Ronan20 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Having read through this thread, I am wondering how on earth most of you manage to live in this dreadful place. Everything appears to be substandard and over priced. That is a ridiculous comment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Remember the shoes are built differently in Australia. For local conditions :laugh: This could be why a lot of local folk don't even wear shoes :laugh: I was :elvis: when I first arrived and saw people walking around (in the streets) bare footed ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I bet nobody thought the UK was cheap for shopping when it was $3 to a Pound. Was in Sydney yesterday and bought a hoody (forgot to pack a jumper) from Cotton On for $15 quality about the same as topman. Australian minimum wage $15 Uk 6 pounds (sorry no pound key). man I was ripped off paying the equivalent of 6 quid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie 2 Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 That is a ridiculous comment Why is it ridiculous? 99% of comments are complaints so my thoughts are quite justified. One poster has already responded with an answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flathead Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I really don't understand how anyone can begin to defend the way shops try to rip you off over here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I really don't understand how anyone can begin to defend the way shops try to rip you off over here Because I would rather pay a bit more and the staff get paid a decent wage and be above the poverty line. I also don't want the high street to follow the UK and fill with those dreadful budget shops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I bet nobody thought the UK was cheap for shopping when it was $3 to a Pound. Was in Sydney yesterday and bought a hoody (forgot to pack a jumper) from Cotton On for $15 quality about the same as topman. Australian minimum wage $15 Uk 6 pounds (sorry no pound key). man I was ripped off paying the equivalent of 6 quid for me personally, it isn't the cost necessarily, it is the quality of customer care, don't disagree that if we equate to pounds prices are relatively comparable in most cases, but it is the .... Can't be bothered attitude of some of the shop staff, lots of people use shopping as therapy, and getting your stuff thrown at you isn't a nice feeling, after all if they are so bothered about online shopping, a "thank you" at the till might be nice ..... When shopping online the automated check out always says " thank you", until recently I never really shopped online, I don't shop online a lot even now, buy undies from m & s and hand towels, but clothing, nothing beats trying stuff on, .... I was in Target a couple of months ago with a PIO member & we both bought a large Toblerone .... We got to the till and I noticed the price came up wrong, so mentioned it, there were three members of staff at the customer care desk and it took them ages to decide between them which one was going to check out the price ...... if these people want to keep their shops open & jobs they really do need to brush up on how they treat customers, ..... Not all are guilty, some are overly helpful, and these are the stores I continue to give business to, I will give someone one chance to treat me well as a customer, if I'm not happy, my business goes elsewhere, be it the high street or online, it's my decision ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 for me personally, it isn't the cost necessarily, it is the quality of customer care, don't disagree that if we equate to pounds prices are relatively comparable in most cases, but it is the .... Can't be bothered attitude of some of the shop staff, lots of people use shopping as therapy, and getting your stuff thrown at you isn't a nice feeling, after all if they are so bothered about online shopping, a "thank you" at the till might be nice ..... When shopping online the automated check out always says " thank you", until recently I never really shopped online, I don't shop online a lot even now, buy undies from m & s and hand towels, but clothing, nothing beats trying stuff on, .... I was in Target a couple of months ago with a PIO member & we both bought a large Toblerone .... We got to the till and I noticed the price came up wrong, so mentioned it, there were three members of staff at the customer care desk and it took them ages to decide between them which one was going to check out the price ...... if these people want to keep their shops open & jobs they really do need to brush up on how they treat customers, ..... Not all are guilty, some are overly helpful, and these are the stores I continue to give business to, I will give someone one chance to treat me well as a customer, if I'm not happy, my business goes elsewhere, be it the high street or online, it's my decision ...... I've honestly noticed no different in customer service. Anywhere with teenagers tends to be hit or miss anywhere I find. In fact my local bank in Brisbane are so over friendly it puts me off going in as its like over the top American helpfulness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I've honestly noticed no different in customer service. Anywhere with teenagers tends to be hit or miss anywhere I find. In fact my local bank in Brisbane are so over friendly it puts me off going in as its like over the top American helpfulness we went into one bank a couple of weeks ago & they asked us to come back " I'm just going on my lunch " I mentioned it in an earlier post ..... I think your right on the teenage comment, I find privately owned shops much better, probably why I have a opulent of favourite boutiques ...... the music shop is helpful too, but staffed by the owners ...... Harvey Norman very good, it's actually the larger chains where the service is poor, like I mentioned re Target ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Because I would rather pay a bit more and the staff get paid a decent wage and be above the poverty line. I also don't want the high street to follow the UK and fill with those dreadful budget shops Like best for less,target, red dot, $2 dollar shops and reject shop.. All utterly **** like shopping in WA in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 we went into one bank a couple of weeks ago & they asked us to come back " I'm just going on my lunch " I mentioned it in an earlier post ..... I think your right on the teenage