to ask if there's any shop you avoid for a particular reason?

[OhDeari]

For me, it's Tescos.

Simple reason - I was on my way home from work last winter (office job, so well dressed) and popped into local large Tesco to pick up something. Was innocently wandering around when I got a tap on the shoulder - it appeared to be a staff member (so having my headphones in) didn't hear what he said, so just replied, 'No, I'm fine thanks'. He taps again and I took headphones out and he said 'We have a NO HOODS POLICY in the store'. I took my hood down but was secretly seething - FFS, it was sub zero outside and I'd just come inside.

So I'll do everything I can to avoid Tescos.

Any others?

I agree about TK Maxx too but have found a couple of big less frequented branches and they're not so bad - I buy a lot of shoes from TK Maxx now, saved a fortune. H&M used to have the same jumble sale thing going on but a lot of the branches are set out better now.

I’ve noticed Oasis is starting to stink like Lush. Or is it just our local branch which blasts out some over-perfumed air-freshener?

I’ll support cafe Nero more now!
I keep away from JDSport - due to treatment of staff and customers, WH Smith (nightmare shop), IKEA and House of Fraser since they were taken over and moved sports junk in!

Smiggle - too bright in there
Asda - too loud & chaotic
Tesco - they dominate wherever they set up
Costa - too expensive & they dominate the high street too like Tesco
Starbucks - same as Costa

Lush - induces migraine, even just outside the shop.
Weatherspoons - just too grim & the customers stink of smoke.
Travis Perkins - really talk down to any woman entering their hallowed portals.
Space NK - too pushy and a bit sneery.
GAP - it's all crap now.

Lush and tkmaxx because of the smell. Tkmaxx because it’s more like an overpriced jumble sale.

Argos - I stopped years ago. Many items ‘in stock’ if you want to collect a couple of days later, if I wanted it at a later date I would just get it delivered. Issues with delivery and selling items not in stock, only to be made aware after the scheduled delivery. Buying a guarantee and the item breaks within the first year, they use the insurance. Erm no, even if I didn’t have extra cover it would still need replacing or fixed.

Any shop that won’t sell me a tv without demanding my address unless of course I want it delivered. It’s not needed. People buy these for many reasons other than watching live tv.

Waitrose, Coop And others who let chuggers stand inside the door.

Any store that treats me like a little woman - b&q, travis Perkins, pc world and quikfit. I only went into quikfit to find out if they could squeeze in a tire change, and starting asking if I was sure I didn’t also want other things as well. When the male driver showed up (didn’t realise we were together), the staff member went straight over to him and spoke only about the tires. Until I asked why my mate wasn’t also asked if he wanted other things and was he sure.

EmmaJR1

I had a similar experience with an estate agent.
about 5 years ago before I met my OH , I was a single parent and wanted to view a 2 bed flat. Over the phone the agent asked who would be living in the property...I replied myself and my 4 year old...her response "oh, so your'e on benefits".

I took all of about 20 seconds to tell her my above average salary and that perhaps she needed some customer service training and that I had changed my mind about the flat after all, before hanging up.

My Local Tesco.....
*rude staff standing around chatting in the aisle
*Never any small trolleys no matter how many times I complain
*Out of date food on the shelves despite again complaining.
That don't give a shit

Also currys/pc world. Rude staff who don't know what good customer service is. Telling me my item is in stock only for me to drive and collect it and oh dear our mistake it's not here. Can't help you sorry😤

I’ll agree with Lidl - they never have enough tills open, the self service machines are glacially slow and regularly fail to recognise weights of things. There’s never enough staff. Complaints just incur a shrug or, worse, them thinking it’s funny that you’ve waited 20 minutes to buy a lettuce.

WHSmith - their stores look like a jumble sale, it’s all overpriced and under-quality and no, I don’t want a bar of Galaxy/bottle of water/copy of the Torygraph. And you can fuck right off with your increased airport prices.

Boots - I’ve actively boycotted them since they decided to charge full whack for the morning after pill (when other shops were selling cheaper generics) because women couldn’t be trusted.

Yankee Candle Company - the smell. Dear god, the smell. It’s enough to make me hurl although it smells like someone’s already vomited up rancid plastic.

Ilovelala OMG that's awful! And thanks for the warning. I will make sure that I don't look in Harveys for my next sofa. I'm fat largely built,and I think I'd die of embarrassment if that happened to me.

Don’t most self employed people and businesses use tax rules to pay the minimum possible? Not sure why Amazon would be singled out for it.

They do - but individuals and small businesses, who are solely UK based, don’t usually have access to mechanisms to enable them to transfer profits abroad, to countries with lower tax rates, like the multinationals!

Lush - Anti-police campaign, never again will I shop in there again, that & the migraine inducing smell.

Curry’s/PC World - our local one employed a friend with additional needs, they way he was treated, bullied, manipulated & eventually hounded out, means I will never buy from them again.

TKMaxx - massive overpriced jumble sale, crowded & disorganised, shudder

WHSmith - dark dingy stores

CEX - DC has additional needs & has a supported work experience placement in our local store, they have been brilliant with him, popping in on non work days to reorganise the shelves!

Oh Tesco.
In the rare occasions I've been in I was accused of shoplifting at the self service till, despite having a receipt and got staff help at the same checkout. (They didn't remove the security tag and I was nabbed at the exit door, so publicly!). Then, on a previous occasion, when I asked for help at the checkout because it didn't work I got a gruff response 'in a moment, I'm looking for my biro and I'm just off lunch break'! Wow.
That's why it's a rare visit - only if I'm desperate.

M&S now because they are happy to allow anybody who self IDs as female to change alongside girls and women.

Aldi, Lidl and Farmfoods. All have strange smells and crap food.

@1984isnow. So She/he literally just got hold of your hand and started massaging you.
Supposing you were allergic to the cream.
WTF were they thinking

Aldi, Lidl and Farmfoods. All have strange smells and crap food

You've been to all of them? That's dedication.

Caffè Nero after I complained about a tepid cup of tea. I was informed that they cannot make tea with boiling water because of health and safety.

Any shop that sells only shoes because I hate them.

Lush for all reasons above.

Phase Eight because ours is tiny and the (always) two sales assistants follow you around, pouncing if you inspect anything closer than arm's length.

I don't know about Leighhalfpennysthigh but I have been to every Aldi, Lidl and Farmfoods and can confirm that they smell as follows:

Aldi - out of date cereal and hay
Lidl - butcher and garibaldi biscuits
Farmfoods - melted then refrozen ice cream and desperation.

I love Aldi and Lidl.

Anyone remember Kwiksave? Now that was truly grim

Primark because I deplore fast fashion and their supply chain exploitation.
Sports Direct because of Mike Ashley and his tenure at Newcastle United FC.

I also refuse to fly with Ryanair.

Yep - I also refuse to fly Ryan Air who talks about his customers as if they were an annoyance!

Amazon - absolutely CFs with no ethics or morals. Too many reasons to list.

Next - I like some of their stuff but they'rere ruthless towards smaller wholesale companies and responsible for many going bust.

Kwiksave was a utter shitehole - it was fucking depressing to have to shop in there.