Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Friday, April 22, 2011
Monday, June 29, 2009
More adventures in retail
They frantically gather around for the sixth time in ten minutes, discussing something in fierce tones which I cannot hear. Eventually, one of them comes back to me and I half expect him to say, “Well, we haven’t got your order but we’re this close to bring peace to the Middle East.”
Actually, what he said that after three attempts to buy a flash for my camera I had yet again been thwarted. I go to argue my case but soon I realise that I’m outclassed by these battle hardened BAT (Blame Avoidance Techniques) practitioners. One then goes into a long, I suspect mainly fictitious account of how many order lacked.........and so........warehouse........ at this point I tuned out the noise and decided that life is too short to listen to this crap.
So leaving Plaisio after three unsuccessful attempts I decided to try my luck elsewhere, not realising that it is easier in this city to buy heroin than it is camera accessories.
The next few places I tried did not have any flashes either and indeed the salesman in one large electronics store, surrounded by cameras, lenses and tripods looked at me quizzically, trying to figure where on earth I had got the idea that his department had such an item.
Of course what I should have done is go to a shop selling just cameras and the like but I am wary of such places as unless you know exactly what you want the BS factor tends to balloon out of control within a matter of minutes.
I did eventually find a couple of places flashes but at prices way beyond my budget. Interestingly, no matter where I went the prices were always exactly the same. The kind of free market that would make any Soviet trained economist go moist eyed with nostalgia.
Actually, what he said that after three attempts to buy a flash for my camera I had yet again been thwarted. I go to argue my case but soon I realise that I’m outclassed by these battle hardened BAT (Blame Avoidance Techniques) practitioners. One then goes into a long, I suspect mainly fictitious account of how many order lacked.........and so........warehouse........ at this point I tuned out the noise and decided that life is too short to listen to this crap.
So leaving Plaisio after three unsuccessful attempts I decided to try my luck elsewhere, not realising that it is easier in this city to buy heroin than it is camera accessories.
The next few places I tried did not have any flashes either and indeed the salesman in one large electronics store, surrounded by cameras, lenses and tripods looked at me quizzically, trying to figure where on earth I had got the idea that his department had such an item.
Of course what I should have done is go to a shop selling just cameras and the like but I am wary of such places as unless you know exactly what you want the BS factor tends to balloon out of control within a matter of minutes.
I did eventually find a couple of places flashes but at prices way beyond my budget. Interestingly, no matter where I went the prices were always exactly the same. The kind of free market that would make any Soviet trained economist go moist eyed with nostalgia.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
That will teach me
So much for expensive new toys! The Pentax ist -D I just bought is a dud. Looking at the photos I took it seems there is a burnt pixel right in the middle of the screen. This means that I have to go back to Public and probably waste a hour of my life trying to get my money back (the camera was the last one of its kind in the shop).
I hate this kind of stuff as they always try to fob you off with some more expensive model that you don't want or a "credit note'. Sorry, for 500 euros I want exactly what I chose.
Wish me luck. In the meanwhile here are some of the photos I took.
I hate this kind of stuff as they always try to fob you off with some more expensive model that you don't want or a "credit note'. Sorry, for 500 euros I want exactly what I chose.
Wish me luck. In the meanwhile here are some of the photos I took.
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