[Rant-ish] Visiting physical retail stores has become kind of a chore.

It's not so much because we can just buy whatever we want (legally and as long as it's in stock, obviously) but also when dealing face-to-face with staff members sometimes they can be underwhelming, shops can have dodgy customers (shoplifters and smelling like they've not had a bath in months) and waiting lines sometimes are too long. And so on.

But despite that, most people use retail stores a ton and they tend to be really full so in terms of business, it's good for the companies.

I'll personally be popping in to HMV on the 25th of this month (Black Friday) but I'll try to go during the morning because I already know Oxford Street will be hell after 10am (too many damn people everywhere). For grocery shopping I always make my way to Farmfoods, LIDL and a few times Aldi as I just get the usual and call it a day.