Walmart Is Stupid
So tomorrow is race day here in Atlanta. (Ironically, the Nationwide Race qualifying actually got delayed this morning because of snow). So, we made a quick run to Walmart to get some essentials.
As is often the case, Donna and I decided to divide and conquer while we were in the store. Typically, I tend to find myself mysteriously drawn to the electronics department by unknown forces. I looked around a little bit, and then I remembered I was wanting to get some cheap earbuds. I picked up a $20 pair of Koss earbuds, not exactly a premium electronics item.
So I went meandering about some more, and eventually met up with Donna in a different part of the store. I tossed the earbuds in the cart and we looked around a little more. I wanted to show her something in electronics, in case she was looking for ideas for things to put in my Easter basket, so we went back through there. As we were passing through, some Walmart trooper eyed those high-end earbuds in the cart, and told my wife "Ma'am, you can't leave electronics with those, you'll have to pay for them here."
Well, we weren't done shopping. And I explained to her that I had already basically been all through the rest of the store with them once. (I later enjoyed pointing out to Donna that nobody ever hassled me about them while I had them - obviously she must have looked suspicious). It's not like there was a sign posted stating that you had to pay for items there. It's a very open area too, not its own little sectioned off area. She reiterated that we couldn't leave electronics with the earbuds. So I took them out of the cart and told her she could keep them. Turns out we were done shopping there after all.
It really annoys me to go somewhere to spend my hard earned money and basically be treated like a criminal. Another example of this is the stupid deal where they have to stop you and look at your receipt when you walk out the door. It's not as if they actually take the time to confirm that everything matches up, it's just another additional way of them imposing themselves on you.
I have also adopted a policy of not stopping when the inventory control thing goes off because the minimum wage employee forgot to swipe some item over the demagnetizer or whatever the thing is. If a human being wants to ask to see my receipt or whatever, fine. But I refuse to be a Pavlovian dog who hears a bell go off and reflexively submits to my retail masters.
Yeah, I probably need to cut back on the caffeine.
As is often the case, Donna and I decided to divide and conquer while we were in the store. Typically, I tend to find myself mysteriously drawn to the electronics department by unknown forces. I looked around a little bit, and then I remembered I was wanting to get some cheap earbuds. I picked up a $20 pair of Koss earbuds, not exactly a premium electronics item.
So I went meandering about some more, and eventually met up with Donna in a different part of the store. I tossed the earbuds in the cart and we looked around a little more. I wanted to show her something in electronics, in case she was looking for ideas for things to put in my Easter basket, so we went back through there. As we were passing through, some Walmart trooper eyed those high-end earbuds in the cart, and told my wife "Ma'am, you can't leave electronics with those, you'll have to pay for them here."
Well, we weren't done shopping. And I explained to her that I had already basically been all through the rest of the store with them once. (I later enjoyed pointing out to Donna that nobody ever hassled me about them while I had them - obviously she must have looked suspicious). It's not like there was a sign posted stating that you had to pay for items there. It's a very open area too, not its own little sectioned off area. She reiterated that we couldn't leave electronics with the earbuds. So I took them out of the cart and told her she could keep them. Turns out we were done shopping there after all.
It really annoys me to go somewhere to spend my hard earned money and basically be treated like a criminal. Another example of this is the stupid deal where they have to stop you and look at your receipt when you walk out the door. It's not as if they actually take the time to confirm that everything matches up, it's just another additional way of them imposing themselves on you.
I have also adopted a policy of not stopping when the inventory control thing goes off because the minimum wage employee forgot to swipe some item over the demagnetizer or whatever the thing is. If a human being wants to ask to see my receipt or whatever, fine. But I refuse to be a Pavlovian dog who hears a bell go off and reflexively submits to my retail masters.
Yeah, I probably need to cut back on the caffeine.
Labels: rant
posted by eric at
3/08/2008 02:44:00 PM
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