Got a big decking job after Easter, needs a lot of weed control fabric.

Used the Wilikinsons one before - good & cheap, so I went online to check
the price.

£3.98 a roll. Good price - but it got better - 2 for £5.

Ordered 8 rolls online, it tried to charge me £31.84. Went instore on the
way home to explain. Lady ordered it for me for store pickup at the 2 for
£5 deal.

Next to the information desk was a large rack full of the weed control
fabric! But I couldn't have that (same barcode, same product) at the offer
price, I have to wait until my 8 rolls come in!

They haven't quite got the hang of things have they?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
Got a big decking job after Easter, needs a lot of weed control fabric.

Used the Wilikinsons one before - good & cheap, so I went online to check
the price.

£3.98 a roll. Good price - but it got better - 2 for £5.

Ordered 8 rolls online, it tried to charge me £31.84. Went instore on the
way home to explain. Lady ordered it for me for store pickup at the 2 for
£5 deal.

Next to the information desk was a large rack full of the weed control
fabric! But I couldn't have that (same barcode, same product) at the offer
price, I have to wait until my 8 rolls come in!

They haven't quite got the hang of things have they?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk



What people like you need to understand, is that were Wilkinsons to
employ staff who were as clever as you clearly are, then they'd need to
pay them rather higher wages. Which in turn means they'd have to charge
you, the customer, rather higher prices.

Like most retailers Wilkinsons will work to a system. And all their staff
will have been trained to follow that system, and do nothing else. Having
occasionally visited Wilkinsons stores it would appear that the majority
of their customers are MWC - mothers with children and OAP's. And so
I very much doubt if their system is designed to accommodate customers
who order online at a store, and then decide to change their minds only
5 minutes later.

Similarly I very much doubt if Wilkinsons staff are trained to
familiarise themselves with every item in stock, along with any special
offers on the off-chance a customer might order the wrong thing online.

Like a lot of people nowadays, you seem to want the best of both worlds.
The cheapest possible prices along with a Harrods standard of service.
While similarly demanding the right to moan your head off, when for obvious
reasons, this simply isn't possible



R. V. Snetterton BSc. (Hons)

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Got a big decking job after Easter, needs a lot of weed control fabric.

Used the Wilikinsons one before - good & cheap, so I went online to check
the price.

£3.98 a roll. Good price - but it got better - 2 for £5.

Ordered 8 rolls online, it tried to charge me £31.84. Went instore on the
way home to explain. Lady ordered it for me for store pickup at the 2 for
£5 deal.

Next to the information desk was a large rack full of the weed control
fabric! But I couldn't have that (same barcode, same product) at the offer
price, I have to wait until my 8 rolls come in!

They haven't quite got the hang of things have they?


It gets better.

I went onlione to buy a TV three years ago for imlaws aging parents.

Currys online price 300 quid. Inc delivery.

'Oh great' I said as I phoned them up to check availability 'I'll pop
into our local currys and pick it up, to save you the cost of delivery
'our instore price is £350, excluding delivery sir'

Roland Snetterton wrote:

SNIP

To I smell troll? Or just idiot?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Roland Snetterton wrote:

SNIP

To I smell troll? Or just idiot?

Or even 'Do'

:-)


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 31 Mar, 20:10, "The Medway Handyman" davidl...@no-spam-
blueyonder.co.uk wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Roland Snetterton wrote:

SNIP

To I smell troll? *Or just idiot?

Or even 'Do'

:-)

--
Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Seeing as only other post was ro alt.test with nym guessits the
Tiscali Idiot , Clive/TJ/Robert..........

Cheers
Adam

On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:57:46 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Got a big decking job after Easter, needs a lot of weed control fabric.

Used the Wilikinsons one before - good & cheap, so I went online to
check the price.

£3.98 a roll. Good price - but it got better - 2 for £5.

Ordered 8 rolls online, it tried to charge me £31.84. Went instore on
the way home to explain. Lady ordered it for me for store pickup at
the 2 for £5 deal.

Next to the information desk was a large rack full of the weed control
fabric! But I couldn't have that (same barcode, same product) at the
offer price, I have to wait until my 8 rolls come in!

They haven't quite got the hang of things have they?


It gets better.

I went onlione to buy a TV three years ago for imlaws aging parents.

Currys online price 300 quid. Inc delivery.

