Every time I go to my Archiver's (you will have to guess which one) I have a bad experience. For one they don't have a child friendly attitude... now please, if you hate children or at the least hate shopping for scrapbook paper near children please don't come crying to me. I already read that thread on splitcoast and it infuriated me. I have a child... and so do a lot of crafters (duh). In my opinion it's just plain ole BAD MARKETING to not have some tolerance. A play area isn't even necessary... but it's nice.
By the way, by son is perfect in every way... he never pulls the paper off the shelves.
My fave scrappy stamp store The Cottage Stamper is always kind to my son... they give lollipops. :)
I don't even go to Archiver's with Andy anymore. He can sense their fear.
So last night I went to you-know-where... looking for flocking powder... which they had a decent selection of in case you are also looking... and I stumbled upon some other fun things...
This line of paper from Basic Grey... "Mellow" yummy... it's so Autumn Japanesy. I like it so much and I wonder how I missed this at CHA.
But they are never able to answer a simple question there! "Do you have Timber Brown StazOn reinkers?" and she walks me over to the rack with the StazOn and starts picking up everything but the StazOn. I don't think she even knew what I was talking about.
"Do you have Brown Brads?"
"No" was the jointly echoed immediate answer from both clerks... now I had seen brown brads... but I was looking for smaller ones... so rather than asking for small brown brads (which I feared would confuse them) I just asked for brown brads... and they DID have brown brads. It felt great to walk to the counter later with my browner than brown brads.
So you can imagine I didn't believe them when they said they didn't have 6" X 12" albums. I looked and looked... but I guess they were right.
One time I asked if all the Basic Grey paper was together and the clerk actually walked me over to some gray cardstock... loon.
Last time I went they couldn't find a opaque Sakura Glaze pen for me to sample. Am I the only one in the world who needs to sample a $3.00 pen before I purchase it? I think not.
Why don't these stores have sample counters like cosmetic counters do? They should!
My tip... If you are looking for cool school supplies for your 30-something-year-old-self... get your butt to a Borders Books. Did you know they have a teeny tiny selection of neat scrapbooking kits too? And some of their wrapping papers would be awesome for scraping... if you are the type that doesn't care about Acid Free and all that.
Boy I feel better... thanks for listening! If you've read this far you deserve a card... More new images from justjohanna... Who doesn't love a cherry on a cupcake? Yay!
Colored with SU! markers. Top of cupcake is glittered with Martha Stewart Crafts Glitter (white) and SU! Dazzling Diamonds in Red.
14 comments:
So sorry you had another bad experience. As a former A's employee, let me tell you we asked why don't the newer stores have a play area like they do back at the mother ship (Mall of America) and a few other. Basically, the CEO told us that they don't see it being used. Our jaw dropped. Wha? Huh? While I myself don't have any kids, but my friends that worked there do. They're very best shoppers as well, so it made it difficult for them to come in on their off days. Also, for the other shoppers who want to check out products but can't because they need to keep an eye on their little ones. As far as not being nice to kiddies, that's up to the individual. Our store because most of us were young (in our 30s) we're very tolerable to kiddies since alot of us have kids. If they're mean, then that's their attitude. You should really send a comment on their website, the mgmt actually read every single thing people sends.
Hope it gets better from here.
I can understand your frustration. All my LSS have employees who don't really know anything about crafting. They can never help me find anything and basically I have to just find it myself!! I don't understand why there isn't basic training for employees. When I was a teenager and worked in a bookstore -- granted I didn't know much, but when it was slow and I was dusting, I would be studying the shelves and made sure I knew where was what. About being kid-unfriendly, that's just blatant not understanding your target market!
Wow! I so hope this isn't the A's in our area I go to. I have very good luck there but then my kids aren't young anymore. I understand your frustration though and remember it all too well. My biggest beef was kids' departments that didn't have aisles wide enough for a stroller to pass through---now who exactly did they think their customer was!
Well our "A" store here in Orland Park,Il. I couldn't start to say enought about the help there....great bunch of ladies, who know their store.
However do love your cupcake card...can't wait to get that stamp!
