Shopping in LIDL

Fighting Irish

smash wrote: »

That can't be true can it? What a fkn dumb target!

How is it dumb? The speed of how quick i get through the checkouts is one of the many reasons i choose aldi over tesco

El Inho

mikemac1 wrote: »

Any chance of some music in Lidl? It's like shopping in some depressing communist place from decades ago. Not that I was ever in such a place, just my impression

Now preferably not what Tesco do which is take popular songs and get some bland singer to murder them all.

But even stick on the radio?
I'm not asking for much


Edit, I was told if you want to play the radio in a large workplace or shop you have to pay fees to the licensing body in Ireland. To cut every cost Lidl won't do it
Not sure if that's true or not, makes sense I suppose

makes perfect sense...random fact! Elverys have done away with radios in stores for the same reason. Now there is just one generic Elverys station, rather than the 50,000 it would have cost total a year.

so you could imagine how much it would cost lidl international.

MrStuffins

mikemac1 wrote: »

Any chance of some music in Lidl? It's like shopping in some depressing communist place from decades ago. Not that I was ever in such a place, just my impression

They sell MP3 players.

Edit, I was told if you want to play the radio in a large workplace or shop you have to pay fees to the licensing body in Ireland. To cut every cost Lidl won't do it
Not sure if that's true or not, makes sense I suppose

This is true.

There was a story of a lady who didn't pay the license fee so decided to stand in her shop and sing the songs instead out of protest.

She was then summonsed for "Broadcasting" music without a license (I can't find the link unfortunately)

Fighting Irish

mikemac1 wrote: »

Any chance of some music in Lidl? It's like shopping in some depressing communist place from decades ago. Not that I was ever in such a place, just my impression

Now preferably not what Tesco do which is take popular songs and get some bland singer to murder them all.

But even stick on the radio?
I'm not asking for much


Edit, I was told if you want to play the radio in a large workplace or shop you have to pay fees to the licensing body in Ireland. To cut every cost Lidl won't do it
Not sure if that's true or not, makes sense I suppose

Just buy what you need and get out, it's perfect!!

smash

MrStuffins wrote: »

Yeah, ensuring your staff are working at an efficient speed in order to serve more customers, sell more goods and make more money.

How dumb!

What do the Germans know about being efficient anyway?

Shenshen wrote: »

Of course it is true.
What's wrong with being fast at a checkout?

There's nothing wrong with being fast, but you can only scan as fast as the customer can load/clear the belt.

Fighting Irish wrote: »

How is it dumb? The speed of how quick i get through the checkouts is one of the many reasons i choose aldi over tesco

Generally I'd get through a checkout quicker in other supermarkets because the belts are bigger so I can fit more on it in one go, and there are more checkouts open.

Shenshen

mikemac1 wrote: »

Any chance of some music in Lidl? It's like shopping in some depressing communist place from decades ago. Not that I was ever in such a place, just my impression

Now preferably not what Tesco do which is take popular songs and get some bland singer to murder them all.

But even stick on the radio?
I'm not asking for much


Edit, I was told if you want to play the radio in a large workplace or shop you have to pay fees to the licensing body in Ireland. To cut every cost Lidl won't do it
Not sure if that's true or not, makes sense I suppose

You're joking, right?
Please tell there aren't people who actually enjoy that awful drizzle of background noise most shops torment their shoppers with in the hope to get them out of the door again quicker?
Please?

MrStuffins

smash wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with being fast, but you can only scan as fast as the customer can load/clear the belt.

And that makes it dumb?

Shenshen

smash wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with being fast, but you can only scan as fast as the customer can load/clear the belt.

That's why they usually only start scanning once they see you've got all/most of your shopping on the belt.

deandean

Ach I shop in Lidl the odd time, found it OK at the checkouts.

I often have a bit of banter with others in the queue. Once a Polish lad was buying a big sack of potatoes; he took out one and handed it to the till lady and said 'can you scan just one potato"- got a laugh.

