Annoying sales assistant

[Musketer]

Today I went to a big store. First of all I hate sales assistants who always follow you and try to interfere with everything. The one who was following me today was even more annoying than the usual; whenever I approached a shirt he either said it's not really for my age or that it's not slim fit (as a warning). Then I looked at some Zegna shoes which looked really cheap and glued altogether. When I asked if they have some other shoes, he told me that they are great shoes. When I commented about the glue issue, he said "well, maybe it's glued but they are still very solid". Barf.

 

[Gravitas]

I don't like shopping at certain places, namely King of Prussia, as I am young and do not dress "preppy." SA's stalk me, insinuate that I am poor and just generally aren't helpful.

 

[kdaust]

Sometimes advice is good. The slim fit comments etc. I like so long as i've told them that's what i'm looking for.

But generally they just get in the way.

I had the owner of a suit store telling me I don't want to get a charcoal or navy suit because they're for old men. "I don't even wear charcoal" he said. As though this was some proof that I shouldn't yet be wearing such colours. I walked out... But came back a month later in a navy suit (Corneliani - much nicer than anything he ever had in there) and got completely different treatment. lol

 

[forsbergacct2000]

I don't know how well the stores are able to pay and that may be why they get those folks.

I'm really happy with all but one of the people at the local men's store I frequent. (One of the owners will sell you anything. I try to just "be looking" if he waits on me.) The others are really helpful and one in particular will tell me if something does not fit well, etc.

 

[Eccentric]

I had one of the SA's at the NM in Vegas show me around the place because I was from his home state. Otherwise, I too opt for the "Just looking" approach.

 

[culverwood]

We went into and Audi showroom the other day wanting to send a decent sum on a TT with special paint and leather etc.

Oh - we've never sold one like that, you can't have in any other colours (even though we knew there was another another book of leathers he had not shown us), you don't want to have that, you'll have to wait six months (he has obviously never had bespoke shoes made - six months pah!). He did not get a sale.

I think car sales men are in general even worse than clothes sales people.

The exceptions are rare. I can remember a Jaeger salesman who gave my son advice on suit care and construction that could have come from a well read SF forum member, he probably is one.

 

[DrZRM]

I was in the Nordstrom in the Natick Collections in MA and came across a nice pair of tan (sanddlewood polished binder) Church's Graftons which they had in my size. I was trying them and and was quite impressed with the shoe (though I was not planning on spending $700 on a shoe, and would not spend that much on that shoe if I decided I wanted it) when the salesman (one of two now helping out) told me that this was a particularly great shoe because it was made of horse hide and was waterproof. He prattled on about what a great shoe it is and why. I know that Church makes Shell Cordovan, though I didn't think they made a light colored one, but I was very pleasantly impressed and suddenly thought that $670 might not be such a bad deal after all.

Anyway, as most of you probably know, when I checked the box and there was no sign that is was Shell Cordovan (or Crup as Church calls it) to be seen, and as far as I can tell, Church never made a shoe in that light colored Shell. Came home to confirm my suspicion. I always wonder if they are lying or just wrong. Anyway, too bad, I know you guys give Church a lot of crap, but they seemed like nice shoes. Does Herring ever put everything on sale?

 

[mmhollis]

Amen all too often SA's are not helpful. I went to a local mall and had requested that the salesman show me if they had any of my favorite scent in. He quickly tried to get me to buy another scent and completely ignored what I asked him. I had to comment, I told him that in the future you should do what your asked first then recommend something if it looks like I'm not happy with what I asked you to get, or if I'm looking for something new. I hate the fact that SA's in this age know NOTHING, but act as if they know everything. This guy didn't even have clean finger nails.

 

[Shikar]

They are regular people like you and I. They get tired of dealing with new personalities every min, so when an educated customer walks in...they cant change their modus O.

Regards.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

i agree, i generally appreciate the sales people and there are a few that are very helpful, while some bad ones ruin the mix.

Generally speaking, they need to cater to the non-SF masses, who are probably very aggrivating to deal with compaired to us clothing nuts.

If they're really over the top, i let them know quickly that i know what i'm looking in, in various ways.

I asked the owner of a small shoe store about a pair of socks one day, the quality of them compaired to the usually brands like RL, ect. He attempted to shoe me off for some reason and mentioned that like most people i must be looking for $10 ribbed socks.

I pulled up my cuffs and said....These are Paul Smith socks, they were $40 from neiman marcus, I'm not everyone else...I like nice socks, and i dont mind paying for quality!

He showed me the difference between practically all the socks in the store, told me the origin of them, ect, and he's been happy to deal with me ever since.

Sometimes i feel you just have to let them know that you arent everyone else, and some people more in more subtle ways, some more extreme ways.

 

[ChicagoJohn]

I think they should stay behind the registers unless asked for help. They don't know anything about me, my taste, or what I'm looking for. And that conversation would take quite a while to go through. So just leave me alone while I browse around. I'm more than happy to ask for help if I need it.