Stapleton is home to more kids’ birthday parties per capita than probably any place on the planet. On top of that, several people turned forty this year, and there are always theme parties and several direct giving parties for the schools. So, when party-throwers need to get party supplies, they want to make the trip as efficient as possible. What better place to go than a place completely stocked on things for parties?
“I have gone to Party City because they seem to have everything in one place,” says Richele Clark. “I could go to Target, but I feel like the things are all spread out throughout the store. The thing I don’t like about Party City is that the checkout seems long and frustrating, even when no one else is there. Oh, that and helium balloons seem really expensive.” Many customers feel that the checkout process could be better. “I have gone there several times,” says Kathy Young. “It is close by, and they do have all the things I need. But, my goodness, what is up with the checkout? Maybe the employee turnover is high, and they always have ‘the new guy’ training on the register, but it shouldn’t take that long.”
For at least one Party City customer, the laboring checkout process actually caused them to cancel the party. “Maybe I was already having a bad day,” said Kelly Hall, who was planning on throwing a surprise party for her husband. “But, I grabbed all the things I needed, and they are checking me out, and it is taking forever. I think I maybe had 20 items. We switched registers twice, had a couple price checks, and finally I was like, ‘you know what, I think I am alright,’ and I left.” Hall said she wasn’t rude, but just excused herself from the situation. “Like I said, maybe I was already stressed, but watching the employee scan each item for three minutes was killing me. I just thought, ‘this isn’t worth it.’” Hall said she still had the party, but simply went and grabbed a few things from Target. “I’m so happy I kept it simple,” says Hall. “Honestly, by the time I left that Party City, I just didn’t want to party.”
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