Businesses taking advantage of the Bad Weather?

High energy · 25-12-2010 03:57AM

Aisling(",) wrote: »

Just take it as incentive to do your christmas shopping earlier.

NO :mad: SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSssssssssssssss

Zebra3 · 25-12-2010 05:50AM

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

LOL at people saying they'll call the Gards. What sort of idiots are these to be wasting Garda time with stuff thats nothing to do with them.

Yeah, sure the guards'd be fierce busy driving Rosanna Davidson home. :rolleyes:

mikemac · 25-12-2010 06:20AM

Brian Unsightly Suicide wrote: »

Oh, ordered a Chinese last night, the deliervy guys were charging €1 extra on top of their usual charge.

I hope you didn't pay it.

And anyone who leaves Christmas shopping until 6pm on Christmas eve is a fool. Banks are on a half day, most shops are closed at 6pm and Tesco close at 7pm.

If you decide to do your Christmas shopping at 6pm on Christmas eve then sorry, no sympathy from me.

Retail staff need to get home and catch trains and Bus Éireann too you know

mikemac · 25-12-2010 06:31AM

OutlawPete wrote: »

One elderly women was crying as she had planned to get books as gifts old by at least ten people there,

Boo hoo, she had all of November and December to buy those books. And if it was a new release, Amazon would have posted it if she had put in an order.
Procrastination is a terrible habit, I do it myself but I don't wait until Christmas eve to buy presents and then rant at retail staff who need to get home.

OutlawPete wrote: »

by at least ten people there, that they were going to be reported to the Guards.

Yeah, and what are the the security guards going to do? Well you wrote guards and not gardai

_Whimsical_ · 25-12-2010 06:51AM

If lack of a couple of books can "ruin Christmas" or leave people crying in the streets then I despair of what's happened to Irish people. If your buying presents you can always say "well this is embarrassing but I'll have to give you yours after Christmas" and go in, buy it and give it to them 24 hrs later on Stephens day. There's never been a better excuse than the recent weather to not have all your presents bought on time.

Expecting staff to stay in work after 6,even until 6 in my opinion, on xmass eve is ridiculously selfish. If a few businesses start doing that we'll all find ourselves working late in xmass eve in a few years regardless of our job.

Personally I'd rather go without for a day and live in a society where everyone can get to spend one evening and one day at home with their family concentrating on that.

mikemac · 25-12-2010 06:55AM

Tbh, banks are on a half day, I wouldn't have an issue with retail shops shutting down at lunchtime on Christmas eve.
Staff need to get home and with current weather conditions it could be a lot of hours on Bus Eireann.
Many will be back on St. Stephens Day which is too early too imo.

People who leave shopping until Christmas Eve only bring misfortune on themselves.
With the internet and Amazon and ebay, people have options they didn't have 10 years ago

arybvtcw0eolkf · 25-12-2010 07:24AM

feelingstressed wrote: »

I hope you didn't pay it.

And anyone who leaves Christmas shopping until 6pm on Christmas eve is a fool. Banks are on a half day, most shops are closed at 6pm and Tesco close at 7pm.

If you decide to do your Christmas shopping at 6pm on Christmas eve then sorry, no sympathy from me.
Retail staff need to get home and catch trains and Bus Éireann too you know

No we didn't pay it. The excuse used was that it was due to the icy conditions of the roads.

As for last minute shopping, thats me but I don't feel foolish tbh. Its fair to say that I've hardly a minute in the day to spare for shopping, but people close to me know that and don't really expect much.

CorkMan · 25-12-2010 07:58AM

To people who work in retail, how do you buy presents for your loved ones? I mean you are working at the same times as other shops so cannot get there in time.

mikemac · 25-12-2010 08:20AM

CorkMan wrote: »

To people who work in retail, how do you buy presents for your loved ones?

Very simple answer.
If you are smart you'll do your Christmas shopping in November. If you work in a town you can do it during lunch-hour.
Or use Amazon/ebay, etc.
At the very least you'll get a day off and can do your shopping then.
For buying food, with fridge freezers you don't have to leave it until the last minute

Only a muppet leaves shopping until 6pm on Christmas eve

aca101 · 25-12-2010 11:17AM

stupidusername wrote: »

Maybe not quite the same thing, but I know the easons in limerick has a sign up saying they close at whatever usual time, but they always close 15 minutes earlier. so I dunno, maybe it's the easons way...

Haha it's funny cos i've actually seen them do the same thing in Cork loadsa times...must be an easons things alrite!

People locked out must have gutted...one things for sure-you cannot beat a good book at christmas.

