Is anyone “going for a wander around the shops” anymore

[Makinganewthinghappen]

I used to enjoy going for a wander around the shops, charity shops, books shops etc and just picking up bits and pieces.

Since Covid though it’s just not enjoyable doing that - Don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining about the measures taken I know they are needed but it has made a relaxing rummage pretty impossible. Wearing a mask, the one way systems etc and notices not to touch anything your not going to buy makes are a little off putting!

I really miss my little trips to our local shops and I have been trying since they reopened to get back into the swing of it one or two have on mine delivery which I have used but most don’t, a few have already shut down.

Is anyone else finding shops difficult to use at the moment? I feel bad for not supporting the shops - I literally live on the Main Street I look out of the window and see how empty they are!

Perhaps if they more were open and had more stock, people would use them. We went to our High St first time last week with a long shopping list. Came home with virtually nothing. So many shops not open (not the ones that have closed down, I'm meaning chains that are still operating and some small independents). So many shops that look like closing down sales with barely anything on their shelves. Clarks, M&S etc staff just glibly saying to go online. Shops really need to get their act together if they want to survive. It was such a shock because everything is open as usual in our village - post office, butchers, bakery, newsagent, spar shop, etc - all have plenty of stock and operating normally, but then again, they're privately owned so have an incentive to find stock to sell and open as usual otherwise they don't earn a living. Chain store staff get paid or furloughed anyway (short term at least!).

I did. My local shopping centre just for a wee nosy. I went early in the morning so I didn't have to queue anywhere. Lots of places were still shut weren't opening till 10/10.30am. Some shops have even closed for good 😕 signs gone and empty spots. I only went to the shops I really wanted to go to. One way systems everywhere and compulsory masks really put me off. It's going to kill the shops.

I tried and found it all so joy-less that I wont bother again for a while.

I hate on-line shipping and have no creative imagination when looking at clothes/home accessories etc just as pictures. I need to see things in the flesh iykwim.

🤷‍♀️ I hope we can get back to old normal rather than new normal soon!

I’ve been thinking about going for a wander round charity shops. They need the support and also must have some awesome stock! Bit confused though - can we pick up and touch stuff , not sure it will work if not ?!

I kinda tried, needed a face wash from a certain shop. Due to distancing only 3 customers seemed to be allowed in at a time, so I had to wait. And they browsed, and they browsed and they browsed some more so I gave up on the whole thing as I don’t really have the time/desire to watch other people shop. Bought it online instead and it’s kinda putting me off trying the smaller shops for the foreseeable.

I know I feel the same. It's sad. I still go to my local card shop, bakers and sweet shop but I have bought clothes online. I still don't really want to go to the shops unless it's necessary.

I went to our local Mall last week. I love wandering round the shops, and needed to get some bits and pieces. It wasn’t too bad, but I was sad to see the empty shops where Cath Kidston, Oasis and Warehouse used to be. Also part of the fun of a wander round the shops is trying samples of make up and perfumes. All gone. No trying on of clothes either.
Other than that it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Just a bit depressing.

I haven’t either. I only go to the amazing brownie and cookie shop near me. Big queue, one in one out. But kind of worth it😁

Everything else is online

The whole point of physical shops is that you get to inspect the goods - feel the weight, feel the cloth, look at the colour against your skin, smell the tester. So what is the point of shops now?

I would love to support our local town. I always feel so guilty buying everything online. However DH has type 1 diabetes and we are still being careful.

I just hope there is still a high street to return to once this is all over.

I went on Monday, it was not an enjoyable experience at all. I won't be going by choice for a while yet.

I disliked it before so nothing has changed for me. Although if there are things I need I would definitely go online rather than to any shops, whereas before I might have gone to a shop so I could have got the thing I needed sooner. Now I will definitely wait.

However, lots of people I know say they won't bother now. I think this may kill a lot of business.

No, it's quite stressful with all the various measures in place. I understand why they are there and accept they are necessary but it isn't relaxing or fun wandering round the shops at the moment.

Went to the local shopping centre last week to get DS1's hair cut. Whilst DH stayed with him I dashed to primark to pick up a job lot of tracksuit bottoms and hoodies for the DC and then we went straight home. I would normally have stayed for lunch and a potter about but it all just seemed like hard work.

