To not want to explain myself repeatedly in this shop

[DrCarolineTodd]

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?

Just ignore. If the sales person had been on their game they should have tried for an add on sale by being interested in you and your shopping needs and offering you an appropriate in store special offer. But, they weren't, and they didn't - maybe they were just having a bad day. I wouldn't let one less than sterling customer service experience put me off shopping somewhere, but if it happened more than once, was obviously a trend or general atmosphere then I would avoid in future.

I do click and collect as a) my local Boots is teeny and so doesn't have a great range, but you get next day delivery to store for free b) Next/M&S never have the size I want in store (and Next don't do Tall in my local), and its easier to order what I want

A protractor, a pencil, post it notes, pens, pritt stick, paper... oh, I only read the first sentence... .

YANBU by the way.

I am on chatting terms with some staff at our local Matalan and the click and collect helps keep them open.

He wasn't that old.

I think click and collect is something that will help keep shops open actually...

A million years ago I worked for a specialist retailer with a very strong online presence and I have to confess my colleagues , my manager and I would get pretty pissed off when customers came into us to pick our brains about a product that was purchased online without the benefit of speaking to an experienced member of staff and without the follow up care we afforded our direct customers .
We were commission based. Our colleagues were getting made redundant left right and centre and we were doing more work with less staff. We were getting totally hammered.
I used to be quite honest about it and tell customers " I wish you'd bought that off me".
My manager would occasionally say , " if everyone buys online soon we won't be on the high street to assist you at all".
Obviously this isn't in the spirit of excellent customer care but we are only human, and it was true.

Surely the big incentive with click and collect is that after you trudge your way to the shop you actually know the thing will be in stock? Few shops have a branch inventory checker so you could lug yourself there and find the shelf empty so to speak. You might go in for a set of pens, some pads of paper and a pencil sharpener and, despite the website saying they're available (because it shows company stock, not store stock) you walk away empty handed.

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

And spent the £20 you saved, no doubt