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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

539 replies

OhDeari · 30/10/2019 09:08

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?

OP posts:
TwattingDog · 30/10/2019 11:11

Lush. Their anti-police campaign was their death knell for me. Never mind their prices have become shocking in the last few years.

Body Shop. They sold out. And only seem to sell body butter.

Trespass are about to be on my list after discovering my new waterproof jacket has non-waterproof seams. And that this is part of the design bll. Why would you do that?!

Sittinginthepower · 30/10/2019 11:12

Another one for Lush - I even avoid walking past one as the smell is so overpowering so a few shops we other side lose out on my custom too.

Clarks shoes - they pounce when you have just walked in and ask if you need help. FFS, if I need help I will ask for it.

Winterflower84 · 30/10/2019 11:12

A local small shop Phoneland. Bought a keyboard mouse from them, took back the next day, still unopened and unused, with the receipt, wanted to return as I realised it was too expensive and there were much cheaper options available. They refused to take it back. Hate such things. They had never told me they had a no-return policy.

DickAmbush · 30/10/2019 11:12

Claire's. I was a body piercer for nearly 20 years, and EVERYTHING about that shop's piercing policy and standards makes me seethe. In fact, I was banned from 2 of their stores after going in on different occasions (after dealing with the umpteenth completely fucked piercing) and asking them what the hell they were playing at.

I didn't behave aggressively or anything like that, but they certainly took umbrage to being questioned. I was banned from one branch of Blue Banana (another shop I avoid like the plague) for the same reason.

AngeloMysterioso · 30/10/2019 11:13

Another one not giving a penny of my money to Philip Green

wowthatscrazyman · 30/10/2019 11:13

Not a fan of Lush but can’t imagine viewing hunt sabbing as “terrorism”, to be honest Confused

LongtimeLurker29 · 30/10/2019 11:14

River Island - the volume of the music fills me with rage!

Sittinginthepower · 30/10/2019 11:15

I still go in these shops but I do hate them tryin to upsell at the till:
WH Smith
Savers
Clinton's

Carpathian2 · 30/10/2019 11:15

I hate lush too. I'm hoping someone from there is reading this.

Daisy169 · 30/10/2019 11:15

Harvey's! Ordered a set of dining chairs and a table - the table was damaged and the upholstery on the chairs was different colours (2 blue, 2 yellow fgs) Spent at least 10 hours trying to rectify their mistake and eventually got them to come and collect their stuff and refund us. Awful stories on their Facebook page too.

There's lots of high street shops I don't go in but that's the one that really makes me annoyed to even think about.

secretfreckle · 30/10/2019 11:17

Sports Direct: the rails and shelves up to the ceiling and rails of clothes all crammed together so that thee is no room to get around the store make me feel like I'm going to run out of oxygen. Also not enough staff on shop floor
An ASDA shop in our city: we call it 'divorce central' as whenever we go in there, the children play up and we all end up arguing. It's to do with the lighting and clientele in there I think (the toilets also have blue lights in to deter intravenous drug users).
A petrol station in our village: owner is so sexist and bigoted

GinAndTings · 30/10/2019 11:18

Asda
Farmfoods
Icelands

Next - bad layouts, overpriced.
M&S - overpriced
B&Q - cold.

Mothercare - overpriced - bad customer service, staff are 16 with no experience of breastfeeding and fitted my car seat wrong!

Halfords.

Body Shop - dont need any of it.

Superdrug - franchised off, staff are so rude and unhelpful.

Lush - staff pounce on you which I hate but I love their shampoo!

MarianaMoatedGrange · 30/10/2019 11:18

@IdClimbHimLikeATree aha!Halloween Grin

I'm not a regular, but pop in occaisonally. I like the proper old school greasy spoon on that road!

BeesKnees4 · 30/10/2019 11:19

Pretty sad that pp don’t like Lush because they support hunt sabs, hunting is illegal, don’t believe the BS it’s drag hunts, foxes are being hunted and killed every week. MN can be disappointingly naive 🙁

SunshineAngel · 30/10/2019 11:20

I can't believe you don't go in Tesco because they asked you to take your hood down. Don't you understand that it's for everyone's safety and for the security of the store?

YOU know you're going to take anything or harm anyone, but nobody else does, so your face should absolutely be visible for the CCTV.

For me.. It's TK Maxx. I don't deny there are some serious bargains to be had in there, but it's just so random and like organised chaos.. It's very rare that I make myself go into that shop!

TwattingDog · 30/10/2019 11:21

@BeesKnees4 or people have come to their own informed opinions and are not naive to it at all.... Sabbing has involved people injuring horses and dogs, and there is violence on both sides. It's not as clear cut as protecting foxes.

I live in a rural area, and am not in favour of fox hunting.

Fridaysgirl · 30/10/2019 11:21

House of Fraser

A 14 day return policy is ridiculous in this day and age.

Disfordarkchocolate · 30/10/2019 11:21

Lush - too smelly
Debenhams and the nearest big Boots - too hot
TK Maxx - too stressful, I don't like to rummage

BrightYellowDaffodil · 30/10/2019 11:21

@BeesKnees4 - no naivety, I’m well aware of what goes on with hunts and I’m still opposed to the activities of hunt sabs.

Goodnightseamer · 30/10/2019 11:24

Lush because they are aggressive wokebros.
Co-op because they treat their staff like shit, are overpriced and are self congratulatory wokebros.
Starbucks because they are wankers and it's a ripoff. I know everyone is used to the prices now but it's still a ripoff.

ThatssomebadhatHarry · 30/10/2019 11:26

TulipsTwoLips

Lush. It gives me a headache within seconds

Is this the smell of a thousands scents all at once or the overbearing smiling preppy shop assistants who dive on you as soon as you pass the door threshold.

IdClimbHimLikeATree · 30/10/2019 11:27

MarianaMoatedGrange Ah I've not been in there for ages. Hungry now!

DisaL · 30/10/2019 11:27

Primark for me. I've been doing some work with them for the last 18 months. Every single person I've worked with there has been horrible to all of our team. I've had people off sick with stress because of them. If they treat people they are supposed to be wanting to engage in a long term relationship with like that, then I'm never putting a single penny through their tills again.

kissmelittleass · 30/10/2019 11:27

Lidl I can't bear it there's always a strange atmosphere in there so I avoid
Lush for all the reasons other posters have said
Primark because of the crowds rude staff and tat BUT my ten year old dd loves it so I have to grin and bear
Poundland another one like Primark that I have to go into as dd loves it
Wilkinson's or Wilko atmosphere layout of shop just boring
Show zone tat and smell of chemicals, plastic
I'm sure there are more 🤣

Goodnightseamer · 30/10/2019 11:28

Oh yeah and tkmaxx. Ridiculous returns policy and no that isn't a designer handbag. I mean, yes, it says a "name" on it but was it like fuck ever intended to be sold in an actual department store concession. They're basically grey goods.