UKC

Joe Public in shops

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 @ndyM@rsh@ll 20 Jul 2015
Once upon a time I worked in a climbing shop, and like many people who work in retail became (even more of) a complete and utter misanthrope. As time's gone by I've largely gotten over this, however a friend has just said something to me that has taken me back...

There are a small minority of people who will be severely affronted by any attention from shop staff, they know exactly what they want and you can bugger off with your hard sell thankyou very much!

There are an equal yet opposite small minority of people who will be thoroughly offended if they are not attended upon hand and foot and every minor detail of their wants dealt with immediately.

If you are either one of these please feel free to stick your head in the oven. We don't use coal gas anymore so it won't kill you but if i'm lucky you'll bang the back of your head on the way out and it will really hurt.

Everyone else carry on as normal.
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 malky_c 20 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

Brilliant! I often fit into the first category.....
 gethin_allen 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

I'm somewhere between the two but must look like the former because whenever I do want help with something I can never find anyone to ask.
 gd303uk 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

As a regular joe what group do you find yourself in?
Jim C 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

In the supermarket ( who keep swapping things around to confuse you,) I usually ask immediately I get in the place, as I am often looking for specific items and simple things like milk ( that my local does not signpost ( I wonder why

In an outdoor shop, I usually don't NEED anything, but I'm happy to spend a fair bit if time in there, and usually end up buying something or other.
No point in asking me if I need help, as I have no idea what I am looking for.
 Rob Naylor 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

I'm not severely affronted by attention from staff....as long as it's limited to "can I help you with anything?" and then compliance with my reply when I say "no thanks". But it is irritating when they won't leave you alone....such as following up on the "no thanks" with a "what exactly is it you're looking for?" and then trying to steer me into various product categories that are "on offer".

I do get severely affronted when I do ask for help and an assistant selling technical gear actually has no knowledge of what (s)he's selling but tries to give the impression that they do. People who've had a 10-minute intro to footwear fitting, then consider themselves "experts" and talk patronisingly to you are included in that category.
 Neil Williams 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:
I'm a "just browsing", but do like the staff to be there if I do have a question. I very much like to make the initial decision myself.

In a small shop that might mean I'd prefer them to be behind the counter, but there to consult.

Neil
Post edited at 09:12
 zebidee 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

I generally fall into the former category - that said, the thing which really gets my goat is when it appears that you know more about the goods being sold than the salesperson.

I was in John Lewis looking at soundbars (as I've moved into a rented place where I can't go drilling the walls for my 5.1 surround sound) and was adamantly told by two separate sales assistants that there was no such thing as a co-ax cable connection on audio systems.
 fmck 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

I suppose I may of operated quite different as staff. I used to work in Asda and when a customer would come up and ask something like "excuse me could you direct me to the pasta" I would reply "See that big sign hanging from the ceiling that says Pasta, its there" You got that look as they knew you were taking the piss but in a sneaky way they could do nothing about.
I like to be left to it to be honest and just have a look at things myself before deciding.
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 nniff 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

I usually ask the first person I see if they mind me browsing. They say they don't and offer help should I need it. Seems to work. I do have a thing about clueless assistants - for example, all half ropes are the same apparently - that from a large multiple from the West Country. I usually manage to refrain from being rude and then feel few qualms about buying on line. Generally, though I support the Bricks and Mortar places where possible, which is where the independent's win.
 blurty 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

Yep' I'm a first category type of guy.

In a bikeshop at the weekend:

'Can I help you?'
'No thanks'
'What are you looking for, anything in particular?' - she says to my back as I walk out
 deepsoup 21 Jul 2015
In reply to fmck:
> You got that look as they knew you were taking the piss but in a sneaky way they could do nothing about.

I think you may have mis-identified 'that look'. (NB: May *have*. Not "may of", you ignoramus.)

You weren't taking the piss in a sneaky way, you were just being f*cking rude and you were getting that look as if you were just being f*cking rude.
 deepsoup 21 Jul 2015
In reply to blurty:
I think that first category is quite extreme, more extreme that just answering "Can I help you" with "No thanks, I'm fine". You would probably need to be this guy to qualify:

https://youtu.be/JiHjzGKc8tA?t=55s

Edit to add:
Hm. UKC buggers up the link somehow - jump forward to 55 secs ish..
Post edited at 12:44
 Philip 21 Jul 2015
What's a shop? Is it like a physical amazon.com?

Clauso 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

I get very annoyed with constantly being interrupted by shop assistants with their "Can I help you?" inquiries. It puts me right off my shoplifting.

