Tuesday 12 January 2010

Happy Easter?

I was prepared for the Valentine's Day gifts and cards to be in the shops by now, but I have spotted my first Easter egg display in Marks and Spencer this afternoon. No wonder the years seem to be going past so fast when we're frogmarched by the shops to the next celebration. We haven't even finished our Quality Street yet! Anyone else seen an Easter display earlier than this?

And have any of you purchased or tried to purchase this?:




I've been asking in newsagents and supermarkets but they've all sold out. The assistant in W.H. Smith told me they'd had a lot of boxes delivered because they anticipated it would be popular. How right they were. Not a copy to be had anywhere in a ten mile radius of me.

Not to be outdone and not even thinking of paying the prices asked on Ebay, I telephoned the company that launched the magazine, told them of my problem and ordered a copy from them. It should be here next week. If any of you want this first issue and haven't been able to find it, the company web site is: http://www.theartofcrochet.com/

However, something occurred to me while I was ordering my copy...

You know how, when you phone a corporation or shop etc. that recorded voice comes on the line to say 'your call may be recorded'? Well, I asked the guy whether my call was being recorded. I was told that ALL calls are recorded. When I pointed out that I was about to give my credit card details and that they too would be recorded, I was assured that 'only the top, top management of the company get to hear the tapes'.

Oh. That's OK, then, because it goes without saying that if they're 'top, top management', they must be trustworthy.



How many times have I ordered things over the phone and my details have been recorded 'for training purposes'? This fact has only just occurred to me. Have I been slow in realising this? Do other people avoid ordering over the phone for this reason, and is it something we should be protesting about?

Blessings
Andi xx

19 comments:

  1. Easter chocolates were in the shops before Christmas! My friend JJ spotted a sign saying " Easter Chocolate on display on the 22nd December " at the checkout of her local supermarket. It was a Nestle product. Shame on them! She was majorly miffed, as I would have been, thats really going too far.

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  2. I actually think ordering online is safer than the phone. If the web address starts out https then it has extra security. We got a credit card that we use only for online purchases. It has only a $500 limit just in case anything should go wrong--but I've never had a problem.

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  3. I think there are many copies of that crochet mag on ebay!
    I wish I had bought one now ... as WH Smiths had loads!
    There must be an awful lot of people learning to crochet!
    ;-)

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  4. Seeing as I'm a crochet novice - I didn't actually get round to buying a copy - mind you there must be a lot of us out there who are learning!
    I saw Easter eggs in Tesco's but put it to the back of my mind straightaway - whatever next!
    x

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  5. I think we're still celebrating Epiphany in France, so that's a good way to hold Easter at bay! However, I've just got the February edition of my 'Avantages' magazine through the post and it's all about underwear, so I can now expect the usual pre-Valentine's day underwear adverts to start popping up everywhere!

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  6. I tried to get a copy in Sainsburys on Saturday...no luck either.Thanks for pointing about the 'recorded calls' thing.You have to be aware of these things.
    I've seen Valentine cards but no Easter eggs yet...but then havn't been out much yet because of the white stuff!

    Bellaboo

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  7. Saw Cabury's Creme Eggs on sale in Asda this week......... I personally dont think online ordering is terribly safe either. Somebody spent over two hundred pounds of my money online in Tescos last year...... Only found out when I just happened to check my bank account the next day. Thank goodness I did!

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  8. Shoot..that's a good point about your info being recorded..hmm. It's ridiculous how stores sell holiday items 3 months before..LOL! Thanks for visiting and today my body is aching all over from the exercise...sigh.

    Sandy xox

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  9. I'm in Hertfordshire as well, and yes there are already Easter displays in the shop. I think it is terrible and refuse to look at them.

    I never managed to get one of those crochet books which is probably just as well really as I'm not supposed to be buying magazines this year due to the Utmost Challenge ;-)

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  10. I had my first Cadbury's creme egg on my birthday 22nd Dec.
    Yikes!

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  11. I know! Easter straight after christmas! It gets worse! suzie xxx

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  12. I know it -- the stores can just confuse the heck out of you -- sometimes I have to remind myself what season we're in -- the worst was a few years ago when I was a store that had a "back to school" display out when school hadn't even let out yet!

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  13. Nope, not me. I am not ready for easter yet, at least not until the Christmas boxes in the garage are put up in the attic. I am still waiting for some help to do that. You know I never realized that about the "recording for training purposes", but you're right. Hmmmm!....Christine

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  14. Nope - No chocolate in those eggs! :-) I was in Hobby Lobby about a week ago, and they already had some Easter things out! I have often wondered about the recorded calls, when they are asking for personal info. :(
    Thanks for stopping by.

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  15. That is an excellent point about 'your call may be recorded for training purposes'. I even figure the person who I am talking to could write down my c.c. number. What's a person to do? You have to give some a c.c. number or a bank debit card # to order anything. About the Easter stuff--I agree, the stores push that stuff so early. I did see Valentines day merchandise before Christmas was over. Will have to take a look and see if the Easter stuff has been put out in the stores, I bet it has.

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  16. Oh, and that was a great photograph that you used to illustrate 'the top' listening in...

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  17. Hi Andi!

    You are so fun! "Is this call recorded!!!---ha!

    Thanks for the stop over and I am a Jane Austen lover too!

    love, kelee

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  18. Andi, thank you so much for coming by and seeing me...Hope you have a great day my friend...hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

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  19. Hello again,
    Just spotted that you are reading the most excellent and uplifting Guernsey book - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!
    Happy reading to you,
    D x

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