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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To complain.....

26 replies

MuffinToptheMule · 17/12/2009 09:15

Yesterday morning I went in to town early so I could buy some Christmas presents and a secret santa present which I needed for a christmas party for a place I volunteer at.
The party was at 9.45am so I had to leave town by 9.25, which gave me about 20 minutes to shop.
I had already looked on the internet and decided what to buy. I wanted to get a joke/funny book from Hawkin's Bazarr for the secret santa as well as about 5 or 6 other presents from there.
I would also then have to go to a different shop to get some wrapping paper and wrap the secret santa present.
I checked the opening time for Hawkin's Bazarr which was 9am. I arrived outside the shop at 8.55am. The shopping centre was already quite busy with people waiting outside other shops. I stood back from the door until 9am because I didn't want to seem desperate and I know they wouldn't open the shop before then.

So 9am came and all the other shops around Hawkin's Bazarr began to open. I looked into the shop and there were 4 members of staff who had been in the front of the shop talking for the previous 5 minutes. I waited for a few minutes and it was 9.04. The shop still wasn't open.
At this point one of the staff members noticed me and I thought, 'great, he'll realise the time and let me in'. However he just smirked and turned his back to me. He then said something to another member of staff who turned around and scanned the doorway until he saw me and he also smirked and turned back around and they carried on talking. Then they spoke to a third member of staff who also scanned the doorway, smirked and turned around. They all said something to each other and the pissed themselves laughing.

It was by now about 9.07 and so my shopping time was running out. I felt really embarrassed that they were laughing at me and actually quite upset. In the end I had to run to another shop and hastily buy a present for the secret santa which was not what I wanted and cost more money. I also didn't get to pick up the other presents.

I have been a customer of Hawkin's Bazaar for over 10 years and spend quite a lot of money in their shop and on their website because I work with SN children and the toys there are great for them.

Am I overreacting? Would you be upset/annoyed by this?

AIBU to contact Hawkin's Bazarr and complain?

OP posts:

JemL · 17/12/2009 09:18

They're pretty stupid to be opening late considering the time of year!

I would complain.

ILoveGregoryHouse · 17/12/2009 09:19

You are not overreacting. They are very unprofessional as well as being just downright unpleasant and rude. Complain.

ILoveGregoryHouse · 17/12/2009 09:20

And I hope you don't still feel bad. I can understand that you would have felt embarassed at the time.

HeffaMerryChristmas · 17/12/2009 09:25

YANBU. I would complain, they were being really rude.

Squishabelle · 17/12/2009 09:27

What utter prats. Whoever owns Hawkins Bazaar should kick the lot of them out and get other staff in.

ArizonaBarker · 17/12/2009 09:28

What a bunch of immature twits.

Definitely complain.

Bigbadmummy · 17/12/2009 09:33

Complain.

My FIL's favourite phrase is "I am trying to be a customer".

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 17/12/2009 09:33

I would complain really rude of them
It will be the same one I have been in won't it?
I bought some stocking fillers in there and was sooo unimpressed at the staff they were treating the customers like an inconvenience to their day.
Definately compain I think.

Brunettelady · 17/12/2009 09:38

How rude of them!!! Definately complain. Totally unprofessional and I hope they get a bollocking for it!

Original poster

MuffinToptheMule · 17/12/2009 09:47

Seems to be a consensus that they were being rude and I am going to complain. I'm glad I'm not being oversensitive.
Now I have to actually make the complaint, should I phone or email?

I need a cleaner - Yes it would be that store. Last year the staff were fantastic. Very jokey and bubbly, their personalities matched the store. It was actually quite fun going in their over the christmas period.

OP posts:

porcamiseria · 17/12/2009 09:49

complain and mention the exact date time and location so they can bollock the staff, so rude

Brunettelady · 17/12/2009 09:53

I would make the complaint in writing, that way you can keep a record as well. Make sure you note all details. Follow up letter/e mail with a phone call.

Drayford · 17/12/2009 09:58

YANBU!!! I'd be absolutely livid!

Complain by email and by post - today if you have time and demand an immediate reply.

If they were staff of mine I would sack the lot of them - it's not as though jobs are plentiful at the moment.

jeep · 17/12/2009 10:00

omg complain! name the store! we can all go and stand outside until opening and smirk en masse at them

BooHooo · 17/12/2009 10:02

Complain by phone and put it in writing. That is absolutely disgraceful, I imagine head office will take it very seriously actually.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 17/12/2009 10:02

YANBU. For all they knew youcould have been the managing director/owner - not that that should make a difference. I loathe the smirking too. I was smirked at in H+M when looking at bras, obviously there weren't any to fit my gargantuan norks but there was no reason for the stick thin titless assistant to point me out to her friend. I complained.

Brunettelady · 17/12/2009 10:02

Love Jeeps idea!! Lets do that and see how they like it!

BooHooo · 17/12/2009 10:03

yes what branch is it?

Brunettelady · 17/12/2009 10:04

OMG Kreecher!! Glad you complained about that!

nancy75 · 17/12/2009 10:04

are you sure they were smirking at you and not something else? it seems strange that a store in a shopping centre would open late for no good reason, shops are usually fined by the centre if they open late or close early. it is possible that they had a good reason for not being open on time.

Original poster

MuffinToptheMule · 17/12/2009 10:04

It's the branch in Aberdeen so I'm guessing most of you would have a fair way to travel. Thanks for the offer though

OP posts:

Original poster

MuffinToptheMule · 17/12/2009 10:07

Nancy75, I thought this at first but if a shop is going to open later than their stated time they normally put a piece of paper in the window stating that they will open late. Also, the staff would tell you through the window that they were not going to open for a while.

They were definitely looking and smirking at me. You could properly see them scanning outside until they saw me.

OP posts:

AmazingBouncingFerret · 17/12/2009 10:18

Complain and also go in just before closing time and loiter pretend to be browsing, glance over at staff and smirk often, hold expensive items in your basket and then about 20 minutes after closing time dump items in the wrong place and leave without buying anything.
Better if done on Christmas Eve.

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 17/12/2009 10:35

Well I can picket outside it before opening....might have no effect alone though
Oh and just to gat it into every post it's snowing in Aberdeen

Original poster

MuffinToptheMule · 17/12/2009 10:38

Dp just text me from work to tell me it's snowing. He's works just off Union Street. I am only about a mile or so from there and it is not snowing here.

OP posts:

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