

@MostlyHarmless: Of course, there's only so much credibility a guy with a cat flipping you the bird can have.

@katstermonster: Or a disemvowelment on the open thread. That'd be something to see.

@pecan 3.14159265: It'd be fun to start a flame war on Open Thread.

@pecan 3.14159265: We could always tag team. That'd be pure beauty.

@pecan 3.14159265: LOL!!! @ trandy

@bigd7387: MMmmmm... Pumkin Pie.. I ate all mine as well, I will have to suplement the craving very soon, or I won't make it until Thanksgiving.

@Darkneuro: But you have to be able to soak it for a while in something big that can be covered and is very study, like a cooler. I don't have a cooler, so I'd rather buy a pre-brined turkey than buy a cooler just to buy a regular turkey. There's no indication that a pre-brined turkey is really more expensive than a regular one. In any case, if you have the added expense of buying something to put the turkey in, why not just get the pre-brined one?

@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: The word I was looking for here was "junk". We call them "junk comments", not "crap comments".

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): This is not just a morning phenomenon.

@Taliskan: I heard about it on the radio and was dying to make a joke about it ASAP. Thankfully this turkey article came up and you fell right into it! So thank you, as well! : )

And really... pre-brined?? REALLY? You're paying THEM to soak it in saltwater. Hm. Should have saved the money and got the bird she really wanted. I mean, pre-brined... (walking away muttering to myself) it's water and salt and some spices, maybe some brown sugar, some pepper...

"s/A/B/" is the notation for replacing the text A in the original comment with B. In this case,

A = "this morning"
B = "" Nothing.

Basically, he hates humanity. Going by his previous record.

@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: What shift do you want to take on Friday? I mean, we tend to only get controversy either in the mornings or the late afternoons. In between we get the open thread, and people are generally very happy.

Friday is group therapy day at Consumerist.

@nstonep: Although I could sell them and open a store in Japan called "Douche Bags".

@hi: Trader Joes is pretty awesome. Their prices are good, their generic branded products seem to be of higher quality than other stores, and they have a good selection of bread. No one said that shopping at Trader Joes made them feel like they were helping out a cool new startup. People actually like the store because it has reasonable prices, and customer service has generally always been good. And the workers at my local stores seem to enjoy their jobs, and actually seem to be cheerful to be there.

And not everyone has an Aldi or a Trader Joes. And obviously not all of us are trendy trannies (hence, trandy).

@CompyPaq: I'm thinking (with no evidence whatsoever) maybe she put it in the freezer and is just referring to it as the fridge, as that's what the whole contraption is.

@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: Sigh. I need to start counting how many articles I don't read in a day because I'm just not interested and I think it's a pointless article. I do it all the time, and never am I EVER tempted to post "why is this on Consumerist?"

@katstermonster: I think that's what bugs me about it. Happy article, clear purpose...and we get a Why s ths n Cnsmrst.

Kinda tired of all my friends loving on Traders Joes. It's a store just like Kroger or any other store. It's owned by the brother of the guy who owns the Aldi stores. He's a billionaire. So if you think you're helping out this cool new startup your not.

Where does Trader Joes get their food? Trader Joes food is made by a 3rd party who is kept secret from the consumer and also makes other brands for other companies which are the same except the branding although cheaper.

It's not this cool mom & pop neighborhood store with healthy food. It's an Aldi knock-off for the trandy people too cool to shop at Aldi.

rant over and out.

There have been quite a few threads which got all sorts of interesting and got over a 100 comments that I completely skipped over because I did not think the story was worth it.

My complete and total reactions to such stories is: "Meh.". I dont even spend any time thinking about how i dont like the story or whatever. I just say "meh" and move on.

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: No, people who make comments for the sake of stirring the pot (see any of the health care posts on threads that are entirely unrelated to health care) are called trolls. You're perfectly okay with having a differing opinion. Blaming the OP is when you attack the OP for his or her actions without properly supporting your opinion. Saying "well you shouldn't have been shopping there" because it has nothing to do with the issue at hand, which is what happened to the OP regardless. It's essentially saying "you deserve it."

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: I just didn't think the quick brining process of a turkey would really preserve as like a pickle or pig's feet which stay in the brine until consumption. Usually brining a turkey you let it sit in the brine for up to 24 hrs then wash it clean. I guess it depends on how TJ's does it.