comment, I find privately owned shops much better, probably why I have a opulent of favourite boutiques ...... the music shop is helpful too, but staffed by the owners ...... Harvey Norman very good, it's actually the larger chains where the service is poor, like I mentioned re Target ...... Target was useless when i was in there too. But I was served by a teenager who probably couldn't care less much like when I worked at Sainsbury's as a teen. You've made a good point, I shop in way more independent places here than at home. I used to always get coffee in starbucks/nero/costa and by my lunch from meal deal in tesco etc. Never buy in chains these days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Large retailers don't get much sympathy from me, because so many independent stores have been put out of business due to an inability to compete with the buying power of national chains. It seems that it's OK for them to step on the 'smaller guys', but not OK for consumers to look elsewhere. I don't actually buy much online, but when it comes to clothes, I don't buy many anyway because nothing fits so it's all just too frustrating. The problems I have here are much the same as I experienced in the UK, so I don't miss any clothing stores because none of them cater to my needs. As far as exploitation goes, pretty much any item of clothing we can buy anywhere in the world will have had children working on it at some point in the process - yesterday I heard that the majority of cotton is produced in Uzbekistan by children forced to work by the government; so even if you buy clothes that weren't made in a sweat shop, there is still a good chance that someone somewhere was exploited to produce that item, so buying in an Australian shop only guarantees the rights of the local people employed in the distribution and sales of the goods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Yes not much is made on home turf these days .... usually when it is it has a bloody big label on it saying "proudly made in Australia (or the UK)" ..... I was on m & s online last night looking at undies (they currently have free delivery) & they have these kinky knicker range and it made a big thing about being made in the UK, but when I read the reviews ( because I am a sad o) :wink: people were commenting on how badly they had been made, this used never be the case ..... Worth reading the comments .. http://www.marksandspencer.com/Kinky-Knickers-Rise-Scallop-Shorts/dp/B00A8TRMHM http://www.marksandspencer.com/Kinky-Knickers-Lingerie-Underwear-Womens/b/1696276031?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=1K8DSCPZ94P85M8BMSF2&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=43233030&pf_rd_p=475115433&pf_rd_s=left-nav-2 most things now are made in China .... India, a lot of cotton items, such as towels come from turkey ... Portugal and India ..... Shoes from Portugal, Italy & Spain ...... Not forgetting China ...... in fact a local said to me last year that China was a god send for them, as previously everything was ridiculously priced ..... that came from a home grown Oz not a ex pat ..... so were not the only ones moaning about the price of stuff, .... We were looking at a Gretch guitar on Friday which had been made in china, ..... Obviously keeps the costs down & means Gretch can compete with other brands .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Just finishing off preparing my lunch, and something struck me ......... i wonder if these retailers who are moaning about people shopping online & therefore doing them out of business are driving Aussie cars .... :err: I bet they drive Toyotas and other Japanese (Asian) marques ..... I am sure I heard somewhere that holden were looking at moving some of their production line to Japan .... Might have dreamt it .... :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I tried on some trousers at a reasonably high quality Ozzie store. They fitted perfectly but had been made with super long legs on the basis that the consumer could shorten them at their own expense. Told the assistant that 'these trousers are made for giants' she looked at me (I'm 5ft 7) and said 'well you're too short'! True enough I suppose but you don't see many 6ft 5 women wandering around the shops! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritChickx Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 I hate shopping and dont do it very often. But, my experience in Myer last christmas says it all. The place was scruffy and dirty and the items had been picked up by people and nobody had bothered to put them back nicely. It felt like i was shopping at a car boot sale. The quality and things of them was so poor it was like shopping in not just a car boot sale but a boot sale being held in the 1970's and in a third world country. I eventually found something i thought i might buy, but when i went to ask a couple of questions from an assistant - which took a treck so long i thought i might need to bring my survival gear next time - she was uninterested and didnt want to know. So, i think, oh well, i will just buy it. Went to the checkout for the girl to say she didnt do things from that section and turned back to chatting to her mate while vaguely waving me in the direction of a unmanned check out. That is when i realised i really didnt want to do this and left and will not go back. Sadly, it isnt just Myer. This seems to be the norm here. There isn#t very good customer service here...i'm quite sick of being served at the till but not actually being spoken to, they just chat to their colleague next to them and shove the change in my hand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphire Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 I've also had a bad experience with Myer though more or less the opposite of yours. In my case, it was in the run up to Christmas and my main present for my wife was a piece of woodwork I was carefully building, staining etc. However, late afternoon while I was working, I remembered I also meant to get a bottle of her favourite perfume (Chanel No 5). The only place I knew for sure I could get it was Myer so I dashed there in my grotty, paint stained work clothes. The store itself was neat and tidy and I found what I wanted fast but, rather than a queue to pay, there was a big square counter with 3 sales assistants behind it. I walked up to one side of the counter and they studiously ignored me. I moved to another side where two of them were serving somebody else, waited my turn and when they were done they wandered