Unhelpful People and Last Minute "Gift Givers"

[SourRobot]

"I don't care."
Geez Louise, why do customers think I'm an expert in my department and can just pull items out of thin air that are perfect for what they need?

1. Customer comes in: I'm looking for a dress for graduation/a party/stupid crap.
me: Okay, is there a dress code of some sort?
C: No.
me: Is there a certain color you prefer?
C: I don't care.
me: Do you want it to have sleeves?
C: I don't care.
me: Do you want it to be a long dress, or a short dress?
C: I don't care.

At this point I get irritated and start picking up whatever dress happens to be near me.

C: No, I don't like that. I don't like that either. Nope. No. No.

2. Customer comes in: I need a handbag for my sister. It's her birthday and I have to get her something.

Usually when a customer comes in wanting to buy a gift I try to ask questions about the person, like what they wear, what bags they usually carry, what materials or colors do they prefer, what style do they like...blah blah blah. This guy wouldn't even give me the chance. He kept interrupting me, and a couple times even had the nerve to say, "Come on, you're the expert! I know nothing about this stuff. You know this stuff, you work in this department."

So I told him that unless I could get information about her, I don't know what to pick out for her. Whatever. I just picked up two bags and he chose the one he wanted. I'm glad he didn't have me ring it up for him, I'm sure it'll be returned soon. I hate helping people like that because it seems like the customer doesn't even care, they're just dumping their responsibilities onto the salesperson. You might as well give the person a gift card, that's how much thought was put into the merchandise that I picked out. Of course, if the person likes it, then the customer gets to take credit; but if the person doesn't like it, it's the salesperson's fault.


"Display only."
Also, if I tell you that the merchandise is display only and can only be ordered, then you can't buy the item that I do have. I hate gift giving days, because there are always dudes coming in at the last minute for a gift. I make sure to tell them at the very beginning that the items can only be ordered. Do they listen? No. This happens, every time:

C: Okay, I want this. I'll get it now.
Me: This is display only. I can order a new one for you, and it will be sent to you.
C: But I want this.
Me: You can't take this, as it's the only one we have. We only do orders on the items like this.
C: CAN YOU GET ME A MANAGER? Maybe she'll let me have it.

And then I start banging my head on the counter until my skull cracks and I pass out. I know it's a stupid rule, but it's what the venders want. Sorry you care so little about your wife/girlfriend that you decided to come in the day before the holiday to pick it up. Next time, think up a backup plan.

[Merriweather]

And you know that if the recipient likes it, it'll be "oh, I took ages looking at everything in the store to finally decide exactly what to get" and if they don't like it, it'll be "yeah, I had another one picked out but the sales person just absolutely insisted that this would be better".

[Willis]

"I don't care."
Geez Louise, why do customers think I'm an expert in my department and can just pull items out of thin air that are perfect for what they need?

1. Customer comes in: I'm looking for a dress for graduation/a party/stupid crap.
me: Okay, is there a dress code of some sort?
C: No.
me: Is there a certain color you prefer?
C: I don't care.
me: Do you want it to have sleeves?
C: I don't care.
me: Do you want it to be a long dress, or a short dress?
C: I don't care.

At this point I get irritated and start picking up whatever dress happens to be near me.

C: No, I don't like that. I don't like that either. Nope. No. No.

I'm sorry I think I would've told this one to piss off and kick rocks. I know for sure if I were her friend, I would've told her off for this right there in front of the sales person.

[sms001]

because it seems like the customer doesn't even care, up.

It doesn't seem that way, you pegged it, it is that way. And you're right about the reasons too - it's to shift responsibility from them selves.

Next time, think up a backup plan.

I don't know how to break this to you SR, but the people who can think of having a backup plan? Yeah, they ain't shoppin' at the last minute.

[SourRobot]

And you know that if the recipient likes it, it'll be "oh, I took ages looking at everything in the store to finally decide exactly what to get" and if they don't like it, it'll be "yeah, I had another one picked out but the sales person just absolutely insisted that this would be better".

Exactly!

I'm sorry I think I would've told this one to piss off and kick rocks. I know for sure if I were her friend, I would've told her off for this right there in front of the sales person.

I wish customers' friends would call them out on that BS. She did have friends with her, but they stood around and said nothing. I don't like being unhelpful, and I did feel bad when I just left her to look around for herself, but I was also angry because customers come in and expect you to have the perfect solution to their problems.

