I like Teavana Tea. I just think it tends to be overpriced and I always get someone at the store who tries to sell me something I don't want, even after I tell them that 3 times! When I walk by a store, I can not resist stopping however, and like I said, I do like their tea. I go in and buy this tea, and the salesman puts 4ounces in a bag. I tell him I only want 2ounces, and he takes a little out and asks if that is good, no I say, 2 ounces still-3.4, 2.8, 2.4-REALLY I say! I get the tea home, look inside, I realize that I have an unusually large # of cinnamon sticks in my mix. REALLY, I say again. This tea was good. I can get good tea for about half of what I paid for this however. Would I buy it again, I am not sure, if the sales experience was the same, probably not. I am not going to lie, I know I will buy more Teavana Tea, this one will just not be on the top of my list. I can buy cinnamon sticks and add them to things when I brew, just like they do. Sorry, but it is true.

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Alex Zorach wrote: on December 13th, 2013

I find it interesting to hear about your experience with the sales practices at Teavana. I have heard lots of allegations about this sort of behavior, and I was curious to see it for myself--and some time back I experienced exactly the same thing that you did. Salespeople often scoop out more than is measured, and put it back in small increments. It hasn't happened every time I've been in a Teavana, but it's happened consistently enough that I think it's a clear pattern. I also have heard numerous accounts, both online and from people I know in person, who have observed this sort of behavior.

I saw a criticism on an internet forum some time ago in which someone posting claimed to be a disgrunted Teavana employee, and claimed that they were expressly taught to spoon out the tea in too large a quantity, like this, and then put it back very slowly. It certainly fits with my experience, and I have a hard time believing that employees would act in this way of their own accord because it seems like an inconsiderate (and borderline unethical) thing.

It's not the only pushy or intrusive sales practice of theirs that I've heard about either. The salespeople always go for the high-price-tag teas with a recommendation; that's something I've experienced firsthand. I've also read allegations about things even shadier, like the salespeople hiding the register's price display from the customer's view and not telling people the quantity before they swipe their credit card--and often adding and ringing up items that the people did not consent to buy.

Even without the more extreme practices, it does leave me with a sour taste about the company. I think I would probably make a scene in a store, if they tried to pull something on me like ringing up an item that I did not consent to buy...but then again, my body language probably sends the people the message that I am assertive and know what I want, and I tend not to look at the teaware and tins anyway.

I've seriously toyed with the idea of doing "secret shopper" scenarios just to write an article on Teavana's sales practices. It blows my mind that the pushy practices have gone on for so long and the company seems to still be doing them. I would imagine that shoppers would respond negatively enough to such behavior that it would start harming the company's bottom line.

Kelci wrote: on December 16th, 2013

I would be into being a "secret shopper" I think it is a great idea! I have been hoping for changes to occur at Teavana since Starbucks took over. Haven't seen any yet, still hoping!

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