S

through my senses -- most likely senseless

Thursday, April 28, 2005

the "BIG" stores

yesterday I went to a nearest WalMart to buy a pair of gloves. this store was just opened for the public and it's a really huge one. its 2 acres inside and I easily got lost :) and I never managed to find what I needed, though the store claimed to have them. none of the customer service people were able to help me, as they themselves are figuring it out inside.

I'm beginning to wonder the real use of these huge stores if customers cannot find what they need. its cheap, ok, but definitely not worth the time searching for stuff and standing in those never ending queues at the counters.

the same applies to the big grocery stores as well. their fresh vegetables aren't that great either. I have resorted to organic stuff and farmers market, and I'm enjoying it :) somehow I find these small shops filled with more life :)

18 Comments:

Blogger Sudarshan said...

If you are not already doing so, shop @ Trader Joe's... It is the best place I have ever shopped at. They don't use plastic bags and most of their methoda are environment friendly

Organic is good!!!

10:01 AM  
Blogger The Last Blogger said...

I like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Slightly expensive but really good stuff..and as Sudarshan noted, healthy too.
I also pick some stuff up in the weekend Farmers market here..which reminds me of the awesome Farmrs market in Dallas, open everyday and so much variety.

10:36 AM  
Blogger saranyan r said...

guys, I love Trader Joe's. thats where I get most of my stuff :)

last weekend I went to Whole Foods for the first time. a very nice store, but again it was too big.

11:53 AM  
Blogger Nth Dimension said...

"somehow I find these small shops filled with more life"..

this reminded me of the tirade that Meg Ryan goes into, against Tom Hanks' store in "You've Got Mail"

Now, for an interesting conspiracy theory: Strip malls, small specialty stores, unfortunately, are all becoming passe. People are being force-fed the theory that big is better and cheaper for them. They are being cajoled, bullied, persuaded and even intimidated into thinking that they really need one-stop shops. Welcome to the zombification of people.

12:22 PM  
Blogger Narayanan Venkitu said...

I always found the customer service at Wal-Mart better than other stores. Maybe 'cause it was a new store.

Veggies - I also use Trader-Joe's or farmer's markets. I am also a big 'Organic food' person.

5:02 PM  
Blogger saranyan r said...

daph, I too feel the same way. I somehow feel that most of the stuff are just being forced on us.

Narayanan, organic stuff tastes great, what'd ya say :)

5:31 PM  
Blogger Narayanan Venkitu said...

Yes it does. In my recent trip to Atlanta, I didn't notice enough organic stuff in the shelves. Makes me wonder if it is a California thing..!

Milk / Eggs I only use Organic.

5:39 PM  
Blogger Ram C said...

hi, first time here....

I always used to feel that purchasing carried out in a big departmental stores like walmart (we hv few in singapore like carrfour / giant) mayn't hv a personalised touch.

nothing like buying from a small shop....

சின்ன கடையாக இருந்தாலும் முழுத்திருப்தி கிடைக்கும்....

6:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You should have downloaded the map of the store from mapquest before entering ;)

11:31 PM  
Blogger Chakra said...

nothing wrong with being big.. but the store needs to organise itself properly. recently i read somewhere that biggies like ASDA (UK's Walmart) & Tesco never bother to organise the counters in an user-friendly way.. i feel that precisely is the problem u hav faced.

1:24 AM  
Blogger Adaengappa !! said...

Trader Joe's... ?? NYC la kelvipattathe illa...Hmm..
Veggies..Patel Bros,china town..Jamaican stores..U get all..Farm Fresh..

Have u guys seen arakeerai,molakeerai,murungai keerai..whatnot..except spinach and collard greens??

FYI,NJ is the Highest producer of Egg plants in USA.

3:50 AM  
Blogger GS said...

hello ...

found the link on a friend's blog.

Unlike other comments ... I like BIG stores more because I hate shopping. I did get lost sometimes, but prefer this more than going shopping often.

PS: Like your style of writing. Short, simple and yet, comprehensive.

4:56 AM  
Blogger Prabha said...

yea!once I had to stand in the queue for billing for more than an hour..that was the end of it!

5:29 AM  
Blogger Chakra said...

I came here to comment on something... but ended up on something else.

'Pair of Gloves' reminds me of Jeffrey Archer's Prodigal Daughter. Have u read that Saranyan?

6:06 AM  
Blogger Krish said...

I had a previous post about Wal-Mart in ChennaiCentral. I really get lost in these stores that is why I get in quickly, try to locate what I want and get out quickly. I prefer my old "Murugan Kadai" in Chennai where I did not have to hunt for stuff and he would bring it for me. Andha naalum vanthidaatho :-)

10:47 AM  
Blogger Me said...

neenga eppavum vangara saman aa irundha easy aa kandupidichidalam pudusa yedhavadhu vanganam na konjam kashtam dhan :)

9:19 PM  
Blogger saranyan r said...

ram.c, thanks for dropping by. Yes I do get that Muzhu Thirupthi only at the small stores.

nand, konjam naal pona adhuvum kandippa nadakkum :)

chakra, yes thats part of the problem too. have never read that novel chakra, will do so soon. thanks for the suggestion :)

adengappa, I had only one variety of keerai in the US, and that is Spinach :(

gayathri, thanks for the compliments :) its may sound good to shop everything at one place, but somehow I never liked it.

prabha, thats one my compaints too.

Thennavan, namma kadai aarambicha thaan undu. everyone are forcing these biggies on us...no escape I guess :(

jagan, and me...its not about finding the item in the shop. somehow I feel that there is a personal touch in the small shops. big ones can never give that.

11:07 PM  
Blogger Gowri said...

You are absolutely right! I never manage to find what I'm looking for in these big stores. I would anyday prefer the humble Indian store, where you stand at the counter and buy what you want. If they don't have the product, they even suggest alternatives and wait patiently till you make up your mind. Now that to me is good customer service!

2:29 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home