So... you're saying you're browsing?

[An Haddock]

Friend of mine just posted this on Facebook, hence my putting it in Sightings:


Me: hey how are ya today?
Guest: I'm just browsing.
Me: okay great! When was the last time you came to see us?
Guest: I'm just browsing.
Me: okay well if you need anything my names "S" I'll be glad to help.
Guest: I'm just browsing.

Me on the inside: go screw yourself douche bag that's not an appropriate answer to any of the previously asked questions. If you had trouble comprehending you might want to go back to school!!!


She's a lovely girl, really. Wonderful singing voice.

[Gerrinson]

I can see both sides, here.

Your friend was trying to follow what I assume is the general corporate 'build a relationship with each customer' spiel. That's just doing the job the way it is mandated.

If it were me shopping, I'm antisocial and I get sick of employees in stores coming up to me when I'm just poking around looking at stuff to ask me if I need help and otherwise trying to 'build a relationship' with me. I just want to shop quietly and if I need anything, I'll find someone to ask.

[Monterey Jack]

Any employee who asks more than once if I need something while I'm browsing is going to tick me off. I mean, I could understand if I were browsing for an hour or longer (that smacks more of "casing" than browsing), but if I'm in there for fifteen-twenty minutes, then just leave me alone.

[Mr Hero]

What corporate doesn't seem to get is that some customers enjoy that interaction, while others just want to avoid it as much as possible and know they can find someone at the counter if they do have questions. I'm the second type and it's why I try and do most of my shopping online. I can browse as much as I want!

[Catwoman2965]

Yeah, unfortunately, some stores require their associates to ask, and then keep asking. I always hated doing that, as I liked to treat my customers as I'd want to be treated when shopping myself. So I'd do the bare minimum i could get away with.

I'm usually ok when I shop, greet me, fine, ask if I need help, ok fine. I'll even pretend to listen while you go through your spiel on promotions and deals, since I know you usually don't have much choice. But after, when I politely say i'm just looking but will let you know IF I need any help, back off. If you don't, I leave. simple as that.

[wolfie]

And salespeople need to pay more attention to what the customer did BEFORE they approach them for help. This case deals with (presumably) commission salespeople.

Many years ago, I was shopping for a new fridge. At "naughty lad", I was walking down a row of fridges, opening the door, taking a quick look, closing the door, and moving on to the next. Eventually I reached a fridge where after a quick look I took out a tape measure and note pad and started jotting down measurements. At this point, a salesman approached me and asked what I was looking for.

I told him that I was looking for a fridge that used R134a, since any service on the "cold works" would likely involve replacing the refrigerant, and there was a high probability that recharging an R12 system would be banned, so any "cold works" problem on those fridges would result in the immediate need for a replacement. He told me that he had just what I needed, and directed me to a fridge that had a big "ozone friendly" sticker on the front. The sticker referred to the blowing agent for the foam, but the "cold works" still used R12 - which is why I had moved on to the next fridge in line after looking inside it.

The salesman had been standing idle the whole time, most likely taking a few glances at the "browser" and waiting to pounce when it looked like I'd advance to "potential buyer". If a customer immediately loses interest in appliance "A", but shows signs of extreme interest in appliance "B", you don't steer them to appliance "A" again.

[Zellie Crescent]

What I hate is when I'm looking at something on the wall and only able to see what's in front of me and one of the sales people who is not near me asks what I'm assuming is someone else a question, I don't think it's for me so I ignore it. It's only after they come right up to me after repeating it I realize it's me they were talking to and I tell them I'm fine that I get them to leave me alone.

[notalwaysright]

I've never had a problem explaining that I was browsing while still being polite. My responses to the above dialog would be "I'm doing good. I don't know when I was here last, but now I'm just looking, thanks." Not really hard. I haven't had any salesperson not take the hint before, but I suppose there is always a first time. Oh, and just repeating one thing over and over? That's something my step-dad would do, and he's a classic SC.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

While I do find the whole relationship-building with customers thing annoying, I would've at least been cìvil with the salesperson. It isn't their fault their bosses aren't in touch with reality.

[An Haddock]

In stopping by a hardware store yesterday I had three different people offer to help me find something. (and if I needed help - I do appreciate it. Most of the time Home Depot won't help unless you ask someone)

I just politely said no, as I was just sort of browsing for ideas for my Ghostbuster costume for Halloween this.

[April]

Oh how I hate this new customer/employee bonding thing that companies are requiring. It's even happening in restaurants when the host is seating me.

"How are you?"
"fine, thanks"
"have you been here before?"
"yes, a lot of times"
"Oh, when was the last time you came?"
"Uh, I don't know? A few months ago?"
"Well, in that case, welcome back!"

I'm pretty good with "How are you? if you need anything, let me know". What's fun, is after the host asks all those questions, the server comes over and asks them again!

I try to be polite, but honestly, I'm sort of a hermit and generally don't want to make small talk

[An Haddock]

Oh how I hate this new customer/employee bonding thing that companies are requiring. It's even happening in restaurants when the host is seating me.

"How are you?"
"fine, thanks"
"have you been here before?"
"yes, a lot of times"
"Oh, when was the last time you came?"
"Uh, I don't know? A few months ago?"
"Well, in that case, welcome back!"

I'm pretty good with "How are you? if you need anything, let me know". What's fun, is after the host asks all those questions, the server comes over and asks them again!

I try to be polite, but honestly, I'm sort of a hermit and generally don't want to make small talk

If I'm not in the mood for chatting - no matter who it's with - I try to have my cell phone out and pretending I'm listening to something very important and barely give that person my attention. If they still insist on talking (aside from seating me, etc.) I'll loudly cut them off: "No, port 57! Try port 57!". 95% of the time people leave me alone. And if it's the 5% that don't, I give them a look of annoyance and say something like: "Did you want something else? This is an important call." - that'll shut anyone down.