Consumerism, big box stores or what really annoyed me today.
Okay, just a little rant today. So I've been working on Colonel Mustard a bit lately. Last month I added a real car radio (no more portable one on the floor) and added speakers behind the seat. In the process of all of this, I took off the door panels to check out the door speakers (they fell apart like you would expect 35 year old speakers). I thought I had everything organized but when putting it all back together I found I had lost the screw that holds the window roller handle on (you remember those things right? when you actually had to roll down windows!). Not a big deal, I'll just get another for like 7 cents right? Wrong.
After about 2 weeks suffering with a window handle that falls off when I close the driver's side door, I said enough was enough. I went down to Lowe's to get the much needed screw. I took the screw out of the passenger's side door to match what I needed and headed to the hardware section. Here's the catch. I couldn't buy just the one screw I had to buy a package of five. FIVE!! Colonel Mustard only has two doors! The one screw (and four extras I have no use for) cost me $1.01 with tax. Then I had to listen to a rude cashier say in disbelief "What!? you don't have a penny?" followed by her making a 'quite put out' face, when I gave her 4 quarters and a nickel.
While driving home (I didn't make this trip just for 1 screw, it was just one stop on my afternoon errand run) the crux of the problem really annoyed me. What bothered me wasn't the $1.01 or the cashier (well the cashier did annoy me, it's not like I gave her a $100 bill, she only had to part with 4 pennies from her drawer) but that I was forced to buy 4 extra screws and a plastic bag that they came in and I didn't have a choice in the matter. Somewhere at Lowe's HQ someone is laughing because I was forced to buy more product than I needed. The four screws will end up in my odd screw/nail/thingamajig box, probably never to get used again. Very wasteful. How is packaging the screws in bags of 5 serving me better. It doesn't, it just sells more. Instead of 4 extra screws on the shelf at the store, they're now at my house. And the plastic bag is in the trash.
This doesn't only happen at Lowe's. Think about it, everywhere you go, stores and salesmen are trying to package their wares to get you to buy more than you need. Buy this get that free. Then you're made to feel bad that you passed on the stuff you don't need. I've actually had people look incredulous at me when ordering at a fast food places. The conversation usually goes like this..
Me: I'd like a hamburger with only lettuce, onions and tomatoes & a large coke.
Server : Do you want cheese on that?
Me: No, only lettuce, onions and tomatoes please.
I love having to repeat my order over because the server wasn't paying attention
Server: Do you want fries with that?
Me: No.
Server: But for only $0.45 more you can get a meal with fries.
Me: But I don't want a meal package. I'm not going to eat the fries, they'll just end up in the trash.
Server: really put off like I just offended her or I'm the stupidest person in the world Okay but it's only $0.45?!
Me: But I won't eat them, they'll be thrown out.
It's really tough not to just shake someone and scream "LISTEN TO WHAT I'M SAYING!!!"
This post probably sounds a bit disjointed but I needed to vent. So, do you think I'm some curmudgeon weirdo or does this bother you too?
After about 2 weeks suffering with a window handle that falls off when I close the driver's side door, I said enough was enough. I went down to Lowe's to get the much needed screw. I took the screw out of the passenger's side door to match what I needed and headed to the hardware section. Here's the catch. I couldn't buy just the one screw I had to buy a package of five. FIVE!! Colonel Mustard only has two doors! The one screw (and four extras I have no use for) cost me $1.01 with tax. Then I had to listen to a rude cashier say in disbelief "What!? you don't have a penny?" followed by her making a 'quite put out' face, when I gave her 4 quarters and a nickel.
While driving home (I didn't make this trip just for 1 screw, it was just one stop on my afternoon errand run) the crux of the problem really annoyed me. What bothered me wasn't the $1.01 or the cashier (well the cashier did annoy me, it's not like I gave her a $100 bill, she only had to part with 4 pennies from her drawer) but that I was forced to buy 4 extra screws and a plastic bag that they came in and I didn't have a choice in the matter. Somewhere at Lowe's HQ someone is laughing because I was forced to buy more product than I needed. The four screws will end up in my odd screw/nail/thingamajig box, probably never to get used again. Very wasteful. How is packaging the screws in bags of 5 serving me better. It doesn't, it just sells more. Instead of 4 extra screws on the shelf at the store, they're now at my house. And the plastic bag is in the trash.
This doesn't only happen at Lowe's. Think about it, everywhere you go, stores and salesmen are trying to package their wares to get you to buy more than you need. Buy this get that free. Then you're made to feel bad that you passed on the stuff you don't need. I've actually had people look incredulous at me when ordering at a fast food places. The conversation usually goes like this..
Me: I'd like a hamburger with only lettuce, onions and tomatoes & a large coke.
Server : Do you want cheese on that?
Me: No, only lettuce, onions and tomatoes please.
I love having to repeat my order over because the server wasn't paying attention
Server: Do you want fries with that?
Me: No.
Server: But for only $0.45 more you can get a meal with fries.
Me: But I don't want a meal package. I'm not going to eat the fries, they'll just end up in the trash.
Server: really put off like I just offended her or I'm the stupidest person in the world Okay but it's only $0.45?!
Me: But I won't eat them, they'll be thrown out.
It's really tough not to just shake someone and scream "LISTEN TO WHAT I'M SAYING!!!"
This post probably sounds a bit disjointed but I needed to vent. So, do you think I'm some curmudgeon weirdo or does this bother you too?
posted by James at 4:09 PM
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