Nespresso

Be careful, their sales are all liars. I bought a coffee machine for $ 550, she told me the good guy’s price is similar. Actually, at the good guys, it’s only $ 350! I went back to ask her, she said I should do some research before purchasing. Now I’m doubting everything she said. I’m wondering whether the machine is as good as she said.

Nespresso, what would I do without you?!
The city store is impeccable, unique and sets the trend for stores of the future. The ground floor has floor to celing walls of colourful boxes of Nespresso capsules neatly stacked up. It looks so pretty that I can’t resist walking in and buying a sleeve of capsules on most occasions.
The system is something from a future world in a movie. They make self-​service fun. You grab a nice paper carry bag, explore the capsule walls complete with descriptions of the different types of coffee, take a sleeve, and watch the magic of the boxes sliding down from the ceiling by 1 box. Then head to the automated registers to pay and simply put your bag on the register and voila, the machine magically knows what’s in your bag!
The only thing is, you need to sign up for a Nespresso card (free, but must own a Nespresso machine) to do this as you need to swipe your card at the register, much like a library card.
If no card, then no worries. Just head up to level 1 where you can purchase the sleeves the good old fashioned way at the staffed registers. As you walk upstairs, you can admire the capsule artpieces on the walls.
On level 1, you can sample any Nespresso coffee and hang around the circular sample station with the other coffee hipsters (no, they’re not really hipsters).
The first floor also stocks sleek coffee accessories (I’ve been tempted by the coffee cups and saucers many times!).
In terms of presentation, this is without a doubt my favourite store in Sydney!

Nespresso is Nespresso. But what I love about this outlet is the US to Aussie exchange rate! Now that the $$ is stronger it’s a nice 25% discount to buy Nespresso here! And to top it off, I had a friend who lives in Sydney buy a LOT of capsules and mail them to me. Even with postage, I saved more than 20% over US prices. Thanks Aussie dollar for dropping for me!

Let me tell you about my first time, because it was beautiful.
I walked in to the Nespresso store in Pitt Street mall to pick up a few sleeves of pods. I managed to sneak in the side door and shoved the flavours I was after into one of the bags by the entrance. At that point I must have looked confused as one of the staff greeted me and was asked if I had been there before — «no».
Clerk: Do you have a membership card?
Me: No. My husband does (my standard response when I want to be left alone — and I was kind of in a mood).
Clerk: No problem, we’ll make you a duplicate.
The clerk went behind the counter, and within seconds of providing two bits of information (I believe a last name and a postal code), I was handed a card. I liked that, I was on my lunch and was hoping not to be delayed by providing copious amounts of personal information and spelling everything twice. Impressed, I cheered up a bit.
The clerk confirmed I was done shopping and walked me to a till. And it was magical. I’ve never seen anything like it. If you haven’t been here before, let me explain: there’s 4 self serve tills in the middle of the store, and one manned till off to the side (for cash transactions). The tills look like big ATMs.
Clerk: «Put your bag in the box»
Me: *puts my bag into the big shelf/​hole in the middle of the ATM/​till*.
Clerk: «Scan your membership card»
Me: *scans card*
Clerk: *points to the screen* «Is that right?»
Um, what? The machine KNOWS WHATS IN MY BAG. Apparently each sleeve is micro chipped so there’s no need to scan — just shove it all machine and there you go.
I paid using the pinpad and left.
The whole thing lasted under 5 minutes and was perhaps the best shopping experience of my life. I was so dazzled by the efficiency — the technology — that I came back to work in a fog. I tried to excitedly tell a couple of co-​workers and could barely get the words out.
Now that I have a card, the process is even faster and I can be in and out in under a minute with no human contact. The staff are friendly and helpful if you want to talk to them, I usually at least smile and say hello.

All good things come in small packages. I couldn’t agree more, especially
when it comes to Nespresso Capsules. The coffee — WOW!
With 16 unique flavours, there is bound to be something you like. To figure out your favourite, head to the ground floor for a tasting. My favourite is Roma and Livanto. Although I frequently buy Indriya and Volluto too. Arpeggio is a bit bitter for my taste, so I’m not concerned when they are low on stock of those. Although, If you see the wall behind the counter stacked with capsules it’s hard to imagine them running out of any particular flavour.
3 times a year they launch special flavours — April, September and December. Get in Quick! Last year, the caramel livanto was sold out on in the first week or release and then funnily enough available on ebay for a premium.
Nespresso is my favourite store in the city. It’s gorgeous from the inside and delicious on the inside. Glass exteriors with stainless steel finishes, glossy floors to spot lightings, everything looks polished and glamorous. The 16 capsules have their own unique colour and it’s artistically displayed. Sometimes themed Gold (Finezzo Lungo) and Black (Ristretto) and sometime colour blocked keeping in trend with the fashion. (Capriccio with Arpeggio and Vivalto Lungo)
I purposely buy only 2 weeks worth of capsules, so I can keep going back.

I’ll admit the first time I clocked the two storey, glass fronted behemoth that is Nespresso’s flagship Sydney store (the largest in the Southern Hemisphere), my judgement was instant:
Oh so THAT’S the margin I’m paying on those sodding little capsules.
That initial thought still makes me crack a wry smile whenever I wander along Pitt Street Mall. But then, you see, I had to swallow my pride and venture inside.
It’s all glossy glass, stainless steel and spot lighting, but I’ll also admit I was impressed in spite of myself. Yes, I’m part of the Nespresso Club — you have to be to get your paws on those sodding little capsules — but I abjectly refuse to call the lounge/​tasting area by it’s official name: ‘Carpe Diem Tasting Bar.’ Urgh.
I might just refuse to taste anything at the bar again either, after a couple of terribly hit and miss (heavy on the miss) visits where the ‘baristas’ were either in need of a caffeine fix themselves, or had no idea what they were doing.
But margins or no, I’ll definitely be visiting the Nespresso Boutique again. Turns out I’m totally hooked on Indriya.