AIBU to think commerce has utilised technology in a way that makes some aspects of our lives more cumbersome

[HauntedBungalow]

Supermarket shopping for example, not just the customer physically doing more but also the multi-tiered pricing systems.

Having to book many leisure activities in advance is another, also the pricing of these has gone rogue.

Accessing films, music too is complicated - theoretically we have everything at our fingertips but actually it's all parcelled up in subscription services and ownership/access changes all the time.

And if you hit a bump in service of any kind, your only remedy is to have a bot chat at you.

I thought the technological revolution would look a bit different, from this.

Having to book attractions, museums etc, in advance is a pain in the arse.

I haven’t been swimming since the leisure centres brought in booking and you can’t just turn up and swim anymore.

Similar to then domestic appliance revolution was supposed to free us from drudgery, and give us a life of leisure. ..

Though the frustration of commerce is indeed hideous, as is the explosion of apps when emails were enough before our inboxes overflowed with marketing..

Oh yes. Online shopping, paying for parking… all so needlessly complicated now.I have a rule that if a non-essential online task or purchase takes more than two minutes, I don’t do it.

Washing machines so slow. My mother had a twin tub if she found a stray garment would just lift the lid and throw it into the machine. Kettles were so fast. Everything has to be energy saving.

Customer service is now horrendous- I’m trying to get a refund for something I have incorrectly been charged for on DS’ PlayStation and it has taken me hours with no success.

I went clothes shopping today, and two of the three shops wanted to know my address and email address, whereas I just wanted a paper receipt. It's just so annoying and intrusive.

And then when you buy something online, you get bombardes afterwards for reviews.

This drives me wild! Bloody Waitrose (and by the way - what is their loyalty card actually FOR?) - still pestering me two weeks later about some bloody chicken I bought! Fuck off Waitrose and any other twat that wants my reviews. Pay me and we’ll talk!

Yep same here. I stopped pool swimming after booking was bought in after Covid. Completely ruined the pleasurable spontaneity of having a swim.

SODDING. PASSWORD. FOR. EVERYTHING 😡

Our council leisure centre brought this in during COVID but it's long gone now.

I agree about all the different streaming services. I have kind of given up for films and just get them on DVD again but with series that "everyone's watching" I then find out it's on Disney+ or something else we haven't got.

I'm an academic and really hate having to mark everything on screens. We are finally able to do mainly exams in person and I've got a pile of spider trails in person hand written exams. It's made me all nostalgic for when I used to take my essay marking on fieldwork and sit with a bottle of local beer pre DCs sniff

Yes! And it's got to have special characters.
Mate, if you want to submit a paper to a conference in my name, fill your boots.

You haven't yet rated your EVRI delivery. Would you like to rate your EVRI delivery now?

I read something recently about ‘choice fatigue’ and how it was terrible for us.

We have so many choices about everything now, it’s impossible for our brain to compute. And it’s true - everything is so complex.

Want to attend an event? The tickets come out eight months ahead, nine months if your logged in, there’s 8 different pricing brackets, the prices go up after the first drop, do you need to add parking etc, which gate entry will you need, how the tickets are collected, which payment method etc etc.

And it’s everything - the food you buy, changing utilities, buying a pair of shoes.

The whole thing is relentless.

We have given ourselves ‘options’, but really we are just using up far more time and energy making choices instead.

Ah yes, please order your meal at this restaurant using an app, you will need to set up an account with all your personal details and a ten character password with a capital, a number and a special character.

That's one reason I will never buy a front loader. I've just done a load of washing in a short amount of time - top loaders all the way for me! (I still remember my twin tub fondly btw).

@worstofbothworlds, arghhh, I'd forgotten about that!

I just don't give it out,the worst one I had was in Debenhams buying perfume/aftershave.The assistant wasn't going to sell me it because I wouldn't give my email it took a floor manager to point out the error of their ways.

Yes, what the fuck is that? It's work is what it is.

Get out your phone, use your data, download our app, set up an account, yes we do need your date of birth, oh we can't find your address, please enter it manually, no not that password use a different one, read out the menu to everyone, pass your phone around, unlock your screen, oh you've been timed out, put your password in again, no not that password use a different one, tick the box next to the food you want, no that one's not available, and that one over there is part of a different deal, no uncle Glenn you can't have it with extra chilli, that's not one of the options, just tick the bloody fucking box already, put in your bank details, open your banking app, different password again ...

Thank you for your order. Would you like to tip your server?

The above 🤯🤯🤯🤯

I flatly refuse to get a Fitbit or smart watch. I don’t want my life ruled by gadgets. And I will not use my phone to pay for anything: cash or actual cards all the way. Still resisting a smart meter, in spite of the need to enter a password when I give meter readings.

And I have until midnight tonight to sort out the Mersey Gate crossing - I still haven’t received confirmation that I paid. Will I get it sorted out on a Sunday?

Slightly different issue, but while I’m on holiday in the north of England, the extra charges for everything. Parking. Toilets. Road tolls where you don’t expect them. When I were a kid, we went to places like the Lake District visiting lots of places because it was a relatively cheap way to go on holiday. Now it really isn’t. £5 for each car park, even if you’re only staying for half an hour. In three days, I’ve spent about £50 on these things alone.

Yes to all of this.

Adding 2 fac authentication and secure emails.

Everything seems to take a zillion clicks especially
medical
legal
Financial
correspondence.
Then you have to manually save them because otherwise they are nightmare to find because if you search Gmail for dr Smith nothing comes up because the email is " a secure letter from carebit"

Tthe ampint of time i waste trying to double check location on drs appointments....
I'd actually rather get a sodding letter.

Ah, the song of my people.

Neo-Luddite and proud here. I hate it, I hate it all.

Just say no to that. It's not necessary at all and you have a right to a paper receipt at the point of purchase.