Crikey work experience investigation: Have music stores moved Jackson merch?

Crikey work experiencer Cameron Magusic writes:

At 10.10am, I, a green Crikey work experiencer, set out to the Sanity store under the gentle direction of two seniors. (”Do it now!”). The task: see whether music stores had already replaced Andre Rieu stands by pushing Michael Jackson merchandise to prime selling position — and if so, take a photo of the evidence.

After quickly deciding to walk and not catch the tram, gazing at the map outside St Francis for five minutes, asking a cheery business fellow for directions and learning how to use that fancy store directory thingy, I arrived.

Once there, I loitered around, waiting for the store owner to finish talking on the phone, while listening to Thriller. (Please, I’ve heard it three times this morning already.) In the store with me was a geriatric pondering something-or-other, an uber-cool guy perusing the music and a middle-aged woman looking suspiciously at me. (”A product of the public-school system, probably”).

The store owner told me that it was in fact too early to do anything regarding a tribute to Michael Jackson as the centrepiece of the store and he also told me that, if it were to happen, it would be the record company’s decision for said centrepiece. Back at the office, Crikey staff were stunned that more had not been made of Jackson’s death, with a nice little quip from Mr. Onthemoon that said it all: “An epic fail of capitalism”.