It doesn't seem that way, you pegged it, it is that way. And you're right about the reasons too - it's to shift responsibility from them selves.

*Sigh* I suppose so that they can come back and rub it in your face about how much of a terrible salesperson you are, and how you deserve to be fired.

I don't know how to break this to you SR, but the people who can think of having a backup plan? Yeah, they ain't shoppin' at the last minute.

I forget!

[Willis]

I wish customers' friends would call them out on that BS. She did have friends with her, but they stood around and said nothing. I don't like being unhelpful, and I did feel bad when I just left her to look around for herself, but I was also angry because customers come in and expect you to have the perfect solution to their problems.

I hear you. I have one friend who complains about prices being too high after sales tax. When Schwarzenegger was in office, I can't even tell you how many times he would bring his name up to cashiers like he knew all of his policies (he didn't) and as if they cared. Believe me he knew what he was doing, he was just trying to get over. I'd call him out to stfu cause taxes are going to be what they are. He'd tell me I'm a sheep which he knows is a flat out lie because I'm far from one and abhor sheep mentality. I'd tell him either way he was probably going to still buy whatever it was he's getting while paying the tax so he's a sheep too. He'd just glare at me and shake his head. Yea piss on you too Now let me have a legitimate complaint like my food order being wrong and he'll say I'm picky. I hate when he says that because I'm not a picky person but if I ordered a steak at a certain temperature, I expect it that way. Not on the opposite end of the temperature scale. Sometimes it's almost like he shuns common sense in order to be a jerk. As usual I'll tell him where he can go.

Now my neighbor is a coupon complainer. That guy will threaten to take his business elsewhere over a 2 for $3 Famous Star Carl's Jr. coupon. I've told him countless times in front of cashiers to stop being a insanely cheap bastard. I mean I use coupons too for what they're worth, get store brand products, shop for sales, etc. Him? He tries to haggle whatever the offer is on the coupon. That customer with the dress wouldn't have liked me. I would've told her that if she didn't care about what she wanted, then how on earth can she say no she doesn't like every other selection you presented to her.

[PandaHat]

"I don't care."
Geez Louise, why do customers think I'm an expert in my department and can just pull items out of thin air that are perfect for what they need?

1. Customer comes in: I'm looking for a dress for graduation/a party/stupid crap.
me: Okay, is there a dress code of some sort?
C: No.
me: Is there a certain color you prefer?
C: I don't care.
me: Do you want it to have sleeves?
C: I don't care.
me: Do you want it to be a long dress, or a short dress?
C: I don't care.

At this point I get irritated and start picking up whatever dress happens to be near me.

C: No, I don't like that. I don't like that either. Nope. No. No.

Ugh even if they gave you more information like, "no I don't like that one because of the shape/colour/hemline/lack of sequins" then you could help them better. But just "No" is useless!

How do you spin it when they refuse to give information? When I worked selling spectacles I'd say something like "okay I'll bring over a variety of popular styles and see if up we can get some possibilities!" Of course it's significantly faster to try on glasses so I can start narrowing down shapes/colours/sizes. And if they refused to give information I'd specifically ask hat they didn't like about it.

[PepperElf]

ya cos if they don't care how are you suppose to realize they mean "this specific style"?

[EricKei]

I'd say we could just read their minds, but the problem is, these people have nothing to actually read...

[Catwoman2965]

I hate customers like the one in the first example. I get that too. Or they're looking for something on a sat afternoon at 3pm to wear that night. Either to an event, wedding, or out to dinner, whatever. They don't know what they want, but expect me to find the PERFECT outfit for them, or they choose something that we don't have their size/color in, and get pissy when told, no I cannot produce one from my posterior, you must order from the catalog.

but yeah, we are trained to ask "her" what she's looking for, what's the ocassion, etc. and many of them just don't have any clue what they want. Others, are more flexible "a cute spring dress that I can wear to a shower. I prefer one wiht sleeves, but will try sleeveless and put something over it" In other words, they are FLEXIBLE

[Ghel]

I admit I did my Valentine's shopping last minute. I went to a popular local candy store, hoping to get some of their sugar-free chocolates for my (diabetic) husband. I was worried that they'd be closed or they'd be sold out of the chocolates I wanted. But I knew before I went there that if they were sold out or closed, I would just chalk it up to bad planning on my part and not throw a fit or anything.

Luckily, they had plenty of the sugar-free chocolates left, and I got a nice big box for the Hubby, which he loved. (They were sold out of lots of other things, but not the sugar-free stuff.)