Shopaholics Anonymous

Hi. My name is Kaye and I am a Shopaholic. 

LOL.

Once upon a time, when I was still active on the Hong Kong thread of Pinoyexchange.com, I talked like I knew a thing or two about shopping in Hong Kong. Active PExer and I&P Grandmaster, blue_tracer decided he would crown me the "Shopping Monster" (which I objected to, and still object to, as I am no shopping guru), but the nickname stuck - so much so that blue_tracer (BT) even briefed my family (including R!) on my Shopping Monster status on one of those trips we took to Macau, where BT acted as our personal tour guide.

Like I said, I am no shopping monster, but I do love to shop (Who doesn't? Ok, I asked the female readers here ha, not the men, haha!). Yesterday was no exception. Yes, yesterday, I acted like a shopping monster. *sheepish grin* Ok, a little monster - a nice monster at that. Haha!

S&R's Members' Treat started yesterday. My SimSimi Chicken Alarm (you guys should download this free app; it's an alarm that sounds like a rooster crowing - works great, except when... well... when you sleep ON your phone. LOL!) woke us up at 430am. We were out the door and off to S&R Congressional at a quarter to five. I thought we were early enough to grab breakfast at McDonald's Muñoz. I was wrong. The store didn't have Drive-Thru and although there was only one lady in line ahead of me, she took forever. Plus only one counter was open. I wasted a good 10-15 minutes getting our food. By the time we got to S&R (around 530am), there was a line of crazy people snaking its way to the entrance.

This was the line before 530am. Parang field trip lang.

And yes, I was one of 'em crazy folks. I had A snag a spot while RL and I parked the car. We were early still, but not early enough.

The sun finally comes up, and we were there to witness it.
A rare treat for RL, who hardly ever sees the sunrise. We're night owls!

Crazy folks like me at the S&R sale. First day madness!

The line at 6am. Better planning this year, S&R finally implemented a line system!

The people who came early knew exactly what it meant to be patient and wait in line. The friends that joined them later, however... well, they shouldn't even go if they don't have the patience waiting for hours!

This was our spot. There were about 200 people in front of us.
The lola beside us lived right across S&R and yet, she came late. Hehe.
I had her sit on our bag kasi kawawa naman if she squatted like that the whole 3+ hours!

Apparently, some people decided to camp out the night before. There were approximately 200 people in line ahead of us (at 530am!!!). Imagine how that ballooned when 8am drew near. More than half of that 200 had friends, employers (helpers and drivers lined up for them), family members, etc. who came - right before the doors to S&R opened at 8am. They let people in by batches.

Seniors creating their own line and trying to get in ahead of everyone else (well, that's what the guard said).

Line system at 820am. See how it snakes around? And see the hordes of people out in the sun?

I wouldn't want to be under the sun. It helps to come early, at least you don't wait under that heat.
Good thing it didn't rain yesterday. But there sure were a lot of hot-headed people.

We were witness to many altercations, yelling and cursing. Turns out, at around 6am or so, a bunch of senior citizens decided to form their own line by the entrance. They had a relative or helper line up while they waited for them to get to the front of the line. However, some folks thought there was a special line for seniors and started using the "senior kasama namin" excuse to get in the store ahead of everyone else who lined up before the break of dawn (including dozens of seniors who didn't even think they could get special treatment). So the fighting ensued. Soon, there was pushing, cursing, etc. But S&R folks were prepared (better than last year). And soon, it was peaceful again, except for the occasional bickering of those who came with no patience to start with. That, plus the sporadic yelling at a handful of thick-faced people who pretended they had someone waiting in line just so they can cut to the front.

We were in line for a good 3 hours and 45 minutes. My kids were game. I had no problems, except for that one instance when RL cried looking for the iPhone (there's a story here, but I've decided not to share it, lest I want someone to leave a comment about how I should have stayed home or left my kids at home, etc. - uh, read the previous posts please).

Took all the tricks in my bag to keep RL entertained. But he was really cooperative. Probably thought he was an expert at this, too.

Ate A brought a book, and her old, trusty DSLite. The battery worked for a good 6 hours! Yay!