'Oh great' I said as I phoned them up to check availability 'I'll pop
into our local currys and pick it up, to save you the cost of delivery
'our instore price is £350, excluding delivery sir'

Presumably the extra 50 covers lease, building upkeep, wages, training
etc.

Personally I wouldn't mind the extra 50 quid if it means I can see the
physical TV first and assess picture quality, build quality, what the
finish looks like, whether the menu system's completely stupid etc. (i.e.
the sort of stuff you can't really get from a photo on a web page or
reading customer reviews). It'll be a sad day when shops don't exist and
everything's done online.

cheers

Jules

On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:42:38 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson wrote:

Personally I wouldn't mind the extra 50 quid if it means I can see the
physical TV first and assess picture quality, build quality, what the
finish looks like, whether the menu system's completely stupid etc.
(i.e. the sort of stuff you can't really get from a photo on a web page
or reading customer reviews). It'll be a sad day when shops don't exist
and everything's done online.

Quite agree, nothing quite like "kicking the tyres" of a range of the
same product to see which ones have stupid design "features" or
awkward to use/understand controls.
--
Cheers
Dave.

On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:42:11 +0100, Roland Snetterton wrote:

Like most retailers Wilkinsons will work to a system.

Yeah, normally a crap computerised stock control system.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
Roland Snetterton wrote:

SNIP

To I smell troll? Or just idiot?

Great name for a troll though.

Rental Rodent Snot! :-)

http://wordsmith.org/anagram/anagram...=n&l=n&q=n&k=1

John Whitworth wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Roland Snetterton wrote:

SNIP

To I smell troll? Or just idiot?

Great name for a troll though.

Rental Rodent Snot! :-)

http://wordsmith.org/anagram/anagram...=n&l=n&q=n&k=1

Yep, it seems that if anyone criticises or disagrees with TMH (our resident
radio star now) he's called a "troll" or an "idiot" - and I suppose we'll
have this put with this "stars" antics for a while longer now!

"Well, Don't You Know Who I Am" - will be his next phrase now when he goes
into Wilkies, B&Qs or Screw Fix etc and they won't give him what he wants -
or roll out the red carpet before he goes through the the doors.

Now that's a thought, he'll have to use his well publicised DIY skills to
widen all the doorways to get his napper through now that he's 'famous' -
ROTFL

Unbeliever wrote:

The usual ****. I'm not even going to bother with a reply.

Cue; Unbeliever **** to reply to 'Famous for 15 minutes' post in his usual
'I'm a bitter twisted ****' mode.

What a sad *******.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Natural Philosopher :
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Got a big decking job after Easter, needs a lot of weed control fabric.
Used the Wilikinsons one before - good & cheap, so I went online to
check the price.
£3.98 a roll. Good price - but it got better - 2 for £5.
Ordered 8 rolls online, it tried to charge me £31.84. Went instore
on the way home to explain. Lady ordered it for me for store pickup
at the 2 for £5 deal.
Next to the information desk was a large rack full of the weed
control fabric! But I couldn't have that (same barcode, same
product) at the offer price, I have to wait until my 8 rolls come in!
They haven't quite got the hang of things have they?

It gets better.

I went onlione to buy a TV three years ago for imlaws aging parents.

Currys online price 300 quid. Inc delivery.

'Oh great' I said as I phoned them up to check availability 'I'll pop
into our local currys and pick it up, to save you the cost of delivery
'our instore price is £350, excluding delivery sir'

Ah yes, Curry's. I find the phone I want, take it to the checkout. He
scans in the bar code, says "Sorry, we're out of stock". I call the
manager, "Sorry, we're out of stock". They were not amenable to reason.

--
Mike Barnes

Jules Richardson
wibbled on Wednesday 31 March 2010 20:42

On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:57:46 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Got a big decking job after Easter, needs a lot of weed control fabric.

Used the Wilikinsons one before - good & cheap, so I went online to
check the price.

£3.98 a roll. Good price - but it got better - 2 for £5.

Ordered 8 rolls online, it tried to charge me £31.84. Went instore on
the way home to explain. Lady ordered it for me for store pickup at
the 2 for £5 deal.

Next to the information desk was a large rack full of the weed control
fabric! But I couldn't have that (same barcode, same product) at the
offer price, I have to wait until my 8 rolls come in!

They haven't quite got the hang of things have they?


It gets better.

