People in shops are pleased to see you! But shops are running on empty

[BaitandSwitch]

We went shopping yesterday into the city and was delighted to be back in all the big shops including John Lewis.

What really gets me is that I'm finding that staff seem really, really pleased to see you, to help and serve also. It's heartbreaking that the shops on a Friday afternoon were quite empty and there are staff hanging around with little to do. So I think most staff are welcoming engaging with the public even more so under Covid.

My plea is this - if possible, go to shops and let the staff serve you - the shops and our economy desperately need the business and staff need the work. And as people, we need interactions with others for our wellbeing. Please give on-line shopping a rest and head out (don't forget your mask and keep socially distant though!) The High Street? Use it or lose it.

I forgot to add how lovely it is to be back out shopping again, and the staff in all the stores were a pleasure to deal with.

Bit of a sweeping statement to say all people in shops are happy to be there. I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and say plenty are not

I’m not going anywhere!

Last trip there was nothing in the right sizes.

I’ll stick to online.

I am in the vulnerable group, I am not risking getting a virus just for the sake of a bit of shopping, no thanks.

I've only managed to go on weekends because I'm at work Monday-Friday but my local shopping centre seems just as busy as usual on a Saturday afternoon. My friend who works in retail says they're having some supply issues since lockdown though, only getting about half the deliveries they usually get.

This is kind of like a nurse saying that all teachers are happy to be at work because they have a child and their teacher looks happy.

Or a teacher saying that all nurses are happy because one of them took her blood for a test and she looked happy?

Come on how patronising can you get!

Ophelia, where did I say exactly that all people in shops are happy to be there?

I think most people who have a job like to do it well and people who have to work in a shop during a pandemic are probably no exception and just trying to make the best of it. With fewer customers in some cases they may be less harassed and probably want to give good customer service so that sales pick up / customers recommend the shop. I don’t think may people go to work to do a bad job.

many not may

Exactly, Splodetastic. Also I'm sure it depends on the customer as it is a two-way process.

It's a shame the shops can't be bothered to actually stock things to sell. We've ventured out a few times, but have come home empty handed except for some small items. Currys, M&S, John lewis, Clarks - basically just showrooms where the staff tell you to go online to order.

@BaitandSwitch

Ophelia, where did I say exactly that all people in shops are happy to be there?

At the point that you said they're pleased to see you and want to help you?

I went last Tuesday morning. And it was very busy. Especially in the shopping centre.
Also Thurs pm was busier. No idea why..

No thanks. I haven't been in a shop since April, and I stopped then because it was completely nightmarish. I'm in an area where a lot of people don't wear masks and won't social distance - local friends who do go to the shops have told me that it's not a good environment for anyone who is vulnerable or nervous about Covid. (Yes, I know some people have good reasons not to wear masks - the sheer numbers not doing so indicate that not all of them do!)

I'm probably spending more shopping online than I did in person before anyway. The same businesses are getting my money, just in another way.

This is an interesting observation/point.

Many on MN seem to think that if we just pretend there isn't a virus we can behave as normal and the economy is fine. A point is often made though, that if people don't feel safe they won't go out and spend money - the economy is hit either way.

Quiet shops now kind of make the point - in most places there are no restrictions on going the shops, yet many people just don't fancy it. If cases increase and deaths start to increase, there will be less people in shops than there are now, even if there's technically nothing holding them back.

Well I'm making lots of trips to my local bookshop. Don't buy many clothes in shops these days and didn't before Covid-19 either.

Not quite, Orphelia. Here are my exact words for you:

What really gets me is that I'm finding that staff seem really, really pleased to see you, to help and serve also.

I made an observation, not a statement of fact, by using the word "seem". Which is not the same as "all people in shops are happy to be there".

People in shops are indeed pleased to see you, and actively want tomake you happy. They may not always be happy with how you are behaving though, to be truthful..

Honestly, I'm doing everything I can to avoid coming into contact with people in shops. So I'll continue to do shopping as little as possible, and - where I can - use self-service checkouts.

Your story is very different to the one my friends in retail tell me, which is that they're nervous working, nervous handing items that people have touched, and wished they didn't have to work - at least in that sector.

So honestly, they look happy to see you because they're trained to. But they would much prefer to be safe somewhere else. So don't feel like you're doing people a favour by interacting, as they just might not want that!

@LindaEllen

Honestly, I'm doing everything I can to avoid coming into contact with people in shops. So I'll continue to do shopping as little as possible, and - where I can - use self-service checkouts.

Your story is very different to the one my friends in retail tell me, which is that they're nervous working, nervous handing items that people have touched, and wished they didn't have to work - at least in that sector.

So honestly, they look happy to see you because they're trained to. But they would much prefer to be safe somewhere else. So don't feel like you're doing people a favour by interacting, as they just might not want that!

This is my point OP. I think you're judging the situation wrongly

I see that the subject title of my post could have been better explained, eg " All the staff that I encountered seemed pleased to see me! But shops are running on empty".

I wasn't a massive shopping fan before the 'wear a mask, not that kind of mask this kind of mask, go in this direction only, no doubling back, it's a one way system, no more then three people in an aisle, you're standing thirty centimetres too close to me' bullshit, so until the little Hitlers clear off I'll quite happily stick to online for everything.

Okay, maybe staff have had excellent training and possess good acting skills? Of course I appreciate that it's not great for staff - they're understandably nervous, worried and would rather be anywhere else. We all owe them a debt for being there and serving us so we can continue to function under Covid.

But that is my point - they are there, the ones I encountered are doing a great job and if possible (obviously not if you are shielding etc) I believe we should try and support them - for the sake of our economic future and their jobs.

All the smiley little retail workers, none of whom are working with health conditions or shielding family members they can't see or who have lost friends or family to Covid. None of whom will catch the virus and get permanent damage or even die? that smile and desire to please is because they know they are hanging on to their jobs by the skin of their teeth. That's not happiness, it's either relief or defiance. It's part of the job too, so maybe they are really fucking miserable but also really professional. A smile can hide a thousand worries

It's wishful thinking op. The ship has already sailed.