@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: I thought today was my day off, but I got called in. Sigh. And on a happy article, that's what kills me! This article made me happy! Why'd they have to go making me all bitch again????

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: Just becaus Roz doesn't disemvowel something doesn't mean it's not worthy of it. Roz has a life and other things to do.

@katstermonster: I'm apparently doing my part right now already/

Now, feel free to troll/express your opinion/diss others opinions, whatever, but just keep in mind that others will do the same. Feel free to ignore them if you want. There are certain commenters I just skip over, because I know its not going to be worth it.

Trying to get the last word in on an argument on the internet is a bitch. Especially when your opening statement was half assy, and then you reinforce it with full assyness.

@Kimaroo - Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: That truly made my day. Thank you! <3

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: "what is the point of posting this?"

So tell us. What opinion did you express and what assumption about that have we made that is not true?

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: I don't make myself out to be anything other than a raging bitch. Just so we're on the same page.

And I quote: "what is the point of posting this?" That's your comment. Yours. Not anyone else's. That is clearly a "Wh s ths n Cnsmrst?" comment, so own it, love it, and live with the consequences.

And when I say I don't "like" content, I mean that I feel the way you do - I don't see a point in it being posted. It happens with at least one article a day. But guess what? I keep those unhappy little thoughts to myself.

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Yes, I agree. Too bad there are no Trader Joe's around me at all. It seems like Texas misses out on all the really great grocery stores. : (

@Taliskan: Don't you mean New Jersey? [www.google.com]

@East_Coast_Midwesterner: +1.

@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: I just spent all of yesterday making sure that everyone knows that I speak raging bitch fluently.

@RandomHookup: You have it backward. The turkey comes with the cat, and the OP secretly just wanted another cat.

@Taliskan: I'm sure she would have checked the expiration date on the brined turkey to make sure it would still be good for Thanksgiving. Salt does preserve meat so it probably makes the turkey last longer than typical fresh turkeys.

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: If your comment wasn't assy (I thought it was half-assy) before, it's assy now because you're implying that because you disagree, all of us who do agree must be blindly following each other, which is a pretty assy implication.

@MostlyHarmless: I can take a shift.

@katstermonster: P.S. Your comment would fall under "No junk comments." If I don't like the content of an article on this site (and it happens more often than you'd think), I just...don't read it.

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: I answered your question, which hey, shouldn't have even been asked in the first place. For reference, please see the Consumerist comments code: [consumerist.com]

FRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BIRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDDD YEAH!

[en.wikipedia.org]

It's not even so much the free turkey that makes me well-disposed towards Trader Joe's here as the fact that their store employees are allowed to "be a f*cking human" and exercise some discretion and human fellow-feeling.

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: Your comment was a longwinded "why s ths n Cnsmrst". I'm not being a dick. Don't make crap comments.

If I was the manager, I would want to see a receipt that you bought the turkey, and maybe I'll exchange it for another 20lb one, and not for a bigger one.

But we can work out some shift system if you dont mind.

@qcgallus: No, she bought the 20 lb. turkey, it thawed and was unsafe to eat, so she called to explain why she needed another turkey - and she had to explain what happened to the first 20 lbs. of turkey to warrant needing another 20 lbs.

As the wife of a TJ's crew member, here's my two cents. It is store policy to do free refunds/returns/exchanges, no questions asked. Trader Joe's also gives their managers a lot of leeway and authority to make decisions on the spot about this kind of thing. But it really depends on the manager. Just because this one manager did it, doesn't mean any TJ's anywhere would have done the same thing. In any case, that was a very nice thing he did. That's the sort of person that Trader Joe's tends to hire.

Being a good consumer isn't just about avoiding bad companies, but choosing and rewarding good ones as well!

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: I could use the microwave in elementary and middle school. *shrug*

@MostlyHarmless: Those two could be new bingo squares. Hey, can I call Friday or is that filled?

@MostlyHarmless: Ah...I was hoping someone got called a manipulative bitch for reals. In that case, dibs on Friday.

Sidebar: In Tokyo, went into a store that was selling a Trader Joe's bag for 5,000 yen as a "purse".

In other news, I'm quitting my job to sell purses in Japan.

@bigd7387: I bought 5 cases of 2 buck chuck. Now they're all gone. Whatever am I going to do, Trader Joes?

@RandomHookup: These turkeys could be genetically engineered and shipped in bulk in oversized lots.

