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.

Not happy that others are feeling this way, but glad I'm not the only one!!

I have young twins and got such a early look from a local independent shop when I went in with them in a baby carrier (one on my front, one on my back). Sign on door said 2 customers at a time. WTF did they want me to do with my kids??!!

Went today to John Lewis...no queues, no one way system. Staff fantastic...but it was joyless.

Ots true, I go in for specific things now, I feel like the whole system isn’t set up for browsing....and I’m such a browser!!! I feel like I can’t stop long and look at something because I’m holding people up...

Seemed OK at first but then staff stocking shelves coming right up by you

Yes, I’ve had this so often!! Just reaching over you too like I’m invisible... the rules are there to protect you too mate, how do you know I don’t have it. Ugh people.

And unlike many others - I am not saving money by shopping online. Food bill is astronomical because we are all at home (and I now have to buy a bottle of wine every week). I am spending a fortune on crafts to keep DS occupied. Read a thread on here about chocolate and went off to buy some online at 11pm ... online is great but I can shop whenever I want which is not good for my wallet

We're being laid back on the one way system if there is only one or two people in. Any more and we do have to ask to follow, we don't like asking but we want to be open. If we seem abrupt i am sorry but when 90 percent of people dont bother and we have signs on floor and eye level directions it can get annoying

Yes it's not much fun. Browsing is dead for sure. I have been quite happy with my favourite shops ( apart from.the ones that have folded of course!).
Going to more than two shops on one trip is hard work and time consuming on the big high street. It's a bit better in my market town to mooch as its mot so busy.

Definitely going forward it's either I'm bored and want to waste a morning in town or I mean business, know 100% I'm going to buy something and then go into the big town.

I used to love shopping and the high street is doing, but I cant see myself browsing for a long time to come. You just cant. It's not possible any more but I'm.sure it's all to improve as we get used to it

It sounds grim and friends have reported about the state of things in our nearby town. Some people keeping to the rules but many others behaving selfishly. I haven't been in a shop of any type since the end of February and don't expect to go in one this side of Christmas. When I've ordered things online I've taken care to use small businesses and have had some extremely good service. Sorry High Street but it won't be me that saves you.

DP and I went into the local town on Sunday and a huge amount of shops weren't open, maybe because it was Sunday?

We only went to Tesco which was okay apart from most ppl ignoring the one way system and a guy trying to enter via the exit. We also went to Hotel Chocolat which was allowing six ppl in maximum. A man and two young's sons stood exactly where we wanted to be for what felt like an eternity. The kids had no interest in being there, they should have waited outside to free up some space

Shopping as we know it has gone, there no enjoyment whatsoever now. My friend is going to their local pub on July 4th and has had to book in advance and has been given a two hour slot at a table. This will be the end for the old swiggers propping up the bar all day long

Oh God I cant even think about when I need to go < the C word > shopping. I might cancel it this year. Or max five presents per child.

I love Christmas shopping - sob!

I went to Dunelm the other day, completely crazy in there! Staff were in visors, gloves and plastic aprons marshaling you around the shop, not allowed to go back, once you'd passed an area that was it, kept being asked 'have you finished your shopping, please go to the till now!'

Trying to shop for DS' birthday, I went to the Trafford Centre, also a nightmare, could go over to a different area but then had to queue 40 minutes to get back into the main centre! All shops hardly stocked with a very odd selection of items. You could tell it was literally what was left when they closed in March and had no further deliveries.

Finally, went to the Primark in our town. 20 minute wait to get in, not too bad, then told at the door, 'just so you know, if you want to buy anything, theres a minimum of a 45 minute wait at the tills as we can only have a couple open!'

I have tried to support shops, I really have, but it's back to online for me.

I'm dreading the kids school shoes debacle. It's madness at the best of times - goodness knows what it'll be like this time round!

I think part of the problem is that, obviously, every shop has to have different rules. Pre-Covid, if you went into any shop, you wandered about, spied what you wanted, picked it up and headed for the tills. Apart from the queuing system for the till, everything was pretty much the same in every shop.

Now, you have different numbers allowed in, one way systems to negotiate, can't touch/try on, different places for sanitizer bottle placement and then the till queuing system. It's like learning to drive all over again in every shop - one has one set of rules, the other has a different set and some change as the shop learns.

Take our local Tesco. When the lockdown started you would get your trolley, join the queue and the trolley wipe down station was indoors. Then they realised that a) people were handling 'dirty' trolleys in queues that could take 30-40 to get through the door and b) the trolley station inside was slowing everything down.

