Going into luxury/high-end stores with no intention of buying anything?

[phoenixrecon]

At ferragamo they make you do reapprochs that essentially badger the customer every 2 min. Its required. Also having worked their id have to say ferragamo has some of the worst quality i have seen. 4 out 4 of my shoes have fallen apart in 3 months from manufacturing issues that make them need a full recraft and my girlfriends purse litterally fell apart on its 3rd use.

 

[dddrees]

I do this a lot when looking at watches.

I've gone into to buy, but there are a number of times I've just gone into look.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

I'm happy with my Ferragamo special edition tramezzas.

 

[Greggers]

When you work sales, your most precious resource is time. Time wasted is money wasted -- money for bills, money for food, money for rent. If I'm working with you and you're deliberately wasting this time, I'm not helping that other customer who would otherwise be using my expertise in good faith, and where I stand to be compensated for my work. Please don't do this.

 

[bourbonbasted]

In hindsight I now think this thread is about going into Hermes and asking for tie boxes.

 

[Imhoff]



In hindsight I now think this thread is about going into Hermes and asking for tie boxes.

Is this frowned upon?

 

[Quadcammer]



When you work sales, your most precious resource is time. Time wasted is money wasted -- money for bills, money for food, money for rent. If I'm working with you and you're deliberately wasting this time, I'm not helping that other customer who would otherwise be using my expertise in good faith, and where I stand to be compensated for my work. Please don't do this.

tough luck. thats the risk you take as a retail sales associate. If you can't figure out if your time is being wasted fairly quickly, then perhaps you need to hone your skills.

 

[Gerry]

I'd never buy anything(well very Little) if I did not go browsing from time to time. How else is one supposed to see what is on offer and indeed without a fitting how can you know if an item suites or looks good on. Many an item that looked good in the window or on the rack did nothing for me when tried on. For me browsing is an integral part of shopping.

 

[bourbonbasted]



Is this frowned upon?

Bex waxed poetically on this in his other thread. I think the solution came down to dumpster thievery.

 

[Imhoff]

These days, B&M retial stores are becoming "show rooms". Best Buy is a prime example of this. People will come in, see/test a product in person and then order it from an online retailer, usually cheaper, free shipping, and sometimes tax free. So Best Buy is now price matching online retailers.

 

[Betelgeuse]

Going back to the main topic. I do this all the time. When I'm bored, I go to the mall and I walk into a few stores with no intention of buying, then I just grab a coffee and read a book. Unfortunately, around here we don't have a lot of lucury stores. In the mall near where I live we only have Ermenegildo Zegna, Saks and Palacio de Hierro (local store) and Hugo Boss, that in here some people consider it luxurious, mainly because people don't like to spend more than $500 usd on a suit, so you get the idea. They are willing to pay for a $400 usd belt (Ferragamo) but nothing extra for a good suit.

In that store, Palacio de Hierro, they sell Zegna and Armani. I have never bought a suit from them. Some shirts and ties, yes, but never a suit. They guys that attended me, they already know me, and they don't treat me very good. On the other hand, ar Saks, I have bought more stuff, but since the first time I entered the store they treated me very well. I really buy in there becuase of the service the people give me. And I think that is part of this, service.

At Hugo Boss I enter a lot of times, they know me well, cause in the past I bought some items from them, but know that I discovered MTM shirts, I don't want to spent $250 usd in a shirt that I have to give it to my tailor to make corections.

Then again, I think the service is the most important. At the end of the day, it's their job.

 

[dddrees]

These days, B&M retial stores are becoming "show rooms". Best Buy is a prime example of this. People will come in, see/test a product in person and then order it from an online retailer, usually cheaper, free shipping, and sometimes tax free. So Best Buy is now price matching online retailers.

The Internet has had a dramatic effect on brick and mortar stores. However the death of brick and mortar shops may very well be the localy located Amazon wharehouse. Order on the internet and have it there all in one day.

 

[IronStyle]

The compromise I made recently was during my purchase of Allen Edmonds shoes. Being new to the brand, I needed many fittings to figure out what worked and what didn't with the associate helping me. I had some shoes in mind and of course only if I find the right fitting shoe for me, ill buy what I came in for (knowing the associate experimented different lasts with me for awhile). Even if there is a discount online. But, now that I know my size and if I want the same shoe in another color, I don't see a problem ordering online.

But for that first attempt at a new last where personal service is required and the associate goes out of their way to work with me and be patient with me, I have no problem paying retail since they benefit and I am assured a properly fitting shoe. So for every new last if it takes more than a 2 min effort, I'm happy to pay retail.

This also helps so that if I did want to come in only to browse, my associate would not be upset that I'm wasting their time because they know I've purchased in the past and will return later on whenever that may be

 

[malat]

I love to browse at one of the really high end department boutiques in San Francisco. I never buy anything, but they treat me like a king anyway.

Without asking, I'm always offered a drink of single barrel whiskey, fresh coffee, or bottled water while I browse. I have always figured it is because they assume, smartly, that a young guy just browsing and admiring nice things has the potential to some day be a wealthy older client who will potentially drop $100k at the Kiton trunk shows, etc. This goodwill they have shown me virtually assures that I will some day spend money there.

 

[Greggers]



tough luck. thats the risk you take as a retail sales associate. If you can't figure out if your time is being wasted fairly quickly, then perhaps you need to hone your skills.

Wow, I even said "please."

Look, you can have the salesfloor skills of a kung fu master, and still not realize that the person that you're trying to help is, well, a dick -- someone who has little real regard, let alone respect, for the person trying to help him or her and make a living. I'm talking about deliberately wasting a salesperson's time -- what is sometimes called itn the biz "getting stroked."

I don't think it's asking too much for any of us as customers to exercise a little courtesy in this.

If you're predisposed to a more structural way of thinking, consider the service sector to be servants "in their place" or to have "made their beds," etc., and you lurve the near-Feudal power dynamic, feel free to consider any regard you extend as noblesse oblige, and help yourself to the psychological perks.