The 3 Towns Coffee centre

[Fester]

It does this week dear lady!   No chocolate (my main downfall) has passed my lips.

[Blodyn]

Well done, Fester!   

[hollins]

I went to watch a curling match for the first time in my life tonight,
As my mum would say, "another tick H."

[Yorkie]

And not one hair-dresser in sight!    L0L

[Fester]

And not one hair-dresser in sight!    L0L

 

[Fester]

This article spells out the enormous legal penalties these days for 'Insider Share Trading'
It involves Punch Taverns, (one of Pendragon's favourite companies) 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16731993

Its very difficult to prove insider trading, and recently the CEO of Tesco UK was accused of it.

[born2run]

I recently ordered a Pioneer theatre amp, and what surprised me was the paucity of protective wrapping in which it arrived. The chap who actually delivered it to me was careful enough, but for sure no one else in the delivery chain was.  Mind you, having seen the way luggage is treated at an airport, I'd also be very loathe to put anything valuable in a suitcase.

On the same theme be wary of buying electrical goods from a certain warehouse/store named after a greek dog.
I worked in the warehouse for the Christmas one year, and even saw managers literally throwing valuable electrical goods on the shelves, if something drops from any height it's immediately just put back on the shelves. The rate of returns in that store is horrendous, we'd put almost as many things back on shelves as we took off!

[Ian]

I've often wondered with that store, but I  only ever buy light sockets and the like from them. The onyl time I did buy somehting larger, it had clearly been opened and re-sealed.

[Ian]

Which of the top 20 slogans would you rate as the greatest? Full article

    1. Beanz Meanz Heinz - Heinz (1967)
    2. Just Do It - Nike (1987)
    3. Does Exactly What It Says On the Tin - Ronseal (1994)
    4. Make Love Not War - various (1960s)
    5. Every Little Helps - Tesco (1993)
    6. Have a Break. Have a Kit Kat - Kit Kat (1957)
    7. Vorsprung Durch Technik - Audi (1982)
    8. Think Different - Apple (1997)
    9. It is. Are You? - The Independent (1986)
    10. It's Finger Lickin' Good - KFC (1950s)
    11. Say It With Flowers - FTD (1917)
    12. Keep Calm and Carry On - HM Government (1939)
    13. It's The Real Thing - Coca-Cola (1940)
    14. You Either Love It Or Hate It - Marmite (1996)
    15. Because I’m Worth It - L'Oreal (1971)
    16. Snap! Crackle! Pop!- Kellogg’s (1932)
    17. Never Knowingly Undersold - John Lewis (1925)
    18. Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite - France (1789)
    19. Refreshes The Parts Other Beers Cannot Reach - Heineken (1973)

[Yorkie]

I've often wondered with that store, but I  only ever buy light sockets and the like from them. The onyl time I did buy somehting larger, it had clearly been opened and re-sealed.

I think you will find that the box is opened and the contents checked before it is handed to the customer to ensue the item is complete.  This is done particularly with things where there are chargers or other bits included.   A precaution against false claims at a later stage.

In fact when buying at a lot of stores this happens - did the saleman check the items with you when you last bought a mobile phone?

I even know people who will get stuff from the particular retailer, do the job they want to do and then take it back as faulty!   And are proud of themselves for their deceit!   

We did say it was Argos - didn't we?       I've never had problems with any purchase from them either in store or buying online, they have some great bargains!    My last was a 38" Smart TV for less than £300 with all the knobs and whistles I could want.    ZXZ

[Fester]

Oh, Argos is the Greek dog is it?

Well, I don't know about that, but as a retail organisation they are first class.
The range, price and service are unbeatable I find.

I worked in retail and home shopping all my career, for various companies, but Argos were always the envy of all, the benchmark.
I always marvelled (and still do) as to how they manage to stock a range as vast as they have, in such a small store.

I shop there regularly, and have never had a compaint of any kind.

[born2run]

Their cheap goods come at a price I'm afraid - that's poorly paid and treated staff, incompetent work processes and numerous health and safety violations. I can only comment on what I saw and that was products over stuffed on shelves because there wasn't enough room, this coupled with lack of training and supervision means products bouncing off the floor and being put straight back on shelves to go straight to customers. To be honest if you do get something and it works I'd put it down to luck as much as anything else

[Fester]

I see that Facebook is getting ready to float on the Stock Exchange.

Full article here.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16779779

Personally I think that to value a company that doesn't produce anything at over $75 billion is complete madness.
As soon as the next improved social media fad comes along to replace it, then all that money will be worth nothing.

[DaveR]

Facebook is hideously overvalued, but surely the point about it 'not producing anything' is irrelevant. Google doesn't produce anything, yet is is a highly profitable company.

[Merddin Emrys]

Nothing wrong with companies that produce nothing except profits, in fact I rather like them