Do you work here?

[SuperRTL]

Okay, so, I'm shopping with my mother at a different location in the chain of fabric stores I work for. This one is closer to her house. I work at the one across town. I am quite obviously not in uniform as I'm wearing jeans and a bright red shirt. The uniform is khaki or black pants and a white collared shirt.

I go to grab something from a couple aisles over from where my mom is shopping and somebody taps me on my shoulder.

SC: Do you work here?
Me: Actually, I don't. You might recognize me from <my location> though.
SC: Well, I'm looking for-
Me: Ma'am, I'm sure any of the very bored ladies at the cut table would be happy to help you
SC: You're refusing to help me, then?
Me: Ma'am, I don't work at this store. I don't know where anything is. Not to mention I'm on my day off, my first in 12 days, and I'm shopping with my mother.
SC: See, this is why I don't shop at <my location>. You have horrible customer service.

She then walks away and goes to complain about me at the cut table.

The thing is, my store has great customer service. We're faster and nicer than almost any other store in our district. If we have 3 people working in the store, one cutting, one checking and one putting away freight with 2 people shopping in the store, both of the customers will go looking for the person putting away freight then complain when that person won't carry their fabric for them or cut it right there in the aisle. And it's not just one customer who will do this, it's all of them. My district manager witnessed it and has never seen anything like it.

[Flying Grype]

It's weird how people who sew for themselves don't understand the value of work. They're probably the spoiled childless single-income-household type doing this for a hobby, rather than doing it to save money or make stuff they actually need.

[SuperRTL]

Actually, it's the ones who are trying to save a bit of money who are the worst. They just can't believe how expensive fabric is. Most of the ones who are doing it as a hobby want to stay on my good side because I sew professionally and can help them out when they get stuck or need advice. They learn very quickly to ask nicely and to be polite to my minions, er, I mean, freight crew.

[Food Lady]

What part of "I don't work here" do you not understand?? I guess next time don't go to the "You may recognize me" part. Sad that you have to censor what you say even on your day off to avoid a hassle. *sigh*

[RxBoy]

I've gotten that on more than one occasion myself. I live in a pretty big city and my store has multiple locations throughout the area. There are several locations closer to my house than the one I work at, so I typically don't shop at the one I work at. I do occasionally get recognized as I'm shopping in my street clothes.

I basically tell them the same thing, something along the lines of I don't work at this location and therefore don't know the layout of the store or if a particular item is carried at this store. If I happen to know the answer to a question, I'll tell them. But I don't go looking for something for them.

[Sightings Reporter]

I seriously had been thinking about getting a part time job at the local fabric store to pay for my crafting habit. After these posts, I think I will just cut back on my habit.... yikes.

...They just can't believe how expensive fabric is...

I thought making my own clothes would be cheaper than the sales rack at my local bullseye store until I spent US$20 on 3 yards of fabric for a skirt. Now, if I make an outfit for myself, it is for pleasure and not for saving money. It took a while for my husband to understand that especially when it came to clothes for the kiddos. US$2.50 at Bullseye on the sales rack vs that price per yard for material. Again, when I make a jumper for the girls, I am doing it for fun.

[Green_Fairy]

for a while, i thought i'd be awesome and make all my own clothes...but then once i made a dress a size and a half too small, i decided against it. tho...it was really good encouragement for weight loss...

[jjllbb]

SC: See, this is why I don't shop at <my location>. You have horrible customer service.

That line made me want to laugh, cry, and scream all at the same time.

[EvilEmpryss]

What you don't understand is that sucky customers are providing you with job security: their insistance on the use of faulty logic will keep the human race from being able to replace CSRs with robots.

One massive break with logic like that and no computer will be able to survive the error cascade that will follow. Seriously, look how hard it is for us to respond: a poor robot hasn't got a chance!

[KitterCat]

Actually, it's the ones who are trying to save a bit of money who are the worst. They just can't believe how expensive fabric is. Most of the ones who are doing it as a hobby want to stay on my good side because I sew professionally and can help them out when they get stuck or need advice. They learn very quickly to ask nicely and to be polite to my minions, er, I mean, freight crew.

I’d definitely believe that. Buying fabric at retail is expensive, but really good for a business. I’ve come across a few on-line businesses for wholesale, and the prices dropped dramatically. Problem is said websites want a business license id before they’ll accept your order. I don’t have one, so I use coupons and watch out for sales when buying fabric. If its something I really need for some of my reenactments, well you bite the bullet and buy the fabric no matter what the price is. *Oh why must pure linen be so dammed expensive!*

And there in lies the difference, acting like it’s the stores fault that you didn’t plan and accepting with some grace what you need for a project is going to cost $.