Insufficient seating for weary shoppers

Hi - You are dead right: space equals more mechandise. (Have you noticed more and more seems to be jammed into floor space?). It's also to do with through put. In - buy -out: 'next please'. They don't want us cluttering up the place just sitting. Wander, yes, you might buy. Sit you won't. Shopping is not longer the pleasure it once was - it's too hot, things are on high rails, no room to move freely and like you say you have to use the cafe to take the weight off. I buy online every time I can and often just search the websites like M&S to find what I want then order online for store collection. Then I head straight to the store,try it or return it through Cusotmer Services and head for home. It's just too much hassle to do otherwise, and frankly with free postage and returns available I prefer to shop online whenever I can. NB With BHS you now have to buy something to use their loo!! You get a door code at the bottom of you receipt. How's that for friendly customer service!

Unreasonable? Not at all! Due to a spinal injury I suffer from something called spinal canal stenosis which can, from time to time, cause the nerves in the spine to stop communicating with the muscles in the legs. Consequently, when out shopping, I often need to find somewhere to sit down for a few minutes. Used to shop at Waitrose in Putney as they had a limited amount of seating outside their store in the Exchange, but all seating has now been arbitrarily removed to make space for a contraption containing freebie Waitrose news-sheets. Consequently, now shop at Sainsbury's as they have a few seats after the checkout tills. Only solution seems to be that people who need seating from time to time, and there's a lot of us, should avoid retail outlets that show a callous disregard for the needs of the gray pound community.

Hi
New here just joined today.
I've recently moved to a new home and a new town. I went to town early last Wednesday morning and decided to have coffee and breakfast in one of the numerous cafes in the town. I then went for an explore walking round but was only able to do this due to the many benches around the town where I could stop and sit to catch my breath. Both in the shopping area, town square and park by the river lots of places to sit.
It was lovely. I think I am going to like it here

[deleted]

I don't have this problem, my wife walks into a shop, walks around it, comes out and says...They've got nothing in there

What they need to do is, one of the many empty shops, should be carpeted out and seating put in, maybe a TV on the wall. I used to belong to a camera club, they asked a local shopping centre if they could put some boards up displaying photos, the Centre said no, it was too risky, if a fire broke out and people needed to be evacuated these boards would be in the way, this is why shopping centres are wide, plenty of space for people to move into in an emergency

I believe that all female oriented shops should have some seating arrangement for men, something near the entrance door and you can just sit and wait or even gossip to another man, your wife will know where to find you and you do not have to traipse around the store getting tired and bored.

If you need a 'sit down' when you are shopping it probably means that you are past it and that maybe you should consider a care home, or perhaps employing a small boy to nip to the shop to pick up your daily requirements?
Growing old does not mean giving up, even when the old bones and muscles are complaining. Pain is relative, what is 'unbearable' for one is merely an annoying inconvenience for someone stronger.
As long as a I have a pulse and as long as I know who I am and where I am, I will continue to hit the shops.

I agree it would be nice to be able to sit justfor a while when out shopping.

Do any other writers remember shopping before post war modernisation took place. We had half a dozen lovely " department shops" in my town, where smart sales gals welcomed you to sit down on a chair while she reached under the glass topped counter to fetch out trays of drapery items (too delicate to mention here!!). For dresses and blouses she would bring a selection.
The grocer would pack each item, offer sample tastes, all while the customer was sitting.
Obviously this method of shopping is never to return. Shame because I can't afford the sort of shops that can operate a similar system to -day and there must be some.
However I agree we have now gone overboard and shopping is a nightmare to be avoided wherever possible. Indeed floor space is vital for profit - said to be with the customer's well being considered....it keeps the prices down! Display baskets in the aisles, goods stacked far too far up and back for my arms to reach. It really is a battleground. At least when I buy on line it is only my head that aches at the end of such concentration.
I would have thought a bench like seat is possible on the shop floor and the first supermarket to do so would see the popularity thus we could find all stores installing a little comfort for the customer.
Unfortunately it would mean people statistically would use too much parking time thus preventing customer turn over.
I wonder what the answer would be if the question was directed at one of the large supermarkets?

If you need a sit down in a shop - you poor old thing -and there are no chairs, simply ask a strapping young man to lift you up onto the counter. Once positioned you can survey the store interior from your vantage point, though you may get some strange looks!

Shopping nowadays is certainly a monotonous experience. I was in Kent and went to The Bluewater shopping centre, It's the most boring and soulless experience I've had in my life. These out of town shopping centres have no where to site down just acres of blandness, I vastly prefer the cobbled streets of cities like Chester or Canterbury with their cobbled pavements and pretty parks to sit and rest in.

I agree with you, I solved this with buying a tripod seat, the folding type they often use for fishing.
It's a little chunkier than an umberella, but I can sit anywhere I need to and when I need to.
I get some funny looks but I don't care as I don't intend to shut myself away just because I can't walk far.
the shops are quick enough to take our money, so why not provide something on these lines in shopping malls?

it seems on line shopping is growing easier for people at work, with little or no time to spare, but as many forum members say its getting harder for many senior and elderly shoppers to go to the shops, and therefore on line shopping is one way to deal with the problem,

the only problem is that unlike when you go shopping yourself, you can feel, and see the product, your buying, look at the colours and so on,
and make on the spot decisions where as, with on line shopping some times the shop assistant has to make a decision and then gets it wrong,

