Category Archives: Retail Customer Service

How can you not like a company like this?

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At Moosejaw we want to make shopping as much fun as backpacking the Chilkoot trail, climbing in Yosemite, mountaineering in the Himalayas or playing red rover with the neighbors who you don’t like that much but they’re always ready to play any game in the cul-de-sac so you make do.
If you’re offended by ridiculous commentary don’t click on any of the Moosejaw Madness sections.

-from the Moosejaw website.

You have to admire an outdoor store that does not take itself too seriously.  After all they sell toys to adults and are not transplant surgeons or diplomats from nuclear-armed countries.

Check it out yourself at http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/shop/madness_home____

It’s the drugs talking

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img_1738Several years ago, I saw a fascinating TV show on retailing. If my memory serves me correctly, it was called Buyology.  One of the most interesting segments reported on the stress of shopping and Holiday shopping especially.

When you are under significant stress, the body creates the steroid, cortisol, to help you deal with  the situation.  It is your body’s chemical behind the “fight or flight” mechanism.

Another characteristic of cortisol is that you can test a person’s cortisol level using a simple oral swab, so researchers went out and swabbed people’s mouths during stressful events to measure the stress caused by certain events.

The researchers tested combat pilots; it seems they have high stress levels in when being shot at.  (Only a governmental program would spend a lot of money to find that result.) They also tested Holiday shoppers at a major mall the weekend before Christmas.

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Food Court Waste, Nicely Done

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Many of us have faced a row of confusing waste bins at a food court labeled “Organic Waste”, “Recyclable”, “Mixed Waste” etc.  After a few moments of trying to decide whether you have a Number 6 Recyclable or if your paper waste is contaminated, we usually get discouraged and dump everything into the bun marked waste.

Kudos to the Metrotown Center in Burnaby, BC for the Tray Return Center.  Just place the tray on one of the tray center counters and the mall staff will take care of sorting the waste before cleaning the trays.  Nicely done!

The last of the Geneva Chocolatiers

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Switzerland is famous for watches, cheese and chocolate.  While in Geneva, we saw all three but it was only the chocolate that really interested us.  After all, chocolate is a very affordable luxury unlike swiss watches.  We made a quick stop at Favorer’s shop which was near our hotel for a little indulgence.

Favarger, founded in 1826, is the last remaining Swiss chocolatier actually producing in Geneva.  All we picked up were a couple of kilogram bars of milk chocolate.  How could we resist, they were 2 for 1!

Fashion Week in Paris

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By chance, our recent visit to Paris coincided with Fashion Week, the biggest week of the year for French designers.

We did not attend any events, but one night while walking back from a late dinner we found ourselves on Rue Montaigne where many designers have their shops.  It was late at night but every shop was open for private showings.

This is where, when and how some of the 1% shop.

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