What is your pet peeve of the day? -- 2021

[Texas Proud]

A part or apart? It seems many people either don't know the difference or just don't care. But I do, darnit. And don't blame it on spellcheck.
BTW in case someone doesn't know the difference I'm a part of this forum. If I wasn't then I'd be apart of it.

I was on a car forum many years ago and it irked me when a large number of them talked about their 'breaks'... no, they are brakes that stop a car...

 

[Lewis Clark]

I got an email, addressed to my recently deceased uncle, but to my email address. Its heading was "You left your retirement savings behind. See your options."

Perhaps the best reason yet NOT to die with zero.

 

[JoeWras]

Alcohol is more interesting that salad? Pfft! Here's what Bard generated when asked to write a 50 word story about salad. (Maybe the pet peeve here are the jerks like me who keep using AI to derail threads?)

The first forkful surprised me. It wasn't just lettuce and dressing, it was a vibrant world. Emerald shards of romaine danced with ruby-red tomatoes, and creamy avocado clouds drifted amongst them. A sprinkle of tangy feta was like a constellation against the green backdrop. Each bite was an adventure, a new flavor combination discovered with each chew. This wasn't just a salad; it was an edible landscape, a testament to the beauty and bounty of nature.

 

[Rummy]

Back in the early 70's, what's a microwave? Think they had just started to be available, certainly not on a college kid's budget.

My parents had an appliance store.. I remember their first promotional demonstration of "The New Radar Range"... Hotdogs in 15 seconds...
This was in the late 50s or very early 60s.

 

[ncbill]

I got an email, addressed to my recently deceased uncle, but to my email address. Its heading was "You left your retirement savings behind. See your options."

Umm...ya think! I'd say his options are a bit limited, considering you can't take it with you!

I would have replied, asking what are my options but more importantly how much did I leave behind?

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

If this was mentioned before, in my defense I did search for "BOGO":

My big consumer pet peeve is "Buy X, get Y free!", because FREE means at no cost. If I have to buy something, then you're not really giving me anything free, are you? For example, if it's the classic buy one, get one "free", then they really should have to call it "buy two, get 50% off"!! If there really is a "free" item, can I have just the free item? No? THEN IT'S NOT FREE!!!

Some people look at me weird when I complain about that, but I figured this crowd would be more likely to get it.

 

[disneysteve]

Cashiers and other customer-facing employees who have ear buds in and are talking to some unseen person while they’re waiting on me.

I went to CVS today to pick up a couple of prescriptions. The cashier had an ear bud in and was talking on what was clearly not a work call. This continued the whole time she handled my transaction. Looking around, several other pharmacy employees also had ear buds in.

What happened to interacting with the customer, saying hi, asking if they needed anything else, etc?

 

[Aerides]

What happened to interacting with the customer, saying hi, asking if they needed anything else, etc?

Since 90% of the customers are on their phones, I can hardly blame them.

 

[MichaelB]

If this was mentioned before, in my defense I did search for "BOGO":

My big consumer pet peeve is "Buy X, get Y free!", because FREE means at no cost. If I have to buy something, then you're not really giving me anything free, are you? For example, if it's the classic buy one, get one "free", then they really should have to call it "buy two, get 50% off"!! If there really is a "free" item, can I have just the free item? No? THEN IT'S NOT FREE!!!

Some people look at me weird when I complain about that, but I figured this crowd would be more likely to get it.

I had a dispute with an online merchant years ago based on this. They did not ship a “free” item (buy X and get Y free). When I challenged the charge the CC issuer said the dispute was not valid, the merchant correctly shipped all the items that were ordered and paid for so there was no legal basis to dispute. In their words, the free item was indeed free and if missing I had to resolve that directly with the merchant. It was perishable food which I could not return so I lost my case.

 

[disneysteve]

Since 90% of the customers are on their phones, I can hardly blame them.

That's a pet peeve too. When you're face to face with another human, put down your phone. I'll be on my phone while I'm waiting in line but as soon as it's my turn, the phone goes back in my pocket until the transaction is completed.

