Chemist refused to sell my Mother make up. How odd?

[fortifiedwithtea]

DM a bit deaf but all her facilities and aged 85 .

She wanted to buy her granddaughter (my DD2) a lipstick for her birthday. DM went to a local independent chemist. The sort that stinks of perfume the moment you walk in. She explained to the sales assistant ( who mum presumed was the owner or manager ) that she was looking for a colour to suit someone with blonde hair, fair skin tone.

Assistant replied sorry I know this sounds awkward but we only serve people who have bought a product before as its caused problems in the past.

So mum went to Boots with the exist same request and was helped , no problem. Except now she is over thinking it and worrying the lipstick could cause God knows what skin allergy.

Does this sound really odd? I wondered if first shop thought she was buying for a child. Dd2 is 20 years old btw. Or do you think its because make up choice so personal its highly likely its not to daughter’s taste. But why should that be of any concern to the shop, everyone should know make up can not be returned.

To me its a weird business model only to sale products your customers have had before. How is business growth achieved if nobody tries anything new.?

It's odd but I really don't think I could get this invested.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Definitely ageist and if they were genuinely concerned they should have got the pharmacist to speak to her not just fobbed her off.!!

Pharmacies are suffering from massive underfunding and staff problems - many are on the brink of going bust, chains collapsing.

The excuse sounds odd but I'd not bother ringing to complain. Maybe the assistant had been told to focus on counter work not dabbling around with cosmetics. What actual good will complaining make ? Do you want to insist on them selling you a lipstick?

Was it Mrs Tishell off Doc Martin? 😂

😂😂😂😂

I think she was trying to say , if it’s for somebody else, it needs to be a repeat order ie you know they want it, cos it’s lipstick and can’t be returned. V bad explanation though

Bother am 6 millionth person to say this sorry didn’t realise it was such a long thread

Peeing not shitting.

@midlifecrash I can’t believe this thread has got so long either!🤣 But I will say its got a bit of everything. Like more branches than my poor old Texas Tom artificial Christmas tree from the 1990’s

Well this is weird. Did she just take agin your Mum?😵

Try "American Dad" ep Stanny Slickers 2 : the legend of ollie's gold. Stan sings the story. Available on YouTube.

Sorry, don't know how to link.

Okay, I have to know the outcome of this one. Place marking.

Read op's posts but not the rest yet so apologies if this has already been said, but my very first thought was this:

@PortalooSunset 😂😂😂😂😂😂 it had that vibe

Ah no, there is another mad independent chemist. Maybe their owners are all related?!

Ours once tried to talk me out of buying a large hand sanitizer telling me it wasn’t worth the money and you could make your own (!). Maybe they thought I couldn’t afford it? I’ve never managed to buy anything without a row.

Weird!

@PortalooSunset funny you should say that - it reminded me of the time a few years back when during a freezing winter power cut, my late husband went everywhere we knew of to try to buy a calor gas canister, and none being available tried a new shop in the lower part of the village (Low as in geography, not class!)

Yes, they told him, they had a few left. Had he shopped with them before, because his face didn't seem familiar? No, said my husband, but we really, really need one as we have a litter of orphaned week old kittens who can't be let get chilled. Sorry, we're reserving them for our regular customers in case they need them.

Sometimes I despair of people. (btw the litter survived by dint of being cuddled up in a blanket by each of us in shifts to keep them cosy.)

@a1poshpaws that's shocking! Glad the kittens were OK.

"PeeJayDay
"The store manager agreed with me and apologised profusely."

@BobbyBobbyBobby they were just doing whatever they could to get rid of you without you causing any more of a scene. Nobody agreed with you apart from the other rude and difficult customer in the queue that joined you in belittling and jeering at a woman simply doing her job.

I can understand why they wanted rid of you since you admit that you would respond to being refused service by shitting all over the shop floor 

Peeing not shitting."

🤣🤣 that's ok then

I'd day its more people trying to return items. There is a huge sign up in my local pharmacy saying they do not do exchanges or refunds.

In fairness, I can just about support a local shop saving emergency supplies for local people, especially in a village where many elderly and disabled or people without cars may not be able to shop elsewhere. Awful under the circumstances trying to keep kittens warm though.

Maybe the assistant had been told to focus on counter work not dabbling around with cosmetics

Refusing to sell to customers because they aren't buying the right things. Great sales technique, that.

I want to walk around this mystery Brentwood chemist now, I'm in that neck of the woods often.

Sounds like the woman was being a jobsworth who felt like bossing an old lady around... I wonder if she'd have said the same to a younger woman

I'd ring them and ask them to expalin themself.