[Misc] Salespeople in shops

[jcdenton08]

I went in “Lush” recently with my missus - she likes the bath bombs. I can’t stand the smell of the place and feel nauseous within minutes, but that’s by the by. Literally two seconds after stepping through the door, we were greeted by a very overly friendly young woman with a fixed grin and dead eyes. “How can I help?”. I politely said we’re just going to take a look, but will let them know if we need their assistance. I always find this the best way to answer.

We navigate to the bath bombs - where we are greeted by a male clone of the first assistant - same fixed smile and dead eyes - “Ah, these are my favourite - how many would you like?”.

“I’ll let you know if we need any assistance, thank you” - slightly sterner this time.

My other half picks up and sniffs one she likes the look of - ANOTHER employee comes over: “Ah, that’s my favourite one - they’re on offer at the moment…”. Same fixed grin. Same thousand yard stare. Like a real life Stepford Wives.

We had been in the store around 45 seconds to a minute at this point and I felt thoroughly stressed by the situation. My other half, a very polite and passive person, was getting very irritated as she dug her fingernails into my hand…

Thoroughly annoyed, we turned around to leave. The first young lady at the doorway almost blocks our path - “oh, couldn’t you find what you’re looking for? Perhaps I can help?”.

I lost it.

I went into a long rant about how they are the pushiest, most unpleasant shopping experience I’ve ever had and how we were ready to shop, but they actively made us want to leave. The manager comes out from behind the till and says that’s what they’re trained to do. I just shook my head and left.


Now, I don’t mind being sold to. Take (in my opinion) the best retailer on the high street Richer Sounds. They greet you, let you browse, but are always on hand with actual useful advice and product knowledge. They demo things, discount display stock - absolute market leaders for shopping experience. And you are never hassled. I’ve had no issues spending literally thousands in Richer Sounds, whereas Lush’s approach made me not want to give them even a fiver.

So, what are your thoughts on shopping, salespeople in shops?

 

[BBassic]

They're just doing a miserable job for miserable pay so I tend to cut them a good deal of slack.

Well, I did when I used to go into shops anyway.

 

[jcdenton08]

They're just doing a miserable job for miserable pay so I tend to cut them a good deal of slack.

Well, I did when I used to go into shops anyway.

Absolutely, I’ve worked retail and I know how awful it is to have KPIs for approaching every customer, upselling targets, “through the door conversion targets” (where a scanner on the door measures the percentage of transactions/footfall).

But it doesn’t make the actual shopping experience any less miserable. They just reeked of desperation.

But I don’t blame the guys on the floor doing what they’re told - just the entire policy

 

[pasty]

Completely agree with you re Lush. Mrs P likes their bathbombs too and I occasionally buy one for her at Victoria station on way home, but increasingly rarely nowadays for the exact reasons you said.

 

[dazzer6666]

I went in “Lush” recently with my missus - she likes the bath bombs. I can’t stand the smell of the place and feel nauseous within minutes, but that’s by the by. Literally two seconds after stepping through the door, we were greeted by a very overly friendly young woman with a fixed grin and dead eyes. “How can I help?”. I politely said we’re just going to take a look, but will let them know if we need their assistance. I always find this the best way to answer.

We navigate to the bath bombs - where we are greeted by a male clone of the first assistant - same fixed smile and dead eyes - “Ah, these are my favourite - how many would you like?”.

“I’ll let you know if we need any assistance, thank you” - slightly sterner this time.

My other half picks up and sniffs one she likes the look of - ANOTHER employee comes over: “Ah, that’s my favourite one - they’re on offer at the moment…”. Same fixed grin. Same thousand yard stare. Like a real life Stepford Wives.

We had been in the store around 45 seconds to a minute at this point and I felt thoroughly stressed by the situation. My other half, a very polite and passive person, was getting very irritated as she dug her fingernails into my hand…

Thoroughly annoyed, we turned around to leave. The first young lady at the doorway almost blocks our path - “oh, couldn’t you find what you’re looking for? Perhaps I can help?”.

I lost it.

I went into a long rant about how they are the pushiest, most unpleasant shopping experience I’ve ever had and how we were ready to shop, but they actively made us want to leave. The manager comes out from behind the till and says that’s what they’re trained to do. I just shook my head and left.


Now, I don’t mind being sold to. Take (in my opinion) the best retailer on the high street Richer Sounds. They greet you, let you browse, but are always on hand with actual useful advice and product knowledge. They demo things, discount display stock - absolute market leaders for shopping experience. And you are never hassled. I’ve had no issues spending literally thousands in Richer Sounds, whereas Lush’s approach made me not want to give them even a fiver.

So, what are your thoughts on shopping, salespeople in shops?

With you 100%. **** off and leave me alone. I’ll ask for help if I need it. Crap answer from the manager too……

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I wonder if there's a link between these two threads being at the top of the board?

