Shopping in Paris. Quaintness vs Obtuseness.

* MAIL
This morning I went to the post office with the slip of paper the facteur leaves when s/he can't fit a package in your mailbox. The customer service rep said "you have to come back tomorrow," which was confusing because the paper indicates they couldn't leave the package and they will leave it at the post office for you to pick up next day. Oh well!

* MAKEUP
Yesterday I went to Marionnaud to pick up some facial creams I bought on their website. They said they couldn't look up the delivery based on my name. I had to return with the printout of the email. Ugh. (fail #1)

Then I figured since I was there I would take care of another issue that's been dangling for about a year. I asked a saleswoman to combine my two customer accounts into one, which a service rep told me I needed to do IN THE STORE because she couldn't over the phone. (fail #2)

After she goes in the back room, two sales reps told me they couldn't do it because none of their computers were working. (fail #3)

Today I went back to try and collect my creams. Success.

They got me the package and the salesgirl asked if I would like for her to open the box to be sure they are in a bon etat (good condition). I figured "why not, could be a good idea instead of finding out they shipped the wrong products and I'd have to go back a third time." Besides, my son was happily amusing himself reorganizing some makeup and testers in a display. :)

All's well. She's putting everything back and I tell her I don't need a shopping bag as I already have one that I can use. So I see her close everything back up in the shipping box. I think, "I don't need the box and all the shipping fluff. If she's giving me the box, I'll need their shopping bag after all." (At this point I just want to get out of the store.) So I say "after all, I will take the bag," figuring she'll put the box in the bag and we can go.

Nope. She now opens the box, takes out all the items, all the coupons, some more échantillons (samples), and put them loose in the shopping bag.

I don't feel like explaining it all to her, or having to deal with her confusion when I dump everything from their bag into my bag, so I just take their shopping bag with all the stuff and go. (wasteful)

Just another typical shopping moment in Paris! There are some days where I can deal with this quaint way of doing business and exchanges, with the sometimes obtuseness of it. But the last two days it just seemed all very inefficient.