to another customer who'd arrived much after me. This went on for another ten minutes and, in the end, I had to make a big fuss simply for the pleasure of giving Myer about $100. Basically, the snooty teenagers behind the counter didn't want to serve somebody in grotty working clothes. (FYI I put in a formal complaint with their head office and got an almost instant reply and apology--but I've not been back in that store in 4 or 5 years..) However, despite the views of others, I have to say I found Myer to be the exception, not the rule. The staff at all the shops I deal with regularly are generally friendly, helpful and up for a chat. Frankly, they're way better than my local Tesco back in the UK which seemed to be staffed with people chosen for their hatred of other human beings. Funny you mention that, because my Hubby went into Myer in his Tradie gear to get me some perfume, and the staff were so rude, and looked down thier noses. He said they would not even hand him the set to look at,they kept hold of it tightly. Beggars belief really, as in London, we used to see the tradies pulling up outside the stores in thier ferrari's and porsche's and going into department stores, where they were treated with the upmost respect, as they were the ones who had the wads of cash and were spending it in the store. The majority of staff in stores here, just seem rude , and they must loose an awful lot of customers with the snotty attitudes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Funny you mention that, because my Hubby went into Myer in his Tradie gear to get me some perfume, and the staff were so rude, and looked down thier noses.He said they would not even hand him the set to look at,they kept hold of it tightly. Beggars belief really, as in London, we used to see the tradies pulling up outside the stores in thier ferrari's and porsche's and going into department stores, where they were treated with the upmost respect, as they were the ones who had the wads of cash and were spending it in the store. The majority of staff in stores here, just seem rude , and they must loose an awful lot of customers with the snotty attitudes. What trades are people doing in the UK that earns them ferrari's? I want in. Or do they not own houses and live in the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphire Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 I go into town about once a month, if I really have to .I have found myself laughing out loud at some of the over- inflated prices in Aussie stores in the past. I can not believe the prices of the most basic items,and buy everything online that I can now. Last Christmas I placed an order with M&S and Dorothy Perkins and they both arrived within 5 days, absoloutely fantastic quality and I got so much for my money. I placed an order with Target at the same time, just a few smellies and little bits and peices. That order arrived at the end of January!!!! I emailed and emailed ,Target to ask where my order was, and they did not even respond to my email. I tried to phone and the phone lines were automated and I never got to speak to anyone. The Aussie retailers have been thier own worst enemy for a very long time, and now the dollar is dropping they are putting thier prices up even more. When the dollar was high, they had every opportunity to pass the savings on to the consumer and win themselevs some valuable custom, but they did not, they just "creamed the profits" even more than usual No sympathy for them whatsoever!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphire Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 What trades are people doing in the UK that earns them ferrari's? I want in. Or do they not own houses and live in the car? Plenty that we used to see.The tradies in London were earning some big money That was 6 years ago, but there were some very nice motors pulling up outside the department stores,,,and some very grubby tradies getting out of them....perhaps they had stolen them:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Sadly, it isnt just Myer. This seems to be the norm here. Isn't it strange that we have all these responses bemoaning (lack of) service and disnterested retail staff, when i can clealry remember, not so long ago, a thread that went off at a tangent bemoaning how often folk are approached by sales staff and how "pushy" they are...................seems they're damned if they do, and damned if they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slean Wolfhead Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Seriously, retailers with shops will always be more expensive--they have far more in terms of overheads. This applies anywhere, not just Australia. I'd disagree there, the early days were like that but not anymore. The forward thinking companies are now internet shopping companies with high street outlets, the increased profits from internet sales subsidise the store outlets which act as additional advertising and "shopfronts". Australia accepts it's an awfully long way behind the USA and UK with marketing and online service, but i'd like to see them do more rather than thinking it's all going to go away one day, because it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sustain Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Yes they have to be able to cope with the high levels of UV not found elsewhere! :wink: Indicates where they think the sun shines from?:wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sustain Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Plenty that we used to see.The tradies in London were earning some big moneyThat was 6 years ago, but there were some very nice motors pulling up outside the department stores,,,and some very grubby tradies getting out of them....perhaps they had stolen them:) Such as life you need to treat all people with respect. You never know who is going to win the big lotto draw and why not give someone a smile and a bit of civility. Says a lot about the person giving, so for all those bad mannered shop attendants I focus more pity than concern. I personally don't test drive expensive cars in suits, I don't however dress in trackies either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Australia is a dumping ground for bottom of the market Chinese goods. Poor quality, expensive and badly cut clothes. It makes me furious. So I shop at Debenhams and M and S and other online places. Serves them right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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