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Maybe it isn’t the Economy

Recipe today at  Lime Green Kitchen

BBQ Cups – not my favorite recipe but Chad and Vince love it and it’s really easy so I guess it should be my favorite recipe to make!

To be fair, I am not a shopper.  I’d rather drive across a bridge than go to a mall . . almost!

Yesterday my parents wanted to go to the mall.  I still haven’t figured out why.  Maybe they’re ready for me to go home.  If they mention the mall to me again, I’ll get the message and I’ll leave.  🙂  Being the agreeable person that I am, I went to the mall with them.  It’s the same mall that has been here forever, though more stores have been added, it has been renovated and updated.  Though I’m certainly not an expert on malls, it’s probably a good mall (if there is such a thing).

But the service!  Good grief . . if I had been wanting to shop, I’d probably have left a whole lot sooner and gone home and bought anything I needed off the internet.  It isn’t just the people working . . it’s the whole feeling I got in the stores.  We went into three or four stores and in every store, I felt like if they could have gotten by with it, the workers would have said “Why are you here?  Why are you bothering me?”

A large department store was our first stop.  As always, they had everything I wanted on sale.  I picked up new chair pads for my dining room and a cute Christmas rug for my kitchen.  Got to the checkout.  There was a line.  Not a problem but the problem arose when one of the two registers was out of cash.  Don’t quite understand that but the person at that register had a return and needed cash back.  Then the second of the two registers rang up a whole cart full and didn’t have any paper in the register.  Had to change the paper, couldn’t get that to work . . no, thanks.  I don’t need these chair paids or this rug.  Left there with nothing.

An upscale department/specialty shop was the next stop.  Mom needed some particular brand of face powder that she uses.  The lady was very helpful.  Walked right up to help us.  Mom needed color “1”.  Nope, none of that.  No color “2” either.  No idea when they might get more.  OK . . strike 2.

Went upstairs to look at irons.  I hate to say it but mom has a Rowenta I love and she got it at Dillard’s.  Couldn’t find the irons.  Two people were working upstairs.  One guy was sitting at chair, with his head on a table like he was taking a nap.  The girl working was talking to a couple of friends and they were passing a cell phone back and forth looking at something or talking to someone.  We found the irons but they had one like mom’s and the box was all torn and tattered like it had been dropped or returned or something so I didn’t get that and didn’t bother to wake up the sleeping worker to see if they might have more.  Strike 3.

Mom was looking for a gold round pillow for something.  Found one . . didn’t have a price.   By this time, sleeping beauty had awakened and was gone, as was cell phone girl.  Left the pillow behind.  Strike 4.

Dad was looking for something at gadget type store  He went in there.  Four workers and dad was the only shopper.  The four were talking among themselves.  Never once asked dad if he needed help.  Dad walked around looking for what he was looking for, didn’t see it and left.  No one said “thanks . . come back” or “sir, can we help you find something?”  Strike 5.

We left the mall empty handed.  We were all three prepared to buy, had the cash to buy but left with nothing.  This confirms for me that getting what I need from the internet is way less hassle . . takes less of my time, I can see everything I need to see right on my computer screen and the buttons on my computer are never rude and they’re always awake and ready to serve me . . except that one keyboard with the Dr. Pepper issue.  Those keys are just a bit sluggish sometimes but so far, I’ve never caught one of them napping on the job.

You shoppers out there . . I’m one person you will not find standing in line this Christmas season.  I’ll be home quilting . . waiting for my trusty UPS man to bring everything I need . . right to my front door!  And, when I hear on the news that sales are down, I’ll wonder if it’s because of the economy or if it’s because shoppers went to the stores and gave up in frustration, vowing to never shop again.  Oh . . wait . . I’m the only one who hopes to never shop again!  🙂

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Comments

  2. No, ma’am, you are not the only one who hates shopping. I would rather never quilt again than go to the mall. How’s that for hatred? lol

  3. Judy, I’m with you one hundred percent! When we purchase
    merchandise in those snooty overpriced stores, a portion of
    our money goes to pay salaries of those “less than kind”
    employees.

  4. I’m right there with you not wanting to shop. I’ve never been a shopper or one to go and browse just to see what’s out there — unless it was at a quilt shop. But somehow that’s not shopping 🙂

  5. I don’t shop the way I used to either, but I remember going to a quilt shop…yes, a quilt shop where there were at least 4 workers standing around the cutting board, chatting. I had fabric/blocks in my hand, took out several bolts to try and find something…still no-one came over, finally gave up…as I was leaving one of the workers looked up and said (really!) “we weren’t very helpful were we?” to which I replied, “No!”, needless to say that is one quilt shop that is out of business!!

  6. It just boggles my mind that, with this economy, that people Stilton aren’t’ motivated to do their jobs. I think you should send a link to this post to the mall management and to the stores that you visited.

    But, this is exactly why I shop online for EVERYTHING possible.