So when buying clothes on line, some times the selection sent wasn't exactly what you had expected, or had in mind, and in some cases the item wasn't as you had seen it ,in say a catalogue or news paper,

but for people unable to get to the shops, perhaps this is the only way that they can manage to do their shopping, that is unless they are lucky enough to have some one else get it for them,

I too now do a monthly shop on line. As neither hubby or I drive and not on a bus route although i walk into town [20mins] i means a taxi home as shopping is to heavy to carry. By doing a online shop i save £20 per month and delivery charges are app £4 . If i do a £100 shop delivery is free. A £100 shop sounds a lot but it works out at £25 per week. I still use a local butcher and a chemist but now when i go to town it is at a leisurely pace without all the huffing and puffing:-)

Because most High Streets and Shopping Malls feature the same retailers I find shopping very dull now the interesting, independent retailers have disappeared. Therefore, I tend to shop online. The prices are lower than in the High Street stores; many online retailers offer free P&P and the DSR means you can buy and return unwanted goods without any hassle.

Paterson said

Have you noticed that most shops these days no longer cater for tired shoppers,they prefer to use all space for merchandise ,The only seats available are situated in their coffee areas where you are obliged to spend more money in order to use them,and then after struggling to a higher floor. It's all about profit ,with no thought for the customer, the frail or the elderly. Mothers with children all have to struggle to reach higher floors,while physically able and strong young men are catered for on a lower floor. I believe Marks and Spencer's do supply seats near the try-on area for men and husbands waiting to foot the bill for their wives purchases. At one time there was a bentwood chair available in every shop. Now one is reduced to sitting in a shoe department on a low seat as the only place available. No wonder people prefer to shop on line. All department stores should now supply a comfortable rest area,to encourage people to continue shopping,and to make it a more pleasurable experience.Giving  customers a good service should reap rewards .As most men are reluctant shoppers perhaps a computer area could be set aside for them ,or anyone else who would prefer to use their time ordering on line,rather than traipsing around the shops and having to carry all shopping home. Some people like to view what they are buying before shopping on line.An added service would be a selection  of magazines or daily newspapers. In fact making room for a library  in all large department stores would be a step forward.In shopping arcades seating should be on a larger scale,allowing people to sit down occasionally,especially for the frail and elderly,the problem here is that seats are likely to be taken up by the wrong people disadvantaging those really in need.Another reason for the need for seats is that these days shops are so hot it is necessary  to carry all outer clothing  around as well as the shopping.Many shoppers use public transport, even then there is no guarantee there will be a place to sit down.I don't think I am alone in thinking ,or expecting more provision to be provided,or am I just a grumpy old woman?:-(

Have a look at what Selfridges are doing this week .... http://www.silversurfers.com/selfridges-unveils-no-noise-project/ 🙂

I would shop on line where ever possible and that certainly includes groceries.
I have spent years avoiding injury from in-store shopping.
It is a health hazard to shop in store. Not only physical strain and stress but mental anger at aisles choked with chatting friends, trollies with re-stocking goods and the lads and lasses trying to do their job (blocking the aisles!!).
School holiday times I do declair parents drop their kids off for an hour or two to run off steam....and then there is the P.A.system.
Now I love children, I truly do but best when I am in command and in a supermarket I am not...
Then there is the problem of reading the labels.....with eyes no longer as bright as they once were, studying the small print, the dates, the use by, the best before and turning around and finding someone has accidentally walked off with your trolly and left you theirs...
The irony of it all is that in so many ways and in vastly different proportions, we are back to having goods delivered. Before WW2it was quite usual to have the grocery lad on his bike as well as the butchers kid struggle with the deliveries to the door, exactly like the Hovis ad. (Sadly now no longer part of UK)
It becomes a toss up whether or not shopping in line is less tempting to over purchase goods. I have not yet worked that one out.
I admit that on occasions I have a shopping in store session but it is good to have other means of staying fed and watered.
What sort of shopping experience will the world have in 50years?

Have you noticed that most shops these days no longer cater for tired shoppers,they prefer to use all space for merchandise ,The only seats available are situated in their coffee areas where you are obliged to spend more money in order to use them,and then after struggling to a higher floor. It's all about profit ,with no thought for the customer, the frail or the elderly. Mothers with children all have to struggle to reach higher floors,while physically able and strong young men are catered for on a lower floor. I believe Marks and Spencer's do supply seats near the try-on area for men and husbands waiting to foot the bill for their wives purchases. At one time there was a bentwood chair available in every shop. Now one is reduced to sitting in a shoe department on a low seat as the only place available. No wonder people prefer to shop on line. All department stores should now supply a comfortable rest area,to encourage people to continue shopping,and to make it a more pleasurable experience.Giving  customers a good service should reap rewards .As most men are reluctant shoppers perhaps a computer area could be set aside for them ,or anyone else who would prefer to use their time ordering on line,rather than traipsing around the shops and having to carry all shopping home. Some people like to view what they are buying before shopping on line.An added service would be a selection  of magazines or daily newspapers. In fact making room for a library  in all large department stores would be a step forward.In shopping arcades seating should be on a larger scale,allowing people to sit down occasionally,especially for the frail and elderly,the problem here is that seats are likely to be taken up by the wrong people disadvantaging those really in need.Another reason for the need for seats is that these days shops are so hot it is necessary  to carry all outer clothing  around as well as the shopping.Many shoppers use public transport, even then there is no guarantee there will be a place to sit down.I don't think I am alone in thinking ,or expecting more provision to be provided,or am I just a grumpy old woman?:-(