Ha! I love that the clerk didn't know what you meant by "Basic Grey." Very funny! Once at the same Archiver's (I think I can guess which one you go to) I asked where the Stamp-a-ma-jig refills would be, and I was told they don't carry them. I knew they did carry them, so I had to find them myself. No big deal, but still irritating that the clerks don't know their own merchandise. Sure, there's a lot of stuff in there, but... that's their JOB. Thanks for sharing your experience - It made for a good blog post, anyway! :)
I used to work at the A's too and let me tell ya, they are anti-kid. I think one too many kids coming in pulling paper and running amuck has just made them flat out anti-kid.
And you are supposed to be able to test every product they sell before you buy if you want. That's their big motto! I have had to open big things for people to try once and decide they didn't want it...I would say something girl because that is their big selling point.
Their employees are clueless because the employees they had that were craft savy all left because they didn't want to put up w/coporate crap!
And I spent about 5 min. arguing with a chick last weekend about whether the paper I was buying was Bazzill or not.
I avoid it like the plague!
Love the card.
love the card Sarah!
I LOVE my archivers. I haven't had a bad experience there yet. I go to the one on Army Trail. But then, I don't have kids with me (my dogs would go in with me if they would let me).
sorry for your aggravation. But at least you came out with some goodies. that paper looks luscious!
Liz
Wow! Thanks for all the great comments! I guess I need to check out some other Archivers.... but it's nice ot know I am not alone!
Thanks for letting me vent! :)
totally agree about the stores not knowing what you are looking for...
I went to a store asking about portfolios for photography.. the girl pops in that she is a photographer.. yep, made an album for her senior year project.. didn't know a thing about photoshop but she made an album...
kids are welcomed in one of the stores I go to but they are actually encouraged to go into what really is a closet!!! ugh! Then the other one is not kid friendly.. I think they faint when I come in with my 3!!! lol!
crafters/scrapbookers who *gritch* about their kids drive me crazy.. why oh why are you scrapping them again?? oh, yea, to make the same silly LO about "discovery" "explore".. never really delving into who this tiny person is in their life..
ok.. my rant over.. so glad we see eye to eye! lol!
have a great day, Sarah!!
Stay way from the Arciver's in Bloomingdale if that isn't the one you are already talking about. FYI...Archiver's could care less if you complain..been there done that...it's business and you are one in a million that isn't going to break their bank by being dissatisfied. Just my two cents.
I was just on my way to a new Archiver's that opened an hour and a half from me. Maybe I will not go. My kids are all grown but I am so tired of retail saying they dont want kids around. Hell0-who are the future spenders? most local stores are not friendly anymore either. Or so pretentious and like they are doing YOU a favor. I stay home more than ever nowadays.
I am totally in your camp, Sarah!
It's policies and attitudes like these that are gonna put LSS stores and Archivers outta business as more and more folks shop online!
I am a mom to 4 great kids as well with a homeful of antiques, breakables,scrapbook papers and other exquisite goodies that are respected and not "destroyed" by their under 10 hands.. :)
hugs,
Susan
Hi! I am a current employee of A in Atlanta. Our store employees are trained to be nice to everyone -- kids and parents alike. I'm so sorry you had a bad experience. We have people rave about our customer service. I guess everyone's entitled to a bad day, and perhaps you just hit your store during one of those times. I love working & scrapping at Archivers -- have never been able to find another store even close to the same quality. For those of you who haven't been yet, GO! It's worth it!
As a former A's employee (actually, I'm going back on a part-time basis soon)I just wanted to let you know that your situation is very unfortunate but should not reflect on all A's. Our store has wonderful customer service and the majority of us that work at my location have kids so we are very "kid-friendly". I will say that I do have a problem with parents who let their kids run around screaming and tearing things off of the racks/pegs - and I would think any store (not just an A's) would feel the same way. Could you have maybe come across a new associate who is still learning the "ropes" of the store? There is a LOT of product and it takes awhile to get acquainted with the store. I used to be in management for A's and would do the hiring and let me tell you that we made sure that the people we hired had crafting backgrounds. I'm sorry that you have had bad experiences with A's but please do not think that all A's are this way because I can guarantee you they are not.
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