 

[maffew]

Currys are the most annoying for me, always lurking but with insufficient product knowledge on anything I've ever purchased to be useful, then they all spring into hyper drive overselling their riduculously overpriced extended product warrantys when your wallet comes out

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Currys are the most annoying for me, always lurking but with insufficient product knowledge on anything I've ever purchased to be useful, then they all spring into hyper drive overselling their riduculously overpriced extended product warrantys when your wallet comes out

 

[Flounce]

Currys are the most annoying for me, always lurking but with insufficient product knowledge on anything I've ever purchased to be useful, then they all spring into hyper drive overselling their riduculously overpriced extended product warrantys when your wallet comes out

My experience exactly. I buy online these days as I haven’t got the patience to put up with people who know next to nothing about what they are selling but excel in pushing the extended warranties.

 

[BrightonCottager]

I use a couple of products from Lush, but I know what I want, so it's a quick in/out strike mission.

On Curry's, I only recently twigged that they have salespeople there specifically to sell Intel / Apple equipment. I was shopping for a laptop for my daughter and the salesperson was very knowledgeable about Intel-chipped models but not AMD.

 

[Exilegull]

Leave me alone even if I need their help I dont want it

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Absolutely, I’ve worked retail and I know how awful it is to have KPIs for approaching every customer, upselling targets, “through the door conversion targets” (where a scanner on the door measures the percentage of transactions/footfall).

But it doesn’t make the actual shopping experience any less miserable. They just reeked of desperation.

But I don’t blame the guys on the floor doing what they’re told - just the entire policy

This

 

[Justice]

My Mrs likes Rituals I love going in there you can sometimes get a young lady offering a hand job well hand wash I got the snide remark when walking out ‘I think you enjoyed that a bit to much’.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I’d give all shop assistants a T shirt with “please ask me if you need any help” on it, and affix a zip to their mouths that they can only opened with permission.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Under no circumstances do I EVER need to be greeted as I enter a shop.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I went in “Lush” recently with my missus - she likes the bath bombs. I can’t stand the smell of the place and feel nauseous within minutes, but that’s by the by. Literally two seconds after stepping through the door, we were greeted by a very overly friendly young woman with a fixed grin and dead eyes. “How can I help?”. I politely said we’re just going to take a look, but will let them know if we need their assistance. I always find this the best way to answer.

We navigate to the bath bombs - where we are greeted by a male clone of the first assistant - same fixed smile and dead eyes - “Ah, these are my favourite - how many would you like?”.

“I’ll let you know if we need any assistance, thank you” - slightly sterner this time.

My other half picks up and sniffs one she likes the look of - ANOTHER employee comes over: “Ah, that’s my favourite one - they’re on offer at the moment…”. Same fixed grin. Same thousand yard stare. Like a real life Stepford Wives.

We had been in the store around 45 seconds to a minute at this point and I felt thoroughly stressed by the situation. My other half, a very polite and passive person, was getting very irritated as she dug her fingernails into my hand…

Thoroughly annoyed, we turned around to leave. The first young lady at the doorway almost blocks our path - “oh, couldn’t you find what you’re looking for? Perhaps I can help?”.

I lost it.

I went into a long rant about how they are the pushiest, most unpleasant shopping experience I’ve ever had and how we were ready to shop, but they actively made us want to leave. The manager comes out from behind the till and says that’s what they’re trained to do. I just shook my head and left.


Now, I don’t mind being sold to. Take (in my opinion) the best retailer on the high street Richer Sounds. They greet you, let you browse, but are always on hand with actual useful advice and product knowledge. They demo things, discount display stock - absolute market leaders for shopping experience. And you are never hassled. I’ve had no issues spending literally thousands in Richer Sounds, whereas Lush’s approach made me not want to give them even a fiver.

So, what are your thoughts on shopping, salespeople in shops?

Ford, pushy salesmen, all sweaty, on commission

VW, helpful staff, on salary.

I wonder what lies behind the difference?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Once worked on contract for EDF in Elephant and Castle. Made the mistake one day of venturing into Clarks in my lunch hour in their shanty town of a shopping centre. Realised too late that I was the only person in there wearing a shirt and tie. Had to flee when the fourth person in as many minutes came up to me brandishing a shoe and asking if I had it in a size eight. Sake!

 

[Driver8]

Ford, pushy salesmen, all sweaty, on commission

VW, helpful staff, on salary.

I wonder what lies behind the difference?

I was very surprised when a VW salesman told me that they get a £30 bonus per car sold. He was probably the least pushy car salesman I’ve ever come across.

 

[Badger]

Who the f**k needs assistance buying bath bombs anyway? It's not like they have to explain the features to you. You literally just pick one you like the smell of.

My biggest annoyance is when you've been in the shop all of 5 seconds and someone asks: "are you finding everything ok?"

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Once worked on contract for EDF in Elephant and Castle. Made the mistake one day of venturing into Clarks in my lunch hour in their shanty town of a shopping centre. Realised too late that I was the only person in there wearing a shirt and tie. Had to flee when the fourth person in as many minutes came up to me brandishing a shoe and asking if I had it in a size eight. Sake!

Many years ago I bought a nice blue checked shirt. First time I wore it, I popped into Tesco to grab a sandwich and people kept stopping me to ask where things were in the store. It was only when I got to the checkout I realised my shirt was almost identical to the ones worn by the staff. Needless to say, that shirt went straight to the charity shop.