Do you boycott illiterate companies?

[UnquietDad]

Just wondering.

A local garage has advertised in a leaflet given out with our PFA letters and they offer "Repair's" and "Service's".

I know their punctuation has nothing to do with the quality of their service, but it immediately makes them look less professional and makes me less inclined to use them.

I've never used the word "boycott" even in the silent secrecy of my mind but... yes !

DP thinks it's hilarious.

It depends on the business. If we're talking about a bookshop, a printer, a sign-maker, or something then definitely yes. Not sure I'd care about a garage! Did you draw their attention to the mistake in the leaflet or did you just make a mental note to never go there again ?

No, it would be too limiting. They've fixed them now, but for ages ASDA's signs indicating that they were not responsible for cars in the car park consisted of two non-sentences. Irritated me every time I saw it but less thain Sainsbury's prices and dearth of open checkouts.

I'd like too. The Care Agency we use recently sent a letter saying 'as you no, Christmas is coming....and we need to no what respite care you will require'

argh argh argh

LOL, I too get disproportionately irritated with trigger-happy apostrophes on shop signs! DP thinks I'm a loon.

Ah ha! Near me, there is a self employed person with a big sign outside his home saying "fasha's, soffit and guttering - no job too big or small" I haven't a clue how to spell "soffit" but it's fascias, birdbrain!
My motto is if you can't spell it, then you can't do it.

Completely off topic, but mention of fascias reminds me that when I was little I thought the fascia boards that hid the guttering on my parent's house were called "flasher" boards.

I boycott a local cafe called Munchkin Lane that offers tea's, coffee's, cappuccino's and panini's (this is a double bit of pedantry as not only are the apostrophes unnecessary but it should be cappuccini and panini is, of course, already a plural). Feeling a bit guilty though as we walked past the other day and one of the waitresses rushed in to get some balloons for my children. I'm now torn.

I never understand why people go to expense of getting professional signwriters/printers involved without checkin spelling/grammar too. We've got a Carribean restauraunt and a stationary shop near us too.

that should be spelling of course

I mean checking. I am now leaving this thread.

Sorry lala, (PP whispers) but it's stationery not 'ary' when it comes to envelopes and pens!

Re OP I've been tempted, but around here it would limit my purchasing power dramatically.

However I have wondered if my local greengrocer would like a hand with their signs as I am on fairly good terms with them, but don't know how to ask!

Yes, PP, it's also Caribbean - that's my point.

I love the idea of a stationary shop. As opposed to a mobile one.

Do these people just think proofreading their signs is not important, I wonder?

yes, they really think it's not important.

When I point stuff out like this - even at work and I work in PR ffs - people think I'm paranoid and obsessive compulsive.

I saw a sign at the butchers advertising 'Christmas "Turkey"'.

I'm fairly certain that they didn't mean to imply it was somehow faux turkey, but made me walk away just in case.

I know! (aka Monica) People think I am weird (true) simply because of my love of order, which extends from paperclip sizes, mug hierarchies to spelling (patently false)

Yes. I just don't trust them.

It puts me off too. We've had mis-spelled leaflets put through the door. TBH if you can't be bothered to check your advertising then does that attitude spill over into the service you are providing?

Our local shop had a "raffel" to raise money for the recent children in need.

In the case of the example in the OP. Isn't it a bit like saying you don't want to read a book because you don't like the illustration on the cover? If it'r relevant to the sevice on offer it's reasonable to avoid incompetence. But I'm willing to suffer quite a few greengrocers' apostrophe's for reasonably priced, good quality fruit and veg.

pmsl at the Christmas "Turkey". I can't say I boycott the offenders. We do, however, boycott companies that use talking animals in their advertising. Puerile, patronising anthropomorphism clearly offends us more than grammatical errors.

Talking animals - you mean they aren't real?
I would like to boycott all companies (and everyone else) who use capitals unnecessarily. Hate it, hate it, hate it. Sadly these days (oh that makes me sound ancient) I don't think it would leave me with many options...

Oh, and illiterate teachers. I haven't forgiven an English teacher who, when I was in middle school (I have a long memory when it comes to these things), gave me 9/10 in a spelling test because I put down 'weird' rather than 'wierd' .

I saw an ad due to appear in one of our mags yesterday.It was artwork sent by the client and it contained within it the following:

Ice Cream - Cakes - Sweat Teats

We are HEAR (with arrow pointing to map)

This voucher will not be excepted with any other offer

I almost cried when I saw it. Thank god we have proof-readers who see these errors.

BTW, I refuse to use Somerfield after I saw a sign (obv printed by their HO) for Cut Price DVD's

OMG OMG OMG

I just remembered the sign in our local shop the other day. It was a Special Offer on Carlsburg Larger

I wanted to take a photograph, but the evil woman behind the counter was watching me like a hawk in case I nicked some chewing gum