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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to assume that this shop thinks I am a crook?

35 replies

mymoonandstars · 23/01/2015 11:58

I go in a shop in town a lot. Its a big chain store. They ran a promotion before christmas that said "buy a £20 voucher, get a £5 one for free."

I was buying £40 worth of stuff so I asked to buy two £20 vouchers, pay with those and then I got 2 x £5 free. I had checked the T&C's and assistant agreed it was fine. After all, I could have just bought the vouchers and spent them on another day. I also have a student card even though I am a mature student. Anyway, I got another £5 free the next week when I bought a £20 voucher for a friend. This time the assistant next to the one who was serving me said "No, you cant do that promotion any more. Thats not allowed" My assistant said no, it IS allowed and they had a bit of a discussion about a particular manager of that store saying they weren't doing the promotion any more, even though another said they were. My assistant was lovely and did it anyway because it was all within the terms of the promotion.

The next time I went in, I heard on the radio "That woman is here again"
The next two times I went in, an assistant has pulled the curtain open on me in the changing room 'by accident'.
The last time I went in, I was trying on some shoes and my phone rang. I reached in to my bag to get it and an assistant flew round the corner to see what I was doing.

AIBU to wonder if they think I am a crook or am I being paranoid? I wonder if they think I have a fake student card or something, and I am sure its related to the promotion situation, which was perfectly fine and legal!

OP posts:
DiddlyBiddly · 23/01/2015 12:04

From what you've said, certainly looks like it Confused How weird! How often are you in there?

Blueblueblueblue · 23/01/2015 12:08

Either confront it head on and ask yo speak to the manger or stop going in for a while.

Inthedarkaboutfashion · 23/01/2015 12:10

Itch no you need to find somewhere else to shop so you can avoid theses oddball shop assistants.

muminhants · 23/01/2015 12:12

I would ask to speak to the manager. If it is a chain store I would say that you will be making a formal complaint to head office.

I can't see why using vouchers makes you seem like a shoplifting risk but I would definitely make a fuss - the radio thing is particularly offensive.

Original poster
mymoonandstars · 23/01/2015 12:18

I go maybe once on friday to have a peruse with my DS (so no real trying on or good look) and then again on saturday to try on the things Id looked at on fridays.

DP is adamant I am paranoid and the radio thing wasn't about me. And that maybe they are just idiots. That's why I didn't want to confront it without asking if i was BU first. The manager would think I was crazy if I confronted them and it turned out that they weren't watching me!

OP posts:
Theimpossiblegirl · 23/01/2015 12:28

It would certainly seem like they are watching you. I would either speak to the manager, or stop going in for a while, or both. The voucher thing is perfectly reasonable, any shopping savvy Mumsnetter would have done the same.

Ejzuudjej · 23/01/2015 12:34

I would be fuming about the curtain being pulled back Angry.

MrsHathaway · 23/01/2015 12:51

I wouldn't have been back after the second curtain incident, and there would have been a long time between the first and the second.

Don't give them your business. And tell their head office why you won't be going there again (voucher inconsistencies and curtain issues, not the more subjective things).

Original poster
mymoonandstars · 23/01/2015 13:00

Thanks all, I didn't want to go in there guns blazing and then be the woman who thinks everyone is watching her! Haha!

The curtain thing was so quick both times, it wasn't pulled fully back, just a peek and then "oh! so sorry!"

I must be stupid because I can buy online from them (and the voucher was available online too) but its the best shop in our small town and I like to try things on. Sad

OP posts:
mickeyfartpants · 23/01/2015 13:04

Do they have camera's in changing rooms these days? Surely they don't need to actually pull back the curtain! I wouldn't be going back there myself. How crap for you!

Icimoi · 23/01/2015 13:41

I'd be tempted to take the piss - e.g. have a sign in front of the curtain when trying things on saying "No, still not shoplifting"; and very deliberately finding reasons to take your phone out of your bag and put it back at least three times during every visit.

Original poster
mymoonandstars · 23/01/2015 20:24

DP did suggest doing the same but I don't want to give them ammunition :/

OP posts:
Ludways · 23/01/2015 20:31

Lol, I'd go in more often and ask for the offer every time, but I'm a bolshy cow. Lol

fluffling · 23/01/2015 21:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TrendStopper · 24/01/2015 09:53

Going in on a Friday to have a look then going back on the Saturday to try things on could be seen as suspicious.

They could see your Friday visit as you casing the shop before you steal them on Saturday.

I find it a bit strange that you go to this shop every Friday and Saturday.

GameOfGroans · 24/01/2015 10:54

I agree with Trend, I would find this weird too, sorry.

skylark2 · 24/01/2015 11:03

I have to agree, it's very odd to go to the same store twice a week, once when you never buy anything. How much can their stock change anyway in that sort of timeperiod?

How often do you buy something, when compared to how often you go in and try things?

I can see that maybe you just do this out of habit and for fun, but think about what it looks like to someone working there - the same person always coming in on the same days, never trying anything on a Friday, always doing so on a Saturday...

Original poster
mymoonandstars · 24/01/2015 11:34

I pretty much always buy something on a Saturday for my night out. They change the store round every week and I cannot get a 'real' look with DS tugging at me to leave. I certainly wouldn't be able to try something on. So I mentally pick which items I might want to try on and then do so on the Saturday while DS & DP are elsewhere. I do this in the Dorothy Perkins too and have never had this treatment.

We live quite close and I have to go to town on both days for the post office/other jobs so while I am there, I use the opportunity to go in and look round.

OP posts:
babewiththepower · 24/01/2015 11:41

I think going in to a store more than once a week is not unreasonable and your behaviour should not be used as an excuse for the rubbish way they are treating a legitimate customer. OP obviously spends a fair amount in there - £60 over two weeks at least going by the voucher example. They have tags to alert them to shoplifters too, I assume the alarm has never gone off?

They are being completely U.

penguinplease · 24/01/2015 11:44

Oh god is it new look? They are like mafia staff in my home town and I'm also well known! Ride it out. You're the customer!!

TattyDevine · 24/01/2015 11:46

I wouldn't change anything you do in terms of shopping habits, and I wouldn't worry if they thought I was dogey, as long as I wasn't. I'd just carry on as normal. I'm thick skinned like that though. Just carry on with your daily ways, the problem is in their heads, and if its not, its not, don't waste space in yours for it.

TattyDevine · 24/01/2015 11:47

Very tempting to stroll in and say "me again" or "Hi honey, I'm home"! though Grin

Original poster
mymoonandstars · 24/01/2015 11:48

Bang on penguin. Grin The fit is always so changeable that of course I like to try things on! And on a Saturday its so busy that I want to just get the stuff I know I like, try it on, make a decision and get out of there!

OP posts:
RedButtonhole · 24/01/2015 11:52

I was also going to say NewLook. They had this voucher deal on recently and screwed their faces up when I bought a £20 voucher, then used it plus the free £5 directly afterwards to pay for a £24.99 item.

Their customer service in-store is shit.

MyFriendlyDaemon · 24/01/2015 11:53

I agree with TrendStopper - going in every Friday sounds a bit odd.

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