I’m the first one to complain when yet another large store closes its doors for the last time – on the news recently it was the turn of Toys R Us – my sons’ second home when they were younger. However, it was brought home to me today just why this is happening.
We’ve been on the Isle of Wight over the weekend de-winterising the ‘van’ and getting the plumbing sorted and a concrete pad laid for a washing machine. After clearing a mountain of fallen leaves from the back of the van, we saw how muddy the ground was underneath. We decided to purchase either some hardwearing grass matting or a long plastic runner to walk on in order to keep our shoes mud-free when checking the gas bottles or cleaning the back windows.
We went into Newport, the main shopping centre on the Island, and visited 4 large stores who all told us the same thing:
“We don’t stock anything like that.”
Eventually we had to give up, as there was nowhere left for us to try. One of the stores, B&Q, was selling rubber matting at £5 a square, but we wanted 30 feet of it!
Sam sat in our front room at home at 7pm last night and searched on his phone using the words ‘grass/reinforcement matting’ and ‘plastic matting’. Straight away several varieties of hardwearing matting were displayed. There and then he bought 30ft of matting for £55 in total.
Just 16 hours later the matting was delivered straight to our front door. We didn’t have to drive around anywhere to search for it. I just cannot fault our online shopping experience at all.
If the majority of the population are shopping online, as I suspect they are, then it’s no wonder our high streets are disappearing. It’s so sad this is happening, but I suppose it’s not worth stores ordering goods that do not sell very often.
We’re off again on Thursday to install the washing machine and lay the matting down. I’ll be back after Easter, but will publish the short story winner and runner up tomorrow before I go.
Happy Easter to you all! I’m going to leave you with a lovely photo that I took from the ferry as we sailed back to the ‘dark side’. x
Pingback: Senior Salon Roundup Post: March 26 - 30, 2018 ~ Esme Salon
Thanks Esme.
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Pingback: Senior Salon Roundup Post: March 26 – 30, 2018 | The Recipe Hunter
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I just wrote one of those rants. You know, the ones your dad told you to write when you were really cheesed off, and then tear them up. I was going to put it on LinkedIn. For the very same reason as your matting. Only they had what we needed, the customer service was pathetic. The problem with retail these days is, no they don’t have it, or they do have it and no one in the place cares to transact with you until the lengthy “would you like a fried pie with that” extended warranty/add on accessory items, tires, batteries routine has tun on fifteen or twenty minutes. Old school arm twisting and corporate taught hard closing lines from rote have returned. Brick and Mortar retail is putting itself out of business. HAPPY EASTER.
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I too hate the “Would you like a fried pie?” at the checkout. Sam always says he’d like a bag of cement, but I just sigh and shake my head.
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Have a fabulous Easter weekend. The picture looks gorgeous. Hope you have nice weather. xo
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Thanks Darlene. Happy Easter to you too.
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A lovely photo, and I hope you have good weather over Easter. I’m sure you’re right about shopping – I do virtually all of mine online, as it is so easy, but I occasionally feel guilty about contributing to the decline of traditional retail outlets.
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Thanks Clive. We did trail around 4 shops, so I don’t feel guilty this time!
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Our first experience of Toys R Us was when we ventured out to Brent Cross, got stuck in traffic and our youngest was sick as we arrived in the car park. I said ‘That’s it, we’re not coming to Brent Cross or Toys R Us again.’ But I think relatives bought more toys from Argos for the children as they could be chosen from the catalogue… one step away from internet shopping?
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I remember catalogue shopping when my kids were small (Grattan / John Moores etc). Not sure if catalogues are still around?
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