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.

small online shop owners need to work as well! in fact without people buying from us our kids don't eat because we don't have any wages coming in!

@lurker69

small online shop owners need to work as well! in fact without people buying from us our kids don't eat because we don't have any wages coming in!

And equally consumers can’t spend money they don’t have. So what is the answer?

Shopping online will continue as long as shops won't (or can't ?) have the same amount of stock instore compared to pre-COVID.

My ds works in a shop that was open during the pandemic. He's a sociable sort who's happy to help but there's been a rise in bad customer behaviour that I have also witnessed while out and about. That needs to be rectified first. Even pre-COVID I would see things like discarded drinks on shelves 🤢. Customers need telling that it's not shop staff who decide stock levels in store (if it's in shortage then the store gets what it gets) and shouting at them for rules like 2 hand sanitizers per person isn't going to help and there's no secret "stock in the back"

I have been shopping since things reopened but I'll only be going during the week when it's quiet and certainly not during December when it's stressful enough without having to worry about the one way system etc

This pandemic saw lots of small firms getting business when the big guys like the supermarkets couldn't cope. I've partly switched to using them (eg takeaway from
an independent rather than a chain, buying some of my regular groceries at smaller places like the oriental supermarket) because they need my money more than big businesses in the shopping centres and they quickly adapted and helped feed the nation. It is time consuming getting my weekly groceries from more than one place but I think that's my contribution to keeping the economy going.

Our shopping centre has a one way system and I got shouted at because I left the shop and didn't remember this fact so walked the wrong way for a bit. I was on autopilot and made an honest mistake. I left after that tbh. Shopping used to be a pleasurable activity but no longer.

No thanks. I did venture into two big stores last week to return things and I found it really stressful. I didn't want to touch the escalator rail so felt a bit wobbly on it, all the arrows everywhere got confusing and I hated wearing a mask for that long.

Well done for supporting your high st op.

Before covid, I went out of my way to buy things in person, as I agree 'use it or lose it'.

But as I don't have a car, I'm only going to shops I can walk to from home or work. Thanks to so many people refusing to wear masks on public transport, I want to avoid public transport as much as possible.

I never order online from Amazon, and support independent businesses as much as possible.

If I'm to make an effort to go to a shop, queue, sanitise and wear a mask that makes me feel hot and lightheaded I would like to know that what I wanted was actually in stock. Too many wasted trips to shops where a pretty basic item is not in stock or no sizes available and then only to be told to order online. I like shops and love to browse but it's honestly not worth the effort if I'm going to have to order what I want online anyway.

AntiHop, I did notice yesterday that there were quite a few people (mostly younger) who were not wearing face masks, which no doubt is a discussion subject on another thread. Very disappointing and will only deter people like you from going out to the shops.

I intend to avoid setting foot in the big shopping centre in town while masks are mandatory.

I use a visor as I hyperventilate easily when directly covering my mouth. Even with a visor it's still warm and I get the urge for deep breaths. So I'm going occasionally to individual shops where I can get out and breathe normally. Being targeted, not browsing.

There is zero point on looking at clothes if I can't try them on, and I have no occasions or need to buy regular clothing anyway.

I want the High Street and physical retail to survive, but it needs to be a physcally comfortable experience to actually want to patronise it.

Pre Covid I was a “shopping for leisure” person. I would wander round the shops in my lunch break, and often ,eat a friend for lunch then a bit of shopping on a Saturday.

Now I am working from home so no lunchtime wandering, and when I have been in shops I hate not being able to try stuff on, plus don’t like wearing a mask for long periods. Buying online is so much easier, and less stressful, and I am also finding real joy in getting bargains on Depop.

Ha, I never ate a friend for lunch, I met one. Bloody autocorrect.

I made a trip to a bookshop over a week ago, thinking I'd sooner support them than Amazon. I was the only customer in the shop.They didn't have the book I wanted but ordered it to be delivered to me at home. It still hasn't arrived. Amazon would have got to me days ago.

I'm with you OP, except I HATE the big chains, and did pre-covid.
They won't stock anything so it's pointless. In the days when I worked in "proper" retail, we did have stock in the back. It wasn't a secret, it was to make sure we could supply the customers needs. Now big stores are just showrooms.
I do use all my high St shops though, all the independents, and it's nice, you become a regular, have a chat, they don't bark daft rules at you. I would massively miss my local high st if it went.

I have give up shopping completely. People not wearing masks but also not adhering to social distancing are extremely off-putting. If you decide you're not going to wear a mask you should stay the hell away from other people. Amazon gets my money now and my food shopping is done online.

I only order online now. Winter will be interesting. Who wants to queue up outside shops in the rain and cold with a soggy face mask?

It's a real shame that shopping centres and high streets are declining, but this was happening well before Covid. The virus has only pushed physical shopping further towards its demise.
Too many people now are wary of high street shopping, for a variety of obvious reasons.
I am very happy with the new way of shopping. Plenty of choice, delivered next day to my doorstep. What's not to like?
Except for working conditions for the large company's employees, of course, but I'm hoping that criticism of the more dubious practices will work and that conditions will improve. At least the company is able to employ lots of people, which has to be a bonus in these times.
My only concern is that we may be heading towards a world which has only one main supplier - apart from coffee shops, hairdressers, beauty salons etc and there are probably talks going on about how to take over even those businesses!
I am sure retail staff appear happy to see you. In the better stores, their training saw to that. They may not actually be happy though.

I am sure retail staff appear happy to see you. In the better stores, their training saw to that. They may not actually be happy though.

Zany, yes of course some staff may not be happy but have been trained to fake it (and trained really well !). But I'm trying to say from what I've experienced, they are doing a great job and I appreciate that (regardless of whether their manner is genuine or not).

I do agree that the decline in shopping centres and high streets started declining well before Covid - I just feel sad about it, that's all.

The high street is pretty much done I think. Time to move on.

The future of shopping is Amazon style “fulfilment centres” largely staffed by robots.

I went to Savers earlier today and there was a lovely young woman greeting everyone individually at the door and offering a sanitised basket. All the staff were very friendly and smiley and I've never experienced that before there. It was really nice.

It's NOT "time to move on at all, it's time to find better ways for shops to operate. Fucksake, I know MN is populated by a lot of people haters but for some people human interaction is actually important!
During lockdown I couldnt get a delivery slot from the supermarkets, and my nearest 2 had no meat but my butcher was fully stocked. Same with the greengrocers. I like that I can see what I am buying in real life and I don't want to spend my life online to customer service chat bots when my online order goes missing/wrong.

Our local farm shop put in fantastic measures to keep going throughout with orders to pick up, now it is still thriving because the staff and owners put in the hard work so it’s at the front of people’s minds.

I think the shops, especially smaller ones, which survive will be the ones who have made the extra steps to get “out there” if they can