shops, companies, services, & goods

My review of companies small or large, their goods & services, their marketing techniques, and everything related.

online shopping (temu.com)

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I wrote to the website, temu.com, to share my views.  I think companies ought to know why someone passes them by.

As soon as I try to view a product (from duckduckgo.com), I’m immediately brought to a registration page. I’ve tried several times to view something and have to pres the ‘esc’ button to prevent it. When trying to view details, it does the same thing. Either this is a glitch on your website or a heavy-handed approach to push customers to sign up. Either way, it has dissuaded me from purchasing from you. You seem to have a great selection of what I want, but I am unwilling to put up with this. I wouldn’t allow this in a physical store of any kind, a work environment, a church, playing cards with friends, or any other environment. Let ME choose if I wish to sign up.

Think they’ll care?

inversion table

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I finally bought a new inversion table to replace the one that Hanyoung stole in 2010.  Canadian Tire in Brooks, AB, was the closest store that had one.  I left work late in the evening with enough time to purchase it before CT closed.  It was a heavy brute.  What they lacked in quickness finding the product and bringing it out to me, the CT staff almost made up for by loading it into the van.

When home, I assembled part of it before making a bowl of noodles and finally falling asleep in the living room holding the bowl half-full of noodles.

The next day, the assembly continued.

It wasn’t hard.  The instructions were very precise and thorough (and wordy).  Finally, it was time to use it.  Finally, some back pain relief.

I’ll let you know how useful it is.

FT’s road trip, house #2, new fridge

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FT is on the road again, on a trek to Saskatchewan with TF.  So I’m on my own now for two weeks.  Nothing wrong with two old guys rattling across the prairies in a Pontiac.  They went last year, making this a now annual event.

This leads me to my next topic – travel.  I haven’t gone anywhere this year.  I’ve been working on the rental properties and the teardrop trailer, working only half days the past few weeks because of the heat.  Since Floyd’s leg started acting up, I’ve decided to take it easi(er).

The plumbing for the rear suite (formally called the garage) at house #2 is now complete.  It passed inspection just yesterday.  It is still a garage for now as there is still a bay door in it.  But that will soon disappear.  Next task: framing interior walls.

On my way back from trying to pay the Gutter Shop for work to be done at house #2 (turns out they closed down their storefronts, and Google hasn’t caught up to it), I stopped at Starbucks for a cup.  Nice day for a coffee in a shady outdoor area.

I bought a new fridge a week ago, and it finally arrived yesterday.  It’s a Whirlpool 18 cu. ft. freezerless fridge.  The problem is, it has to go back.  The fridge door is not reversible!  I haven’t seen a fridge with no reversible door for ages.  So I called, and they’re sending someone in the next few days to bring it back.  So I ask you, why would they make a fridge that 50% of the population cannot use?

Their explanation is that it is stainless steel.  …  What?  What the heck does that have to do with it?  I thought and have come to the assumption that people who want stainless steel fronts do not want extra holes with plugs in them.  There aren’t many fridges out there without freezers, so pickings are slim.  In the mean time, FT has opted for a normal fridge with freezer at the bottom.

how to get a five star rating (or, not)

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Someone asked me why I gave five stars to a recent chat with a company.  Were they really worth five stars?  This is how I give out my stars.

One for responding within the time frame I required of them.
One for understanding the issue and not confusing it with another.
One for being knowledgeable.
One for finding a solution.
One for explaining, teaching, showing well in a meaningful, polite, non-robotic way.

If you’ve done all this, then you get five stars out of me.  If not, then not.

flat tire, new rims

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Well this is embarrassing!

But these tiny spare tires are supposed to do up to 80km/h.  Wow.

Even last winter when A&C were visiting, two tires went flat.  Cheap iron rims.  They rusted and continually lost their bead.  Matt B., a tire guy I know at Elrich, told me these would probably last 3 or 4 years, especially if only used in winter.  He knows his stuff,  Not using them during hot weather loosens the bead, moisture gets in, and the metal begins to rust.

So I went to Kia to order rims.

What do you think?  I know, I know, they’re a lot of money for just a set of rims.  The point is a) I hated those winter beater car iron rims, b) I wanted something nicer to match the summer rims, and c) I hated pumping up my tires every few days.

when drinking coffee, time … flies

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During my days looking for employment daily and practising engineering & architectural stuff, I sometimes head to a coffee shop.  There’s one close by called Good Earth.  Nice surroundings, nice enough people.  The coffee’s not fantastic – a bit on the weak side – but good enough.  Free refill.  Good scones.  I commented to a server that the music playing was good.  Then, 10 minutes later, a person in the back turned it to something else – “You’re no good, you’re no good, you’re no good, baby you’re no good,” repeated the lyrics over and over and over and …  <sigh>  I left.  I used to go to Starbucks (MMDS), but there are so many flies there that it makes it impossible to concentrate on anything I’m doing.  The coffee is always good.  Yesterday I went to the Starbucks downtown.  Also good coffee.  I once waited about 20 minutes for a coffee at The Penny Coffee House.  Good coffee, nice enough surroundings, but so busy that it took forever.  I couldn’t complain because the staff are all working full-tilt.  But sometimes it’s just nicer to sit at home and continue working.  Cheaper, too, for someone not employed.  Unfortunately, staying in the house all day makes the day drag on.