Am I... am I that approachable?

[IvorTangrean]

I think it has a lot to do with body language.

Purpose, direction and knowing what you are doing / looking for can lead to people thinking you work somewhere. Something as simple as re-folding a shirt after you look at it or not looking at the signs on the aisles.

Over the years I have perfected looking lost while making a beeline for the break room. I have even seen people on the verge of asking a question while doing so.

[thatcrazyredhead]

This happens to me a lot, too (even when I'm not folding tables of shirts at the mall, which I have a habit of doing). One time, my husband and I were looking for something in the kitchen department at Walmart, talking to each other all the while. An older couple was also in that department, and the wife just started asking for help. Not having any idea she was talking to me, I didn't respond. Then, she looked at me a little more closely (not wearing anything close to the employee uniform) and asked if I worked there. She wasn't rude when I said no, which was nice. I had to laugh, though, because this isn't the first time I've been mistaken for an employee someplace where I've been obviously shopping.