To not bother with shops any more

[YaWeeSkitter]

For the first time since March I have time to go for a walk to the local shops . Most of them have been open for the whole time as they are essential (co-op ,Wilkos, farmfoods) but a few have recently reopened so thought it would be a great opportunity to have some normality.

I only went into shops that had no queues outside as it was really windy and threatening rain and I had limited time.
So Wilkos was okay with not many people in but it looked like a closing down sale. I asked an assistant if they were in fact closing but she said they had had a lot of customers. So I couldnt get what I needed since there were just empty shelves.
The co-op was better and I got a few reduced priced ready meals. Except the self serve till didnt read 2 of the discounted labels and when I pressed the help button the woman on the serviced till cancelled it. I pressed again - she cancelled it . This went on for about 6 times. I couldn't leave and go to the serviced till as there was a queue building up because the woman who kept cancelling my help request was struggling to serve the one customer she had ( only finding cigarettes) and the other assistant had to get involved. Eventually the other assistant was able to leave her and see to me.

Then I went to the Card factory. No-one else in the shop and I found the card I wanted. All good.Follow the arrows round the shop and arrive at the till and go to the line in front of the till. Where i was then shouted at by the assistant from across the shop. I was in the wrong place. How? Apparently although it was a marked line at the end of the arrows it actually meant no entry! I had to retrace my steps( remember I am the only person to be served) and go to the spot on the floor that was some way short of the arrows that was the designated waiting to pay queue end. The assistant had to lean sideways from behind the counter to take the card from me . I had to go round the front to pay and take the card back from her.

It was all very annoying .

And I am used to being out and about. I have worked all the way through and had to buy food and essentials so its not as if I am unused to the new way of doing things. Lord knows what it must be like for those who havent been out much in the last few months.

You're not alone! The only shop I haven't felt stressed in throughout the whole thing is our local Co-op, where the staff have been great, clever one-way system and I know where everything is; helps a lot when you can't double back on yourself!

I've got no desire to go in any other shops for a while; thankfully DP is much less bothered and will happily pop out for anything else we need.

I went into Millets today and was told it was one way (there was no one in the shop). When I took a deep breath to stop myself saying anything, I was told ‘you will have to get used to it as all the shops are the same’.
I replied ‘no I won’t’ and walked out. Our local Waitrose has a stasi bouncer on the door to check you are alone! I predict all lot of shops closing in the near future.

i haven't been to any shops except for supermarket thanks to mners warning me through posts i'll carry on avoiding the shops like the plague, i've moved over to online and happy to stay there.

I am avoiding shops as much as possible, it just sounds so stressful.

@user1468867871

I went into Millets today and was told it was one way (there was no one in the shop). When I took a deep breath to stop myself saying anything, I was told ‘you will have to get used to it as all the shops are the same’. I replied ‘no I won’t’ and walked out. Our local Waitrose has a stasi bouncer on the door to check you are alone! I predict all lot of shops closing in the near future.

I would have done exactly the same. To duck with them all.

I've found the local coop and cost cutter fine but not the bigger Sainsburys. I think I'll be sticking to internet shopping as its very stressful trying to shop whilst wheeling a nearly 3 year old round in a buggy who just want to escape.
I wasn't a big shopper but I have missed it.

My phone was far politer than me 🤣

Sounds like a right pita. I haven’t been in any shops apart from the pharmacy. It’s surprising how well you can manage online.

I've been to one shop (asda) since march and honestly it was very stressful. The trip was a few weeks back and I honestly havent been brave enough to even attempt a trip to any shop since.

It's unpleasant. Definitely makes you think hard about whether you need to buy anything.

I work in a supermarket and haven’t had any time off throughout, haven’t been to another shop either. I’ve started popping into a few places in the last week or two and it’s been so stressful it’s not been worth the bother.

First shop I went in always has a one way system anyway and is quite small but it’s a very browsy type of shop. I didn’t know whether to stand and wait for people to finish looking before moving on or if that would make other people feel rushed. One person going the wrong way past everyone and staff on top of customers filling up displays and moving things around, surely things like that can be done when the shop is shut? Nearly everyone at my place of work has had to adjust their working hours throughout all this so it’s not too much for other shops to have to adapt, if customers are having to adjust to changes then the businesses should too really. I ended up rushing through just to get out and missed everything I wanted.