25-12-2010 12:05PM

Ohmigod ohmigod ohmigod. They closed 30 minutes earlier and I won't be able to buy and books for two days. Ohmigod ohmigod ohmigod. Let's riot!

OutlawPete · 26-12-2010 06:27PM

feelingstressed wrote: »

Retail staff need to get home and catch trains and Bus Éireann too you know

As had a lot of other staff around town and so they decided earlier in the week to close up early and made sure their customer were aware of it. Two hours before that I had dropped a few people off at Cineworld as the last movies advertised were all 4.40ish. What if they all decided to close up early and that they needed to get home.

Would walking in half way through the movies and saying that the staff needed to get home be acceptable, as the poor staff have lives too?

I never heard such sanctimonious crap as that they staff have lives of their own. If they wanted to close early on Christmas Eve, they could have. Nobody asked them to stay open until 6:45pm - THEY chose that time and advertised it all week. HMV stuck to their closing time, Arnotts, Clearys etc etc etc.

Easons where the only place to shut the doors in customers faces and say that a last minute decision was made.

Deleted User wrote: »

Ohmigod ohmigod ohmigod. They closed 30 minutes earlier and I won't be able to buy and books for two days. Ohmigod ohmigod ohmigod. Let's riot!

45 minutes late and people were not pissed off because they couldn't buy books for two days, they were annoyed that they couldn't buy gifts they would need for the next day.

yoursaviour1989 wrote: »

Why didn't you just buy what you needed when you were in the shop earlier?

I had a few places to go and buy stuff, I knew what time they were closing and so checked with staff to see what their closing time was (6.45 I was told) and so decided to get the other stuff first, otherwise I would be rushing. Turning up at Easons at 6pm was giving me 45 minutes to buy stuff, so there was nothing last minute about it.

As I said, I knew of another bookshop on Grafton St who were staying open until 7.30, so I wasn't too bothered and told a few people there about that store.

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

6pm on christmas eve?? That couldnt be more last minute, most shops are closing or have closed by then.

Easons weren't and so it wasn't last minute, there was 45 minutes before closing. People can keep saying that those customers were leaving things to the last minute 'till the cows come home, but it won't make it true.

Turning up at a shop, 45 minutes before they close is not "last minute".

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

Call the guards on them?? LOL.

I'll pick this one quote out of the many posters implying that there was those there who were gonna call the Gardai because of the early closing time (what are you all talking about?) you all really should pay a little closer attention to what's being posted.

Happy St Stephen's Day / Boxing Day.

ejmaztec · 26-12-2010 06:33PM

Hey Pete, where's my fuckin present?:mad:

:pac:

Kimono-Girl · 26-12-2010 06:49PM

i see where you are coming from outlawpete in fact i noticed the majority of shops for christmas eve's hours had "9am- " they just left it blank so i assumed they'd close when the rush died down.

but then having worked in retail on christmas eve,you could close at 3pm or 5pm or 6pm and it wouldn't make a difference there is always that 1 customer ducking under the shutters screaming they have to get a present for so and so....

and you politely tell them you are closed while they scream at you for ruining their christmas!!

Corruptedmorals · 26-12-2010 07:00PM

Shopping on Christmas eve at all IS last minute, it's the day before christmas and it's the worst day, most people avoid it at all costs. But shopping at 5/6pm and after on christmas eve IS about as last minute as you can get. Yes it was their advertised time and yes that sounds frustrating, that would be extremely anooying on any other day but I think on Christmas Eve if you're shopping at all you should plan to be on a bus home at around 3 just in case. I wouldn't begrudge them allowing staff home earlier, there is the weather too, several shops have been closing early over the last few weeks- another incentive to be well on your way before 5.

OutlawPete · 26-12-2010 07:05PM

Kimono-Girl wrote: »

but then having worked in retail on christmas eve,you could close at 3pm or 5pm or 6pm and it wouldn't make a difference there is always that 1 customer ducking under the shutters screaming they have to get a present for so and so....

and you politely tell them you are closed while they scream at you for ruining their christmas!!

Totally get that of course and worked in retail myself for a few years.

Walked past quite a few shops around O'Connell St and Henry that had early closing times and seen people get turned away. I was in Cleary's from 5pm till closing (5.45pm) and so seen many do the usual begging of door staff to get in for just two minutes etc as I left.

Anyway, all worked out well as I ended up going to that Book Store on Grafton St around 6.30 and seen Imelda May, Bono (yes I know, he's a dickhead but it was nice to see) Paul Brady and few others busking. Steps of Rome were still open so I even got to have some of my favourite Pizza all thanks to Easons.