 

[CardsFan]

Since 90% of the customers are on their phones, I can hardly blame them.

Sorry, not the same thing.

The CUSTOMER may not always be right, be they are ALWAYS the CUSTOMER. They are the ones paying your wages. If they don't exist, neither does your job.

 

[freedomatlast]

Getting worse very day......more and more inconsiderate drivers that won't get out of the passing lane when not passing.

 

[statsman]

Getting worse very day......more and more inconsiderate drivers that won't get out of the passing lane when not passing.

Driving in general is getting worse. Less and less signaling of a turn. Sometimes veering into the lane away from the direction they are turning. Being caught in the middle of an intersection due to a red light. U-turns where they are signed as not allowed. Making a turn from a lane that is signed and striped as straight ahead. This one is really bad when the adjacent lane *is* signed and striped for a turn or straight ahead. Passing a vehicle on a freeway/highway who is going much less than the speed limit, only to have them accelerate and pinned themselves at your rear blind spot in an adjacent lane.

 

[Texas Proud]

If this was mentioned before, in my defense I did search for "BOGO":

My big consumer pet peeve is "Buy X, get Y free!", because FREE means at no cost. If I have to buy something, then you're not really giving me anything free, are you? For example, if it's the classic buy one, get one "free", then they really should have to call it "buy two, get 50% off"!! If there really is a "free" item, can I have just the free item? No? THEN IT'S NOT FREE!!!

Some people look at me weird when I complain about that, but I figured this crowd would be more likely to get it.

BUT..... if you only buy the one item you pay the same amount as buying the two items... so in reality the Y is not costing you anything... hence, 'free'...


There IS a condition to getting that free item which is what you seem not to want to do... but if you do not pay for it what else would you call it?

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

BUT..... if you only buy the one item you pay the same amount as buying the two items... so in reality the Y is not costing you anything... hence, 'free'...

There IS a condition to getting that free item which is what you seem not to want to do... but if you do not pay for it what else would you call it?

The "condition" you mention to getting that "free" item is paying money, so how is that, by any definition, free?

Let's say it's normally $5 a widget, but you want to offer me a "BOGO". That's two for $5 now. Just because I can also pay one for $5 doesn't make the second one magically free. Without the sale I could buy two for $10 and leave one at the store, too, that doesn't make the second one free in that case.

 

[GrayHare]

buy the combo, return the item that costs something, keep the freebie

 

[Texas Proud]

The "condition" you mention to getting that "free" item is paying money, so how is that, by any definition, free?

Let's say it's normally $5 a widget, but you want to offer me a "BOGO". That's two for $5 now. Just because I can also pay one for $5 doesn't make the second one magically free. Without the sale I could buy two for $10 and leave one at the store, too, that doesn't make the second one free in that case.

Your second example is just strange... you could always buy 2 for twice as much and leave one... that does not make anything free but that the one you got cost twice as much...


I will use your example... go buy the widget... scan it and it shows it cost $5... you can walk out the store with that ONE widget...


Or, you other option is to scan that widget and it shows $5 and then scan the second widget and it shows $0... same cost as above but you now walk out the store with TWO widgets... I will ask, what did you pay for that second widget? The answer is NOT $2.50 since a single widget cost $5...


You might not like it but the second one did not cost you any money....


ON THE OTHER HAND.... go and check it out... I have seen some items listed as BOGO but the computer was messed up and it really only charged me half the cost for one... it happens at grocery stores mostly...

 

[Gumby]

Just so you guys know, BOGO is a really odd thing to argue about.

 

[ERD50]

The "condition" you mention to getting that "free" item is paying money, so how is that, by any definition, free? ...

Right. Since I don't do much of the shopping at BOGO type places, and don't search them out, I'm not that familiar with the whole thing. Sometimes a store has a sign "Two for $5", but my DW will often point out, you CAN just buy ONE for $2.50 (not always). It's a bit deceptive.

So recently, I saw that something I needed was on sale, Buy TWO, get one free. So I go to the register with TWO of them. I'm going to walk out of the store with TWO, so I'm buying TWO, right? Well, the self-checkout isn't giving me the discount (and it was ~ $10 item, so we're talking a few bucks here). So the helpful clerk finally figures out the problem, I need to have THREE items to qualify as a buy TWO get ONE free. So I did (still a good price).