  7. I love what you had to say about the guy sleeping and other sales person on the Phone.
    I was in Macy’s last week in San Diego. the same type of thing. The people working there were to busy to help the customers, and I end up leaving with nothing.
    They had what I wanted, but if sales persons are to busy doing Their Thing, I refuse to shop there.
    Nancy G
    San Diego

  8. I hate going to the mall too. If my son wants to go I usually go to the bookstore and look at quilting magazines while he shops. I’d rather go to a quilt shop because there’s always something to buy and it always fits and it’s always in the right colour.

  9. I’ve gone so far as to knowing the best salepeoples work schedule, that’s how bad it is here.

  11. Well glad to know its not just here in the UK we have this attitude from shop workers. Give me internet shopping anyday>

  12. I totally agree with you Judy. With some exceptions. It seems the busier the stores, the better the service. Like Starbucks–no sleeping employees there, too busy, and they are on caffeine 24/7 I’m sure! . The candy stores. They are on sugar highs.
    I don’t buy much at the Malls either as we don’t need much anymore as we don’t dress up and what I need we buy at Lands End or LL Beans. Amazon is my favorite buy anything/everything place.
    I must admit to not buying much fabric online as I do like to keep the local quilt shops in business, and all of our local ones are anxious to sell fabric and notions.
    I buy thread and long arm supplies on line though. FedEx guy just dropped off a huge box of the new Legacy batting at our front door. Hancocks of Paducah! Going to try it for the first time today!
    Love my local sewing machine shops too! Of course they are ready to bounce on you to sell you any new machine!
    Loved your rant on the malls! I think every store manager and mall manager should get a copy! Thanks for chuckle this a.m.

  13. All I can say is “amen”. Our local Walmart has a greeter in the garden center who is usually napping. Now I know he is in his 70″s but my husband would love to have that part time job and he would not be sleeping.

  14. I’d rather be shot in the big toe than go to the mall. There is NOTHING there I can’t buy online! I don’t have to deal with lazy/rude employees or rude/snotty shoppers. I feel the same way about Costco, if there is something there I need, my DDs have cards and they pick it up for me. Now give me a nice quilt shop with friendly employees/owners, I’ll spend the day there! I don’t even like to grocery shop, hence the overstocked pantry. 🙂

  15. My husband and I were just talking about this very subject! Customer service seems like it’s gone. You would think that people would be extremely helpful in times such as these but it’s almost like you, the shopper, are a bother. I tell ya, if I owned a store I sure would make surprise visits to see what’s what with my employees!
    dawn

  16. what amazes me about the malls these days is the mix of stores.
    I had heard that the shopper they target is in the 16-30 year age bracket. and yep, that’s exactly what i found; everything that a 16-30 year old could ask for was there!

    So my last trip i shopped the book store and the food court.
    i had good, fast service at both places.

  17. Oh, Judy, I agree with everything you said. I used to love shopping in malls, but those days are long gone.

  18. There’s only one store at a mall here where I get good service, Nordstroms in the shoe department, and I can park right by the door and sneak in through the men’s department. Other than that, I avoid the mall like the plague. Don’t have to dress up for work any more, so don’t have to try on suits and get alterations. I noticed, though, when I was down at my brother’s, the store employees in that small town were SO friendly. Probably since everyone knows everyone!

  19. Judy, I hate to shop. . . especially for clothes, but my DH loves to shop.

    He would have stuck with the stores. . probably going to Customer Relations and advising them of the problems he was having. . . .me, I would just just walked out.

    The only kind of shopping that I can say I enjoy is going food shopping. . . I go at weird hours when there aren’t alot of people around so that I can look at things that are different than what I usually buy — before I was married I would buy one new to me fruit or vegetable or something to try it. Now I let DH do that.

    Thank goodness for computers.

    Sherry V.

  20. This seems to be a worldwide thing, I thought it only happened in Africa where I live. No wonder the world wide economy is in the state it is, if people appreciated their jobs more, and did what they get paid for, the economy will improve.

  21. I have a real hard time keeping my mouth shut–I let them know (in no Uncertain terms) why I’m ticked off and why I’m leaving–and if I have a chance-or can find one of the management people–I tell them too. (I think?? I’ve got a couple of people fired or at least a good talking too) And I’m really a nice person, really I am,just don’t push me-ha, ha. Hugs, Bobbie

  22. Judy,
    You expressed my sentiments precisely. I think part of the problem with mall shopping is that the salepeople feel so anonymous because most of the stores are so large. They think no one notices or cares what they do.
    As a contrast, I stopped in Bed, Bath, and Beyond last week (it’s right next to the quilt shop) and four people greeted me and asked if they could help me find something. Unfortunately, they don’t sell the item I wanted anymore. I do have to give them A for effort.

  24. You couldn’t have hit the nail more squarely on the head, Judy!! And also summed up my feelings perfectly. I’ve often wondered if I took what I was trying to buy and just walked out the door, would anyone even care!!

