On Sun, 25 Sep 2016 12:03:27 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
T i m wrote:
In days of yore at proper shops, you could talk to someone with decades
of experience.

But we just stopped bothering with them and went to bigger places
where we could park and get the stuff off the shelves ourselves?

And I'm sure many remember going to, say, a plumber's merchant (etc)
knowing what you wanted - but perhaps not the correct term for it.

Indeed ... but the problem with asking them is you can end up being
offered stuff that you know isn't what you want but take because it's
1) the nearest they have to what you actually want or 2) they have
spent some effort helping you take it out of politeness?

And
getting that superior look from the sales droid who may have known the
correct term but didn't have a clue on how to actually use the part.

I can't sat I really ever had the former but have had the latter.
Especially so in electrical or plumbing places where they state they
aren't plumbers or electricians so can only supply what you ask for.

So
much easier to select it yourself from the shelf or catalogue.

Often, yes, as long as they have stuff organised logically (not always
easy when you need something specific ... like yesterday I was looking
for some line that was likely to be curtain cord but found it in
amongst the lines, wires and chains).

And to be
(fairly) certain they have what you want before even going there.

Yup, that is a massive time / fuel saver.

Other thing was getting stuck behind someone who wanted to see everything
and the alternatives before buying.

Quite! Nearly as bad as buying petrol at places that share their tills
with people buying groceries. ;-(

Give me self service every day.

Agreed ... except for cooked food etc. ;-)

Especially click and collect, if it works as intended.

I generally do that more to *reserve* an item that may show as being
low in stock rather to save time when I get there. I also often think
of something else / different whilst on the way or find queuing at the
'Click and collect' point longer than going though the straight till.

Cheers, T i m