I went onlione to buy a TV three years ago for imlaws aging parents.

Currys online price 300 quid. Inc delivery.

'Oh great' I said as I phoned them up to check availability 'I'll pop
into our local currys and pick it up, to save you the cost of delivery
'our instore price is £350, excluding delivery sir'

Presumably the extra 50 covers lease, building upkeep, wages, training
etc.

Personally I wouldn't mind the extra 50 quid if it means I can see the
physical TV first and assess picture quality, build quality, what the
finish looks like, whether the menu system's completely stupid etc. (i.e.
the sort of stuff you can't really get from a photo on a web page or
reading customer reviews). It'll be a sad day when shops don't exist and
everything's done online.


I've never failed to get the internet price matched fully instore (including
delivery) but you do need to call the manager out...

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Got a big decking job after Easter, needs a lot of weed control fabric.

Used the Wilikinsons one before - good & cheap, so I went online to check
the price.

£3.98 a roll. Good price - but it got better - 2 for £5.

Ordered 8 rolls online, it tried to charge me £31.84. Went instore on
the way home to explain. Lady ordered it for me for store pickup at the
2 for £5 deal.

Next to the information desk was a large rack full of the weed control
fabric! But I couldn't have that (same barcode, same product) at the
offer price, I have to wait until my 8 rolls come in!

They haven't quite got the hang of things have they?


It gets better.

I went onlione to buy a TV three years ago for imlaws aging parents.

Currys online price 300 quid. Inc delivery.

'Oh great' I said as I phoned them up to check availability 'I'll pop into
our local currys and pick it up, to save you the cost of delivery
'our instore price is £350, excluding delivery sir'


That still goes on with PC World (same company). Many things are cheaper
on their web site than in store and there is no delivery charge. Used them
for quite a few things lately, even a case fan reduced to well under a fiver
and postage free.
--
Tinkerer

On Mar 31, 11:22*pm, "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:42:38 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson wrote:
Personally I wouldn't mind the extra 50 quid if it means I can see the
physical TV first and assess picture quality, build quality, what the
finish looks like, whether the menu system's completely stupid etc.
(i.e. the sort of stuff you can't really get from a photo on a web page
or reading customer reviews). It'll be a sad day when shops don't exist
and everything's done online.

Quite agree, nothing quite like "kicking the tyres" of a range of the
same product to see which ones have stupid design "features" or
awkward to use/understand controls.

And then buy online, from the same shop, for less.

MBQ

On Apr 1, 8:49*am, "Tinkerer"
wrote:
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in ...



The Medway Handyman wrote:
Got a big decking job after Easter, needs a lot of weed control fabric..

Used the Wilikinsons one before - good & cheap, so I went online to check
the price.

£3.98 a roll. *Good price - but it got better - 2 for £5.

Ordered 8 rolls online, it tried to charge me £31.84. *Went instore on
the way home to explain. *Lady ordered it for me for store pickup at the
2 for £5 deal.

Next to the information desk was a large rack full of the weed control
fabric! *But I couldn't have that (same barcode, same product) at the
offer price, I have to wait until my 8 rolls come in!

They haven't quite got the hang of things have they?

It gets better.

I went onlione to buy a TV three years ago for imlaws aging parents.

Currys online price 300 quid. Inc delivery.

'Oh great' I said as I phoned them up to check availability 'I'll pop into
our local currys and pick it up, to save you the cost of delivery
'our instore price is £350, excluding delivery sir'

That still goes on with PC World (same company). * Many things are cheaper
on their web site than in store

With PCWorld, check the store has the item in stock, then order on
line but choose the pick up from store option. You get the "web only"
price.

MBQ

Mike Barnes gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying:

Ah yes, Curry's. I find the phone I want, take it to the checkout. He
scans in the bar code, says "Sorry, we're out of stock". I call the
manager, "Sorry, we're out of stock". They were not amenable to reason.

Last time I bought anything at Currys, it was an iron. Get to the till,
and the droid tried to flog me an extended warranty - which cost more
than the iron did...

Man at B&Q wrote:
On Mar 31, 11:22 pm, "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:42:38 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson wrote:
Personally I wouldn't mind the extra 50 quid if it means I can see the
physical TV first and assess picture quality, build quality, what the
finish looks like, whether the menu system's completely stupid etc.
(i.e. the sort of stuff you can't really get from a photo on a web page
or reading customer reviews). It'll be a sad day when shops don't exist
and everything's done online.
Quite agree, nothing quite like "kicking the tyres" of a range of the
same product to see which ones have stupid design "features" or
awkward to use/understand controls.

