Sometime in the last 25 years, I was talked into shopping at a store called Big Lots. It was explained to me that this particular store bought up lots of discontinued or overstocked merchandise at bargain prices, which savings were then passed on to its shoppers.
It was a terrifying experience. The store was dirty and messy, there was little or no organization to it, and many of the store's "aisles" were created by long lines of large cardboard boxes on the floor that customers were expected to paw through. I about had a nervous breakdown, as my wife described it.
I could not be prevailed upon to visit a Big Lots store again, at least not until this weekend.
Except that there were no boxes on the floor, this store was just like the other one -- messy and dirty and disorganized, and many items were clearly created for them because the Big Lots name was printed right on the packages. As if that were not enough, the prices were outrageous. One would do better at a dollar store.
Perhaps because I felt forewarned by my previous visit, I did not have a breakdown this time, and I did actually make a small purchase because they had something I can't find anywhere else.
Just now I came across the receipt, the bottom of which asks me to tell them how they are doing, and if I logged into the web site and took their survey, I could win a $300 Big Lots Gift Card. That stopped me right there. I would love to tell them what I think of them, but it would be just my luck to win the damn $300 and have to go into that store again.
And I will not. Ever.
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