If I'm feeling charitable, then I might respond with a quick "No thanks; I'll help myself..." and then pocket some goods and take to my heels.
 Chris Harris 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

Billy Connolly comment on being approached by staff saying "Can I help you sir?"

"Yes, I'll stand here & you can look round".

I may have missed some swearing from the above quote.
Robyn Vacher 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

It's the "did you find everything you're looking for?" at the till that annoys me. I have a brain. I have a mouth. If I wanted something I couldn't find I would have asked before that point.
 fmck 21 Jul 2015
In reply to deepsoup:

> I think you may have mis-identified 'that look'. (NB: May *have*. Not "may of", you ignoramus.)

> You weren't taking the piss in a sneaky way, you were just being f*cking rude and you were getting that look as if you were just being f*cking rude.

Hmm, I seem to touched a raw nerve there. I assume from your reply you may be someone who has trouble navigating your way round the local supermarket. Your not alone and I experienced a number of people like yourself who just needs a wee helping hand every now and again. Sometimes finding things like biscuits or pasta can be a bit overwhelming for some with all those labels but that's what I was there for to point you in the right direction.
Big signs above certain food stuffs are not new just some people are not that observant at times and need a wee help in seeing the fecking obvious!
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 nniff 21 Jul 2015
In reply to Robyn Vacher:

> It's the "did you find everything you're looking for?" at the till that annoys me. I have a brain. I have a mouth. If I wanted something I couldn't find I would have asked before that point.

That's called 'conversation' and is hardly intrusive. A typical reply would 'Yes, thank you, I did' and it fills a bit of time while two people stand either side of a counter waiting while computers bleep and whirr and do what computers do. Personally, I'd rather have someone who is prepared to recognise my existence when making a sale than someone either self-absorbed, vacant or just plain disinterested.
 JoshOvki 21 Jul 2015
In reply to blurty:
Do you realise how boring it can be working in a shop?! Sometimes it is nice to have some human interaction, particularly with someone that you have something in common with. I used to work in an outdoor shop, and most of the time didn't really want to sell anything (made no difference to me), just wanted to know what cool stuff people where up to.
Post edited at 16:22
 Chris Harris 21 Jul 2015
In reply to nniff:

> That's called 'conversation' and is hardly intrusive.

It isn't conversation. It is a line the staff are instructed to repeat to all customers by the management, presumably in the name of enhancing the "customer experience".

J1234 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

I have worked in retail for a looong time,

As a customer I do not like,
being asked if I am "All right"
nor being called "Pal"
or being sold a 3 year warrnty for £6.99 for something that cost 19.99 and has a year and with consumer rights probably two year at least cover

As a retailer, i do not like
customers who when you say hello/good morning/afternoon would you like any information/advice/help, they look at you affronted like you are some kind of Psycho and why are you talking to them, they came in the bleeding shop in the first place.
Customers who having quite obvuously been jerking themselves off over the brochure and researching on the internet for the last 6 months about a specific product, and start asking uber detailed specific questions to which they know the answer but just vwant to test the shop assistants knowledge.
 SteveoS 21 Jul 2015
In reply to nniff:

I'm a big fan of using 'hi there' or a 'you guys alright there?' for a surprising number of customers it just breaks the ice and they often just want to be pointed in the right direction.

What I do hate is: I'm going trekking in Nepal what bag would you take?
*points towards reasonably priced hiking bag *
Oh, I don't like rucksacks I'm going to take this inappropriate holdall with straps and there's nothing you can say that will convince me otherwise even though I keep asking for your advice
 Wingnut 21 Jul 2015
In reply to nniff:
I don't mind actual conversation, but what gets annoying is when the single, very busy, shop assistant has to go through a long list of add-ons (almost certainly mandated by management) with each customer, while the queue gets longer ... and longer ... and longer.

FWIW, if anyone management-flavoured from a certain chain of sports shops is reading this:
(a) If I have already said I don't need a bag, there is no point trying to sell me a bag for life.
(b) No, I don't want a catalogue.
(c) No, I don't want a mug with your logo on.
(d) No, I don't want a clock with your logo on.
(e) Or anything else with your logo on.
(f) Or a half-price fruit-flavoured something-or-other.
(g) A human head would be nice, though. One freshly harvested from the twerp who came up with this script would do. And I don't mind if it has a logo on it.
 birdie num num 21 Jul 2015
In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:

When I'm shoplifting I normally don't like much attention from staff, unless I can't find the thing I need then I might normally ask for some assistance.

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