Best of all was that I got to stand beside Laura Whitmore as I watched the busking ...mmmmmmmerry Christmas indeed, I'm sure I fell in love in those 15 minutes or so

Overheal · 26-12-2010 07:10PM

I don't see how this is "taking advantage" of customers

Charging $5 for a bottle of water when its 98 degrees outside - thats taking advantage. Charging more for an umbrella when its raining - thats taking advantage. Obama commemorative books/stickers/plates/shyte - taking advantage. Charging more for the newspaper when something important has happen = taking advantage.

Closing early because of the weather/conditions - not taking advantage.

OutlawPete · 26-12-2010 07:31PM

Overheal wrote: »

I don't see how this is "taking advantage" of customers

Where do I say it's "taking advantage" of "customers".

It's taking advantage of the 'bad weather', closing early because you have an excuse.

Overheal wrote: »

Closing early because of the weather/conditions - not taking advantage.

There was no need to close early, no other store / cinema felt the need to shutt up earlier than they specifically advertised for. The weather on Christmas Eve had not dractically changed betwen 4pm and 6pm that they suddenly had to close up.

Same with Motor Tax office, one of the easiest jobs in the country.

I can understand Dublin Bus and the like stopping their service at 9.30pm as they have been remarkable over the Christmas and any other service that has been so badly effected by the weather.

I commended Taxi Drivers for the service they have provided so far this weather in my OP but I guess as this is After Hours, so fcuk them and lets just pity the staff in a warm heated shop who have a Christmas of their own to attended to and Outlaw Scrooge is a very bad man who just wants them to get back to shoveling hot coals till the clock strikes 6:45pm :mad:

26-12-2010 08:22PM

No sympathy to anyone who leaves things like this to the last minute.

ejmaztec · 26-12-2010 08:46PM

People seem to be double-traumatised at Christmas, and most of them seem to have it in their heads that all of shops are going to be closed for 6 months.

m@cc@ · 26-12-2010 08:47PM

Businesses are free to close as they choose.

matrim · 26-12-2010 08:57PM

OutlawPete wrote: »

As I said, I knew of another bookshop on Grafton St who were staying open until 7.30, so I wasn't too bothered and told a few people there about that store.

Did you let the other customers / easons staff know this? If you had they could tell others and everyone could still get their presents.

Also, as someone who has worked on a shop door at closing time you very quickly become used to the angry guy / sob story to try get something late. I don't know how many times people needed nappies for their baby at closing time (and from us rather than the centra across the road that was still open). It was also funny that if you let them in they will suddenly try to get a trolly load of shopping, without any nappies there.

Magenta · 26-12-2010 09:15PM

Brian Unsightly Suicide wrote: »

Local said they were closing at 20:30 (half ten)..

20:30 is half eight.

26-12-2010 09:36PM

silverspoon wrote: »

So in short, I think it's nice that the staff were left home early to enjoy Christmas..

They weren't left home, they still went into work first

Anyway, no sympathy for people leaving their shopping until 6pm on christmas eve.

muboop1 · 02-01-2011 02:09AM

Here, lets be honest,

It was a clear move made to benefit the staff. I work in retail and was working christmas eve.

So we closed at 6... spent another 45 or so minutes cashing up, cleaning etc. What would of normally taken 5 minutes was nearly an hour. Likely the store realised this was going to be the case and decided last minute to make a change.

Closing at 6:45 sound like staff are paid until 7 to me. 15 mins to close up etc. If they closed at 6, the staff probably still didn't get to leave until 7.

They were just making sure the staff could go home to their families that evening at a reasonable time.

discus · 02-01-2011 03:02AM

muboop1 wrote: »

They were just making sure the staff could go home to their families that evening at a reasonable time.

Well if they wanted their staff to go home to their families (nice playing on that emotion, who could disagree with it at Christmas), then they should advertise that they would be closing earlier than usual - not advertising a specific time and closing nearly an hour before that.

OutlawPete · 02-01-2011 03:09AM

discus wrote: »

Well if they wanted their staff to go home to their families (nice playing on that emotion, who could disagree with it at Christmas), then they should advertise that they would be closing earlier than usual - not advertising a specific time and closing nearly an hour before that.

Some manger suffereing from David Brent syndrome and no doubt trying to impress the staff:.

