Our grocery shopping schedule doesn’t really revolve around the big local chains – Jewel and Dominick’s – anymore. But occasionally we need to get something at Jewel that just can’t be had anywhere else (usually, cheap soda.) It’s those instances that remind me of how frustrating a shopping experience can be.
The reason? Simple: TVs. All of our local Jewels installed TVs in the checkout lanes a while ago. They broadcast a series of Food Network clips, news, CNN-style news tickers, weather, stuff like that, along with commercials. But they’re always on, always a few decibels above normal speaking level, and impossible to ignore. I really just want to turn them off.
To add insult to injury, Jewel installed huge flat panels in their produce section. These run the same content-and-mostly-ads that are in the checkout lanes. It’s a really strange thing, as these TVs are loud.
And it freaked me out when I was at a Meijer once and saw Teri Hatcher promoting the ABC “In-Store Network” above the meat section.
I guess that’s one reason we avoid these places. They’re an assault on the senses, and coupled with higher prices (shouldn’t these things bring prices down?) they make shopping a real annoyance.
Posted in Everyday Life
mary January 17, 2008, 12:14 pm
obnoxious tvs, while grocery shopping, would make me find another store. quickly. i have in the past, actually walked in and right out of establishments that i found were blasting tvs(laundromats, restaraunts ect..)