OK, I get it, semantics. DW thought I was stupid for not understanding that, but my logical brain knows I'm paying for all of them, nothing is free. So I was buying THREE at a discount, not buying TWO and getting ONE free.

buy the combo, return the item that costs something, keep the freebie

I like the way you think!

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

Just so you guys know, BOGO is a really odd thing to argue about.

Odd, yes. Interesting? Maybe.

-ERD50

 

[Texas Proud]

Just so you guys know, BOGO is a really odd thing to argue about.

It was a long time ago when my DD bought a BOGO when I was there (I do not go to these places)... and I complained to her that she was NOT shopping right...


She bought 6 items... at various prices... now remember, you get the cheaper item free... so if you buy 6 you pay for the 3 highest priced items and get the 3 lowest price items 'free'... this concept my DD was not able to compute in her young teenage head.... I told her she needed to make 3 separate purchases..



BUT, looking at the receipt it showed that all items were marked down by the 'free' amount... IOW, if the price was the same, like $5... then both showed up as $2.50... If one was $10 and the other $5... the $10 was now $7.50 and the $5 was $2.50...


To defend my previous posts, if you bought the $10 item by itself you paid $10... no discount..

 

[socca]

There was a blurb in AARP magazine about a new gov't reporting requirement for small businesses. I was amazed since I hadn't heard of such a thing. Yep, it's real. It's called Beneficial Ownership Information reporting:

BOI link #1

BOI link #2

There is tax-on-money and tax-on-time. This looks like yet another tax-on-time for small business owners. U.S. gov't bureaucrats don't seem to know what it takes to run a successful small business.

 

[jollystomper]

If this was mentioned before, in my defense I did search for "BOGO":

My big consumer pet peeve is "Buy X, get Y free!", because FREE means at no cost. If I have to buy something, then you're not really giving me anything free, are you? For example, if it's the classic buy one, get one "free", then they really should have to call it "buy two, get 50% off"!! If there really is a "free" item, can I have just the free item? No? THEN IT'S NOT FREE!!!

Some people look at me weird when I complain about that, but I figured this crowd would be more likely to get it.

At our local grocery store, their "BOGO Free" sales are really 1/2 price sales. If you buy 1 item, you get it at half price. If you buy two, you get them for the price of one.

Would you be happier if, instead of "BOGO Free", the store advertised "2 for the price of 1"?

 

[disneysteve]

I think "free" is an often misused word. BOGO is just one example. I'm an ebay seller and many sellers do "free" shipping. Of course it isn't really free. It's just included in the price. Seller A has an item for $30 with "free" shipping while seller B has the same item for $25 + $5 shipping. Or when a hotel advertises that you get "free" breakfast and "free" wifi with your stay. That isn't free as they've set their room rates accordingly to account for the cost of breakfast and internet service. If they weren't including those things, they could charge a few dollars less for the room. You don't see them advertising "free" pillows with your stay or "free" showers. It's all marketing fluff.


My wife and I just stopped into a local bakery. My wife's birthday is this week and she got an email from them for a free cake because she is on their mailing list. We walked in, she picked the cake she wanted, got it, and we walked out. We didn't have to buy anything or spend a penny to get the free item. That's what free should mean.


I guess misuse of the word "free" is a pet peeve for me.

 

[Lewis Clark]

There was a blurb in AARP magazine about a new gov't reporting requirement for small businesses. I was amazed since I hadn't heard of such a thing. Yep, it's real. It's called Beneficial Ownership Information reporting:

BOI link #1

BOI link #2

There is tax-on-money and tax-on-time. This looks like yet another tax-on-time for small business owners. U.S. gov't bureaucrats don't seem to know what it takes to run a successful small business.

This law is intended to help fight issues such as money laundering. As the law is written now, this also applies to homeowner associations and condo associations. Some folks are working to get these requirements clarified and changed so HOA/COA boards do not fall under the requirements.