Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to explain myself repeatedly in this shop

33 replies

DrCarolineTodd · 26/09/2014 07:02

I recently bought some items from a stationery shop beginning with P. I ordered online to get cashback through Quidco and used the click and collect service so I didn't have to wait in for a delivery.

When I went to collect the items, the staff member who served me said: "Well, you could have got all that here, why didn't you just come in and buy it?" I said I'd been browsing at home to find what I wanted and had bought online to get cashback.

I thought he understood that, but then he started telling me again that I could have got all that in the shop. Well yes, I could have, but I didn't, and I'm not sure I should have to justify how I choose to shop.

I guess they may have sales targets for the store, possibly attached to a bonus, but this isn't the way to encourage people to come in, is it? I worked in retail for years and in this situation I would have just been friendly and polite, and said how interesting about the cashback, well we're happy to receive your orders.

Because I might well have bought something else when I went to collect it, had he not made me want to leave as soon as possible. AIBU to think it was rude? Or WIBU to use click and collect?

OP posts:
youbethemummylion · 26/09/2014 07:14

I think he may have just been trying to be helpful but then really not listening to what you said and not taking the hint to leave it alone. I don't think you need to question it too deeply stuff like this is mildly irritating at best. Shop however you want to.

NorwaySpruce · 26/09/2014 07:19

He was being ridiculous.

I generally avoid shopping in actual shops now, if there is an online option. Pushy sales people are the main reason for that.

Apart from that though, I don't want to travel to a shop on the off chance they might have what I want. It is usually cheaper, faster, and less hassle online.

I bet the shop guy doesn't spend his free time chasing random bits of stationery from shop to shop.

Original poster
DrCarolineTodd · 26/09/2014 07:19

He sounded really grumpy though, and seemed to think I was a bit thick.

OP posts:
Original poster
DrCarolineTodd · 26/09/2014 07:20

Arf at Norway's last line

OP posts:
FamiliesShareGerms · 26/09/2014 07:20

Deep breath and leave it be. Life's too short to get stressed about stuff like this, surely?

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 26/09/2014 07:21

I think it's just easiest to just say "really? that's nice, thanks..." and ignore.

Original poster
DrCarolineTodd · 26/09/2014 07:25

If we all took a deep breath and let things be, what on earth would be posted on aibu?!

OP posts:
pictish · 26/09/2014 07:26

Was he an older chap at all?

AmazingBouncingFerret · 26/09/2014 08:00

The thought of a bonus attached to hitting targets made me chuckle..

The dude is probably just concerned for his job. It's demoralising to week after week try everything you can to hit targets and know that people are getting the goods online. To see actual physical proof, to have to hand over items to a customer and not see the profit must be like a kick in the teeth.

Obviously you are not unreasonable to use a service the company offers but I don't think he ws unreasonable either.

KingJoffreysBloodshotEye · 26/09/2014 08:09

That would be the last time I shopped there.

Online is cheaper, easier and no attitude. It wasn't up to him to question how you bought something. If shops don't like click and collect then why on earth do they have it??

Confused
AmazingBouncingFerret · 26/09/2014 08:20

"If shops don't like click and collect then why on earth do they have it??"

The company like it. It's another way to get the customer to part with their money.

Actual staff wont. Because it's just another nail in the coffin that is their job.

OraProNobis · 26/09/2014 08:25

Exactly was Ferret says. He can see his job going to the wall and he's probably right. I agree that online shopping is useful and has it's place. I find it a bit odd that anyone would go to the bother of 'click and collect' - what does it save exactly? Just pick up the phone and see if they've got what you want and go get it already. Do we not all have some small duty to do a bit to help maintain our high streets and jobs for our neighbours/friends/family/whatever? I think we do but that's probably not the majority view.

WildFlowersAttractBees · 26/09/2014 08:32

I had the same with my local ELC. The reason I ordered online was a selection of discount codes available that weren't in applicable in the shop.
The woman serving me kept muttering about 'no need for shops soon, EVERYONE is doing this'. It put me off going in as I usually would have and picking up bits and bobs.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 26/09/2014 09:21

Aww WildFlowers ws it a stand alone ELC? She's probably a long standing member of staff who has watched the stores shrink from over 500 to 125. She kinda has a point but shouldn't have muttered, no need for that.

Shop staff are in such a tough place. They get pressure from head office to keep smashing targets, get the customers in, increase average spend yet head office give out ridiculous online only discounts. They are competing with themselves and there is only one winner. The fat cat bastards right at the top.

WaywardOn3 · 26/09/2014 09:29

We went to Halfords, saw a car radio we liked online, checked to see if our local store had it in stock, which they did, then went in to buy it.

Problem was it was almost £20 more expensive in store than online! Pointed it hot to the sales guy who was actually really helpful and told us to reserve it online and if we could wait the 10mins for our order to reach his system we could have it for the online price.

Went to the chippy and came back to get our new radio minus the inflated in store price :-)

WaywardOn3 · 26/09/2014 09:30

*how out became hot I don't know lol

WildFlowersAttractBees · 26/09/2014 09:32

It was a stand alone and she is a long standing member of staff. I only know this because I have shopped there for 15years and hated being muttered at as I collected my order.

I understand that most people face huge job related pressures but I can't help being put off shopping somewhere I get moaned at for spending money.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 26/09/2014 09:42

yeah she's going about it the wrong way. I worked for ELC and it was heartbreaking to come into work and face emails telling us yet more stores were going and colleagues were losing jobs.

We used to just smile and be pleasant and say to customers that we hoped that they could come in and place orders through the store as we would get the benefits.

It was only when we got the 'ohh no! you cannot close, what am I going to do now??' that we got mildly arsey. Grin

zippey · 26/09/2014 10:17

He probably didn't know what you meant by "cashback" so still didn't see the reasons why you would order online and collect in store.

Its unreasonable to be spoken to like that.

sparechange · 26/09/2014 11:27

I had something similar in a clothes shop with a very strict 'no returns' policy.
Except if you buy something online, you have 28 days to return it.

So I try things on in store, then order from the website using click and collect and then collect from the store.
No, the staff don't like it, but it is only because of their ridiculous returns policy!

DejaVuAllOverAgain · 26/09/2014 11:54

I find it a bit odd that anyone would go to the bother of 'click and collect' - what does it save exactly?

In the OP's case she got cashback. If he wants to keep his job he's going the wrong way about it, that attitude would have me shopping somewhere else the next time.

DejaVuAllOverAgain · 26/09/2014 11:55

There are some places where I shop online and get it delivered to the shop because what I want isn't available in the shop and if it's delivered to the shop it's free.

DejaVuAllOverAgain · 26/09/2014 11:56

I mea delivery is free not the item ordered, sorry Blush

DejaVuAllOverAgain · 26/09/2014 11:57

*mean. I give up.

ExpiredUserName · 26/09/2014 11:58

Mmm, I think you are over thinking this. I would have just ignored him.