Companies you don't like to buy from, and why

[Red Onion]

Easyjet. Absolutely refuse to fly with that shower of s**t after the hassle they’ve caused me over the last few months with late flight cancellations, refusal to acknowledge cancellations even in the face of evidence they’ve cancelled them, exceptionally poor customer service, the list goes on!

The cheap fare is not worth the hassle.

 

[Swanny200]

Add into the Yodel pile MyHermes or Hermes in general, most of them round here use their own cars, your parcels come damaged and covered in cigarette smoke (always seems to be clothing from catalogues too that is a magnet for smoke even if it is wrapped in a parcel bag) when you complain to the catalogue company they raise it with Hermes and get nothing in response, would get hold of hermes ourselves if we could but doubt it would do anything.

 

[Typhoon]

I find Aldi to be:
1. Cheap
2. Good quality (mostly, and you learn the stuff to avoid)

Exactly. Same with all own brands. Its just if you go to Sainsburys or Tesco, you can buy branded goods rather than own brands. And they actually respond to queues at the checkout!

Minuses to the 'usuals' Smiths, Currys and HP.
Smiths - post office: massive queue at nearby main centre, one young girl, desperately trying to cope, according to regulars it is often the case. In my nearest town, the post office is in the Co-op - always 2 (or 3) on.
Currys - rubbish systems/ staff/ training. Why can't I get three items advertised as sold together, delivered together? Management - don't like criticism and have an attitude. And what is the point of giving me an id for a repair if, when I take the item into the shop, I get asked what it means and all details of the fault were just disregarded. I could go on ...
HP - given an HP as an insurance replacement. Hard disk failed. Repairman told me that that would be the case before I had a chance to tell him. Different shop ' not an HP' when I used the HP box to take its replacement in.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Smiths is a "voucher shop" - they don't like it when you refuse the vouchers!

Amazes me that they make money.

 

[py_megapixel]

Smiths is a "voucher shop" - they don't like it when you refuse the vouchers!

Amazes me that they make money.

I heard they are paid a commision by third parties for each voucher they distribute. So if you get a McDonalds voucher McDonalds pays them a few pence in comission. That would make sense as I can't see any other reason they would be so fussy about the vouchers.

Smiths isn't cheap either. If you want proper quality and choice, there's Ryman, and if you want cheap stuff that'll do the job but isn't great then there's The Works. I rarely if ever buy anything from them - except at stations, where they can only fairly be described as the best of a bad bunch.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Smiths isn't cheap either. If you want proper quality and choice, there's Ryman, and if you want cheap stuff that'll do the job but isn't great then there's The Works. I rarely if ever buy anything from them - except at stations, where they can only fairly be described as the best of a bad bunch.

And motorway services, but in those they aren't really Smiths, the range is different and they're operated by the services operator. So why the services operators pay them to use their brand rather than just calling it "The Shop" or something I have no idea.

I get why they want brands like BK, McD's, Starbucks etc - but WHS?

 

[py_megapixel]

And motorway services, but in those they aren't really Smiths, the range is different and they're operated by the services operator. So why the services operators pay them to use their brand rather than just calling it "The Shop" or something I have no idea.

I get why they want brands like BK, McD's, Starbucks etc - but WHS?

Wonder if it's a consistency thing? Like, once they have an entire "shopping centre" type experience with lots of proper brands, having the shop as something generic or made-up looks a bit silly?

Motorway services have experimented with house brands before, but they largely cheaped out and therefore gained a bad reputation. See Moto's "Eat & Drink Co" for example.

Incidentally, Smiths seems to be the only retailer other than a full-scale supermarket to reliably carry my preferred fizzy drink, Coca-Cola Vanilla.

 

[xotGD]

It also has a great system whereby you put your stuff back in your trolley as it is scanned and then go and pack at your leisure.

Interesting that you see that as a positive. I regard it as awful that you don't have time to pack your bags at the checkout. Transferring from the checkout to the trolley then the trolley to the bags introduces an extra unnecessary step in the process.

Mind, I've not set foot in a supermarket since early March, so it is somewhat academic how they run the tills.

 

[Domh245]

Interesting that you see that as a positive. I regard it as awful that you don't have time to pack your bags at the checkout. Transferring from the checkout to the trolley then the trolley to the bags introduces an extra unnecessary step in the process.

Mind, I've not set foot in a supermarket since early March, so it is somewhat academic how they run the tills.