  25. Plus = you can wear PJ’s and watch a movie at the same time you are internet shopping. And I don’t have to “deal” with other crazy people ( other that the 3 crazies in my own home- but they do chores so I will keep them)

  28. Yup….shopping is just not as fun as it used to be….besides the lousy service of the help…….its tough to find anything I like……a lot of cheap junk that they want top dollar for……don’t get me started on the clothes styles……

    Karen

  29. I used to live to shop at malls. I would get that same heart stopping feeling that I now get when I pull up in front of the quilt store. And that quilt store good feeling is getting farther away too.

    There are only 2 places that I almost always have good shopping experiences any more. And others here have mentioned them before me. Starbucks and Nordstroms.

    I think part of what makes those 2 stores more pleasant is that the workers in both stores seem to really enjoy their jobs. Now, it could be that they feel more valued or the companies are just pickier about who they hire. But I almost aways feel great after leaving those stores.

    Compare this to the Walmarts, where I am about ready to run someone down every time I leave the freaking building.

  30. I work Saturdays at a local quilt shop. I have a real job that pays the bills so this is my fun job! After working at the quilt shop for a short time I told the owner – all we have to offer is service because they can buy what we sell anywhere! So that’s why we always greet the customers as soon as they walk in the door and make they know if the need help to let us know. I got it!
    I hate Walmart too! Last weekend I needed some plastic storage boxes. They fit in the cart and when I got to the check out I asked the clerk if she could use her scanner wand thing to read them in the card. Of course she could but I think it kind of aggravated her so I said – It seemed easier to have you do that than to drag them all out of the cart so you could scan them. She replied” Well, easier for you”. So I just added – “well, you need to move around a bit to use your legs. Haha!”. What service!

  31. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I dislike malls for the same reason you do. You walk yourself silly ti get into a store to spend money and there is no one to pay or ask questions of. I prefer the internet or the individual stoes that one can find more and more thank goodness.

  32. I LOVE shopping, for anything. I will say I wont pay for bad service.

    Today at Target I asked for a price match. It was refused. It took 3 RUDE employees to tell me they wouldn’t do it. I asked where that was posted for customers they couldn’t tell me. After being treated so badly I told them they could put away the items in my cart, it was FULL. They became nice once they were loosing a large sale. I told them I could drive 15 minutes to another Target to get Customer Severice for the same price.

    I also came home and e-mailed Target Corp asking where the policy was posted since it wasn’t in the online policy and telling them about my experience in store today.

  34. for the sleeper guy : I would rap! rap! rap! on the desk !….. Scuse ME~~

    Also I have a thing for ANYONE on the phone where it isnt necessary. As bikers, we are very watchfull of Crazy Ignorant people on phones while driving ! One lady ran us down while we were standing still, parked!, while she was backing up and on the phone. I had a talk with the Insurance guy about that one. crazy world

  35. It’s hard to pass up bargains and free shipping on the internet. Last wknd I purchased online a gift that was wrapped by the company and shipped directly to Mom for her b/day and 3 Christmas gifts for bowling team mates. No driving in crazy traffic or dealing with zombie clerks. OTOH, most of the places I frequent greet me by my name and give excellent service. That’s probably the key. You have to be engaged and animated both ways to have a successful transaction.

  36. I hate shopping too. In defense for some workers, have you ever looked around to see how many employees are really in the building? In a local large pet store they had 2 with a manager. The store actually was busy with 1 person running all over, the cashier called for backup. The poor girl on the floor got to the register all flustered, I happened to be the person she called over, she wasn’t a 100% focused with me. My comment was ” Wow you are a superwomen, and such a multitasker.” (you could she her think on that one) I think she grew 3 inches and had the brightest smile” I got her name and I put a attagirl in for her. The manager NEVER stepped out of his office, that was also noted on my comment card.
    One of my daughters works in retail, I can see her exhaustion when she gets home, she put in 40 hours, at 3 different stores, the stores all cut back on hours, so the employees have to cover the missing employee(s). Wonder how many great employees got burnt out, and now just going thru the steps like zombies.

  37. I am right there with you. I hate shopping, in fact I get anxiety attacks if I think too much about going shopping. I even hate grocery shopping. I think as the economy has deteriorated so has people’s attitudes, and store employees have hit rock bottom. Customer service has become an oxy-moron and the customers have also become increasingly rude. People don’t say excuse me when they bump into you, they drive like maniacs on the roads and in the parking lots. If I had it my way I’d buy everything on the internet and stay home and quilt.

  38. Judy, you should send a copy of your blog post to the networks. Maybe they’ll air it on TV.

    Customer service has gone all to hell in this country. I think that’s why hubby and I miss “home” so much. Our little town of 4500 people is like a breath of fresh air, it’s like stepping back in time. Teenage boys open doors for women. Young girls are sweet and fresh faced. Visit any shop and feel like either welcomed family, or royalty.

    Yep, still homesick. 🙂

  39. I am right there with you! I hate to shop at best, but put in the service you get nowadays, and I am just not there spending my hard earned money!

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