[Misc] Salespeople in shops

[Westdene Seagull]

I play ball, but a add a random digit to the email address.

I do something similar when signing into the wireless at the Amex. Focus Group do not need my data ( having worked there I also now how insecure their CRM is ). When they do have a look at the data they might be surprised to see people from Jesus Christ to Hitler have visited the stadium.

 

[MJsGhost]

I see shopping as a necessary evil and really don't understand people who plan to "go shopping" as an activity when they don't actually need something.

"What are you up to this weekend mate?"
"Going shopping on Saturday morning"
"Oh yeah, what are you getting?"
"Dunno really, just going for a mooch about to see what there is"



I f***ing LOVE online shopping when I need something

Can't just be me?

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

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?

Another one that’s with you 100%.

1. I can’t be within 100 yards of a Lush shop because of the smell
2. Pushy sales people will turn me off in an instant and I will walk out even if I had been intending to make a purchase.
3. Richer Sounds ethos and staff is/are superb.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I was in a shop in Toronto and while Mrs DCH was looking around I stood near the door as the heater was there and it was below zero outside. After a few minutes of standing there looking bored, a really friendly assistant came up and asked if I was okay and if there was anything she could help with. I said that I was fine unless she could find my wife for me.

At that point she asked for for my wife’s description and if I needed her to either look for my wife or put out an announcement on the tannoy. At that point I had to point out that it was fine and I was only joking but even the she still said that if needed she could try and find Mrs DCH for me.

I must confess, I did briefly consider taking up her offer just to embarrass my wife but thought better of it.

 

[ManOfSussex]

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?

It's always nice to mooch around without fear of being threatened or pickpocketed......

 

[Weststander]

I do something similar when signing into the wireless at the Amex. Focus Group do not need my data ( having worked there I also now how insecure their CRM is ). When they do have a look at the data they might be surprised to see people from Jesus Christ to Hitler have visited the stadium.

Ditto.

For me it's not for privacy. I just don't want anything that might trigger another load of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz marketing emails from anyone in the Inbox. Mrs.W gives a genuine email address to third parties, then wades through 100's of Spam.

 

[jcdenton08]

It's always nice to mooch around without fear of being threatened or pickpocketed......

Nice action.

 

[jcdenton08]

I see shopping as a necessary evil and really don't understand people who plan to "go shopping" as an activity when they don't actually need something.

"What are you up to this weekend mate?"
"Going shopping on Saturday morning"
"Oh yeah, what are you getting?"
"Dunno really, just going for a mooch about to see what there is"



I f***ing LOVE online shopping when I need something

Can't just be me?

Do you have a long term partner who loves a mooch? There might be your answer…

 

[jcdenton08]

I was in a shop in Toronto and while Mrs DCH was looking around I stood near the door as the heater was there and it was below zero outside. After a few minutes of standing there looking bored, a really friendly assistant came up and asked if I was okay and if there was anything she could help with. I said that I was fine unless she could find my wife for me.

At that point she asked for for my wife’s description and if I needed her to either look for my wife or put out an announcement on the tannoy. At that point I had to point out that it was fine and I was only joking but even the she still said that if needed she could try and find Mrs DCH for me.

I must confess, I did briefly consider taking up her offer just to embarrass my wife but thought better of it.

Very Canadian!!! My other half is Canadian and I split my life between here and British Columbia, that sounds like a classic scenario that would happen there and not here!

 

[jcdenton08]

Another one that’s with you 100%.

1. I can’t be within 100 yards of a Lush shop because of the smell
2. Pushy sales people will turn me off in an instant and I will walk out even if I had been intending to make a purchase.
3. Richer Sounds ethos and staff is/are superb.

They really, really annoyed us. I think the other half was more annoyed than I was, based on the idents on the back of my hand…

 

[jcdenton08]

Same. Just be polite and decline their offers. Certainly wouldn’t “lose it” or be rude etc. I’m not suggesting the OP was rude, just saying.

Fair. I worked in retail for a long time and used to have people picking fights (older female Karens, pretty much universally).

I think I kept pretty calm but something had to be said - no shouting but a few truths.

 

[Bodian]

I find the post office counter most irritating. There's a bloke at 7 Dials PO who always tries to get me to upgrade from 2nd class post on packages with comments do I realise it takes 7 days? (it really doesn't, especially at Xmas) and then always offering me other products I haven't asked for etc. That kind of thing (asking for something and being offered something else "better") that irritates me more than dismissing unwanted can I help yous instore.

I worked in Nat West in the late 1980s. I had to leave when they started making us cashiers push 'Access' cards to every customer. As I fundamentally disagreed with credit cards, I couldn't do this. So it was either leave or be thrown out.

 

[MJsGhost]

Do you have a long term partner who loves a mooch? There might be your answer…

If my wife wants to go (she rarely does), she is happy to go on her own.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a monster - if we need something, I'm happy to go. What I absolutely won't do is the moronic waste of life and the World's resources that an aimless shopping trip represents.

 

[jcdenton08]

If my wife wants to go (she rarely does), she is happy to go on her own.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a monster - if we need something, I'm happy to go. What I absolutely won't do is the moronic waste of life and the World's resources that an aimless shopping trip represents.

Playing devil’s advocate… by shopping, you are contributing a strong economy, which funds renewable energy causes so actually by going shopping you are saving the world.

Or something.

 

[METALMICKY]

It's the "Can I take an email address for your receipt" that pisses me off. No, you bloody can't. Just print me one off the till please.

Really? So much better to have an electronic one in case you have to get a refund. It's too easy to lose a paper receipt. Don't forget they have to ask you for specific permission to use your email address for anything else like marketing emails.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Playing devil’s advocate… by shopping, you are contributing a strong economy, which funds renewable energy causes so actually by going shopping you are saving the world.

Or something.

Might try claiming that next time I fill up my car with petrol.

 

[HHGull]

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

Welcome in!

 

[jcdenton08]

Might try claiming that next time I fill up my car with petrol.

That’s the spirit!

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I find the religious ones that frequent town centre band stands are the pushiest.

To suggest I’m going to hell by not taking up their immortality protection insurance is not proportionate or indeed fair.

 

[METALMICKY]

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

Does that include the rather pleasant chap who welcomes you into the club shop on match days and has learnt a few greetings in Japanese?

I believe he's on the fan advisory so maybe you could suggest he's irritating you?