I walked out of clarks apparently there was a queue (there wasn't and the place was empty) Next didn't have what I needed and was told to go online (I think, I couldn't hear through the face shield on the staff's head and the massive perspex screen) It's online all the way for me from now on. Shops are fucked

One trivial thing that has annoyed me is a few small shops requiring me to use their alcohol free hand sanitiser before entry.

Just wait a few weeks. The shelves in wilko were bare because nobody had been shopping for 3 months so they had been busy. Shop assistant e.g. in Card Factory have probably just had training on SD so are going a bit OTT with enforcing it. I'm sure it will settle down when people get used to the new systems and l realise every customer isnt trying to kill them

I agree, I know it's not the fault of the staff but it's so tedious and stressful. Everything takes forever and you seem to get caught in a one way system and can't get out. Do you overtake the browser in front or wait for them?

I went to IKEA to return something and had to walk around the whole shop in a one way system to get to returns which is literally next to the entrance, putting me to contact with hundreds of people unnecessarily.

Right or wrong I go to shops now that rarely have or enforce queuing or one way systems. It's just easier. I just wash my hands when I get home. And do click and collect for my main shop even if it's a bit more expensive.

I find it really hard to hear through a glass screen and a face mask. I have hearing issues, so I dread to think what it's like for those with hearing loss.

The staff just seem so stressed everywhere. I don't know how the high streets, especially independent shops, will survive.

I went to m&s the other day and the queue for it goes outside a big carpet shop, which I noticed had separated the entrance and exit and had a one way system. How many people did they think would be flooding in to but carpet

I can’t be bothered with it, all a bit Handmaid’s Tale.

There’s never a queue at Waitrose so DH and I just go in separately as once we were told only one person. Yet inside, it’s all couples or mums and teenage children.

Then try working in retail as I do . We get watched, we're on camera, we're encourage to report each other. I'd lose my job if I didn't comply. Customers don't comply and we get so much threats and abuse. I hate it when I go shopping too. But staff are just doing their jobs. I hate appearing as jobsworths.

I haven’t had anywhere near this type of experience and I’ve been to Ikea, Tesco and Wilkos this weekend.

Saying that, I inadvertently stepped in front of someone in a queue as I didn’t realise she was queuing. She told me off though so I moved back

I went out a few Saturdays ago for the first time. I went to the bank and sone shops. I was tired out after and hated it.
I noticed in 2 of the queues that people were smoking which was grim to stand in.
One shop was like navigating the Krypton Factor only to show a fake scented candle for it after!

I've always found going round the shops tiresome, but it's unbearable at the moment, so we're only popping out when essential.

It seems like half the folk out and about couldn't give a flying about the rules and the other half are ready to see you lynched you if you come within 5 meters of them, let alone 2!

Can't be bothered with it.

Im not sure if Im pleased that others have found the same annoyances or not.
I never blame the staff for signage idiocy or stock problems. I have worked in retail and all a lowly worker can do is obey the dictat from Head office. If it makes no sense customers will complain and then things may change. So I will be complaining to the CEOs of the relevant shops.

But even though these things individually are really minor it all builds up to a frustrating shopping trip. Where once I would have liked nothing better than a drift around the shops to spend and maybe spend £20-£30 on not very much I will now only go for things that are necessary .Or as a PP said send DH who only patronises the local co-op and still manages to get everything .

Im looking at how best to buy clothes and shoes online now though . If trying to buy a birthday card and some batteries was so irksome lord only knows what it would be like trying to buy wide fit sandals !

I’m with you OP. Once a week at the supermarket is enough! The queue is always very small (if there even is one), but once you’re inside it’s a free for all anyway, so I just do my list and get out of there!

Now that I’m at home to receive deliveries, I’m happy to purchase online and avoid the madness. Some friends miss the shopping experience though and couldn’t wait to get back to the shops so each to their own.

I went to TK Maxx last week with the 3 teen DC (all wearing masks!) as they needed clothes and TBH they needed to just go "somewhere". It was fine and they did pick up a few bargains.
Our local town centre is deserted though and I do wonder how many of the shops will survive.
The supermarket staff have been amazing through all of this.