AIBU to ask if any of you have bought half price chocolate in WHSmith?

[Iodine]

I got into a conversation with my family over this, all of us had never said yes to the cashier to buy some. The way that practically beg you to buy their "half price chocolate" makes me think that the chocolate has probably been left by a radiator and got that yukky white crust on it.

I feel sorry for their staff having to flog it all day long. AIBU to ask if you have ever said yes to the chocolate? Or am I right in thinking their upselling stretegy makes me want to avoid the shop?

We said yes once when it worked out a better deal than what we were buying anyway. We didn't buy it as well as though, we bought it instead of. Don't think that was their intention...

I have never bothered.

They charge daft amounts of money for sweets anyway.

£3.50 for a chocolate orange?!

Nope, never!

YANBU. I try to stay polite for the sake of the poor staff but it's a ridiculous policy and if I ever have the option to go somewhere else where they won't hassle me to buy their shitey chocolate and hand me great wads of vouchers for shit I don't want and what's more will never want then I will avoid WHS like the plague. Same in Superdrug - always asking if you want stamps or mobile phone top up or some crap. Try not to go in there either!

I've never said yes. It always really annoys me. I thought they only did that at the airport actually, but clearly that's because its the only time I ever go in WHSmiths.

No, I try to get in there first and say 'No sweets, thank you'. DH is a sucker for it though, not knowing how much anything costs in other shops.

I always say no. If I was going to buy chocolate I'd choose from the large range rather than just what happened to be next to the till.

Never said yes. WHSmith look cheap and nasty for doing this - like someone selling stolen gear off the back of a van.

no, and I never take their stupid online vouchers either, which holds everyone up because some of the vouchers need to be voided through the till when you hand them back!

Bubblemoon you're right, cheap and nasty. Add that to how tatty most of the stores are looking and it's no wonder people avoid going in there.

No. Because they closed our WH Smiths.

Did I not read at the weekend that WH Smiths are doing better than they had done for years? One of the only high street stores to be improving profits.

Ah. It was on the Times. Bloody paywall. The woman that 'revamped' the brand is leaving hence the article.

I always laugh when the assistant in poundland says "and would you like to buy x for a pound?". I think um no obviously if I did I would have picked it up on my way round the shop since everything is a pound

M and S cafe at till
"would you like crisps with that?"
me" Oh are you doing a promotion on crips? are they free?"
"no they are the usual price"
me "why are you offering crisps when I have already made my selection?"

One week later at M and S cafe till
"would you like some cake with that?"

This is not a good policy. It just makes me think less of the company

I know we have free will but I am getting fed up with this pushing of high calorie stuff at till points.

Ah this thread made me laugh.

I've never bought the chocolate at WHSmith. I wonder what % of people do - bet it's less than 5% or something..

My local M&S always asks if I want salad with my sandwich so at least that's healthy.

mrsc WHSmith aren't doing well cause of their selling technique IMO, I think its more to do with having lots of captive markets, i.e. branches in hospitals, post offices (well that's vica-verca), trainstations and airports. TBH their serving staff could leave the tills to do turds in the corners and they'ld still be doing okay because they are the only option in lots of places

We have serve yourself tills in our WHSmith. they still offer you the chocolate at the end.

apologies, crisps

No we go 3 shops up and get our chocolate in pound land - a quarter of the price and same brands!

I never have any extras offered by WH Smiths or anywhere else. I get sick of being asked in coffee shops if I want a muffin etc with my cuppa. No, if I did, I would ask for one.

Everywhere does this now though as the sales staff probably have "targets" - I am forever being asked would I like to upgrade my bank account (ie to one with charges - er no, why would I do that), buy mobile phone top ups at the post office. If the cashiers etc just took money rather than hassling customers the queues would be dealt withi more quickly.

Yes Sparklingbrook! I was at the self serve tills offering the wretched stuff.

I've never bought any.

Nope, I also go to poundland or home bargains for mine, very rarely go into a WH Smith though.

I don't like the upselling, but was very startled to discover when I had to do it (as a waitress in a burger shop, a long time ago) the number of people who did want fries with that, if you asked them, or did want a drink (used to wonder why on earth they hadn't asked for one in the first place then, but hey) - and if it works, and the people who get irritated by it aren't actually irritated enough to go elsewhere, they're going to carry on making people do it aren't they?

No, never.
Also, I had never felt the sudden need to have a shot of syrup or a cake with my latte at Costa or go large when I've already said medium at McDs or any of the hundred and one other things that shops try to sell you.

< deep breaths>

Do you get the idea this annoys the hell out of me, too?