And then buy online, from the same shop, for less.


Which is, essentially, what I and many others do, BUT it tends to negate
the purpose of the shop, unless the company run it as a marketing, but
not a sales operation.

But really, that's the way it is working more and more 'I'll have to get
one in:That's only a display item sir'

I can foresee shops becomein simply non stock holding showcases, with
the 'sales assistant' showing you, how to eneter the ionline order, or
doing it for you.

My wife doesn't clothes shop in shops anymore. She orders from one or
two online shops who are happy to accept returns of stuff even on the
grounds that she simply doesn't like it.



MBQ

On Thu, 1 Apr 2010 01:30:45 -0700 (PDT), Man at B&Q wrote:

Quite agree, nothing quite like "kicking the tyres" of a range of
the
same product to see which ones have stupid design "features" or
awkward to use/understand controls.

And then buy online, from the same shop, for less.

Via Quidco and save even more...

--
Cheers
Dave.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

My wife doesn't clothes shop in shops anymore. She orders from one or
two online shops who are happy to accept returns of stuff even on the
grounds that she simply doesn't like it.

Don't the Distance Selling Regulations mean that all online stores have
to accept returns of the grounds that you don't like it?

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Roland Snetterton"
saying something like:

R. V. Snetterton BSc. (Hons)

Ah ****, it's the Tiscali ****, again.

Andrew May wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

My wife doesn't clothes shop in shops anymore. She orders from one or
two online shops who are happy to accept returns of stuff even on the
grounds that she simply doesn't like it.

Don't the Distance Selling Regulations mean that all online stores have
to accept returns of the grounds that you don't like it?

yes, but not necessarily without some expense on your part, or bad grace
on theirs.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Andrew May
saying something like:

Don't the Distance Selling Regulations mean that all online stores have
to accept returns of the grounds that you don't like it?

PP can tell you for definite, but yes; you need give no grounds at all.

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
Roland Snetterton wrote:

SNIP

To I smell troll? Or just idiot?



We may all be trolls or idiots, but Roland in this case was spot on. They
have procedures which enable things to run smoothly without intelligent
intervention. Any upset or variation is fraught with consequences.

Roland Snetterton wrote:
"The Medway wrote in message
...
Got a big decking job after Easter, needs a lot of weed control fabric.

Used the Wilikinsons one before - good& cheap, so I went online to check
the price.

£3.98 a roll. Good price - but it got better - 2 for £5.

Ordered 8 rolls online, it tried to charge me £31.84. Went instore on the
way home to explain. Lady ordered it for me for store pickup at the 2 for
£5 deal.

Next to the information desk was a large rack full of the weed control
fabric! But I couldn't have that (same barcode, same product) at the offer
price, I have to wait until my 8 rolls come in!

They haven't quite got the hang of things have they?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk



What people like you need to understand, is that were Wilkinsons to
employ staff who were as clever as you clearly are, then they'd need to
pay them rather higher wages. Which in turn means they'd have to charge
you, the customer, rather higher prices.

Like most retailers Wilkinsons will work to a system. And all their staff
will have been trained to follow that system, and do nothing else. Having
occasionally visited Wilkinsons stores it would appear that the majority
of their customers are MWC - mothers with children and OAP's. And so
I very much doubt if their system is designed to accommodate customers
who order online at a store, and then decide to change their minds only
5 minutes later.

Similarly I very much doubt if Wilkinsons staff are trained to
familiarise themselves with every item in stock, along with any special
offers on the off-chance a customer might order the wrong thing online.

Like a lot of people nowadays, you seem to want the best of both worlds.
The cheapest possible prices along with a Harrods standard of service.
While similarly demanding the right to moan your head off, when for obvious
reasons, this simply isn't possible



R. V. Snetterton BSc. (Hons)





I tried to buy a special at McDonalds once, it included a sausage muffin
with egg and I tried to get it without the egg, but no, without the egg
it would be the normal price, which was dearer. so I got it with the egg
and took the egg out and gave it back.

On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:01:58 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
I can foresee shops becomein simply non stock holding showcases, with
the 'sales assistant' showing you, how to eneter the ionline order, or
doing it for you.