I would love to be able to go for a wander in the shops, but as an earlier poster said, it’s such a miserable and regimented experience. There is no joy in it, and yes, retailers do need to get their act together. Lots of stores in my town still closed or with reduced opening hours. The face covering thing will be the final straw for me and I will be going online for the foreseeable future, which is a shame.

No, I can’t enjoy shopping with a face mask on at all so I’m even food shopping less. The queues and the general stress of other people being grumpy makes it all a no.

We may be looking at another big shift up in online shopping.

I went with my daughter last week, it was a bit worrying to see many places still closed/closed down. Overall though it was enjoyable to do something normal without all the crowds. All shops had sanitising stations and it felt very safe.

I went for a sort of wander a few weeks ago at a big shopping centre and as well as picking up the things I went for I did buy a few items of clothing from Zara after a browse. It wasn’t busy and it was actually reasonably enjoyable. I don’t like masks though and have found them difficult to wear for the twice I’ve had to, for only 15/20 mins at a time, so I can’t see me doing much browsing once that comes in to be honest. I just don’t find it conductive to relaxation having my face covered.

I’m going shopping today, it’s a last hurrah before we have to wear masks which I find unbearable.

With lockdown I’ve got out of the habit of real life shopping so I won’t miss it too much.

I don’t like it now. Every shop has different rules so I am always anxious in case I do the wrong thing as it’s ok in one shop and not the other, I got told off for touching what I wanted to buy when I didn’t realise it was a display item. It made me feel embarrassed as I am trying to hard to always be careful about hygiene.
However most of the shops here are shut anyway, the bigger chains that have survived are empty other than supermarkets.

I'm nipping out for the last few 'essentials' today while mask wearing isn't yet compulsory. I will be avoiding shopping altogether when that comes in.

Went to a large shopping centre midweek a couple of weeks ago and that wasn't too bad. Got lots of clothes for the kids - just found the one way systems and people barking out instructions a bit off-putting. It's the masks that will crush any last bit of pleasure and end shopping as a leisure activity unfortunately. Didn't buy any clothes for myself as changing rooms not open. OH ended up buying a pair of jeans and trying them on in the public toilets before taking them back as they didn't fit!!

I went into an independent shop at the weekend and touched one of the bags - out of habit. Shop assistant barked that she can I need to wear gloves if I want to touch anything. It's not going to feel the same wearing gloves!!

Sad times 😥

Nope, it's such a bloody enormous faff. I'm going for a final comfortable wander around John Lewis tomorrow, mind, as I need some new oven gloves. I shall also make a valiant attempt at keeping pret afloat.

I can't even vow to shop from the shops I'm otherwise minimising my visits to online. I needed a new waterproof mattress protector, this week, as one of the ones I was using was no longer waterproof, and ended up having to order one from amazon as non of the high street shops had anything suitable, that would fit the mattress in question, in stock.

I think we will give it a go soon...my PILs went to Guildford recently which is usually fairly busy on any day of the week and said it was dead.

I'm actually very cautious about the virus but I think that now we have the 1m+ rule in and mandatory face masks they should relax a little more in shops.

Perhaps that's the plan? Once mandatory face masks are in place and people are abiding by it the other rules in shops won't be required any more (so no one way system, queuing, etc).

Also - if they made using hand sanitiser mandatory to enter then I personally think the risk from people touching things is minimal and they should let it go.

I tentatively went to our Next which is a superstore one. It was awful.
The staff looked miserable. There were loads of staff and hardly any customers so they were all staring at you the entire time. Red plastic tape across the changing rooms. Loads of stock removed so they can heard you around the store in one direction. Loads of signs up with don’t do this, don’t do that on them. Felt really self conscious when I wanted to move a couple of tops to check for my size and then when I didn’t buy it. Went upstairs to check out Costa. Takeaway only, all fridges empty and chairs piled high to stop you going in any further.
It was not a pleasant experience at all and I used to go there maybe once a week to have a browse and coffee. I might try again in September when the schools go back but I wouldn’t take my children in there as it is now.

No, but it isn't something I enjoyed pre COVID but honestly, masks, social distancing and queuing to get in to the local shopping centre are not inspiring me to go!

We've made appointments for the school uniform supplier and the school shoe shop, but definitely no browsing for us.

I went into a charity shop yesterday and bought a little stripy floor rug and a Portmeirion tray if that's any comfort ..