Pet Peeves: Shopping at Retail Stores

Time for another installment of “Shelly’s Pet Peeves” here on the TwoClassyChics blog. I know some of our members enjoy reading about the things that irk me off and some don’t. If you don’t…this post isn’t for you. If you do…read on!

Just like all of you I have to go out into the retail stores to buy groceries, to pick up household items, gifts, pet supplies, clothing, toys, etc. I enjoy shopping and I try to shop in offline retail stores during the week when they tend to be less busier. I don’t like standing in long checkout lines, fighting for parking spaces or dealing with crowded stores. I like to shop…but hate dealing with all of that!

A few weeks ago I had to go out and pick up a few things at XYZZ store. I won’t mention the store’s name as its NOT about bashing that particular store. This post is really about all of the stuff that irks me off and things that shoppers shouldn’t have to deal with. Let’s go!

(photo above is one that I personally took during a recent shopping trip. It was a miserable shopping experience).

1. I’m disabled and I have a handicap parking permit. I get really ticked off when a store only designates 1-2 spaces for handicap parking when they need at least 10. I also get irked off when I see lazy, non-handicapped people parking in those spaces!

2. Why do people seem to hold conversations in the middle of an aisle? Why do they park their dang cart in the middle of the aisle so you can’t pass? Come on now…I want to get in and out. Get your butt and your cart over to the side. I get really irritated when I see sales staff nearby who do NOTHING to get these people moving to the side.

3. I get really irked off when I go into a store to get a specific thing and find the shelf empty or almost empty! What? I’m talking about things that should always be in stock! Ugh. Great, now I have to go to another store.

4. Please don’t block an aisle, freezer, shelf, etc. with a stock cart! If you don’t have time to unload that stock cart & put things up on the shelf…park it in the stock room or at the back of the store. I’m tired of finding FULL stock carts in the middle of the aisle or blocking my access to grab something off a shelf.

5. I understand the need for more floor space but come on now…I’m not 7 foot tall. Please quit piling things up on high shelves that I can’t reach! Don’t tell me to go find a salesperson to get something down. Screw that…I’m a busy woman and I don’t have time to hunt people down.

6. Don’t try to sell me expired and outdated food and products! If you want to try to be sly and sell that stuff to consumers you need to put up clear & concise signage stating that XYZ is beyond the sell date. Trickery is not cool.

7. Let’s talk about support pets. I’m all about people having certain type’s of support pets and service animals. However…I’m not about the “fakers” bringing all kinds of animals into a store and then claiming it’s their “Support Pet”. Get real. Your rat, hermit crab, billy goat, boa constrictor, etc. don’t need to be in the store! Businesses need to step up, put their foot down and get these people & these type’s of pets out of the store. Quit turning your nose the other way.

8. Trashy and dirty stores. Time to clean up your act if you want my business. I’m tired of hangers laying on the floor, items thrown in the wrong places, trash laying on the floors, dirt on the shelves, etc. I don’t expect your store to be as clean as my home but come on now…time to clean up your business!

9. Not enough help! Every store pretty much knows which days of the week and which times of the day that their store gets busy. It’s their job to have enough staff there to handle all of the customer’s needs. Don’t try to save on business expenses by hiring a skeleton crew.

10. Long checkout lines!!! On a recent shopping trip I stood in line for 45 minutes to pay for my purchase! The store had 4 registers but ONLY ONE was open. WTH? If there are lines you need to open up more checkout lines! Customers shouldn’t have to wait that dang long to check out!

I could go on and on about the things that are irking me these days when I go out to shop in the retail world. What kind of things really get under your skin?

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