I don't mind that so much for big stuff where I expect a bit of a wait
anyway. It'd be a pain for smaller convenience items. Worse still if
shops vanish altogether, of course.

My wife doesn't clothes shop in shops anymore. She orders from one or
two online shops who are happy to accept returns of stuff even on the
grounds that she simply doesn't like it.

Fair enough. But I'd get frustrated if I waited for something to arrive
in the mail and then found out that what I didn't like about it was
something that I would have immediately known by looking at the physical
item (or being able to try it on) - that's a waste of both my time and
theirs.

cheers

Jules

Andrew May
wibbled on Thursday 01 April 2010 11:14

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

My wife doesn't clothes shop in shops anymore. She orders from one or
two online shops who are happy to accept returns of stuff even on the
grounds that she simply doesn't like it.

Don't the Distance Selling Regulations mean that all online stores have
to accept returns of the grounds that you don't like it?

Yes, but the clothes catalogues have been doing it forever - since at least
the 70's.

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

Jules Richardson
wibbled on Thursday 01 April 2010 14:05

On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:01:58 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
I can foresee shops becomein simply non stock holding showcases, with
the 'sales assistant' showing you, how to eneter the ionline order, or
doing it for you.

I don't mind that so much for big stuff where I expect a bit of a wait
anyway. It'd be a pain for smaller convenience items. Worse still if
shops vanish altogether, of course.

My wife doesn't clothes shop in shops anymore. She orders from one or
two online shops who are happy to accept returns of stuff even on the
grounds that she simply doesn't like it.

Fair enough. But I'd get frustrated if I waited for something to arrive
in the mail and then found out that what I didn't like about it was
something that I would have immediately known by looking at the physical
item (or being able to try it on) - that's a waste of both my time and
theirs.

cheers

Jules

The way to "play" it (though I think it's pretty normal practice, rather
than a cunning gaming ploy) is to get a few things you like the look of,
maybe in more than one size, on the basis that one will turn out OK and you
return the rest. My Mum liked this system. A trip to the Post Office after
browsing a 1.5" thick catalogue selection was less grief than going round
umpteen shops in the nearest big town (or putting up with the tiny selection
in the village), especially as she walked past the PO most days anyway.

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

Jules Richardson wrote:
On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:01:58 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
I can foresee shops becomein simply non stock holding showcases, with
the 'sales assistant' showing you, how to eneter the ionline order, or
doing it for you.

I don't mind that so much for big stuff where I expect a bit of a wait
anyway. It'd be a pain for smaller convenience items. Worse still if
shops vanish altogether, of course.

My wife doesn't clothes shop in shops anymore. She orders from one or
two online shops who are happy to accept returns of stuff even on the
grounds that she simply doesn't like it.

Fair enough. But I'd get frustrated if I waited for something to arrive
in the mail and then found out that what I didn't like about it was
something that I would have immediately known by looking at the physical
item (or being able to try it on) - that's a waste of both my time and
theirs.


well indeed, but is loads better than travelling 10 miles into a town,
and these days it is NOT cambridge, because it costs a fortune to park
there or hours of fiddling with park and rides, and 6-7 hours of trying
every shop, to find that they contain nothing worth buying.

And its a damned sight GREENER too.


cheers

Jules

On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:52:00 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

well indeed, but is loads better than travelling 10 miles into a town,
and these days it is NOT cambridge, because it costs a fortune to park
there or hours of fiddling with park and rides, and 6-7 hours of trying
every shop, to find that they contain nothing worth buying.

Sounds just like Canterbury. I made a rare visit there today, but only
because of work. And I only live seven miles away...

--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:04:41 +0100, Tim Streater wrote:

In article ,
Bob Eager wrote:

On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:52:00 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

well indeed, but is loads better than travelling 10 miles into a
town, and these days it is NOT cambridge, because it costs a fortune
to park there or hours of fiddling with park and rides, and 6-7 hours
of trying every shop, to find that they contain nothing worth buying.

Sounds just like Canterbury. I made a rare visit there today, but only
because of work. And I only live seven miles away...

We used the Wincheap P&R to Canterbury today - good service. But, very
little in the way of interesting shops once you get there.

I had a free parking place near the centre just for this morning - hence
my visit. I actually wanted something from a fabric shop. Didn't hang
around though. The only thing I really like is the chips from the City
Fish Bar.



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org