Shopping - Iranian Style!

Even though we're still waiting for the previous tenants to move out of our new flat, the Husband and I are buying bits and pieces for our new place.

Yesterday, we went to a department store to buy a hoover and food processor. The system for shopping in big stores is really strange. Rather than putting all the irons together, all the hoovers together etc. the store is organised by brand. I guess it's easier in some ways, so you can avoid the Iranian brands and go straight to the imported ones! Amazingly, even though the people in the shop are paid to work in the shop, you see them catching up on their sleep, playing with mobile phones and just generally ignoring potential customers!

So, Husband and I selected our hoover and food processor, and the girl behind the counter gave us a slip. Turns out, you have to take the slip to the central money counter, pay for your item, then take the receipt back to the original counter to collect your item. OK, sounds quite straight forward. You'd think that in that time, the sales assistant would pack up your item ready for collection, but no! You take your receipt back to the sales assistant, who then opens the box and checks that EVERY SINGLE feature of the food processor and hoover works before she re-packs it into the box. I shouldn't complain, at least I know that everything works before taking it home, but it just takes so fricking long! (BTW its an all singing, all dancing food processor that my mother would be truly proud of!)

To leave the shop, you have to pass through a security checkpoint, who confirms your purchases against your receipt and tears half the receipt off!

I miss my Tesco :-(