Shopping Pet Peeves

Do you have a retail pet peeve? I’ll show you my list, if you show me yours…

The Word Detective, an online site for the derivation of phrases and idioms gives us this history: “The precise derivation of 'peevish' is uncertain, but it may be related to the Latin 'perversus,' meaning 'reversed, perverse.' The original meaning of 'peevish' was simply 'silly or foolish,' but by about 1530 it had acquired the sense of 'irritable, ill-tempered or fretful.' Surprisingly, it then took several hundred years to develop 'peeve' as the word for the irritating agent or action. 'Pet peeve,' meaning the one thing that annoys you more than anything else, first appeared around 1919.  The 'pet' (in the sense of 'favorite') formulation probably owes its popularity, and longevity to its mild perversity ('favorite annoyance' is a bit oxymoronic) as well as its snappy alliteration."

The Pet Peeve Hall of Fame

1) Overly air conditioned stores: As in, I don’t want to feel like I’m shopping in Gristede’s frozen food aisle for a Ralph Lauren.

2)Directional signage that is unclear: As in, an exit is not a restroom, is not the men’s department…ahhh, how’d I get in Junior’s again?

3) Items that are not priced correctly: As in, this didn’t belong on the clearance rack, or it’s not 35 percent off, it’s just 10 percent off, sorry...deal with it!

4) Sloppy departments: As in, if your staff can’t pick it up off the floor, fold it or hang it correctly, I don’t pick up anyone else’s dirty socks either...no, you deal with it!

5) Spotlights that are not directed at merchandise: As in, the fortune that is invested in lighting only to have it aimed at the floor, or at an empty wall because someone moved a rack or a mannequin.

6) Having to ask for a box, tissue paper or gift bag: As in, it’s not our problem it’s a gift, that's what stationery stores are for.

7) Escalators that don’t work: As in, am I going up the downstairs? Which way is up?…ahhh how’d I get in Junior’s again, is this a scam?

8) Un-walkable aisles: As in, yeah we have tons of merchandise, but unless you have a machete, don’t even bother.

9) Messy dressing rooms: As in broken hangers, torn bits of paper and tags, cracked mirrors, broken latches and piles of unfolded merchandise do not a great customer make.

10) Bored staff: As in, I don’t really know if we have any of those, or where that is. Now a true life experience at Macy’s (FYI Macy’s has nine floors including their cellar.):
Me: “Pardon me; do you know where the hosiery department is?”
Employee: “Yeah, I think it’s somewhere upstairs.”

What are your pet peeves?

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Comments

[Joslyn]

Professor Knoth, I can only hope that this will get into your hands eventually but soon enough, well one can hope. Otherwise, I write to you in search for somekind of well input on certain subjects. If you do recieve this I hope you will shoot me a quick e-mail. Otherwise, I hope your life since last seeing you have been full of magical rollercoasters taking you off to better and unknown places.

Hoping to hear from you soon,

Joslyn

(Also hoping you remember me...)

here's my e-mail --- sawdustdiamonds@hotmail.com

[Ron Knoth]

To the last two commentors...

Dear Don D.

An excellent point. I too find it unfathomable that even mega-shops like Starbucks does not offer lemon for their tea, or expresso. Can you imagine Audrey Hepburn drinking tea without lemon? Starbucks periodically runs out of Splenda and soy milk, so often that I really wonder who's minding the store? When your paying 2.57 for a Venti Awake is it too much to ask? Crimminy, this is New York City, not planet X, there are Bodegas on every other street corner filled up with bins of lemons 3 for 99 cents and refrigerator cases full of non-dairy products. What's up?

Dear Mr. Adib-Yazdi,

An excellent point too, age biasism? I am not immune. I get my hair cut at Astor Place, often noted for its youthful, East Village aesthetic. It attracts the young, and hip, two adjectives that could never be used to describe me. Newcomers flock to the edgy young clip artists. Think "Shear Maddness" or "Blow Out". My hair (what precious little there is of it) is cut by Mario, a full 20 years my senior, I'm 50. He is the most articulate, talented barber in New York City. What he can do with a pair of scissors would put Edward Scissorhands to shame. I'm going senior. PS: Mario charges $12 per head.

Peevishly Yours,

Ron Knoth

[Don D]

My pet peeve is the retailer that can easily solve a problem but won't. I have been at several coffee shops/ bagel shops when after ordering a coffee or bagel asked for sugar or butter and being told they were out because their shipment didn't come yet. I am compelled to point out they are in a strip center with a grocery store. why don't they cross the parking lot to buy some of the simple supplies? they almost always look at me quizzically and go on with the next customer. The lights are on but nobody is home.

[Bruce Adib-Yazdi]

On a positive note I ran into a Bass Pro Shops one night just before a camping trip needing a new lightweight camp stove and the associate was a 'blue hair' lady, probably 20 years my senior (and I'm in my 40's...) and I thought 'Great, just when I need some FAST knowledgeable help...'. But I gave her a chance anyway, and I'll be darned - she was able to answer every question I had about the stoves. She had been trained to know it and had been discussing them with 'the young guys that use them all the time' and boning up on her knowledge. Kudos!

[Ron Knoth]

Dear Mr. Weigel,

May I call you Bob? You are spot on absolutely correct! My spelling is atrocious. Unfortunately, I went to school during the apex of phonetics and new math, and seldom participated in a spelling bee, let alone a vocublary test. Alas, I went to one of those progressive school systems that taught transcendental meditation, pottery, and communications. Now at age 50, I can toss a wet slip pot or achieve Omm, but cannot spell for my life. Coincidentaly your complaint is not the first one lodged towards me, in high school my English Professor was Carlton Fiske, editor, of the New American Heritage Dictionary, he gave me an F, and wrote in big red lettering..."Ron, This is a creative writing class, not creative spelling". Rest assured, I'll mind my P's & Q's. Luckily I only make three mistakes a year, that's all I allow myself, and this is already my second transgression.

Regards,

Ron

[K.D.]

All 10 sound like Macy's Herald Square. Ugh.

[Ron Knoth]

Dear Peeved Shopper,

State laws vary, however know your rights, in many states retailers (any business) are responsible to honor the discounted/posted/advertised price. Granted, accidents happens, but I would have given REI management an earfull. This ammounts to the old "bait and switch" tactic. I would still encourage you to write REI a letter. You will find all their contact information on www.zoominfo.com or www.hoovers.com

[rep23]

Agree with all the above and I'll add the one that really irks me...
finally getting through the hassle of actually selecting something to buy amidst the pathetic mess called a retail store these days and then finding you're expected to get in line and wait 10 minutes to pay for it.. Invariably there are several registers but only 1 is actually staffed. My response: put the stuff back on the rack and leave.

[Bob Weigel]

My Pet Peeve is people who don't know the English language, but are quick to spout off with incorrect grammar. Case in Point, your Peeve #6: "stationary" store. I guess you meant that it wasn't moving?

[Peeved shopper]

Regarding your No. 3 pet peeve, I recently went into an REI store to buy a travel cargo unit. These are not inexpensive, and when I saw a large sign quoting 20 percent off of the Yakima units, I was really excited. That is, until the salesperson informed me that the sale was discontinued two weeks ago--yet the sign was still posted. I was denied the savings, but still needed it and went with another brand (but unfortunately REI still made a sale).