So they set up a 'cleaned trolley' area. Used trolleys went to one side and a member of staff cleaned and sanitized them. Then another member of staff would give the customer a cleaned trolley. So the customers would then queue without a trolley and get one just as they entered the store.

But now they've realised they're tying up a member of staff who's outside in all weathers. So they have set up the cleaned trolleys bay but you now help yourself and they've put a second cleaning station about half way between the trolley bay and the entrance so you can give the trolley a wipe down yourself if you feel like it.

But of course what is now happening is people are walking past the cleaned trolley bay and suddenly realising they should have taken a trolley (having learned they would be handed one). So last week we had people doubling back, others tutting away because they'd been shopping in the 'new system' already so knew the ropes.

Personally I can't be bothered to queue elsewhere. I do the supermarket, pharmacy for a repeat prescription and the post office for my on line business and that's it. The rest I'm getting on line to save my sanity I'm afraid.

Oops - 30 to 40 minutes to get through the door.

Oh Jeez @LondonJax, I'd not even thought about the DC school shoe shopping! 😭😲😒

I'm autistic and I find it confusing. I would also hate being shouted and told off so I just send DP to the shop.

I'm mostly shopping on line but the few times I've actually been inside a shop it's felt more like an SAS raid than a normal shopping experience.

Get in, grab items, carry out avoidance maneuvers as many times as required if other shoppers appear to be getting too close, stick head round the end of each aisle to check it's safe to step out, get to till and exit as fast as possible. Then breathe a sigh of relief whilst decontaminating oneself with antibacterial gel.

I've never been a huge shopping fan but I do so miss how life used to be.

I have done online shopping for 15 years now. Hate going into shops so never bother. Lockdown has not changed my shopping habits at all.
I am a wheelchair user so shopping is not easy.

So far apart from our weekly grocery shop I'm buying absolutely everything online now.

It's stressful. The queues, the death stares, the rushing, the staff blocking aisles re-stocking and not distancing from me (appreciate this is not their fault, but made it impossible to buy bread), the one way systems not working....

My local Co-op is great, go half hour before closing, but there's little choice and its pricey.

Thing is, if we love and want to keep our high streets we have to shop there. I’m supporting our local and independent shops as a customer.

I had to go to Sports Direct today as it's the only place open in town that sells trainers. Both dd's 2 and 9 needed some. The short walk from the car park there was awful. Groups of young people in their 20's walking 4 a breast across the pavement, no attempt to give us space. Had to keep dragging toddler out of the way of people. The shop itself was quiet. Hand gel pump was empty so contaminated my hand pumping it for nothing DD2 being a nightmare with choosing shoes, wasn't sure if they fitted or not, couldn't ask staff (they weren't wearing any ppe). Bought them and now she's told me she hates them since we got home so I'm probably going to have to return them, argh!! It was such a stressful shopping trip. I am never going to shops with the kids again until this circus is all over (if it ever will be). Click and collect and online all the way! I do agree coop is the exception though. Lovely staff, well organised so I can top up on my fresh stuff in between fortnightly collections from the supermarket

I have been going to the large M and S near me,I go about 7pm,hardly anybody there,can walk straight in,look at clothes first,they have some real bargains.Then food shopping.

Only one door open to get in,then exit through the food hall.

There are markings on the floor,but nobody policing it in the evening.I have really enjoyed going,like a day out for me.

How did anyone ever find looking at consumer products joyful ? How depressing.
I’m glad of any corporation implementing measures to not add to the 45,000 dead. The general public are, as a mass, stupid, filthy, and put poverty wage labourers lives at risk. They need basic things spelled out, with pictures, and even then, they’ll think ‘it’s a cunspirrassy!!’ 🙄🙄

How did anyone ever find looking at consumer products joyful ? How depressing

I loved leisurely shopping with friends, having a nice lunch out, it was very enjoyable and sociable and fun. If you hate it and find it depressing then I’m not sure why you even bothered commenting! Lol

Our local shopping centre is starting to open up and I have been several times. No queues, staff all very welcoming and pleasant, plenty of stock on the shelves. It's lovely to have this back.

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

Well with nightclubs being closed, at least it's nice that they've been able to get work elsewhere.

I got irritated in Waitrose because they'd decided to hide the queue for the tills in a really stupid place with no signposting, with a member of staff issuing vague instructions, with the only access to the back of the queue being via the busiest aisle in the shop that was full of nobody queuing, but dozens of people browsing birthday cards.