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.

I don’t blame the staff. But in my town they seem to have redeployed the local nightclub bouncers to monitor queues in M&S. Its comical in one way, big lads dressed in black with shaved heads & walkie talkies, but fucking annoying being roared at for going the wrong way or being allowed into the food hall, missing a sign or other misdemeanours.
There’s also ex bouncers at Tesco and centra here.
Shopping has definitely changed and I’m not keen on it.
I try to maintain a neutral expression because I would look really bad if I said what I was thinking.

Had this in Costa a few days ago. Big song and dance about following the footsteps on an obstacle course through the [small] shop, you must wait behind this line before you order and wait to be called forward to the till to place your order. Then you must wait in an exact spot for your drink... I was the only bloody customer in the whole place!! Not what you need before you’ve had your caffeine fix, first thing in the morning

I can’t be bothered to go shopping under these conditions, but it’s a worry in an economy that relies on people getting into debt and buying stuff they don’t really need. Such a shame we don’t make anything anymore.

I agree it is tedious and depressing. I don't blame the staff, as they're just following orders. And they're probably being OTT as a sort of performance safeguarding because the powers above think that's what the customers want.

But there's safety, and then there's a utterly soul destroying experience, which is what the retail shops are right now.

I went into a very well known shoe shop. I knew exactly which shoe I wanted (had seen it online) but wanted to try it on as I have odd feet. After queuing patiently, even though there was just one person in the shop and at least 3 assistants, I finally got in. Only to be told off at least 8 times in the time I was there.
Stand here. Stand back. This way. Not that way. Sit here. No not there. Don't touch the shoe. Don't touch me. Take this pop sock. Stand back from the till etc etc etc
You won't be shocked to know that I left without buying.

It’s a strange experience being told off as an adult - especially someone like me who never puts a foot wrong. Our local butcher told me off within a nanosecond after I entered the shop for not standing behind a white line on the floor. I was nowhere near anybody (the only person in the shop apart from him) but moving meant I couldn’t actually read any of the labels on any of the products any more, so I jumped back like a scalded cat, bought something tiny to avoid embarrassment and left.

Shopping right now puts me in mind of photos of bread queues in Soviet Russia. Just more spaced out. The joylessness is the same though.

At least they were queuing for food. Like hell am I going to put myself through that for shoes or a top I can easily do without

YANBU. I ventured to Homebase and Next Home the other day and it was just so fucking painful. I won’t be bothering again.

It's shit and joyless and if I'm going to get told off I want it to be for something far more exciting than going with another adult to Waitrose for my only outing of the week.

I've moved to online shopping only and drastically cut back on spending. I feel bad for businesses, but not sad for the extra money in my pocket.

@NannyPhlegm

Shopping right now puts me in mind of photos of bread queues in Soviet Russia. Just more spaced out. The joylessness is the same though.

At least they were queuing for food. Like hell am I going to put myself through that for shoes or a top I can easily do without

Exactly ! Joylessness is the very word. I used to really destress by mooching around the shops. Going in and out of them all and often as not buying something in each one. My money stayed almost intact this time and I came home vowing not to repeat the exercise any time soon. I have plenty of things and am constantly decluttering so its a kindness to myself anyway.

I do worry about the local economy though. In reality we need money to keep swirling around and if our combined experiences are anything to go by there will be much less in circulation. Locally at least. I expect online sales will rise again. I have Amazon prime and have used it a little more than I normally would . I may have to increase that for things I previously never considered.

But there's safety, and then there's a utterly soul destroying experience, which is what the retail shops are right now.

Shopping right now puts me in mind of photos of bread queues in Soviet Russia. Just more spaced out. The joylessness is the same though.

It’s a strange experience being told off as an adult - especially someone like me who never puts a foot wrong

I feel like I've found my tribe!

I agree! Our local M&S foodhallhas installed these new self check out tills where there is nowhere to put your shopping basket or bag. They only really work if you have just one or two items. I was really struggling to scan my basket of items and pack it, with nowhere to put them down. I just wondered, why am I bothering with this?????

The high street is full of old stock and ugly shops. It seems like retailers have stopped making an effort. I don’t see it surviving. I wish they would just give up on the dull and dying chain shops, and become cafe districts, public spaces, art centres, and individual boutiques which provide an actual customer experience.

I completely agree. I went to our local mall recently and it was a thoroughly vile experience. There were security guards everywhere shouting at people if they so much as looked like they were not following the arrows, bearing in mind there were millions of bloody arrows on the floor and it was very confusing. Then when I got to the till the assistant bizarrely insisted I move to the right to give in my Debenhams card and then jump to the left to give her my debit card. It was like doing the hockey cokey. Plus she was behind a huge screen but acting as if I had leprosy. Then on the way out I was shouted at again because despite the enormous doorway right in front of me apparently I had to go downstairs to exit the shop which was practically empty anyway. It was a horrible experience and I vowed then that they can keep their stupid fucking arrows and go bankrupt because I’ll be shopping online from now on. I get we have to be careful but it was like being in the bloody army and they were barking at people like they were doing them a huge favour. Very very stupid because the fact is, people will just not go and then they’ll have to close.
Stupid and very foolish.

