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Deadly silence on entering a shop, off putting?

29 replies

eggplant16 · 18/06/2024 14:15

I've just been browsing a few local shops. The atmosphere in the charity shop wasn't pleasant, nobody spoke at all so I left. A small boutique had a friendly lady, chat about the weather and so on. I had a browse and made a mental note to return and try on a few items. A vintage shop had absolute stoney silence.
Before anybody jumps on me, Ive volunteered in charity shops and it can be draining.

OP posts:
Lalog · 18/06/2024 16:09

... and a CAHIER.

Such a shame that nobody outside of DFrance says hullo to each other.

FlaubertSyndrome · 18/06/2024 16:10

Lalog · 18/06/2024 15:38

There you go OP. Just walk in and yell "bum journey" at them. It's French, n'est- ce pas?

This is reminding me of a stand-off I once saw in a supermarket when I lived in Paris, between an American tourist looking for mayonnaise and a shelf stacker who wasn't having any without the required politesse.

Tourist: 'Uh, mayo? MAYO?'
Shop worker, deadpan: 'Bon jour, monsieur.'
Tourist, increasingly frustrated: 'Can't you understand me? MAYO???'
Shop worker, with the air of someone teaching basics to a small child: 'BON JOUR, MONSIEUR.'
Tourist: 'What the hell is WRONG with you???'

Deathraystare · 18/06/2024 17:19

I normally don't mind a silence but when in a cosmetics shop (where make up artists and ordinary people would go). I really got the feeling I wasn't their particular choice of clientale so I left. I have also been in a charity shop where i was bustled all around by an assistant who would come up behind me wherever I was in the shop and start fussing about with the shelves etc so I again gave up!

Also I went to pay in a charity shop and my card was declined and the SA bellowed out "Oh what do I do now Mrs X? Mrs X was in another room and had to come out. The SA was getting over excited and anxious about it and kept going on about the fucking card being declined. I certainly did not need a loud hailer to bellow "Everyone, please note my card has been declined". Sheesh!

Atethehalloweenchocs · 18/06/2024 18:22

I dont mind not being spoken to when I walk in, but if I am standing in front of the till and the staff is doing something else behind the counter, I do expect a 'be with you in a minute' or non verbal acknowledgement (unless they have their back to me). I have walked out before after standing unacknowledged inches away from someone for 5 minutes. Had them call after me 'I am ready now' and called back 'I dont spend money where people are rude'.

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