Okay, now they're actually running after people....

[RecoveringKinkoid]

You know how I hate being solicited to at the cash register (and yes, I know the cashier is forced to do it. I am not nasty to the cashiers. I know it's not their fault. I kind of have to be nice. But I don't have to like it.)

Went to Kmart to get a prescription filled for the husband last night and while I was waiting around for them to fill it, wandering around the store doing some other shopping, a chick came up to me with a clipboard asking if I wanted to open some card or another.

I actually managed to clamp down on the "oh, holy shit" that started involuntarily escaping from my vocal cords. I didn't say it. My thoughts were loud enough to hear, I bet.

By the time I actually checked out, I'd been asked about the fucking card by three different people. The pharmacist, the cashier, and the clipboards stalker.

Because Kmart can certain afford to, you know, run people out of the store.

[blas]

For the most part, I avoid K-Mart, and most recently, it's been because they won't stop bugging you about their damn Sears card.

As far as I know, my bf's dad (who is a pharmacist there) hasn't been told he has to bug people about it, but all the cashiers have.

The last time I was there was just to buy a bunch of stuff to get rid of plugged drains, and K-Mart is just right down the road, and not only was I bugged by the cashier, but the damn pinpad asked me if I wanted to open an account as well.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

There is a kmart right down the road, so it's kind of like a big convenience store to me. The other option is Walmart, so...you know. Lesser of two evils.

Not only does the pinpad ask that shit as well, but now they have started to put dumb question and answer horseshit on the pinpad, too. Like "Would you recommend Kmart to others?" Please enjoy the irony with me.

I think next time, I'll simply take off my glasses before I get to the register and hand the girl my card instead of swiping it. Then I can truthfully say "sorry, can't see the pinpad, would you please do it for me?"

Might be an interesting experiment.

Or just have cash in hand. I would hate to not use the place, I do like their pharmacy. But it is getting to be a bit much.

[Teysa]

I guess that's one thing I don't have to worry about. All the Kmarts around here packed up and left sometime ago.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I for one am shocked that K-Mart still exists.

[protege]

I for one am shocked that K-Mart still exists.

I don't know how they've stuck around either--too many stupid business decisions, including the Builders Square/Hechinger acquisition, not maintaining the stores, etc.

[jedikuonji]

I've been to K-mart once in the last 10 years. I went about 8 months ago to buy a new air popcorn popper. They were the only place in the city that had one (I checked 2 marts of wall, 1 bullseye, 1 not so great buy, and 5 grocery stores). I too wonder at their ability to remain in business given how desolate the store looked and how empty it was.

[MoonCat]

There's a K-Mart down the road from me, but I rarely go in there because it's dirty, poorly organized and carries some very cheaply-made crap. Strangely, they do have a rather nice bath section...towels, etc...but the clothes and shoes...meh.

Now I really don't want to go there, if I'm going to be bugged about opening an account every five feet.

[ShoeLady4048]

I currenlty work for K-Mart as a department manager. The sad thing is you are all very correct in your comments. We actually hire someone for that specific "stalker" position...though HR calls them greeters. Corporate has pretty much threatened ALL employees with write-up and termination if they don't meet Rewards cards quotas.

As for the pin pads...they are absolutley rediculous. First, they will ask you some random question, then your zip code, then credit or debit, then cash back, then verify the amount. And gods forbid if you aren't fast enough in answering the question...it beeps ever 5 seconds. Next thing you know they will be asking for you blood type, a urine sample, and your first born child.

And say you want to try that experiment, RecoveringKinkoid, and you had the cashier you card and she runs it trhough the terminal you still have to answers the questions. We have no way around using that demon pinpad.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Not gonna answer the questions. I'm gonna do that next time just to see what happens. Watch this space.

They asked me once what was my zip. I said "No clue."

She said "You don't know your zip?"

I said "nope."

She said, "Well I can't ring you up without it."

I said "Well, I guess we got us a situation, then, eh?"

Guess what? Turned out, she didn't need my zip.

Here's what I just sent to their customer service address:

Hey,

Wow. Just when I thought the retail experience could not get any more annoying.

I'm going to be straight up honest with you. The shopping process in your stores is annoying to start out with. It's not just you guys, it's every store that can't just take my money and let me pay when I'm ready to leave. I am not there to sign up for credit cards or loyalty cards. I'm not there to fill out a survey. I'm there to pay, take my goods, and go. I do not appreciate the keypad question and answer thing you guys are doing now. I'm not there to help out your marketing department. I'm there to pay.

So it's bad enough that I know I'm going to have to run a gauntlet just to get out of your store with my merchandise. But now you have people roaming around the store hassling me about opening a credit card while I'm trying to shop?

Seriously?

Considering I'm going to get hit with the same foolishness again when I try to check out, that's particularly rich.

But then, I can see that your highly successful company can afford to alienate customers, so hey. Have at it.

Look, if you really want to clear a lot of folks out in a hurry, why not just turn a fire hose on them when they try to enter? That would keep people out of your stores pretty well. Be funny, too.

RecoveringKinkoid

PS Once (and only once) I came in and some genius had decided to do receipt checks at the door. That was cute. Fruitless, but cute. They quit that pretty quick, thank goodness.

[Racket_Man]

I for one am shocked that K-Mart still exists.

I don't know how they've stuck around either--too many stupid business decisions, including the Builders Square/Hechinger acquisition, not maintaining the stores, etc.

heck they were viable enough to purchase Sears a few years ago just after getting out of bankrupcy.

[Kristev]

I love my K-Mart. It's nice, and a simple alternative to go to, when I'm in the area, to shopping at my job.

[Rantsylvania 6-5000]

Gah...my mom was approached by The Stalker With the Clipboard to sign up for a credit card at Kohl's. So far, they've only ever asked me at the register. I haven't been to a Kmart in years, since they've closed down all the ones I knew about.

I miss the good old days of just walking into a store and browsing without employees greeting me every few minutes. I know it's what they're told to do, I don't blame them, but shit! I just want to shop in peace! I, too, would send a letter to corporate if they had their employees trying to push their credit cards while I'm shopping.

With all the credit card/loyalty card pushing, surveys, upselling, asking for email address or zip code, and fundraisers at the door and in the parking lot, shopping is getting to be a drag!

[raine_naoe]

The Kmart near the walmart I work at is closing down. went to see their close-out sells. a whole 20%, and walmart is still cheaper.

our AM was telling us to try to get more credit card apps, I told her that as a shopper I hated getting stuff like that. she said do it anyway (i don't, unless they're getting a tv or a computer)

She said to ask every customer "Will this be on your walmart credit card today" so if they say no we can ask if they want one. most customers already have cash or card out in their hand. asking that at that point would just make me look stupid.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Okay, I just got the obligatory form letter back, with the last sentence being:

"Make sure you're registered at Kmart.com for emails, so we can stay in touch!"


So I sent back:

Um...yeah. I guess we can translate this retail-speak into "We completely missed the point of your letter".

Oooky dokie.


Kinkoid