Apologies for not blogging for a while - trying to get myself back on track emotionally after Mum and Dad left to head back home to Australia. We're getting there.......slowly.
Today's blog is about one of my least favourite past times - here and in Australia - shopping. One of the only places to do grocery shopping near Palm Meadows is a 'supermarket' called Hypercity. It is a place that stocks all things from food and groceries, as well as toys, sports goods, home decor. Unfortunately, all they actually sell is a 'whole lot of nothing!' My mum can now vouch for that.
Yesterday, my friend Alison and I had to venture to Hypercity on our way home from a school lunch to do our weekly shop for groceries. We also thought the store on top (HomeStop) might have some Christmas decorations, (year right) and I needed some cushion inserts for my beautiful Rajasthani cushion covers. The visit can only be described as hilarious.
The first issue was when we went up to HomeStop and we were immediately stalked by shop assistants. This happens ALL the time and is incredibly annoying. I am not sure if they think I am incapable of picking up items and analysing them myself, or if they think I am a shoplifter. Either way, the poor young girl copped a mouthful from us and was never seen again. She is probably still out the back crying. This occurs in every shop in Bangalore and if you actually do ask a question, the answer is more often than not, No Madam....... so why bother following me ??? This seems to be a cycle for me - after this happening constantly for weeks, you tend to get a bit frustrated.
We then proceeded downstairs, with the power going on and off multiple times - at one point we were on the escalator and we both nearly ended up flat on our faces. Wandering through Hypercity in the dark is quite the experience !! Next stop was the Christmas decorations (all one stand of them) and we were looking for some baubles. The ongoing discussion about the stock available was hilarious and then Alison spied some nice decorations on the sample tree. She grabbed an assistant and asked where she could find those items. "No Madam, not in stock." She then asked for him to ask his manager about the decorations and he ran off on the phone. He found us 10 minutes later to tell us that they were 'decorations only - not for sale'. Alison went to town on this guy about how it was false advertising, bad business practise - I thought the little mans head was going to wobble right off his shoulders.... too funny !! but we left empty handed on the decoration front.
The next scenario has been occurring for the last five months and yesterday seemed like the right time to finally get an answer. So, when you buy fruit and vegetables at Hypercity, you need to take it to a special counter and get it weighed and tagged with the weight and price - see the pictures below for the little sticker they put on everything. Then after you have finished the rest of your 'shopping for nothing', you then go to the actual checkout.
The person at the checkout has a proper scanner on the bench and also a handheld 'trigger like' scanner. The trigger seems to be the only thing that remotely works and the assistant very rarely scans anything and immediately passes it for bagging. Most times the product needs to be reviewed for a price check (each item has a minuscule Indian price tag) or needs to be keyed manually. If the product is not common in India and has been imported (ie most of my trolley) then the assistant needs to check the price because they have no idea the price of a packet of Pringles - so they need to review the item........ all of this takes a LOT of time !! As for daal, rice or onions - no price check required that is common knowledge for everyone (except me)
Anyway, back to the fruit and vegetables. I always leave them to last so that I can pack them to ensure less damage on the trip home. So when she gets to them, she starts typing numbers into the register. As mentioned previously, this has been going on for 5 months. So I ask, 'why aren't you using the scanner, they have bar codes on them, I waited in line 'again' and got them all weighed and tagged.'
Her response, "No madam, doesn't work......." I thought I would be speechless with the stupidity of the situation but no, I found some words. Rather choice words actually. Poor girl - it isn't her fault but I went to town !! My analytical and commonsence mind must be too much for the Indians to bare. God forbid they look to fixing the issue - they have a workaround !
I am really looking forward to shopping again on Friday - anyone want to join me?
Today's blog is about one of my least favourite past times - here and in Australia - shopping. One of the only places to do grocery shopping near Palm Meadows is a 'supermarket' called Hypercity. It is a place that stocks all things from food and groceries, as well as toys, sports goods, home decor. Unfortunately, all they actually sell is a 'whole lot of nothing!' My mum can now vouch for that.
Yesterday, my friend Alison and I had to venture to Hypercity on our way home from a school lunch to do our weekly shop for groceries. We also thought the store on top (HomeStop) might have some Christmas decorations, (year right) and I needed some cushion inserts for my beautiful Rajasthani cushion covers. The visit can only be described as hilarious.
The first issue was when we went up to HomeStop and we were immediately stalked by shop assistants. This happens ALL the time and is incredibly annoying. I am not sure if they think I am incapable of picking up items and analysing them myself, or if they think I am a shoplifter. Either way, the poor young girl copped a mouthful from us and was never seen again. She is probably still out the back crying. This occurs in every shop in Bangalore and if you actually do ask a question, the answer is more often than not, No Madam....... so why bother following me ??? This seems to be a cycle for me - after this happening constantly for weeks, you tend to get a bit frustrated.
We then proceeded downstairs, with the power going on and off multiple times - at one point we were on the escalator and we both nearly ended up flat on our faces. Wandering through Hypercity in the dark is quite the experience !! Next stop was the Christmas decorations (all one stand of them) and we were looking for some baubles. The ongoing discussion about the stock available was hilarious and then Alison spied some nice decorations on the sample tree. She grabbed an assistant and asked where she could find those items. "No Madam, not in stock." She then asked for him to ask his manager about the decorations and he ran off on the phone. He found us 10 minutes later to tell us that they were 'decorations only - not for sale'. Alison went to town on this guy about how it was false advertising, bad business practise - I thought the little mans head was going to wobble right off his shoulders.... too funny !! but we left empty handed on the decoration front.
The next scenario has been occurring for the last five months and yesterday seemed like the right time to finally get an answer. So, when you buy fruit and vegetables at Hypercity, you need to take it to a special counter and get it weighed and tagged with the weight and price - see the pictures below for the little sticker they put on everything. Then after you have finished the rest of your 'shopping for nothing', you then go to the actual checkout.
The person at the checkout has a proper scanner on the bench and also a handheld 'trigger like' scanner. The trigger seems to be the only thing that remotely works and the assistant very rarely scans anything and immediately passes it for bagging. Most times the product needs to be reviewed for a price check (each item has a minuscule Indian price tag) or needs to be keyed manually. If the product is not common in India and has been imported (ie most of my trolley) then the assistant needs to check the price because they have no idea the price of a packet of Pringles - so they need to review the item........ all of this takes a LOT of time !! As for daal, rice or onions - no price check required that is common knowledge for everyone (except me)
Anyway, back to the fruit and vegetables. I always leave them to last so that I can pack them to ensure less damage on the trip home. So when she gets to them, she starts typing numbers into the register. As mentioned previously, this has been going on for 5 months. So I ask, 'why aren't you using the scanner, they have bar codes on them, I waited in line 'again' and got them all weighed and tagged.'
Her response, "No madam, doesn't work......." I thought I would be speechless with the stupidity of the situation but no, I found some words. Rather choice words actually. Poor girl - it isn't her fault but I went to town !! My analytical and commonsence mind must be too much for the Indians to bare. God forbid they look to fixing the issue - they have a workaround !
I am really looking forward to shopping again on Friday - anyone want to join me?
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