What is happening????

[Marilyn]

Okay, what is happening to our retail stores???? If your experiencing some of the same things we are and want to share them. This is the thread for you!!!

1. Hubby stopped by the grocery store, HEB Plus (big super grocery store that even carries furniture), to grab some wooden clothes pins. They did not have any, just plastic ones. Why?
2. I went to Super Walmart to buy embroidery thread. You can buy knitting needles, crochet hooks, thread, buttons, fabric, patterns, scrapbooking supplies, jewelry making items, sewing machines, but no embroidery thread? Why?
3. I went to Super Target to buy some Anchor Hocking pie plates. They carry them in some Target stores, and are on our daughters gift registry, but there is "limited availability in some stores" and ours does not carry them. Limited availability for PIE PLATES???? in a SUPER TARGET? Why?
4. I stopped by Hastings to buy a book. Finally found what I wanted and went to the registers. None of them were open. There were two women at the customer service counter laughing and talking. Finally one acknowledged my existence and told me she'd meet me at register 3. I stood there while she continued her chat with the other woman and she finally moved to the register to check me out and the whole time was shouting to the other woman at the customer service counter, continuing their conversation. I felt like an imposition to her. What is happening and why??

I don't know about you, but I thought the big super stores were supposed to be a one stop shop. Not so, at least for us. We just have to walk farther inside the store to find out they don't have what we need.

[Lindsey]

I HATE when there's nobody at the registers. We have a new giant Walmart right by my house, it's the biggest one in Western Canada. They have at least 20 registers, but no more than 3 are ever open at any one time. There is about a 25 minute wait at each register! The last time I went there was just ONE open!

[Tink]

This is why I've decided to stick with my local small town stores. The owners greet us by name, ask about the kids, appreciate the business and if they don't have what we're looking for, they'll usually tell us who else might. Between our Harware Hank, grocery store and Family Dollar (which has a very small town atmosphere) I rarely have to leave town anymore to do my shopping.

For gift shopping and such I order most online. Can't get much handier than having it shipped to my house.

[Marilyn]

Originally Posted by Tink

This is why I've decided to stick with my local small town stores. The owners greet us by name, ask about the kids, appreciate the business and if they don't have what we're looking for, they'll usually tell us who else might. Between our Harware Hank, grocery store and Family Dollar (which has a very small town atmosphere) I rarely have to leave town anymore to do my shopping.

Wish I could shop at the local smaller stores. Would love to for many reasons, however, most of them close at 5:30 or 6 p.m. and it's impossible to get there after work during the week without taking off early from work. Some of them are open on Saturday, but close around noon. Makes it hard for 8 to 5 folks who commute. There's a cookbook I'd like to pickup from one of the gift stores in town, but will have to wait until Saturday morning to try to run get it, and my Saturday morning is already very full, plus it's the only morning of the week I don't have to get up quite so early.

[Janet]

We have a Super Wal Mart too and I hate it. I try not to buy any more than I have to there. We have 3 different Dollar stores I try to frequent, grociery stores and for clothing, mostly go out of town. They don't care and when they act like they don't care, I let the manager know, hand him the merchandise I was going to buy and tell him/her goodbye.

It's so frustrating Marilyn, but it's a sign of the times. I've lost hope that it will get better, it won't.

[DianaB]

Walmart only carries things that will sell quickly. They don't want things on the shelves that are going to sit for very long.

As for the pie plate from Target, how many of the younger generation make pies anymore? It's too easy to buy a frozen one and bake it. There are even some who can barely cook and eat out all the time. It's really sad. Of course with the economy the way it is they may be learning how to cook soon.

Hmmmmm, I don't know why you wouldn't be able to find wooden clothespins.

As for the checkout girls, I think that there are problems everywhere with them. I really think that someone could make a good living by going around and doing a small seminar about working. How to dress, how to greet customers, not to chew gum, just good work ethics. I get so fustrated at how customers are treated.

We have a little Alco store (it's kinda' like a very small Wal-mart) and my daughter, Amy, returned some shoes that she had bought her daughter because they didn't last very long and she had bought an expensive pair and she had her receipt. Well, our store has been having shoplifting problems, enough that they're about to close (mostly employees and teens). The girl at the returns counter called the manager up to handle the transaction. My daughter got chewed out and then the manager turned and chewed out my granddaughter. When they left the store they both were crying and all because of returning a pair of shoes. My son-in-law then went in and he came home with a number to call the company because he had gotten into it with her too. We have a new manager now!!!