But I absouutely would not put up with crap from someone behind me on the till - if it happens again eyeball her and say 'Excuse me, have you got a problem' or whatever. If she's moaning about how long you are taking, invite her to come help you pack.

smash

MrStuffins wrote: »

And that makes it dumb?

Targeting staff on something they have very limited control over...

Shenshen

smash wrote: »

Generally I'd get through a checkout quicker in other supermarkets because the belts are bigger so I can fit more on it in one go, and there are more checkouts open.

Which supermarkets are those? Because I've timed it one Saturday, Lidl's checkout took us 5 minutes, Tescos took 8mins, because the lady in front of us had to first pack all her bags before she proceeded to pay...

Plazaman

Shenshen wrote: »

You're joking, right?
Please tell there aren't people who actually enjoy that awful drizzle of background noise most shops torment their shoppers with in the hope to get them out of the door again quicker?
Please?

I love it. It's full of subliminal messages and tells me what to buy. I could walk in for a loaf of bread and milk and BAM out I come with a pair of runners and a set of socket wrenchs.

Paparazzo

mikemac1 wrote: »

Any chance of some music in Lidl? It's like shopping in some depressing communist place from decades ago. Not that I was ever in such a place, just my impression

Now preferably not what Tesco do which is take popular songs and get some bland singer to murder them all.

But even stick on the radio?
I'm not asking for much

The best thing about Lidl is that there's no music. I'd rather not listen to Michael Bolton or musak. Why do you need music while you shop?

MrStuffins

smash wrote: »

Targeting staff on something they have very limited control over...

Welcome to the world of business!

ICANN

The problem here wasn't lidl but the ignorami (plural of ignoramus?) behind you. They should have minded their own business, in a supermarket people tend to have a weeks worth of food.

I shop at lidl and the staff basically shove everything through as quick as possible, it's not a chat kind of place, you get used to it once you've been there a few times.

smash

Shenshen wrote: »

Which supermarkets are those? Because I've timed it one Saturday, Lidl's checkout took us 5 minutes, Tescos took 8mins, because the lady in front of us had to first pack all her bags before she proceeded to pay...

Tesco usually takes me around 3/4 minutes to get through a checkout because most of them are open. Last time I was in lidl there was 1 checkout open and 8 people in front of me. 3 had large trolleys. After 5/6 minutes they opened another one and I moved over. There was one couple in front of me and they were told "Sorry, only cash, but there's an ATM over there" so I had to wait.

No card machines at the tills? What a joke!

MrStuffins wrote: »

Welcome to the world of business!

I've been here for quite a while now :rolleyes:

mikemac1

Cash only?

I thought Lidl accept Laser

I knew they don't accept credit cards due to merchant fees and charges

smash

mikemac1 wrote: »

Cash only?

I thought Lidl accept Laser

I knew they don't accept credit cards due to merchant fees and charges

could have been the case that they had a Visa, but she turned them towards the ATM and said "Only cash"

RainbowRose81

eldwaro wrote: »

also lidl is still the only place ive ever heard a foreign staff member talk like an irish member...

was in one day.."well whats the craic" and conversation continued in such boggarish language!

Well not all Irish people talk in the same way. I don't, that's a stereotyping when people assume all Irish people says things like 'what's the craic' and talk in an 'Irish accent' you hear on hollywood films, some people like to have their own way of expressing themselves. Not all Irish people have boggarish accents. Have you hear some of the presenters on tv3 midweek, they are from donegal and their accent is very sophisicated.

Anyways It's not that surprising that eastern europeans staff and Irish staff talk to each other, they work together so that is basic to talk to whoever you are working with.

Shenshen

mikemac1 wrote: »

Cash only?

I thought Lidl accept Laser

I knew they don't accept credit cards due to merchant fees and charges

They also accept Debit cards, I usually pay with my Visa.

smash

Shenshen wrote: »

They also accept Debit cards, I usually pay with my Visa.

