Argos TV

Argos are a whole lot less vulnerable than either of those retailers. They have the ability to completely minimise or even discontinue whole departments as and when they become unprofitable. Their priorities can change on a seasonal or permanent basis as demand dictates; if sales in area are down they can simply place more emphasis on their other departments until it picks up again. Their staffing levels and costs are a fraction of those in a department store.

It strikes me as being a bit too late though, the shopping telly market is in decline, I think Ideal World almost went bust a few years back?

George IV Bridge in Edinburgh. But only because my home insurance sent me vouchers to replace a stolen flat screen which were redeemable in that particular shop.

I got the sense that their prices were competitive because they didn't waste money on fripperies like nice shop fronts.

Perhaps Edinburgh will be refitted, but I don't intend to queue up behind boys in tracksuits buying sovereign rings again to find out.

Worked in Argos two years ago, I suggested this idea! Still waiting credit for it!

I don't think the (presumably legally required) ticker telling us that the product has been previously sold for a lower price helps them very much.

oooooh. do tell. You know how the racking you see behind the counter always have a big 56 stamped on them, is that actually aisle 56 or is it just to make it seem bigger? How big is out the back?

Argos is a place I'd love to work just for a day, same with McDonalds.
Having said that McDonalds once rejected an application by myself. I was rather upset by this, in fact I was rather at



Still, not to worry.

I work there too, (nearly 4 years now )

The big 56 stamped on the end is a "fake" aisle number, most of the time the "real" aisle number is at the other end, on a yellow A4 sign.

Our store has 55 aisles in the main stockroom numbered 1-66. (no that is not a typo, there are missing numbers) Stores can have varied numbers of aisles, depending on the layout and size of the stockroom, with consecutive numbers or not, and very possibly aisles numbered 56 etc, but I have never been to a store where the big stamped numbers are correct.

Each store is different. My local store (not the one I work at) has its aisles at the back of collection renumbered 11, 12, 13, 14 etc, in full public view, contradicting the big printed 56 etc.

As for the TV channel... its an experiment, although I'm sceptical of how successful it will be only broadcasting to Sky customers, and with consumer spending currently very low.

That'd be the North Bridge surely. Closes at 6pm during the week, nowhere to park - no wonder it always has the stock I need but can't get my hands on. In the Edinburgh area, I'd say the Straiton one is least worst.

Don't you get caught in the Ikea traffic though?

One thing I've never quite got up here is we have two Argos's in Dundee, but the nearest Argos Extra with all the good stuff is over in Cupar. You'd think they'd have a bigger shop in the city.

And YAY at my theory about the 56 being right. Nobody else ever seems to have noticed this glaring issue of asile 56 being awfully close to the left hand wall in some stores meaning the layout would be impossible.

Good point. It does have a tiny car park and would probably be a nightmare at weekends, though it did save me earlier this week when I had to replace an iron that melted and tried to electrocute me in an overly dramatic fashion.

Seems like they are trying to breathe some new life into the tired Straiton retail park (the old bit with the Homebase in it). Surprised at how many units there are there now, and also even more suprised that Asda are building a store on the other side of IKEA - like, almost next Sainsbury's.

Wonder if Midlothian Council will try and come up with a zany new street name to rival "Costkea Way".

Getting back to Argos, there's one at Craigleith which is alright - next to that huge Sainsbury's that's just been refurbed and expanded. Kinnaird Park is just yuckky and that whole area suffers major traffic problems at the weekends, despite being fairly underwhelming.

You're best keeping it in your fantasies, its possibly the worst job I ever had! Customers treat you like dirt more than any other retail job, and you're treated like a number by the big bosses, expected to serve 5 customers at once and still get 100% mystery shop score. Plus it ruins the magic of how they know your order number .

Just had a quick look at Argos TV.

It's technically dreadful (unlike QVC and Ideal World which generally have quite high production values).

For some reason they are using 25Hz progressive - so the ticker/crawls judder badly, the motion is smeary, and the black levels are all over the place, giving it a washed out, de-saturated, and very cheap look. And it's really soft.

Wonder if some cheap and nasty digitally compressed circuits are being used, or if it is being played out using a "Channel in a Box" PC solution. Badly.

It's like they're using a tricaster.