Land of Oz

Stupid Shopping Tricks

OK. I'll admit it. Little things can really piss me off. Take today for example. On Saturday's I usually spend the morning doing what has become pretty much a habit for me. Usually I'll hit the Salvation Army, some hardware stores, a hobby shop, a bakery, and finish it off with coffee and a muffin at a coffee shop. This varies; sometimes more places, sometimes less. Today I added the library, some clothes shopping, and finally stretched it out to include a steak dinner at Outback. Here's the little burrs under my saddle today:

• I stopped at an Ace hardware store and when the clerk asked if she could help (good) I asked if they had any valve grinding compound or emery dust. She gave me this look, and then said, "I never heard of that stuff" and started to wander off!?! Finally one of the older guys who works there helped me - but they didn't have anything like it.


• I was in line at the Salvation Army buying a slide rule I found (happy - happy!) and the clerk totally ignores me and starts to handle the person behind me! I must have looked obviously annoyed, because she mumbled something like "some customers just can't wait..." and finally got back to me.


• I go to Kohls to buy some clothes and the clerk rings up an item twice. I tell them I not going to sign the credit card slip. She tells me I have to or go to the back of the store to get a refund. She tells me if I don't go to the back I'm going to have a real long wait!?! I ask her why I have to go to the back when she made the mistake. Finally a manager comes over and fixes (I hope) the problem.


• This was at Target. Why does a store have you slide your card through a credit card reader and then requires the clerk to look over the card. Why doesn't the clerk just scan it and then look at it. It is more efficient for her to handle the card once than for both of us to handle the card.


• I buy an ice cream cone at a local place called Fuzzys. I walk up to the cash register while I'm waiting for cone to pay, and the clerk says you're going to have to wait. And there's no one there! Eventually I end up having to drag my money out one-handed while ice cream drips down my other.


• I'm in Outback early - no wait for a change - and get a quick table. However no waitress shows up. Eventually someone walks buy and asks if I've been helped. When I say no, she wanders off as well. I'm actually getting up to find a waitress when she finally stops by.

sigh.....

2fers: Michelle Yeoh and Government Bennies