Why? Firstly, because who wants to be spotted in the lingerie department of M&S sifting through the latest collection of skimpy knickers as part of a loved one's present for fear of being considered a total pervert, or worse, being spotted by a mate?
Secondly, men are born with an inate blindspot when it comes to understanding women's sizes - you're all size 8! How can a man possibly have a sensible decision to ask his female other half what size they are - and let's not discuss rooting through her wardrobe to check on sizes. You always get caught by the kids when that happens!
And thirdly, we're so easily intimidated. Any discerning woman can smell the excruciating fear of a man shopping - and it doesn't necessarily have to be for women's clothes either. It's that pained expression, coupled with the dragging of the feet. Men were not placed on this earth to shop - if we were, we'd have been fitted with shopping trolleys!
Anyway, where is this preamble leading to? Well, it's all about feeling intimidated when you shop.
I'm sure you've been there. A time when you have stepped into a store only to be verbally assaulted by a pre-pubescent sales assistant who speaks in a language closely aligned to Klingon, who makes you feel inadequate as if you needed a degree in physics just to buy a kettle.
In my case it wasn't a kettle I was buying, it was a mobile phone. The guy in the shop was nice enough, but the choice was almost overwhelming. And when he mentioned Android, I thought we were back to Klingon blurb.
I told him I just wanted a phone that rang and instead he offered me more packages than in a Royal Mail sorting office and shelf loads of different phones.
In the end, we agreed on a phone before beginning an assault on a forest of paperwork. It was seriously unbelieveable as the salesman tried to rachet up the costs with insurance for this, cover for that, and I could pay up to £60 if I wanted a special, easily remembered phone number, rather than the collection of instantly forgettable digits he'd just presented me with.
Forty minutes later, I walked out of the shop with my new phone, and within 24 hours I was back in the shop. I couldn't get on with the touchscreen phone. It wouldn't work and it took me 15 minutes to write one text. But would they change it? Absolutely not!
"I'm sorry, sir, once we put in the SIM card we can't change it" they insisted. "How long have I got this phone for then?", I asked. "Two years" replied spotty guy! TWO YEARS - get a life!
In the end we had a discussion about how if Specky Guy went out and bought a toaster, didn't like it and wanted to return it, he could. That's modern day consumer rights. Seems there are different rules for mobile phones. Anyway, gentle persuasion won the day, and I'm now the proud owner of the simplest mobile phone going.
However, as I'm writing this blog, my phone isn't working! Nothing to do with the handset, but the Vodafone signal isn't working.
Bring back those homing pigeons, far less crap!
If you had gone to phone4u - you get 14 days in which to return your handset if you are not happy with it.
ReplyDeleteSo what did you get - iphone/Samsung Galaxy S/HTC ?
both the latter run on Android and all three mentioned are touch screen.
If you have gone down the Android route, may I suggest an APP called Swype - It makes texting so much easier. Just tap on the little android market icon and type swype in the search bar.
Another good APP if you tweet is tweet master.
Excellent blog BTW - I would love to take you shopping to observe you in action and then write a blog about you ;- D