We keep being told we need to spend to get the economy moving, but as long as people are getting treated like biohazards I can’t see too much spending happening. Not in physical shops anyway.

I'm really surprised so many of you have problems or get told off at the shops. Every time I go out I'm wary because of threads like this but never had a problem. Either you are getting told off because you aren't following the rules or the shops round my way do not follow the rules that strictly.

but as long as people are getting treated like biohazards I can’t see too much spending happening

Exactly. It’s perfectly possible to impose sensible precautions without treating people like violent criminals just because they missed a floor arrow. If they had even smiled a bit or made a little joke out of it, it would have softened the atmosphere. Most of us go shopping to enjoy the experience not to feel like we are prisoners on a day release. It’s sad because everyone I know has said it was so unpleasant they aren’t going back. The high street really is doomed.

Handmaid's Tale indeed. Blessed be the fruit.

My local co-op is OK, I know where everything is so am happy to pop in for bits if I forget something in my weekly shop. Or if the DCs snaffle it all. But I CBA with supermarkets (tesco always seem to have delivery slots luckily).

Shopping as a leisure activity is over for me.

@Rosebel

I'm really surprised so many of you have problems or get told off at the shops. Every time I go out I'm wary because of threads like this but never had a problem. Either you are getting told off because you aren't following the rules or the shops round my way do not follow the rules that strictly.

I haven’t been told off. I just thought it was a completely joyless experience. There’s nothing I want/need enough to bother again.

I’ve never spent so little. Cannot be arsed with this. It’s stupid and soul destroying.

I don’t even mind being told I’m doing something wrong if it’s polite- eg “madam please ensure you stay with the flow of the arrows”- that’s fine. But that’s not what they do. They literally bellow at you THE ARROWS!!! Follow the arrows- you CANT do that!” that, along with a facial expression as if they’re only one arrow away from shanking you! It’s horrible and rude. I worked on an acute psych ward for 10 years and never spoke to a patient like that!

I haven't been to a single shop since mid March. Everything I need can be bought online, occasionally with a delivery charge. I keep hearing stories about how awful shops are now and I'm just not interested.

A local clothing shop posted its rules on FB right before reopening: one way only, use hand gel, etc,etc. But then also said don't touch anything unless you are going to buy it! Forget trying something on, we're not even allowed to look for our size in something because that would involve moving other clothing out of the way. Ridiculous.

And like a pp said, it's awkward being told off as an adult. I feel genuinely anxious about going into a shop and doing it wrong, walking the wrong way, touching something not allowed. How can there be an ounce of joy in that?

Can you imagine doing your Christmas shopping ( an already unpleasant, stressful task if doing it in person) under these circumstances?

I took ds to Currys yesterday to try and get him a laptop for starting secondary(I'm in Ireland and he needs one as it's ebooks only in his school). Queue to get in, once in I had to say what we were there for and then had to queue to see the computer guy, then when we were finally seen we were told they only had one left in our quite generous budget but we couldn't see it because that is against the rules. An absolute waste of time. We came home and bought one off amazon instead.

I went to Tesco and it was disgusting. Lots of people, nobody kept distance.
Also went to H&M it was ok. 4 people in queue to get in but inside ok.
Went to budgens today and crazy.

Yep agree that shopping is stressful and so I have avoided it as much as possible. I actually welcome it when staff are compliant and advising customers to do the same. In sainsburys there were a bunch of sales staff chatting in the middle of the aisle and no one could get past! Another rolled his eyes at me when he ventured close to me and I put my hand up-it was as he couldn't hear what I was asking for through my mask. Any staff that are wearing protective stuff too is a good thing. Don't bother with The Range now as none of the staff wear anything and don't social distance or follow the guidelines apart from one. He wore a mask and gloves. I said that I was impressed as none of his colleagues had bothered. His reply? 'their loss'. How true.

I think all the retail workers are just on edge & trying to follow 'The rules' so they don't get in trouble or end up being recorded doing the wrong thing & splashed all over sm. It is annoying though, I was told off last week for going the wrong way around the barrier to the till and then standing on the wrong spot she made me go back the other way. I was the only person in the shop!. I'll do most of my shopping online now.

I work in an independent shop and to be fair the amount of people who don't follow the one way system is ridiculous. And don't get me started on the lack of social distancing. We have to implement all of this so we can open. We wear masks and gloves and we do our best but it feels like people don't get it.