I go thru a fast food drive-thru. I'm the only one in the vehicle. I've ordered 3 meals to take home, which includes 3 drinks ... and they want to hand me the drinks one at a time! Why should I have to tell them, "I need a carrier, please" for 3 drinks being given to a lone driver?

Today .... One of our snow shovels bit the dust, so daughter and I go to walmart to get a couple of new ones. We still haven't shoveled her car out yet and the mailbox is still snowed in, so it's not like we're not going to need these things. I figure I'll pick up a couple of bags of rock salt while I'm out, too.

Silly me ... tomorrow is Feb 1st, which those in retail seem to think is the first day of summer. In the clothes section, I see summer shorts hanging out already, and where the shovels and salt should be, I find orchids, flower seed, fertilizer and watering cans! I stop a lady and say, "I know this may be a silly thing to ask for since we only have 12 feet of snow still outside, but where can I find snow shovels?" Uh ... when they ran out, they didn't restock. (Gee, it IS february ya know! Why aren't we all in our bathing suits?)

So I drive to a small hardware store and pick up 2 shovels and 2 bags of salt, located right by the front door, nice and handy!

The worst part is that if you don't buy the summer stuff soon it won't be there to buy when you need it.

Dude, we've already purchased for Christmas '09.
You gotta catch up here, not slow down.

(I'm in retail.)

I walked into Walmart the coldest day we've had here yet (about 26 during the day) and the first thing I see are bathing suits...all over the place! Just what you need when it is below freezing!

Also, I wanted to buy a large ball, you know, just a bouncing ball (I won't try to explain, but I live downstairs in an apartment complex) and do you think they had one? Nope. If it is warm enough for bathing suits, why not a ball?

Ok heres one of my irritations...
I work for a Coffee Place. So we get people who come in for the first time and ask questions about our "foo foo" drinks (thats what they call them) I am happy to answer their questions and try and help them order exactly what they are going to like. I am wierd I guess because i'm very passionate about coffee, just like cake! T try to be as knowledgable as possible about our coffe and espresso drinks. Anyhow they ask me, I answer, then they ARGUE with me! WHAT??
Why ask if your going to argue? If I wanted to do that all day I would be at home with my kids!!! LOL

You know what I hate? The shoe department at my Macy's. My dh said once it was no accident that they made Al Bundy a shoe salesman.

The sales people pounce on you as soon as you set foot into the department, and when you try something on they disappear. That's fine with me. But then you take the shoes to the counter to pay, and nobody will check you out! They say that the person who helped you has to do it. Very frustrating when you have kids or are in a hurry.

But this is exactly the brainwashing I'm talking about. Everyone buys it in Feb because they are TOLD "you have to buy it in feb or it will be gone" which causes everyone to buy IN FEAR in february and ergo it's gone by may and then retailers say "told ya".

And consumers fall for it.

We went on vacation. In August. In 90 degree heat. I wanted a new outfit. And all they stocked were back to school sweatshirts and sweaters. Gee, it's only 95 degrees outside ... WHY would I want to buy shorts and a tank?

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haha you basically discribed my major in college! anyway you think retailers are messed up... look at the government.

I just read a great book "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein. mind blowing.

anyway i know politics are off limits. im just saying its an interesting way to look at things!

If I need to hang around waiting for the original person to check me out, I hand the shoes to the person who is there, and say 'No thanks. I have no time to wait. I'll just pick some up across the street on my way home.'
Either someone takes my money, or they keep the item.

Hobby Lobby puts their Christmas stuff out in May. That really annoys me. It's not just one aisle, either. If about 5 full aisles, along with several center aisle displays. Only 3 more months until their Christmas Season!

Where I live in Boston and in SC where my mom lives the sales people are being a lot nicer now. They are much more willing to help you now that they need the business. Before the economy bit the dust you couldn't even find someone to help you and when you finally did they never knew the answer to your question!
It is a shame that you can't get the seasonal stuff in the season you are in! .
Jen...

I was just at Joanns and had great customer service! I was almost suprised... although, as always the line was 10 people long and they had 2 cashiers.

oh well. all that for $3 in ribbon. lol.

Oh Debi... you've stumbled into one of my favorite ragging topics! People in 'public' service who have no business doing it!! One year on XMas eve I stopped at WalMart on the way to my Mom's to get some pop for our gathering... the cashier was either super mad that she was working, or she was just the "B" word in general... she snapped at me, treated me like poo, then yanked my debit card right out of my hand when the card reader wasn't working correctly and rudely swiped it through and demanded to know what my PIN was so she could enter it. I very politely said, "That's quite alright, I can enter it myself." and turned the screen back to where I could see it, and she WENT OFF on me!!! She actually said to me, "You don't have to get all like that on me!" And was shooting these nasty eye rolling looks to the customer behind me. You know, those looks that indicate that I am the problem. The customer behind me looked her straight in the eye and said, "Oh, huh-uh... don't look at me. If you try that with me you're in serious trouble!" I smiled at her (the other customer) and said 'thank you' and told her that the 'Christmas Spirit' was the only reason I hadn't pulled the cashier over the counter and b-slapped the crap out of her! Needless to say, Miss Snotty Ringer didn't say another word through our entire transaction. I'm glad I can laugh about it now... at the time I was ready to kick someone's heinie!

melvira.......

walmart on xmas eve? id rather rip out my toenails. or pay 2x as much at 7-11....

sorry about your experience. my mom always to unto others... well she treated you like crap.. so the customer behind u was right! I don't think thats what my mom wanted me to learn from that. lol.

I know rocketgirl, but it was quick and convenient, and it wasn't that crowded. All I needed I was pop... I didn't think I'd be checked out by Satan's Mistress or I WOULD have stopped at a gas station instead!