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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have been so rude to this shop assistant?

56 replies

ICameOnTheJitney · 07/10/2013 16:41

I probably was and want to vent anyway. Perfectly prepared to be told either way.

I was in The Entertainer toy shop today...I had a couple of items to put away for Christmas in my arms....now bear in mind that I'd been greeted and asked if I needed help three times by different assistants...and I'd smiled at each and said "No thanks, I'm fine." and carried on browsing. Then I saw a display of Nerf guns and remembered that both my DDs had liked playing with our neighbour's son's Nerf guns so stopped to ponder the wisdom of buying them one each.

I was irritably looking at the "Girl's" version (in pink naturally) and thinking about how shit it is that the "girl's" version was more expensive.....when another assistant arrived at my side and interrupted my thoughts to ask "Do you need any help at all?"

I said "No thanks I'm fine" and just glanced his direction as I was a bit sick of being asked by this point.

He then launcehd into a sales pitch anyway! "Oh well these are the latest...the girl's ones are just in...and they're..." so I interrupted him and said "Really I';m fine I don't want any help"

AND HE CARRIED ON! Angry

So I said "No. I'm fine...I don't want to know...I want to be left alone" and he rolled his fucking eyes at me.

AIBU to think "No thank you I don't want any help." means just that???

OP posts:
ZZZenagain · 07/10/2013 17:03

I didn't find you rude.He was rude to override you like that and also to roll his eyes at a customer. Bet that would go down brilliantly with the boss.

I hate hard sell, in fact it drives me out of shops when shop assistants are too aggressive. If you tell one assistant you don't need help, it is annoying to be asked again by someone else. I suppose they are made to do it but I think it is counter productive. If you want help, you look around and at that point, they can jump if so inclined.

MadeOfStarDust · 07/10/2013 17:04

I don't work for them - really - really - really - a friend does - but they also pay above minimum wage and actually pay more for night work, and have a whole life approach - students will be employed for a max 20hours a week in term time for instance.... I quite like them

Original poster
ICameOnTheJitney · 07/10/2013 17:06

Hmm. I don't know about the Rolf Harris and Tom Cruise thing but I DO know that the shop is horribly gendered anyway. One glowing pink side and one bright blue side....

OP posts:
JamieandtheMagicTorch · 07/10/2013 17:07

I'm not sure you were rude. It sounded more like assertiveness to me.

KatoPotato · 07/10/2013 17:09

It's like the parting of the red sea, pink on the left... blue on the right

NicknameIncomplete · 07/10/2013 17:09

I hate rude people.

But you were not rude. You had told him a few times that you didnt need his help & he wasnt listening. Some people need a stern talking to and thats what he got.

KatoPotato · 07/10/2013 17:10

Wonder if it involved a Rolferoo...

diege · 07/10/2013 17:13

Assertive yes, rude no. I had a confrontation on Saturday at the till at the Entertainer when they tried to push those gendered Kinder eggs on me. She insisted they were gender neutral and not targeted at either girl or boys Hmm..

nicename · 07/10/2013 17:16

I'm sure I've seen Harry Potter tat in there.

SueDoku · 07/10/2013 18:34

I think that I would just have smiled, handed him all the things that you had picked up and said something along the lines of, "If you really don't want to listen to your customers, I'll make my purchases somewhere else" before walking out. Hit them in the pocket and they take notice...Angry

Sukebind · 07/10/2013 18:35

So The Entertainer doesn't open on a Sunday. It doesn't have to. It seems unfair to criticise it for a decision made in line with the owners' beliefs. If they aren't open or don't sell the products you want then take your business elsewhere.
Pushy assistants are annoying but I bet they are not enjoying being pushy either.

itsonlyme85 · 07/10/2013 18:45

I wondered why i couldn't find monster high dolls on there website last night

chateauferret · 07/10/2013 18:55

YANBU. This is why I don't go to PC World. They always wittered on at me about how good such-and-such a box is at running Widoze. I couldn't give a stuff. I won't have Windoze in the house, except on DW's PC, and it causes enough bother there.

Wibblypiglikesbananas · 07/10/2013 19:42

This drives me mad too! I'm in the US and you can't walk into a shop without a welcoming committee and 15 different people coming to see 'How you're doing today'. It is annoying, intimidating and just serves to drive me out of the shop.

There was a Michael McIntyre (sp) scetch once about the difference between the Apple stores in the US and the UK - brilliant, and exactly this kind of thing.

nennypops · 07/10/2013 19:46

I don't know why shops think this is a good idea. I'm in the ranks of those who absolutely hate sales pitches and will leave a shop if they try to subject me to one. OK, it may be that it works with some people, but really assistants need to be taught to pick up the messages. If a customer says "No" to an offer of help there really is a very good chance that she means it, and the shop will stand a better chance of making a sale if they leave the customer alone.

Nanny0gg · 07/10/2013 19:51

So, no Harry Potter but they sell toy guns...

How very Christian.

picnicbasketcase · 07/10/2013 20:01

Ah but they need the guns to shoot all the demons when the apocalypse comes. They'll have no need for wands, y'see.

HicDraconis · 07/10/2013 20:06

Hate it hate it. You weren't being rude at all, just reiterating what you'd already said ten times already .

I have a "graded assertiveness" approach to this - it starts off at " No thanks I'm just looking", moves through "thankyou but I will ask for assistance if I need it", past "I've already explained to your colleagues, no thank you" and finally "that's it. I'm shopping elsewhere."

If I found a shop where assistants waited to be asked before nagging at you I'd shop there always!

OldRoan · 07/10/2013 20:10

I was browsing in Russell and Bromley the other week (I'm in my early twenties) - nobody in the shop asked me if they could help. My parents joined me, and within 1 minute three different employees wanted to help us.

At least you weren't written off as a skinflint trouble-maker, OP.

ZillionChocolate · 07/10/2013 20:11

He was rude, not you.

itsn0tmeitsyou · 07/10/2013 20:21

Sounds like a typical Christian to me. Won't stop going on about what he wants to talk about even though you've given a clear message you don't want to talk to him. [Grin]

[ducks hands over head ]

kali110 · 07/10/2013 20:22

Think yabu they are made to do this. Theyp prob don't like having to do it either!

needaholidaynow · 07/10/2013 20:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
ICameOnTheJitney · 07/10/2013 20:50

Surely his manager wouldn't tell him to persist in offering help once it's refused?

"I've asked that lady if she needs help..she says no...."

"Only wimps and losers believe shoppers who refuse help son! Get back over there and CONVINCE her she needs help!"

"But she was very rude to me..."

"Then be rude back son! Just MAKE her receive help!"

Hmm
OP posts:
Original poster
ICameOnTheJitney · 07/10/2013 20:51

oldRoan Hmm....I WAS dressed very respectably for once. I will go in again...in my oldest jeans at the same time and see what happens...I think you might have a point!

OP posts: