Anyone Looking Forward To “ Normal” Shopping?

[BrandyandBabycham]

A lot of shops are opening again on Monday but I don’t know how I feel. It certainly won’t be the experience it used to be. The queuing for a start. And not being able to take your time, browsing & handling lots of things. Also guessing we won’t be able to try clothes on etc? Or shoes? And in some shops, social distancing could be difficult or impossible. I didn’t get chance for “ retail therapy” very often anyway but it makes me sad that it will be so different indefinitely 😢

I'll wait a few weeks and see what its like and if things calm down

Same as I won't go to the pub on July 4th, I'll wait and see

A shop near me is opening by appointment only, with a minimum spend.

They're an independent boutique, "nice bits and pieces for home/gifts" type place. I understand the overheads they have to cover, but the (not inconsequential) min spend means I won't be going into browse for fear of being followed round and watched like a hawk.

Last weekend I went to a big supermarket last weekend for the first time since lockdown started (we've been using a local Co-op and the odd click and collect when we can get one). I was really looking forward to my supermarket visit (sad!), being able to browse and to have a few impulse purchases...it really didn't live up to my expectations. Queueing and trying to keep 2m from others didn't make for a particularly enjoyable experience and I guess it will be much the same in the non-essential shops.

I love shopping but have no desire to go at the moment. Happy with Internet shopping for the foreseeable future, only exception would be shoe shopping but I have enough and DS can go to a specialist kids shoe shop by appointment.
I’ll probably go to Boots etc at some point but no rush.

No shopping for me. But I really wanted to go to a garden centre, but now my car is off the road for a while, so a bit of a dull garden at the moment.

I'll be going back, I want to support our high street. I found the new system in supermarkets weird at first but am totally used to it now so I guess it will be the same in other shops.

I think the stricter restrictions will gradually slide, just as they have (in my experience) in supermarkets & outdoor places. I'm not much a shopper normally, but do want to support our local retailers, especially the small indy ones. They'll go bust otherwise and alot of people will lose their livelihoods.

I won't be rushing back but I am really looking forward to the high street being open again of needing something of another and being able to pop and get it rather than ordering online and waiting often an inflated amount of time for it to come.

I'm looking forward to a proper browse and a sit down with a coffee.

No. Because you cannot browse, try clothes on, have a coffee, wander back and forth etc. So I won't bother as the experience will be too managed to be enjoyable.

I don't like shopping and have been buying mostly online for years. I like small places with little, interesting shops and cafes, especially when the tables are outside in good weather so will (hopefully) enjoy that again.

If there is anything I absolutely need, they yes I'll go and get it and queue if necessary, however, I used to often mooch round the shops and would usually buy some stuff and maybe look round M&S food in a leisurely rather than purposeful manner and have a coffee and read my book and I wont be doing the latter as it won't be possible. The enjoyment has gone for me, at least for the time being.
If things ever get back to pre-Covid ways, then I'll look forward to a lovely leisurely outing.

I love shopping. And I’m not personally worried about cv. But I’m in no rush to go back to the shops as like others have said I like to have a peaceful meandering browse. I don’t want to be following arrows, not daring to pick anything up and feeling unable to stop because I’ll hold up the people behind me. I have avoided shops in general since this all kicked off for the same reason, no particular concern about cv just not wanting to put myself through a very miserable shopping experience if I don’t have to.

I dunno I prefer it the way it is. Efficient and no dawdling. Much better than trying to get past people out for an experience.

I'll be staying away from the shops for a long time sadly.
It's a pain having to queue to get into the supermarket.

I managed to get a clarks foot measure gauge from them online a few days ago so that I can check my DCs feet at home and order shoes for either as and when without having the stress of trying to queue outside with them.

I really miss just being able to pop in and out of shops as and when and even just the mundane browsing so until I am able to hopefully once again do that I won't be going.

I will be sticking to online shopping only.

Makes me feel sad too, I love dawdling in and out of shops, and browsing all the shelves.

I don't think there'll be any joy in the new way of shopping, at least not for me.

We have some lovely local independents I love to go in and spend time choosing what to buy, chatting to the owners & other customers, then going to the local coffee shop.

I think it will still be a nice experience, the owners of small shops will be so pleased to have customers back in the shops and there will still be browsing to some extent. I've been in a small garden centre and a local hardware shop in the last couple of weeks and both were fine, just quieter than usual. The owners have gone to such lengths to make it safe for customers to come back.

No, you can’t try clothes/shoes on and you can’t browse and handle lots of goods.

In the shops you think it will be “impossible to social distance in”, far fewer people will be let in and there will be clear markers to enable social distancing.

I went to the city centre today for the first time in 3 months and it was bloody lovely. Barely any people at all, no queues, I went to B&M, poundshop, wilko, Iceland & most thrilling of all got my first take away coffee since March from Starbucks.

Whole lot took less time than the big queue and stilted walk around Asda has been taking and I was able to pick up all the little bits they don't have at supermarkets and aren't worth ordering online because of delivery fees.

I won't be heading to any shops Monday though as think it will be carnage like we saw with Ikea queues when they first opened.

I went to matalan today, I drive past and saw them open, not sure why they didn't wait till Monday. The shop was quite quiet and I got a good shopping fix.

Are you gals sure that clothes & shoes cannot be tried on -- can you give official link to where the rules say that shoes & clothes cannot be tried on?

www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/shops-and-branches

"Steps that will usually be needed:
1 Fitting rooms should be closed wherever possible given the challenges in operating them safely.
2 Where fitting rooms are essential, for example to support key workers buying critical protective clothing, they should be cleaned very frequently, typically between each use.
3 Creating procedures to manage clothes that have been tried on, for example delaying their return to the shop floor (see section 5.5 below).
4 Limiting contact between customers and colleagues during fitting, for example by suspending fitting assistance."

They also have to quarantine items that are excessively handled so stores will be asking customers not to touch where possible

"Storing items that have been returned, donated, brought in for repair or extensively handled, for example tried on shoes or clothes, in a container or separate room for 72 hours, or cleaning such items with usual cleaning products, before displaying them on the shop floor. Materials used for cleaning can be disposed of normally."

thanks -- I like LeicesterMercury explanation, too.

If I buy a shirt in shop, take it home, can I return it if I change my mind or find it looks like crap on my body after I get home?

Do we forfeit all return for full refund rights on clothes -- is that another 'New Normal'?

My wardrobe needs to shrink anyway, thank goodness.

M&S are fully open now, the oh one near me was very busy today according to DD who works in the food hall.