Normally, you should be happy when you walk out of a store, especially after you've bought something you want... not my experience.

Case in point: Boxing Day afternoon 2003.

4:30pm. At Staples. There's no line-up.

Me, my dad, and my sister are at the till purchasing two printers, costing $88. (This is not a math problem!) We were trying to take advantage of the store's rule of beating the lowest price of their competitor, so we hold up a flyer from Compusmart, pointing out the fact that the other guys are selling the exact same thing for a lower price- $79. Girl sees it. Claims that there's a mathematical mistake on the flyer. We argue that there's no such error and after three minutes, she gives in.

4:35pm. Two people behind us.

For some reason, the store's cash just won't do the price match. She calls another guy to come in an examine the machine. The guy fixes the machine and tells her to do two separate transactions for each printer so that we can take advantage of their holiday offer for a free $10 gift certificate for each $100 we spend. Then, he suggested, we can apply the $10 on the second printer, saving us money. What a deal!

4:40pm. Six people behind us.

"Ding!" The register shows $115.75 on the screen. Dad peers at the number, and asks in a confident voice, "That's for the two printers, I suppose?" Girl shakes her head and says bluntly, "No. Just one of them." After another five minutes of haggling, we realize that on top of the $50 instant rebate that brought the price down to this astronomical figure, we had to send in a separate "mail-in rebate" to bring the total down below $79. Add the taxes (and subsequent inflation that occured while waiting in the line), you get $115.75. Plus, we can't actually use the $10 coupon on the second printer, because that would cancel out the the other $10 coupon we'd get. Dad argues some more.

4:45pm. Some disgruntled shoppers leave the line. The woman behind us is quite entertained, however.

The visa card is finally swept through and a flurry of receipts pour out of the till. One for the VISA. Two for the rebate. (Three to get ready, now go cat go...)

In the 21st century, you'd think shopping technology would advance to a simple a swipe-and-go process? No. At Staples, they've turned shopping into a mini calculus course.