So near, yet so far. The last stretch to the entrance. This was at 9am.
The family in front of us even brought their newborn baby girl. ;)

We finally got inside by 915am! I actually didn't mind the wait. I was ready for this. My kids were psyched. We were equipped with gadgets (an iPhone, a DSL, a V-tech toy), a foldable stool, a book, and a wild imagination (kids played all sorts to while away the time). Overall though, and compared to previous Members' Treat events, S&R really prepared for this one. The system for queues was way, way, better than last year. I just didn't like the fact that they limited the number of carts to one. Initially, they distributed two chips as each cardholder supposedly can get two push carts. Then as we neared the entrance, we were told that management decided that each cardholder can only get one cart max. If you needed more than one, you'd have to try your luck and look for one in the store.

Once inside, I needed blinders to keep me from buying things I didn't need. They had this nice Children's Picnic Table from Lifetime, selling at P2,499.95. And although, I must admit, I wanted it, I didn't need it (we don't even have a place for it!). Besides, RL and I just purchased a Toy Story Kiddie Table Set on Clearance at S&R a few weeks ago. I made mental note after mental note, reminding myself how I didn't need this or that. I double-checked each thing I placed in my cart, making sure I needed it or that I was getting an extra good deal. I was sooooo tempted to get a lot more, really, but I had prayed for self-control and exercised it as best I could (teehee).

It's a good thing A found another cart inside. We filled up one cart in the first 10 minutes we were in the store (oops!). We were in line for the cashiers at 1030am. There were several carts parked by the actual cashier lines that it was hard to tell which ones were "still waiting" and which ones were "ready to pay". RL and A stayed in line with the carts while I went to check out stuff for my brother and my friends (who couldn't get off work). Once, upon returning with plastic shelving (on SALE for P1,899.95, from original price of P3,499.95) for A's Littlest Pet Shop toys, I find A and RL (and our carts) pushed back, two carts down. So I asked and apparently, some helpers (originally at the side and "waiting") had asked A if she was still ready to pay or if she was still waiting for me. Mind you, there were about 5 more carts ahead of us when this happened. When A said I went to get something but will be back, these guys decided they could cut in line. They had just moved and switched places with A right when I arrived with the shelving unit. It was no use to argue. They had their hearts set at getting to the cashiers first, and yes, even if it meant tricking a 9-year-old into moving her cart back. Sigh.

Two words. PANIC. BUYING. Lol!

Then this lady beside me decided she wanted to have a say at what was happening. When I first asked why the kids moved back, she told me not to ask her as she had just arrived at the line. 10 minutes later, she was telling the grandfather to our left that he cut in line. The truth was, the man was trying to get ahead of our carts, because apparently A said it was ok (yes, my daughter's too nice like that). So he was stuck where he was because I wouldn't allow anyone else to go ahead of us (after those two helpers). The lady decided she was next in line and not him, so they had a lengthy quarrel (with the children of the man coming to their father's defense). The woman wouldn't let up, even when the old man was explaining the situation and that he was moving back behind us. Ayayay! Too many hot-headed people with no patience.

Let me just give my two cents on lining up... IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PATIENCE, don't even bother going to the sale. You have to be set on waiting it out. You WAIT getting into the store. You WAIT while maneuvering your cart through the jampacked aisles. You WAIT getting to the cashiers. You WAIT getting your items checked. You WAIT getting out of the store. If you're not a patient person, DO NOT GO. Well, not on the first day.

Kids waiting at the line to the cashiers. Be equipped with snacks and water as lines get super long inside as well.

Anyway, the lines went pretty fast. We were done before 12noon. One thing I noticed though, some SALE tags were up, but the system didn't have the SALE price. So I had to wait another 20 minutes getting a refund on a price discrepancy with the two Mamy Poko diaper packs I got for RL (supposedly on SALE for P604.95, but the system registers it at regular price of P654.95).

ALL DONE!

We got home before 1pm. I say, pretty good for a crazy day at S&R. I read a few tweets about some people getting home at 5pm, even when they were in line as early as 6am. Crazy, you say? Crazy indeed! But I LOVE IT! Haha. Yes, my name is Kaye, and (sheepish grin) I am a Shopaholic.

~~~

S&R's Members' Treat runs from March 28 through April 1, 2012. Happening at all branches, including Pampanga and Cebu. Wanna be updated with SALES such as this? Like S&R on Facebook here.

http://www.snrshopping.com/