The best of both worlds solution of course is the pack-as-you-go services that Tesco and Sainsburys (possibly others as well? not too sure) offer - all the control of the bag packing and a far quicker and easier checkout experience.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Decathlon, the muzak drives one out of the store

 

[py_megapixel]

Decathlon, the muzak drives one out of the store

Interesting that you should say that, I can't stand loud music in shops but I find Decathlon to be far from the worst
The more "trendy" clothing shops (the likes of H&M, New Look and such like) as well as those shops that sell nothing more than utter tat (e.g. Menkind) tend to be the worst in my experience

 

[Tetchytyke]

I regard it as awful that you don't have time to pack your bags at the checkout.

You can if you're organised and get the bags ready before they start scanning. What I like about the system is that you get through the checkouts a lot quicker, you don't get stuck behind someone dithering with their packing. I like being in and out of supermarkets!

 

[lkpridgeon]

Primark and Asda.

Primark is just an awful experience from door to till. Pile the clothes high in no logical size order, isles too small for people to pass/people moving left right send centre without any rhyme or reason. And top it off with a post office esque queue system but with even more stuff piled high. After all that it's a 50/50 chance the clothes start falling apart after a week.

Asda is just a mess of highly processed food. I made the mistake of going in looking for proper Ham not that reformed/reconstituted barely edible stuff. If you want a cheap supermarket there's plenty of other choices such as Aldi, Lidl and B&M (if you do want the brands).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I heard they are paid a commission by third parties for each voucher they distribute. So if you get a McDonalds voucher McDonalds pays them a few pence in commission. That would make sense as I can't see any other reason they would be so fussy about the vouchers.

If they scan them without even asking if you want one*, that's technically fraud on their part as they're then getting the commission for vouchers they haven't issued.


*Which seems to be their standard practice...!!

 

[ComUtoR]

Hotel Chocolat

I was a regular up until about a year ago. They charged me for a bag ! That may sound small and petty but they use paper bags. I specifically didn't get a bag from a different shop knowing that I could get a paper one from Hotel Chocolat. I spoke to their "customer service" and mentioned being charged for a paper bag; whilst they extensively use "black plastic" which is notoriously difficult/impossible to recycle. Seriously; they use an insane ammount of plastic. I refused to shopt there but.... Due to multiple customer complaints, they no longer charge for paper bags. So I returned..

and then...


I had a good "relationship" with my local Hotel Chocolat. I was a regular and tbh, their instore customer service is pretty decent. A couple of my favorite staff members quit and moved to another store. Suffice to say I got chatting and asked why they quit. It turns out the Manager there was a total "£$!"$"$. He called my favorite member of staff "fat" so she left. After hearing that I have never been back.

 

[2L70]

Can't remember now what happened to Shipstones, the third Nottingham brewery at that time.
I do remember it as a beer of extremes. You could either happily drink it all night or struggle to finish your first pint. Often referred to as the "Shipstone's Straight Through".

Shippos was relaunched a year or so ago but I’ve not seen it on sale.

 

[C J Snarzell]

Waterstones - paying full publishers prices for books when you can buy new titles at half the price at Asda or Sainsburys. Waterstones, did (or maybe still do) a loyalty card scheme whereby for every £10 you spend, you get a stamp made on a little card. I think you had to spend about £80 or maybe £100 with them, to receive a fully stamped card that gave you £10. The loyalty card is similar to the McDs coffee cup card.

What really infuriated me about Waterstones is, I purchased a book for £9.99 and the jobsworth behind the counter would not stamp the card because I hadn't spent £10 or more. I even made a kind gesture of putting my loose change in the charity box on the counter, but no, still not good enough! I ended up binning the card and never shopping at Waterstone's again.

I had a similar experience with the Hungry House chain when I dined at the Lea Gate in Preston a few years ago. I had a discount card that stated I got £10 for spending over £30 in the restaurant. This does not include drinks, which is fair enough. Unfortunately, Hungry Horse then change the goal posts by saying you cannot use the card against steak meals, you cannot use the card against meals from the 2 for 1 deal, you cannot use the card on bank holidays or the month of December, you cannot use the card on Tuesday's because it is Curry night, you cannot use the card for children's menu food, you cannot use the card if you support Preston North End (okay I made the last one up!!!). Another card that went in the bin.

CJ

 

[py_megapixel]

Waterstones - paying full publishers prices for books when you can buy new titles at half the price at Asda or Sainsburys. Waterstones, did (or maybe still do) a loyalty card scheme whereby for every £10 you spend, you get a stamp made on a little card. I think you had to spend about £80 or maybe £100 with them, to receive a fully stamped card that gave you £10. The loyalty card is similar to the McDs coffee cup card.

Exactly: If I want books at RRP then I go to my local bookshop, where they have lovely knowledgable staff who love their job and will happily order in any book I want.