Laser is a Debit card.

Glenbhoy

smash wrote: »

Depends what you're buying. I'd never buy meat in lidl. It's shít quality!

If you say it's not, you have no taste buds.

Some of the cheaper cuts are poor, but that's why they are the cheaper cuts. Tesco meat of that quality is no better though. For example, I tried those Tesco striploins at the weekend, 2 for 6 yo yo, i think - neither me nor the wife bothered finishing them.
In saying that, I've had some Rib Roasts out of Tesco butchery dept that are to die for (not cheap though).
I also see that Lidl have started selling decent ribeyes and striploins, again not cheap, but I'd guess they're good.

iguana

Shenshen wrote: »

One of the main reasons I love shopping in Lidl and/or Aldi... you get all the time you need to pack your stuff, nobody is going to throw their bag of potatoes onto your bread and lettuce.
Just drop it all back into the trolley, and take all the time you need to pack it proper.

Also, they're the only shops who don't torment you with bad music while you shop.

I love it for those reasons too. It's like people don't understand that background music and the "customer service" that you get in other shops costs money, money which the store recoups by increasing the mark-up on their products. The lack of background music and the speed of the checkout operators is a big part of the reason why Lidl and Aldi are so cheap. I like going somewhere that I don't have to pay for such crap that I would never want.

the purple tin

OP, you should have shouted "why you Lidl" before throttling the "auld wan"

Frank Black

smash wrote: »

could have been the case that they had a Visa, but she turned them towards the ATM and said "Only cash"

They take visa and laser in my local Lidl.

Azureus

I agree the customer service in Lidl isnt great-there is definately an atmosphere of 'im just here to do my job,no small talk please!' grunting from the staff on the tills, but that doesnt really bother me considering the amount Im saving by going there.
Also the fact that they dont waste money on fancy displays may make you feel like you're shopping in a warehouse, but when I see the difference on my reciept by the end of it warehouses suddenly seem far more appealing than Superquinn/Tesco etc.

As for people hurring you in the queue, well thats nothing to do with the store and just the frustration of doing a weekly shop raising its ugly head...

Glenbhoy

black francis wrote: »

They take visa and laser in my local Lidl.

No, they take Visa Debit or Laser. They do not take credit cards of any sort.

If someone was told that it was cash only, it was because their card processing machines were down or perhaps the person had no funds available via card.

dark crystal

Azureus wrote: »

I agree the customer service in Lidl isnt great-there is definately an atmosphere of 'im just here to do my job,no small talk please!' grunting from the staff on the tills, but that doesnt really bother me considering the amount Im saving by going there.
Also the fact that they dont waste money on fancy displays may make you feel like you're shopping in a warehouse, but when I see the difference on my reciept by the end of it warehouses suddenly seem far more appealing than Superquinn/Tesco etc.

As for people hurring you in the queue, well thats nothing to do with the store and just the frustration of doing a weekly shop raising its ugly head...

I guess that's the nub of the matter really. If you value price over good customer service, go to LIDL. In, out, no niceties, don't have too much shopping etc..

It's just driven home the point that I'd definitely pay a few quid more for a better experience. I hate shopping at the best of times, so anything that makes it a bit easier is worth the extra few bob to me!

iguana

dark crystal wrote: »

It's just driven home the point that I'd definitely pay a few quid more for a better experience. I hate shopping at the best of times, so anything that makes it a bit easier is worth the extra few bob to me!

Then surely what would make it easiest is to do it with the maximum speed. Get in and out as fast as is possible and not be delayed by people making false niceties with each other.

WoollyRedHat

Jesus, it's like a primary school in here, waa waa waa, you're wrong, waa waa waa no they were wrong, waa waaa ****ing waa, 16 pages of arguing over a one time incident in which all were wrong... get a grip people and shop wherever you like.