October 12, 2011Dear Sir,Premier Paul Cox can try to make us shop here locally, but it won’t work. Retailers have become lazy over the years. When people didn't travel, we had no other alternative but to shop locally. There wasn't any competition to bring the customer into your place of business. We now know they have been gouging their prices and the service has become nonchalant. Now we have other means of shopping, it is time for the retailers to woo us back, now they have to realise they have to work hard to get us to shop with them. I personally will shop where I feel welcomed and well served, so I do shop at a few local shops, but not many.Here's an example of bad service ( which there are many). I stop at a “service” station to get gas, I am standing out in the pouring rain (I get mixed gas, there isn't any shelter there) waiting and waiting for service ( this has happened a few times). Then the attendants disappear when you need change. Meanwhile you are trying to make time, because gas stations are on your way to somewhere else. Many times they see you waiting, but they have to finish talking to their mates. They don't understand the fact that I pay part of their pay cheque and people like me are keeping them employed.The second problem with retail, is the simple fact that they have tried to cater to people who work in the exempted companies and have left the average Bermudian without a place to shop. What I mean by this is bringing in designer clothes and accessories. Know your client, most Bermudians that are shopping away are shopping at outlets and places like Wal-Mart. Bermuda doesn't have any place like that here and they can't compete with those prices. I stopped shopping at places that have gone designer, I don't need designer prices to look good.It's time for retailers to start working for their clients. And stop treating their customers like they are always wrong! Start bending over backwards for us and we will return.WOO ME BACKPembroke