When I was a little girl we only shopped at two department stores. My father called them Monkey Wards and Sears and Roarbucks and of course, we laughed at his joke.
During the first week of November I had to head up to the city to do some babysitting as both parents had to do some business travel...in opposite directions, of course. During the two days that I was there and after dropping children off at their respective schools, I decided to take advantage of being near the large malls and get started on my holiday shopping. I tend to forget that traffic problems begin this early.
Well, I would like to caution others that may have this same plan. First, do not shop at Sears. It has not changed. There is no help, only one register with long lines (even in the middle of the week), and staff that speak limited English and always seem to be learning how to use the register for the first time. After spending many minutes waiting in line to pay for my purchase I was then rewarded for my patience by having the alarm go off as I left the store with a loud voice blaring that the security tag MUST be removed. I walked all the way back across the store to the ONLY open register and was told that the security tag was "probably" inside the box and to just ignore the alarm. I cannot tell you how hard it was to 'steal 'myself to leave the store a second time while a very loud robotic voice demanded that I return to the store!
The second shopping warning is to let you know that sales people in both the chain stores and the kiosks in the mall have been given strict instructions to part you from your money using any sales pitch they can find. Clearly this recession has convinced them that they will be closing shop if this holiday season does not turn a substantial profit. The recession is hovering darkly over the retail industry. These staff are the managers who hope to be working there in January as temporary staff have not yet been hired. If you ask for assistance they will answer your question or direct you to the correct area, but then will proceed to convince you to buy at least three of the item due to the huge discounts and sales. If you explain you really only want one, they will then direct you to their other sales specials, their newest products, etc. etc. and it will take some very polite determination to get out of the store with your wallet and sense of humor intact. I actually had to pull my hand away from a young Israeli man who insisted his product would make my hand 20 years younger!
(The blog title is for those who can remember 1960's science fiction TV.)
Gotta love holiday shopping. Well somebody's got to. But it isn't me.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching Lost in space.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had that experience in Sears. Our Sears is pretty good, but the kiosk people are the worst, especially the ones who claim your skin will look younger. They are very persistent and pushy and it irritates the crap out of me.
I love holiday shopping, but I so prefer to do my shopping on-line.
I can't shop anymore unless it's on line. Because my family all live in other states I never know what they have, want or need. Now I just make it easy and send a check. The color of money is always right and they can shop the after Christmas sales.
ReplyDeleteAs to Sears - I am boycotting them, but that's another story.
Now you see why I shop online. One on one with the sales person.
ReplyDeleteI am doing very little shopping this year. Most I do - will be online.
ReplyDeleteI saw a whole book with starting from your first sentence, which I loved.
ReplyDeleteDid you see Santa? Hanging from an elevator, maybe?
Like most kids in America back then, we did our wish lists lying on the living room floor with catalogues and the mailman left packages on our porch. Today I shop on the internet and the mailman leaves packages on the porch. However, I am not much for lying on the living room floor anymore. Some things do change.
ReplyDelete