Do you detest grocery shopping as much as I do?

Suppose you could get someone to do your grocery shopping for you?

 That was the subject of a magnificent lecture I attended today led by KAT’s Inc.  CEO  & President, Maurice Mercer.  He fascinated me even more by saying , “Seniors get a flat rate.”

The idea for his company came about when his own mother Kathryn Jenkins

an MSN was stricken with a debilitating illness which no longer allowed her to do her own shopping and other errands. You can read more about the background of his brainchild on the website. 

Some of what I remember from the lecture included the following:

• Employees/shoppers/delivery persons (Hereafter referred to as ESD) are bonded, insured and under a company insurance policy for other incidentals. They are given a background check.

• They will shop at the stores you want them to.

• Stores will give the senior discount on senior discount days when KAT’s tells them they are shopping for a senior.

• ESDs are part-timers and wear red t- shirts with the name of the business on front and  shopping cart logo.

• ESDs will go to more than one store, up to 3 stores if they are  within the same area. Otherwise there is an upcharge.

• ESDs  will put the groceries up for you if you are unable to do so.

• Clients may e-mail, text or phone in their orders.  Orders phoned in after 7pm go to voicemail.

• If an ESD can’t find an item a client has listed, the ESD will call/text to ask the client about substitutes.

• Shopping lists need to be at KAT’s the day before the shopping.

• ESDs give clients a time window as to when the delivery will be made.

After giving the basics of the business Mr. Mercer took questions from the audience. 

My questions were;

•   Must clients sign a contract? No. But they must have a credit card on file even if they pay by check. No cash payments are allowed.  

•    May a client use coupons? Yes. The client can mail in the coupons. If the ESD has to pick them up and then shop that is an extra fee. KAT’s also uses digital coupons they may find online.

This is a service that is certainly needed by seniors/disabled or chronically ill. I found Mr. Mercer’s responses to be full of human compassion and well thought out. I will be using this service at least once just as an experience.

This free program was sponsored by Senior Services Division of the  Human-Community Services and Economic Development  and was held at Cooper Green Mercy Health Services.  There was also free parking with a validated ticket.  I will be attending future programs sponsored by the organization.

As I age I want to stay informed of the services out there for me.

That's it 

Remedial Shopping 101

I’ve really got to broaden my scope when it comes to shopping. I had no idea that Lands’ End was a separate store inside of Sears.   

I haven’t been to the Galleria Mall in ages. It’s a huge place and one of the few indoor malls still in existence.  Parking in the Sears lot would serve as a reminder as to where I’d parked my car once I’d finished my minuscule shopping.  I was going in only one store and that was Torrid, which I’d never been to or heard of until someone told me about it.  I actually had to look at the mall map to locate the store.

Before leaving Sears I decided to look around . I first asked a salesclerk where the full figured clothing was. She told me I was presently in Lands’ End  and that the rest of the Sears clothing was over there. She pointed. I thanked her and proceeded to peruse the goods. They had a good selection of larger sizes.

After selecting three items, I scanned the  Ladies  section and spied the fitting room behind the register where the initial clerk was. I walked over and told her I’d like to try on the items.  She told me to go right on in. She and another sales person continued working on pricing and arranging  goods.

I decided on a red top, went back out and told the initial clerk that I wanted to purchase it. She apologetically told me that they were having to arrange inventory and had a short time to finish it so, she couldn’t check me out. The other clerk chimed in with, “Didn’t you read the sign?” I looked around for a sign. My eyes finally rested on a  5”x 7” navy blue card, with white writing, and approximately 16 font, Bodoni   type, perched on a three inch high, wire holder.

 It stated something similar to the following:   

This register closed. Inventory being processed. Proceed to next register.

 I  asked where I could pay for the garment and was told to go to a Sears register.  Looking about, I saw another suspended

 CHECKOUT HERE sign and headed that way.

I’m not angry about the incident. I too have worked in retail and oftentimes it is stressful.  

Perhaps Lands’ End should build a wall separating it from Sears though it is inside of Sears. It would be a huge help to infrequent, unknowledgeable, shoppers such as me.  There should be GIGANTIC   signage with the Lands’ End logo emphasizing,  

  Pay for LANDS’ END items here. SEARS items cannot be checked out at this register.

This would be helpful for the employees also.  Maybe they wouldn’t have to explain this  every time an unaware, befuddled, consumer, ambles into the hallowed space of Lands’ End.

That's it ***