Stores Closing and Woes of Holiday Shopping
Bookworm, Shopping - 9 Comments » - Posted on December, 6 at 6:52 pm
I spent a good couple of hours in El Paso today, my mom and I decided to go up to Mervyns to take advantage of their going out of business sale. What? Mervyns is going out of business? Yeah, I was shocked to realize it myself. But according to the Wikipedia, Mervyns announced, back in July ’08, that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In October the company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and began liquidating its entire inventory in an attempt to repay creditors. At work the other night some women were complementing this one woman on her blouse and she mentioned that she got it at Mervyns for only $9-something and it was normally priced at $40. That was the first I heard about Mervyns going out of business. So we went in today, and everything was at least 60% off. I got a new pair of dress boots, a nice pair of slacks, two 500-count Egyptian cotton sheet sets, a comforter, two office blouses, and some extra pillow cases to go with the sheets for only $100.
Pretty decent savings, right? Scarily enough, we also saw that Linens & Things is also going out of business as well. After seeing these big stores and chains shutting their doors, I have to wonder if there are any small business opportunities left in this country right now. To say our economy has gone to shit is the understatement of the century. 
I went in to Barnes & Noble today to pick up two copies of The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling to review and give away on my book blog and received some rather sorry service. At the register I was asked if I would like to donate one of the books I was purchasing to this charity for illiterate children. I politely declined since I had something very specific in mind for these two books, and suddenly the service went down hill. Receipt and pen thrown at me to sign with, then my books and customer receipt were thrust at me – with no bag – and I was given a curt “have a good night”.
Honestly, what the hell is it with stores and people in general for getting their panties in a twist just because you don’t donate to a charity? Clearly I’m buying these books for a reason, asking me to donate one as I’m checking out is just poor timing. And so what if I can’t or don’t want to donate? Just because it’s the season to give doesn’t mean one has to give for every cause that pops up. We all have the charities we donate to, and we donate what we can when we can.
Tagged: barnes and noble, beadle the bard, books, charities, donating, mervyns, poor-service, the-symposiumPosted in Bookworm, Shopping | 9 Comments »
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I know exactly what you mean about rudeness when denying to give. I’ve been in several stores that ask at the register, and when you say no, the attitude is almost like you’re not worth their time. Those are definitely the people that don’t seem to realize that people don’t always have it to give.
Wow that’s really messed up that the bookstore cashier person went nuts on you because you didn’t want to donate. People are just insane these days. It’s sad how many stores are going out of business right now.
The cashier was rude and tacky. Not even the charities would appreciate that attitude.
Wow, you really wouldn’t expect to receive snotty service from Barnes and Nobles! Well, I wouldn’t!
People seem to forget that if we helped out every charity shoved in our faces, we would become charities ourselves. Like you said those that are charitable are all ready doing what we can. ;-)
I love Mervyn’s. Half of my wardrobe comes from there! I was very very sad to hear they were closing…:(
Honestly, if it’s one of those “give a dollar” things, yeah, I’ll tack on the dollar if I have it. But when it’s a “donate part of what you’re purchasing” deal, no way. I didn’t come to the register with 5 books in order to donate one of them to the charity, which mostly likely I didn’t even know about until you asked when I was buying it. DUH. And then to be treated rudely because of it, I’d be speaking to a manager about it.
There are so many ‘collections’ in the UK that you start to get Charity fatigue. Did you know that up to 40% of collections can go on admin fees as well? Best to give direct to the charity concerned.
I went to a restaurant the other day and they donated £2 of my money for me. Good job it was a fab meal and the service was outstanding!
i went to linens n things when they were having their closing sales, expecting to find amazing deals, but truth is, the sales weren’t great at all! :/ it was actually cheaper to head over to bed bath & beyond and use their coupons on top of the christmas sales!
Wow. I wasn’t expecting Linen’s and Things, but I guess that more people shop at Bed Bath and Beyond anyway.
That was quite rude of the cashier to treat you like that and you’re right, it is bad timing. If anything they should put a bin, or hell, here’s a novel idea: donate the books themselves since they ARE a large book retailer.