Shopping at Matas

In many ways, Denmark is light years ahead of the States (social system and environmentalism being my two biggest examples).  But in other ways, it is almost as if I was put into a time machine and transported back to the days of my Grandmothers, or say, Betty Draper.  Shopping is the biggest example I have of this.

During the last several years I lived in Athens, I became very used to shopping at Wal-Mart for nearly all of my needs, from servicing the tires on my car to prescription medications to things for the home to food.  One-stop-shopping.  While there is one of the national chain Bilka stores in town, it is a good hike away by bike.  Even then, I would never be able to buy Everything I Needed, 1. because it isn't there, and 2. bring it back home by bike or on bus.  Oh, how I miss my car and its spacious trunk!

Here, there are two butcher shops on my street within a short distance.  One of them even has signage that it has horse meat.  I have never been to that shop.  One must also go to an optometry store just to buy saline for contact lenses.  (Still not sure why, but maybe saline is too dangerous to be dispensed by non-ophthalmologists.)  Even Bilka doesn't (can't?!) carry that.  Any pain killer more powerful than an aspirin must be had at the pharmacy.  Even aspirin is available only at the larger grocery stores - not all of them - and ALL bottles of aspirin are in small bottles.  Apparently it is also too dangerous here to buy a Valu-Size of OTC pain killers.  The list goes on and on.

This is where the national chain Matas comes into play.  It reminds me of Super-X, circa 1982, but without the pharmacy (because a prescription here can only be had at a pharmacy!).  You remember Super-X - they often occupied the storefront next to Kroger back in the day.  Matas has a very extensive selection of personal care products, from vitamins to makeup, hair and facial care (including facial hair!) to all your shower and bath needs.  Ace bandages, Band-Aids, thermometers.  You get the idea.

I really hate going into this store, but always am sure to check out their ads online, just so I don't miss a really great deal.  Without Wal-Mart here, one must scrutinize all of the stores' ads in order to not miss a really great deal.  This week, Matas had something I really needed: nail polish remover (200ml for 20DKK ~that's about $3.33 for a bottle just a little smaller than the smallest Cutex bottle).  Also, tampons were 2 boxes for 35, and Garnier had new facial care products.

The sale began on Monday at 9.30 a.m., and when I got there around 3 p.m., I was the only customer in the store staffed by two.   I did not see any of the sale signs on the items I wanted.  In fact, I did not see any more nail polish bottles on the shelf!  "Really?!" I thought to myself, "Can they actually be sold out already?!"  Being sold out of an item by late Monday afternoon would not be unheard of here.  So one of the two clerks asked if she could help me, and I said, "Yes, do you have any more of these, and are they on sale?"

She went to the back and returned with two huge boxes of the product.  By that time, I had grabbed a copy of the flier and confirmed with her that this was indeed the one on sale.  I also looked for my tampons.  Three sizes were available, but only one of each size was on the shelf!  Still, no price stickers.  "Really?!" I thought to myself, "Can they actually be sold out already?!" So I asked the clerk to check for more of my size in the back. 

She looked confused as to why I would need two boxes of tampons!  So I pointed to the notice in the flier that had "2 for 35", and she then seemed to get it.  When she returned from the back, she said that there were no more tampons.  "Really?!" I thought to myself, "Can their distribution system be this bad?!" Apparently so.  The clerk then tried to sell me on buying two, but one in another size.  "No thanks!" I said.  After all, size DOES make a difference, right?  Why else would they offer all those sizes!?!  "What kind of drugs is SHE on?!" I wondered.  Oh, probably the ones oozing from all the chemical products in the store.

On to the next item, Garnier Nordic Care skin products.  The moisturizer clearly stated on the front that it was "Paraben Free!"  Yes! This is good!!  But I was looking for toner and wipes.  They were both loaded with parabens.  No thanks, Garnier!

I have no idea what goes on in that store, but all my many years of retail work experience are rubbed the wrong way whenever I shop there.  Bossy, in-your-face clerks (they must work on commission), lack of signage, poor distribution and lack of products - let alone regularly-stocked SALE products on the first day of the sale!  Not one of my old retail managers would have stood for that, especially while the store was so dead (a.k.a. lack of customers; empty)!  Although it is not Matas' fault, and while Garnier should get some props for having some paraben-free products, their other paraben-filled products left me with another disappointed feeling.

Get it together, people.  Shopping for 3 regularly stocked sale items on the first day of the sale should not be so aggravating.  Just another nick on the US side of the scoreboard of USA vs. Denmark.  I must say, however, that I did appreciate the clerk not switching to English as soon as my American accent came tumbling out of my mouth.  That usually always happens there!