The cat helps shrink the oversized turkey to a reasonable size by its noms. By the time the cat is through, the turkey is the stated 20 lbs.

@MostlyHarmless: I have so missed something. Linx plz. Thanx! Bye!

Ok I have a whole list of items that are now "ruined". I will be calling with a sob story about how after I ate the Pumpkin pie it's now all gone. Can I haz free pie.

@qcgallus: I don't know...maybe her community has a limit on turkey poundage before you are arrested for turkey freebasting.

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: You made an assy comment, expect an assy response.

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: I like to read happy stories about good people at good stores who do things like this. Will people try to take advantage as a result? Yupp. But when don't they? So I'll continue reading, and you can do as you please.

Does the free bird come with a side of cat, or is that extra?

TJ's will take back any product, without a receipt, if it was defective or even *even if you didn't enjoy it*. Simply put, they trust their customers. I'm been shopping there for almost 10 years, and only returned a poor product once. In fact, their return policy is one of the reasons I continue to shop there because I feel safe in my purchases.

Please don't rip off Trader Joe's, k? It's the best grocery store out there.

It looks like she is having dinner on Thanksgiving, not earlier.

"This morning, I went into the fridge to pull out items for my son's lunch and discovered that everything in the fridge was warm, including the turkey."

Looks to me like she meant fridge, I don't foresee pulling a child's lunch out of the freezer (unless schools now let them use microwaves).

@AustinTXProgrammer: Well, the good thing is that to get the free bird, you can't ask for the free bird. And since TJ didn't promise a free bird, there's no guarantee that any fraudster would be able to get the free bird. And you have to buy a bird to start with, so the lure of this fraud may be limited.

@Smashville_now with Monster Energy: I won!

She went and bought the last 20 pound turkey. She called in, asked if they had any 20-pounders left, then explained why she needed *40* pounds of turkey? Is this just a typo? Or did she really get 60 pounds of turkey (in total) for the price of 20?

Just because it's fresh in the store doesn't mean you can't put it into the freezer once you get home. I suspect that's what most of TJ's customers are doing.

@itsnotbecca: As long as you keep a turkey frozen, it'll be fine for a couple of weeks. Thawed turkey can only be kept in the fridge for about a week. It's not clear whether the turkey was in the freezer or fridge, since a lot of people say "fridge" when they mean the "freezer" which is part of the fridge.

Also, she may not even be having Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day. I have friends who are having Thanksgiving dinner with one family this weekend and another Thanksgiving dinner with another family on Thanksgiving.

I think this article puts them in a positive light, and I hope it brings them far more legitimate business than fraud. With profit margins in groceries as low as they are, it won't take very many fraudsters to ruin it for everyone.

Take the honest, Mid-West approach and your liable to get ran over and taken for granted.

But she was still trying to keep a turkey in a fridge for two weeks? Is that normal?

Did anyone else imagine a 40lb. turkey attacking a village? No? I need more sleep or coffee.

TJ's always has awesome customer service. Just wish I had one close to me.

@CompyPaq: I was thinking the same thing... bit early to pick up a fresh turkey to sit in the fridge, isn't it? Although the brining may preserve it longer... I am not sure to be honest.

@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: It's a really nice thing that TJs did, even though the word is that TJs is a really great company anyway. And some people will try to take advantage of this - but those people lack scruples, and would have probably done it to other stores as well. Just because there are a few bad seeds doesn't mean the rest of us who are honest can't get some warm fuzzies from reading about how TJs saved a family's Thanksgiving.

@CompyPaq: You're misreading this. The fridge broke, leading to potentially contaminated turkey.

BTW this comment was written in all sincerity, there is no sarcasm.

@katstermonster: I pick 6th thread!

This is awesome of TJ's. People will take advantage of it, since people suck, but this should be written up as why TJ's is an awesome place to shop and why we should support them instead of MEGAMART chains.

@MostlyHarmless: Is it okay if I accuse you of being a manipulative bitch?

@MostlyHarmless: Wow, this woman was a manipulative bitch! How dare she...yeah, I can't keep it up.

Sorry I failed you. :(

In before someone who does not read the FA, and accuses the OP of being a manipulative bitch.

(Yeah, yesterday it was katstermonster, today its my turn. Tomorrow it is subtlefrog's turn.)

Someone will take Phil's joke seriously in 3, 2, 1...