I am blessed to live in the land of abundant hobby and craft stores. Michaels, JoAnn's, and Hobby Lobby are all present in this area and I shop all three with some regularity, along with my favorite scrapbooking and stamping stores.
Of the three chains, Hobby Lobby is my favorite. Reasons? First of all, they carry my favorite adhesive (which is no small thing...it's getting a little hard to find). If you are dying to know...it's the Photo Memory Mounting Taper by Pioneer. Second, HL generally has good weekly sales, especially on craft/art supplies. Julian goes thru paint and art paper and brushes like a little painted tornado. I need to be able to buy them on sale. The third reason I really like Hobby Lobby is that they consistantly carry my beloved 12x12 sub-divided page protectors for 4x6 photos at the most reasonable price--$1.99. I have not seen them anywhere else at all. Recently, they even started publishing coupons in the paper. Lastly, I also like HL because they are closed on Sunday.
Today I felt especially lucky because they were offering individual rools of American Crafts ribbon for half price. Three yards for $1.25! How cool is that? See. I was good. Only bought 4. Dozen. Ha!! No really. Just 4 rolls.
I drive about 40 minutes to get to the nearest Hobby Lobby, passing both the other chains on the way. I have always been happy with the service and selection there so I don't mind driving the extra-long distance.
Until today.
The price of my photo page protectors has gone up from $1.99 to $3.49.
Two different customers in front of me were having issues and Miss Cashier was not being helpful to either. She simply stated her position and did not indicate an ounce of understanding towards either of their dissatisfaction.
Then, she rang up my entire order. My coupon was laying on the counter in plain sight before she started ringing items but apparently she wasn't looking. When she noticed it (after finishing ringing the items) she said "What did you want to use this on?"
Umm, in the history of mankind and coupons, when has anyone not wanted to use the discount coupon on the most expensive item?
With this thought running thru my head...but not out my mouth, I tried to be polite when I said "One of the packs of protectors..."
She looked at me like I had two heads. "OK well I'll have to start over then..." she sighs with obvious exasperation.
I totally don't understand this. But I digress.
No way I was going to hold up the line and be the third customer in a row to have an issue...not over $1.40.
"Don't start over." I said. "I'll use it another time." and put my coupon back in my wallet.
She finished the transaction without incident or apology.
So, here's my question: Why on Earth doesn't a major corporation like Hobby Lobby have a computerized cash register system? What are they thinking? Bar codes...every major store on earth uses a bar-code system...why not Hobby Lobby?? They are decades behind in technology. Why is that?
I'm totally baffled.
Michaels has fine-tuned the coupon acceptance thing down to a science. The cashier scans the coupon at the end of the transaction and the computer automatically deducts the percentage off the highest priced non-sale item. No brain power required.
It also prints a detailed receipt that is easy to read. Hobby Lobby receipts are a mish mosh of jumbled numbers. What a mess!
It's time to take the leap, HL. Jump into the age of computer technology.
For the sake of customers everywhere.
Please.
I'm begging here.
9 comments:
Everytime I go into our HL (which is the ONLY hobby store here in Cleveland) I ask myself the same question. How can they successfully operate their stores with 1970 technology?
I've wondered that, too. I shop at HL in both Paducah and Jackson, TN. Never had a problem with any of the staff - they've been terrific! But the receipts look like they came from a generation ago - I really have to study them to figure out how much I saved. Oh, well, it's a small issue compared to the pleasure of shopping there. And they play Christian music in the stores. Nice.
Its cost savings for them? I don't know. I do know that they are making some major money .... so why not upgrade, slowly, but do it!!! You know they have a few secrets. I'll find the article and post parts on my blog. I can't remember where I found a few tid bits of Hobby Lobby info, but it was good info.
Christy
I'm with you here. I regularly have problems there. You know how they give you two receipts when you check out--the yellow debit card transaction receipt and the little white ticker tape ancient thing with just a bunch of numbers? Guess which one you HAVE to have to make a return? Not the yellow one that clearly states the date, amount spent, etc. No, you need the little bitty tiny white paper with no details whatsoever on it. No exceptions. I agree, HL, join this century (or even the last one).
Heather
I totally agree!!! Hobby Lobby is by far my favorite craft store but their register system is so annoying and the cashiers are always lacking in personality.
Hi, I'm from two peas. I love Hobby Lobby! I think it's great they are not open on Sundays (althought not always convenient for me living an hour away!) and like the music they play also. I hate their receipts--how in the world are you supposed to know what numbers belong to which item that you purchased. And I have had problems several times with their employees not giving me the discount for things that were on sale in their ad. I have to check my receipt now every time I get out to the car and a few times I have had to tell dh to turn around and go back cause they over-charged me. He always gets upset and says this better be worth it! And it has always been for at least $8 or more they overcharged! Also I always count out my individual papers before I get to the register so I can just tell them how many there are. Otherwise, you have to stand there waiting for them to count and they always screw up and charge me for more sheets than I actually had. hmmm.
barb
Just another thought. And please don't think I am nutzo here. I don't know how Christ- minded you are, but I noticed that you said it was a good thing that they weren't open on Sundays. Maybe they have something against technology, seeming to be a spiritually minded place of business. My dh has had a lot of experience with rfid/bar code in his lines of work and look at all the stuff they can do with this technology. They can insert microscopic little chips under peoples/animals skin that can tell them all kinds of information. Freaky stuff...as this technology progresses more and more, this could become the mark of the beast refered to in Revelations-I mean when that time comes. I'm sorry. This was just a thought. Or maybe they are just cheap and don't want to spend the money to update.
barb
I don't like Michael's fine-tuned technology. They still have to ring each sheet of sb paper thru their scanner seperately. It takes for stinkin' ever!
Scrapeabarbie--I have worked at M's. If you are buying multiples of the same paper, they don't have to be entered separately. If they aren't the same, they do have to each be scanned. But you do get a nice detailed receipt.
~~Sarah
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