[HALEY]

i wish i could answer your question Marilyn, i started a thread about how terrible wal marts meats are, another thing about them is the check out lines are terrible, the lunch meat counter you have to wait hours just to get a pound of chipped ham and cheese, it's crazy anymore, i like to stay home and cook, so i do alot of grocery shopping, plus it saves us on money, for me to run in a pick up a few things then have to wait in line for an hour, i feel like ripping my hair out about time i get home, then Micah gets fussy in the buggy... better off just running an ordering a pizza, less stress !!!
Other than that i also try to shop at small buisiness around here the people are much nicer...

[Marilyn]

I had to run out of town this morning, and on the way back to the office, I stopped by a little shop, "Before It's a Quilt", and bought the embroidery thread. The sewing thread they had was not the kind I wanted, so guess where I stopped next....................................the Super Walmart in the town where I work. Got the thread and the glue I'd decided not to buy last night. All the self checks were working and there was no line. Even got a Subway sandwich at the in-store shop near the exit.

Our convenient choices are sooooo limited.

[judy]

There are so many stores in Brooklyn, and just about everything is available in one store or another. We haven't got the big mega stores. The big problem here is the traffic and parking.

I do most of my shopping online. Even though I pay for S&H, I'm probably saving money on the gas I would need to find a parking spot.

[Shada]

I sold my spare bedroom furniture recently but kept my 3 quarter mattress with box springs.

So I needed a simple bed frame to put it on. Adjustable. Went into local family owned business, where I bought mattress originally, and explained I needed a adjustable bed frame. They sold me one. Got it home. Destroyed box it came in to get it out.. didn't take long to discover it was not adjustable. No use to me. Next day I made a few calls and found the store across from them had the adjustable frame. Went there the next day, bought it, set it up. Works great.

Next day I took the first frame back for return. Explained it was not adjustable. The owners daughter argued with me about it! Told me it was adjustable. (without looking at it) I told her it was not adjustable and that I had bought exactly what I needed elsewhere since they did not have what I needed. She responded by saying 'sorry we do not have returns'. I was not happy. Bottom line, they did finally take it back. When the owner looked at the frame he did apologize, said they must have changed design. Agreed with me that it did not adjust. Duh! I'm not stupid!

I have little patience in stores. I destest lines, more times than I can count, when I am ready to check out there is a clerk talking to another clerk and doesn't want to do her/his job.

Years ago I was a clerk a at grocery store. We used to have people who were called 'spotters' who came thru your line to check your work. We never knew who they were or when they would show up. If you messed up, wasn't friendly, just wasn't doing the job you were supposed to be doing, you heard about it.

[judy]

The sad truth is that I find that I have to get nasty with these clerks sometimes,
although they're pretty nice here. They are very overworked in Brooklyn, and I feel sorry for them.

The clerks who are talking or who are on the phone - oh no! I turn back into a high school teacher with that "tone." I also find that most people will do what you tell them to if you're very direct and clear about it. "Put the phone down and ring me up" works for me.

[Marilyn]

I just had to mention. The store I bought the embroidery thread in is a small quilting store. The lady was very helpful finding just the colors that I wanted. She was friendly, greeted me as soon as I walked in the door. I only needed one bundle of each of three colors. My purchase was less than a dollar, yet she packaged my thread in a cello bag and tied it with a ribbon. Much different experience than at Walmart, however, I had to go during the day. Her store closes at the same time I get off work. Limits our ability to be able to enjoy these experiences. It would be much appreciated if one night a week was designated as late closing night. When I was growing up, for some reason the petrochemical plant workers were paid on Thursday, so Thursday night many of the businesses were open later. I remember us going to town on Thursday nights sometimes. It would be great if the stores would do that. I can see why mom and pop stores would not want to be open until 9 each night, but one night a week would be nice, and if all of them did it, people would know and I'm sure they would have lots of business from us day working folks.

That's probably more than 2 cents worth, but oh well!!

[DianaB]

Years ago I remember our stores staying open later on Thursday too. Mainly it was so the people who worked could come and shop. I bet if you needed something from her quilt shop you could call and see if she would stay open a little later for you.