Opinion please ......

[mummyofteens]

My son, aged 17, was asked by one of the assistants, in a well known high street electrical shop whether he had any money.

At the time, my son was looking at the camera equipment. He is very interested in photography and will spend ages looking through camera magazines.

I have to say that he was not touching anything, messing about or doing anything other than just looking the camera filters.

Not that it should matter but he was fairly well dressed - usual uniform of track pants, superdry hoodie and padded gilet.

Am I being unreasonable to think that he shouldn't have been asked such a question - advice please :)

Yanbu
I had something similar happen to me at a popular dept store. I went to a makeup counter to buy face cream and makeup (fairly pricey stuff but this was before I had dc and had some spare cash!) At the time I was working with horses and popped into town still in my work clothes so did stink a bit of horse piss tbh, the woman (in usual makeup counter assistant uniform i.e. inch thick orange makeup, overpowering perfume etc) looked me up and down with a little sneer on her face and demanded I stop touching the products! I intended to spend quite a lot of money that day but walked away as I didn't want her to get the commission after being such a judgey pants and so blatantly rude. Was my money not the same colour as some middle class, well turned out lady of leisure? Made me really angry. Went to the makeup counter at boots instead and the lovely helpful assistant there got the commission and she even threw some freebies in too. She also said that there had been a few complaints about the other woman too so prob wasn't just me!

I often ask retail assistants questions about products and start by saying that I am investigating but not intending to buy at the moment. This is perfectly reasonable and has no relation to whether or not I have any money imo. Nobody has ever been snotty about it so it must be some sort of judgement about the OP's son's age or appearance

Just a badly trained assistant if you ask me.

A better way would have been "Are you planning on buying today or just browsing?"

I can imagine most teenagers are unlikely to be going to buy expensive camera equipment so its reasonable for an assistant to focus on selling to a customer who is more likely to buy.

But ultimately his rudeness will backfire on the store since as OP's son matures and is in a position to buy....he's unlikely to go back on principle. I know I wouldnt.

Where's Mary Portas when you need her, eh?

hahahaha

exactly Woollyideas :D

OP - your son needs to do what julia roberts does in prety woman after the snoby sales assistant looks down her nose at her, based on appearance - she goes back with bags full of stuff from other stores - any chance you could send DS back with bags full of (empty) boxes looking like he has been on a major spending spree - and asking to see the manager to make a complaint?

ah poo - sherbert got there first!

YANBU

And I think you're lovely parents for sticking up for your son

That happened to me once, I wish I'd complained at the time. I was in a pen shop and I asked to look at a fairly expensive fountain pen that was on display inside the counter. The assistant said "I'm not going to bother bringing that out when you're clearly not going to buy it."

More fool her, because I did have the means to buy it, but went somewhere else instead. That was a small independent shop, I imagine they've gone bust by now. Anyway I should have written a letter or something. And for your son to be asked if he had any money - how rude and crass. I thought the usual way of approaching a customer is to say 'Can I help you?'

ashamedandconfused - hahahaahah, now that's an idea :)

Oh thank you Quenelle :)

Mummery - I can't believe anyone could be so rude!!!!

He was looking at £20 lens filters (which he had the money to buy if he had wanted to). He just tends to think about things for a while before spending his cash. His Grandad/my father is exactly the same and I doubt anyone who have dared to ask my 69 year old father whether he had any money.