Mental Meltdown in Aisle Four
Sheena has been pushing the envelope of her comfort zone this week. Taking on new challenges, exploring those dark little recesses of her soul, going to the hardware store. She now poses a question to SheenaVision readers who have more experience than she does: Why do we put up with this crap?
Recent tours include: Home Hardware, Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Rona, and Sears Home Centre.
#1. Single women still take heed. The aproned men still look right through you. Even as they stare you in the face, they'll yell "Where? Where?" as they answer a page about someone asking about delivery charges on BBQ units.
#2. It's Not My Department is still alive and well in Canadian retailing.
#3. The only real difference between these places is AirMiles vs. funny money vs. Aeroplan points
#4. One of these stores lost an easy $1500 transaction because no one ever asked me why I was standing and staring at the washer/dryer set for 20 minutes.
Starting today, no more chains. I'll spend the bit of extra to buy from locally owned and managed places. We get the service we tolerate. Don't be part of the problem.
I don't even know what this shit is.
posted by Sheena @ 8:43 AM
14 comments
14 Comments:
You'll catch on. Home Depot and Rona are actually funny places to watch couples out on reno-dates.
The women get so pumped up planning their dream-nests while the hubbies nod and grimace, struggling with mental arithmetic and debt-repayment schedules...
I'm the grimacing calculator carryer in my circle, Whitenoise...
The movers are in here right now. My most strenous activity to date has been running around with yellow stickies putting "YES" and "NO" post-it notes on everything.
Watching them sweat makes me want a cold beer.
Watch them carefully. Even the reputable companies play games. It's such a dirty job that they tend to hire ex-cons (seriously) who might try to intimidate you for more cash.
"That's not in your contract, that'll be an extra $50."
"We can't unload until you pay us the delivery fee."
And- the one they pulled on me at 6 minutes into the next hour- "we round UP. That's an extra hour." (Another hundred bucks for 5 useless men and a truck.)
He he, that treadmill is positively whirring!
OMG sheena you are so right! I friggin hate going in HOme Depot or other man stores like Future Shop because I get totally ignored by most of those cocky boy employees. FCSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Oh, I looooove Home Depot and Crappy Tire. Good times, good times.
It's true, the staff tends to look right through you when you're a woman (try being a middle-aged woman, trust me they only get more ignorant the older you are). But a simple "Hey asshole, allow me to introduce myself. I'm a customer" usually gets their attention.
I'm gonna try that out later today. Thanks, JJ!!!
Shenna
That picture you don't know what the items are; they are gutter hangers (for hanging aluminum gutters to your house) and a gutter fitting for attaching a downspout to your gutter.
But a piece of advice, I noticed on Rona's website they have this "Project Guide" program where you book an appointment for 1 on 1 advice on what you need to complete your project and will walk you through the store showing you the materials that you need(theoreticaly).
JustSomeGuy
Sheen, try not to buy everything at once. Whatever you do, DONT GO TO IKEA. yet.
vi
I did not go to IKEA this weekend, V.I.
I did however lean towards Home Hardware mostly because of their Aeroplan 1 point for every 2 dollar program...
And "JustSomeGuy"? IF indeed that is your real name.. the day Sheena does a 'project' is the day that you can buy raspberry-lemon popsicles in hell.
Hey if you bring some grape ones its a date.
JustSomeGuy
i can tell you anything you ever need to know about home hardware i worked at one for 5 years - totally fucknig sexist industry, hardware is, even the men coming in to purchase look through you so you do little things to get under their skin, pretend you are deaf and blind and after they comb the entire store for a tiny something or other bring it to them and give lots of attitude, i have gotten in so many fights with dudes and totally know more than they ever will but do they ask me where a flapper is and how to install it? no. don't get me started on lifting 3.8 cubic feet packs of peat moss and dudes telling you not to help you'll get dirty get a boy to help me please. fine.
I have to be dragged into a Home Depot or Canadian Tire, usually by a man person. There's a Home Hardware a few blocks away. I know the owner, the staff, the stuff (to the extent I need to.) I go in, I say ''damsel in distress'' and they do it all, make suggestions, and, if they don't have it, get it. I avoid all big box stores as a matter of course. My attitude is, if I can't walk to it and I don't know the owner/manager by name, I probably don't need it.
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