Abstract Thursday - All Together Now...

It's beginning to look a lot like humbuggery!

A trying day, as I set out to buy a new iMac for my mother. A simple thing, I hear you say, and you'd be right. Mostly. Normally. But not today. Black Friday rules apply, but no blood was shed on either side.

I bought online from John Lewis, because a) I've had excellent service form them in the past, and b) they were a hundred quid cheaper than Apple, who as you may no seldom discount and don't play the Black Friday game at all.

Paid by credit card, which unaccountably they then refused because they'd had a lot of online fraud. Ok. Paid by PayPal, which for me is much the safe thing. Got a receipt. Got an advisory from John Lewis the computer would be available from 2pm today at my local store.

Visited John Lewis. No computer. Yes, they had three in stock, but none of them were mine; they were for local store sales, although nobody had actually bought them. Yes, they admitted I'd bought one, but online, which is sourced from the local warehouse - and they'd been ever-so busy and hadn't dealt with my order. Yes, they could see I'd paid. No, I couldn't have an iMac.

Had a turbulent and free ranging conversation with the staff, who did their best but were unable to authorise the release of local stock for an online purchase. No managers could be found - we did walk around looking for them; they must wear camouflage. 

The online manager was clear, they had my computer but I couldn't have it. Yes, they did have spare computers in stock in the very store I was at, but they weren't my computer and I couldn't have one. They were happy to admit they were at fault, and would refund my money just as soon as the online computer let them, which it wouldn't right now.

In the end I went next door to Apple, where fabulously lively, efficient and friendly staff produced an iMac almost instantly, and met the John Lewis price then beat it by another twenty quid, just because. You might think I'm a simple fanboi, but they really do make everything easy, and fun.

I've no idea whether I've paid for one or two iMacs right now. I do know "click and collect" isn't always as easy as it sounds.

Sooo... Abstract Thursday. Given them their due at @jlandpartners, despite the dreadful Elton on loop all over the store, they do do sone fabulous yuletide decorations. Totally 2001 A Space Odyssey, that point when the acid kicks in. ;-)