'Folks, guess what - how about we all close at 6"

"But we've been advertising all week that we're closing at 6.45, we've been telling people that on the phones all day too and the signs in the window have been advertising it also"

"I know, but I'm the manager and you have all been great all year round, sure to thank me later you can all just give me a blow job buy me a drink and we now have an extra 45 minutes drinking time thanks to your favourite manager girls"

"Ahh you're great, thanks so much"

"No problem girls, that's just the kinda boss I am"

Overheal · 02-01-2011 04:17AM

OutlawPete wrote: »

Where do I say it's "taking advantage" of "customers".

It's taking advantage of the 'bad weather', closing early because you have an excuse.

There was no need to close early, no other store / cinema felt the need to shutt up earlier than they specifically advertised for. The weather on Christmas Eve had not dractically changed betwen 4pm and 6pm that they suddenly had to close up.

Same with Motor Tax office, one of the easiest jobs in the country.

I can understand Dublin Bus and the like stopping their service at 9.30pm as they have been remarkable over the Christmas and any other service that has been so badly effected by the weather.

I commended Taxi Drivers for the service they have provided so far this weather in my OP but I guess as this is After Hours, so fcuk them and lets just pity the staff in a warm heated shop who have a Christmas of their own to attended to and Outlaw Scrooge is a very bad man who just wants them to get back to shoveling hot coals till the clock strikes 6:45pm :mad:

Your post and thread are just so far to the left I'm having trouble grasping your world view. We're not talking about a Cop, and Ambulance driver, an Airline pilot who just up and changed his mind about making a flight out. We're not even talking about the Bus and taxi drivers who appreciate the fact that Transportation is at its utmost Peak on Christmas Eve. The ****ing postal service! No, you're talking about an Easons where you buy Books.

I would hope you're not still angry about this because the whole thing bewilders me. The sense of entitlement is shocking. But at the end of the day Christmas Eve is a zoo and people go crazy - why would you subject yourself to that? I guess everybody only has to do it once to learn for good. If you don't have all your christmas and grocery shopping done by the 21st you're fecked.

OutlawPete · 02-01-2011 04:26AM

Overheal wrote: »

Your post and thread are just so far to the left I'm having trouble grasping your world view.

To the left? What are you talking about.

Overheal wrote: »

We're not talking about a Cop, and Ambulance driver, an Airline pilot who just up and changed his mind about making a flight out. We're not even talking about the Bus and taxi drivers who appreciate the fact that Transportation is at its utmost Peak on Christmas Eve. No, you're talking about an Easons where you buy a pack of smokes and some chocolates and maybe some milk if you've run out.

Eh, no .. Easons is the main Bookshop in Dublin where people stationary, books, gift vouchers, wrapping paper, DVDs, CDs and a whole host of other gifts - it's not a just a small sweetshop selling papers and cigarettes.

Overheal wrote: »

I would hope you're not still angry about this because the whole thing bewilders me. The sense of entitlement is shocking.

I wasn't angry to begin with, there was another bookshop open until an advertised 7.30 (stayed open 'till 8 in the end) so I was far from angry.

Sure I was pissed off that they dismissed their customers so easy, customers they had been telling all week that they shop closing time on Christmas Eve was 6:45.

I started this thread, not out of anger, but to see if anyone had seen other business closing earlier than advertised and then just using the weather as the reason for that.

Hence the question mark in the thread title.

Overheal · 02-01-2011 04:34AM

OutlawPete wrote: »

To the left? What are you talking about.

The sense of social entitlement.

Eh, no .. Easons is the main Bookshop in Dublin where people stationary, books, gift vouchers, wrapping paper, DVDs, CDs and a whole host of other gifts - it's not a just a small sweetshop selling papers and cigarettes.

I caught that. Thinking of something else. Even worse, we're talking about a book shop.

I wasn't angry to begin with, there was another bookshop open until an advertised 7.30 (stayed open 'till 8 in the end) so I was far from angry.

Sure I was pissed off that they dismissed their customers so easy, customers they had been telling all week that they shop closing time on Christmas Eve was 6:45.

I started this thread, not out of anger, but to see if anyone had seen other business closing earlier than advertised and then just using the weather as the reason for that.

Hence the question mark in the thread title.

You posted rather angrily earlier today, something about coals and entitlement. No law that I'm aware of however compels a retailer to keep their doors open as advertised.

More importantly, this is what I can't figure out: If you had been noticing the sign all week why did you decide to procrastinate? You were clearly in the vicinity of this shop several times, why wouldn't you have conducted your business prudently, several days earlier?

Whatever the reason they closed. Perhaps whomever they had arranged to cover the closing duties had called in ill. Perhaps it was a David Brent Michael Scott episode, or perhaps any of a number of possibilities. Not necessarily weather-related at all.

Businesses taking advantage of the Bad Weather?

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