If I want books cheaply, there are a wealth of other cheaper places I could go

Waterstones simply don't have much of a place anymore.

 

[C J Snarzell]

Exactly: If I want books at RRP then I go to my local bookshop, where they have lovely knowledgable staff who love their job and will happily order in any book I want.

If I want books cheaply, there are a wealth of other cheaper places I could go

Waterstones simply don't have much of a place anymore.

I think the loyalty cards used by companies like Waterstones are a gimmick purely to encourage more spending. Unless you buy a pile of books at once, you'll probably never attain the 10 x stamps on the card. Like I said, if you buy a book once in a while from them, and it is priced at £9.99 or less you'll never get a reward stamp so the card is pointless.

CJ

 

[SteveM70]

Unless you buy a pile of books at once, you'll probably never attain the 10 x stamps on the card

Or unless you’re buying non-mainstream books that aren’t sold by the discounters

 

[C J Snarzell]

Or unless you’re buying non-mainstream books that aren’t sold by the discounters

Not sure what you are getting at? Waterstones generally sell everything at full publishers price.

The Works is another bookstore that seems to be in a different league to Waterstones. Everything is sold at rock bottom discounted prices. However, they only sell limited titles - what you see is what you get and some titles are long since out of print.

CJ

 

[SteveM70]

Not sure what you are getting at? Waterstones generally sell everything at full publishers price

Shops like Waterstones sell a broad range of books including academic books etc etc that are generally pretty difficult to find at discounted prices elsewhere, and which are also generally pretty expensive. People needing books like that would potentially benefit from Waterstones’ loyalty scheme

 

[C J Snarzell]

Shops like Waterstones sell a broad range of books including academic books etc etc that are generally pretty difficult to find at discounted prices elsewhere, and which are also generally pretty expensive. People needing books like that would potentially benefit from Waterstones’ loyalty scheme

I see what you mean. The police promotion books that are called Blackstones are published every year and were priced at least £40 for the four volumes. I know solicitors in training can pay a few hundred pounds for their 'bibles'. I never even considered whether they sold that kind of book. I generally focus on 'leisure' books rather than 'academic' ones.

CJ

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

The Works, is that not a remainder store, that buys excess stock cheap from the publishers?

 

[WelshBluebird]

I remember when I was at uni we generally only had a few options of where to get the required textbooks:

• Amazon
• Waterstones
• Second hand off a student from the year before
• Sometimes from the lecturer themselves (I wonder why!).

Sadly sometimes companies like that are some of the only options in some circumstances!

I also suspect Waterstones do pretty well from gift vouchers. Both in the sense that I suspect many go unused and that if you do know someone who buys a lot of books, a gift voucher for there is a pretty safe bet as a present.

 

[[.n]]

Nestle - as already mentioned Baby Milk Action - I've been doing my best to avoid their products for years (though its hard as they own so many brands)

 

[AM9]

I think the loyalty cards used by companies like Waterstones are a gimmick purely to encourage more spending.

Isn't that true of any shop's promotions?

 

[route101]

Wonder if it's a consistency thing? Like, once they have an entire "shopping centre" type experience with lots of proper brands, having the shop as something generic or made-up looks a bit silly?

Motorway services have experimented with house brands before, but they largely cheaped out and therefore gained a bad reputation. See Moto's "Eat & Drink Co" for example.

Incidentally, Smiths seems to be the only retailer other than a full-scale supermarket to reliably carry my preferred fizzy drink, Coca-Cola Vanilla.

The WH Smith in Gatwick were all rebranded London News Company!

They stopped making Full Sugar Vanilla Coke, only see the Zero varient.

 

[WelshBluebird]

They stopped making Full Sugar Coke

Pretty sure that is not true.
Some stores may no longer stock it, but I seriously doubt Coca Cola have stopped making it as you can still get it in most places that I have seen.
Indeed they are a slight outlier in this regard as I don't believe they altered their recipe as a reaction to the sugar tax - full fat coke is just more expensive than diet or zero or sold in smaller containers at the same price.

Just seen your edit - don't worry!
Though my point about Coca Cola not changing their recipe is still an interesting one I think (and one they make a point of advertising on theit website!).

 

[route101]

Pretty sure that is not true.
Some stores may no longer stock it, but I seriously doubt Coca Cola have stopped making it as you can still get it in most places that I have seen.
Indeed they are a slight outlier in this regard as I don't believe they altered their recipe as a reaction to the sugar tax - full fat coke is just more expensive than diet or zero or sold in smaller containers at the same price.

I meant full sugar Vanilla coke. Full sugar Cherry coke is getting rare too.