After years of shopping at FairPrice supermarket, I know that to get an exchange or refund for a spoilt item, I should take a photo of my receipt and the product and e-mail them to general.feedback@fairprice.com.sg along with details of what's wrong.

Then I wait for customer service to call and arrange what's needed. Unfortunately, it has to be at the same store but at least I can do this at my convenience over the next few days.

It's hassle-free because the staff there have been informed. I just turn up with the product and receipt, and show the e-mail reply from FairPrice.

Sheng Siong Supermarket has the store manager's mobile number on the receipt. I just need to call, send the photos on WhatsApp and I'm attended to immediately. A spoilt rock melon bought at a store far from my home was exchanged at the nearest outlet.

For products with contact details of the manufacturer or distributor, I call directly. Many companies have doorstep service recovery with extras thrown in.

For example, F&N gave a carton of 100Plus drinks after a leaking can messed up my car boot, while Koka replaced one packet of rancid noodles with a pack of five.

Karen Teng Kwai Fong