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

Told off in Sainsburys

204 replies

MassalaQueen · 21/01/2017 13:40

I was shopping in Sainsburys this morning with my 3 year old ds. At the entrance there was an unmanned taster stall with some crisps in tiny bowls and some Robinsons squash in cups. My ds asked if he could have some juice and I helped myself to a cup. The stall holder came along and said you dont just help yourself to the samples. I was embarrassed and apologised. She then continued to reprimand me saying this isn't a cafe you know and tutting. Was her reaction over the top? Surely the point of the sample stalls are to promote the products rather than tell customers off for sampling. AIBU if I report her to customer service?

OP posts:
PotatoWaffleCob · 21/01/2017 13:45

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

MrsDc7 · 21/01/2017 13:47

I'd have asked to see the manager. Cheeky cow. She should have been at her post if that's how she feels

Usernamegone · 21/01/2017 13:47

I would report her to customer services

ImperialBlether · 21/01/2017 13:48

Ageism there, Potato. Unacceptable.

TSSDNCOP · 21/01/2017 13:49

She, or someone else should have been manning the stand then.

user1477282676 · 21/01/2017 13:49

I would have asked why it was unmanned! It was obviously there to be sampled...what does she expect!?

CommonFramework · 21/01/2017 13:51

Well, if she's there promoting the product, she's achieved the opposite, hasn't she? Silly woman.

I'd forget about it, tbh. She over-reacted/was wrong.

Ilovecaindingle · 21/01/2017 13:51

I think they get the taster staff from some sort of boot camp. The one in our asda shouts in a menacing voice do we want any to buy - they keep the boxes under the stall - always too scared to say no so buy 2 boxes!! The kids won't go past her aisle anymore!!

user1477282676 · 21/01/2017 13:52

Are they employed separately? As in not their normal staff?

DoloresTheRunawayTrain · 21/01/2017 13:53

She had a go because she should have been manning her station so she could explain any associated offers and knows she will be in trouble for not doing so.

Stonewash · 21/01/2017 13:54

YANBU

NotStoppedAllDay · 21/01/2017 13:58

She was near enough to see, so 'manning her stall' is neither here nor there really

Think the idea is for you to try and buy, not feed your kid from it...

Did you overfill the cup op?

GimmeeMoore · 21/01/2017 14:01

It's no big deal,she was rude but I wouldn't be reporting or escalating to a manager
Not everything in life needs a follow up action,or seeing someone reprimanded
No long term harm caused.bit of that's brass neck all.

user1477282676 · 21/01/2017 14:01

The OP wanted to try it. She might have bought it. And the cups were pre-filled.

SmellySphinx · 21/01/2017 14:01

It's a taster sample stall offering free samples and you took a sample. IF it was a "Cafe" Hmm you would have to order something from the person who SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOOD THERE to serve you, then you pay.

What the fuck does she think the stuff is there for? It's hardly as if you raided the whole counter. If it's going to bother you then yes, definitely mention it to the customer services they can tell her directly or tell the relevent supervisor/manager. Her attitude will put people off from trying the product and the stall won't be serving its purpose - to promote the product, so you'll buy it! She was rude!

SmellySphinx · 21/01/2017 14:01

It's a taster sample stall offering free samples and you took a sample. IF it was a "Cafe" Hmm you would have to order something from the person who SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOOD THERE to serve you, then you pay.

What the fuck does she think the stuff is there for? It's hardly as if you raided the whole counter. If it's going to bother you then yes, definitely mention it to the customer services they can tell her directly or tell the relevent supervisor/manager. Her attitude will put people off from trying the product and the stall won't be serving its purpose - to promote the product, so you'll buy it! She was rude!

NormaSmuff · 21/01/2017 14:03

how rude she sounds

Amethyst81 · 21/01/2017 14:03

She was rude but I would leave it, I would have told her to sod off though.

ErnesttheBavarian · 21/01/2017 14:07

Sounds like she was rude, but why waste time and mental energy reporting her. Honestly, keep your life simple. It's not that big a deal imo.

Ifwiw, I wouldn't just go helping myself to stuff like that. Surely it's manners to ask, and if she isn't there to ask, you wait or leave it, you don't just go helping yourself. Sounds like ds had better manners!

catkind · 21/01/2017 14:08

"You just lost yourself a sale then", walk off. But it's easy to think of these things after the event. I'd also assume an unmanned stall of samples was for sampling. But would also likely be shocked into incoherence by being accosted!

kaitlinktm · 21/01/2017 14:08

Was she of a certain know-it-all-bossyboots age?

FFS

bibbitybobbityyhat · 21/01/2017 14:09

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

EvansOvalPies · 21/01/2017 14:10

Was she of a certain know-it-all-bossyboots age?

Please define this, Potato What, exactly, is that age?

OP - YANBU. The stallholder was in the wrong. If she wanted to leave her post and have no-one sampling, then she should either have put the samples away or asked someone else to look after the stand whilst she nipped to the loo (or whatever she was doing). I think they normally have a little cupboard underneath so they can tidy things away? Not sure about that, but it seems feasible, otherwise where do they get all their extra supplies from?

A friend and I went to a Flower Show, and friend was horrified because I picked up a little (freebie) cotton bag with some helpful advisory planting leaflets from a stall that was unmanned but related to one of the display gardens that I really liked. I reasoned that they were there to give out to people. But, to ask permission to take one, I would have had to wait for the stallholder to return to his or her post. Who knows how long that would have been?

luckylavender · 21/01/2017 14:10

It doesn't sound as if she covered herself in glory but it does also sound as though you overstepped the mark.

Oblomov17 · 21/01/2017 14:11

Report. She left it unmanned. And then was rude. Because of her error.

Swipe left for the next trending thread