Thursday 21 February 2008

I hate shopping

Having loads of vouchers sent me off on a shopping trip yesterday. When I say loads, I had about £250 worth ($500). Anybody who has travelled to Britain knows about Marks and Spencer stores. They are a chain known for their quality, selling mainly clothes but also up market food and household items.
We have a huge one only about a 10 minute drive away. I parked up, grabbed a trolley prepared to blow the lot in one go. Didn't happen. Yes they had clothes I sort of liked but not in my size, or if in my size not in my length or in a good colour. The spaces between the clothes, bedding etc did not accommodate two trolleys passing each other so the whole time was spent backtracking to let someone through. After two hours I'd had more than enough and thought I should buy some flowers and food instead. I found a super bunch of roses (the last one) and some lovely tulips. Could I have a bag to stop them dripping? NO. Apparently giving me a bag could only happen when I paid. So I carried my dripping flowers round the food hall. My trousers got wet and I slipped on the wet floor as I was behind my dripping trolley.
I gave up, paid and came away after two and a half hours with two bunches of flowers, one pair of jogging pants and a couple of bits of fun jewellery. GRRRRRR!
I'm still left with vouchers and I really am not looking forward to a repeat performance. I wonder if I can sell them on Ebay?
I did however go on to a new Waitrose supermarket. It is lovely, not like my local one. We had a wonderful mid week meal of smoked haddock and salmon tians followed by dressed lobster. A huge extravagance for no good reason but it was lovely.
I did manage a little work on my latest quilt but you'll have to wait a little to see that.

6 comments:

  1. that element of 'service' is dying in UK shops as we speak - it comes to something when 'it's more than my job's worth' to give you a bag to stop the flower water dripping over the floor - would've served them right if someone had slipped on it and sued the pants off them - the arrogance of chainstore retailers - they do well to remember just which tail should be wagging which dog sometimes - sorry - rant over!

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  2. I'm with you - I hate shoppng too. But I loved the local Waitrose store when I was working in London a few years ago.

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  3. I hate shopping too! Sounds like the kind of trip that would have me screaming from the store.

    You could sell your vouchers on Ebay...wonder if you'd get more than the face value! :o)

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  4. I hate that sort of shopping experience too, but when you've been deprived of M&S food for too long, you put up with anything! Supermarkets here are terrible, at least there is a choice in Marks. Maybe because we are near the French border, the 'back end of the country' as DH calls it, we have all the out of date stuff?!

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  5. The older I get, the less I like bustling crowded stores.
    Also hate shopping for clothes these days!
    Your flowers are just lovely.

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  6. Seems like a long way away, but how about putting the vouchers by for Christmas food? We collect M&S vouchers from one of our credit cards in November each year for just that purpose.

    M&S can't seem to be consistent with their clothing. The last 18 months there has been loads of stuff I liked/fitted, I thought they were on the right lines again, but the new season's stuff lost the plot again.

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