Shop assistants asking if I need help

[blueskypink]

I probably am just being an intolerant bitch but I wish shop assistants would just leave me alone.

If I'm standing in a shop looking around with a puzzled/confused expression THEN, by all means ask me if I need help. IF, however, I'm walking purposefully towards some merchandise, am deep in concentration studying a label or an item, or have literally just walked through the door (avoiding eye contact and keeping as far away from you as possible) could you please just leave me alone?

If I want your help I'll ask for it.

I also don't want someone saying hello as I cross a threshold and saying 'bye - thank you' when I leave 5 seconds later because I've realised very quickly it's not my sort of shop.

I presume assistants are obliged to do this? Or maybe everyone else likes this sort of attention and doesn't snarl the way I do? I'm being unreasonable aren't I? But after a day's shopping I just wanted to scream "leave me the fuck alone!!"

The comment about anti-ageing cream, one of the best compliments I ever received, was a 20yo assistant in Lush, I was buying their face mask that temporarily smoothes out wrinkles, she said, "You don't need that!" 😊😊😊😊😊😊

If I know what I want in Body Shop, which I usually do (there are certain products of theirs I couldn't live without), I usually tell the assistant what I'm after when they ask so they can show me where it is - apart from anything else they always seem like they'd be grateful for something to do, their shops are always so quiet. Depending what mood I'm in and what flex I have in my budget/desired outcome I sometimes let them sell me some other kind of treat, or more often two treats because of their 3 for 2 thingy, so it definitely works as a sales tactic at least some of the time.

I find ''Did you find what you were looking for?'' a strange one at the till.

Erm - yes, you've just taken my money for it and are now putting it in that bag

Totally sympathise with the staff though. Been there and got the T shirt. The dreaded Open Ended Question ...

Ozil that's because they cut it off the block like cheese. The price per 200g should be on the board. If not, ask at the counter. ☺

I don't think the did you find what you were looking for is a strange question. I always tell them if they hadn't had what I wanted In my size. Just because I'm buying something doesn't mean I wouldn't have bought more if they'd had it in.

It' really frustrating considering the decline in retail shops across the country, most people prefer to shop online now because;

A) more choice
B) cheaper
C) delivery to your home
D) you don't get pestered

I'm not saying everyone feels like this but I've been in retail for 10+ years and have seen it for myself.

I don't always speak to people I at least smile and say hello, I would only approach if asked or they were looking around. After working on a make up counter and 'traffic stopping' people and being told to repeatedly 'fuck off' i couldn't care less what score I got on a mystery shop, it's all bullshit to make up for the fact most large retail businesses are going online and screwing over local shops and stores. Staff will always be blamed for the decline because they get paid poorly and are easily replaced.

Long gone are the days of your traditional department stores and local shops.

Thursday I might have had to respond: "It's been shit, thanks, how's yours been?" I don't understand small talk at the best of times, but from someone taking my order for a Big Mac?

I’ve found that wearing headphones is a way to get people to leave you alone. I can just nod and ignore the pushy shop assistant if I’m listening to loud music.
If I need help I’ll ask thanks.
I too work in retail, but in a specialist shop where the customer usually has come in for a reason rather than to browse. We leave them alone unless they come to the counter which 99% of people do.

We're not pushy it's our bloody job.
In my shop we have to acknowledge customers within 30 seconds and approach within a couple of minutes maximum. We regularly get mystery speed which determines if we get our bonus or not, I only go to work for the money so I'm going to do what is asked so I get what I'm owed.

Also Ozil, they sweat and shrink when they're wrapped. I may have spent a lot of time in Lush shops.

ForalltheSaints - A brief no thank you is all that is needed. Or shop online

I get asked if I need help a lot when I go into some (though not all) shops. As someone upthread posted, I don't get it when I go to Primark, or in to certain other shops. I do get it when I go to Superdrug, sometimes Boots, always in Next and a number of other shops.
I've taken the post by ForalltheSaints and would just like to point out that I and many others don't want to have to shop online as the only alternative to this badgering while out shopping. Sometimes I might not be sure of the sizing, feel of the material, colour of a lipstick, whatever, and I go into an actual shop to do this. I don't want to be followed around the store and if I say that I'm fine and I'll ask for help/advice if I need it, then saying that once should be enough. What is frustrating is when you do need the advice (say in the changing rooms), there is never anyone there to advise you!

I'm working today and after reading this I won't be talking to any customer at all. If they want help they can ask. I will report back the outcome. If I need to use a till I will smile and that will be it. No small talk, no thanks for waiting etc I'm surprised at how seriously annoyed some of you are. We don't pester people where I work but we do ask if they need help. I really didn't think it was such a big deal.

Some shops seem to have switched to saying "let me know if you need help" and then walking away.

I much prefer this approach as I can just say "thanks, will do" and carry on browsing.

Amazed that no-one has mentioned yet the silliness that is Hobbs.
They have been trained to offer is compliments on your outfit- whether it is Hobbs or not. The first time I was told I had a lovely colour raincoat, I was quite chuffed. Now it is repeated every time I go in ("nice necklace!", "that jumper really suits you!"), it is clearly so fake. And they follow me around as though I am a shoplifter.
Bit depressing really. Have to admit it puts me off shopping there.
I agree with PP- as soon as I go in the changing room and need another size- poof! the staff have all evaporated!

I hate this too and it puts me off going into some shops. I usually shop online but love it when I have a bit of free time in town to actually browse round shops.

At the till, I expect to be spoken to so really don't mind! I suppose it is annoying to be asked if you want these extra things, but actually sometimes I do want them - otherwise, "no thank you" is fine. They don't argue! I don't find checkout chat any more artificial than any other small talk. Sometimes it's pleasant.

After reading this thread, I feel bad for all the retail staff being forced through these ridiculous hoops. It seems that everyone is being treated like an idiot- staff and customers alike. Heaven forbid staff should be allowed to use their judgement or customers could be trusted to ask for help as and when!

The one I hate is after you’ve emerged from the changing room to hand over the clothes, ‘Any good’? Or ‘don’t want any of it?’ Errr...’No!’ Just sounds rude.
There could be myriad of reasons why I’m handing them back to you which I don’t want to discuss. Just take the clothes please without any questions.

I used to work in a retail type environment and there was the usual pressure from HO to approach everyone with an open ended question and then pester them until their either left or bought something/booked an appointment.

So I added the question of how much they preferred to be approached on entering premises to our pre-appointment questionnaire and unsurprisingly the majority of patients just preferred a good morning, can I help approach? and then to be left alone if they said no.

I've walked out of so many shops when I've either been followed round or pestered. Most of the time in a clothes shop they only have what's out on display anyway, so I don't see how they could help.

I did complain to the HO of LK Bennett once as their shop in Brent Cross was particularly bad for overzealous shop assistants and I was once asked 4 times in a 3 minute period how they could help me.

@LoisWilkerson1- I absolutely don't blame you. There are some very grumpy shoppers on here! I always take time to smile and thank whoever is there to assist or take payment, if you can't manage basic courtesy or get riled by someone asking a polite question, then there's a problem.

Following people around and harassing them isn’t being ‘polite’.
It might be your job, but it’s fucking annoying and off putting.
I don’t care if you’re made to do it, Your managers and higher ups are making you annoy people. I don’t blame the shop floor workers personally, but I can still be annoyed, and I can still dislike it, and chose to actively avoid shops that do this regularly.

Hi OP not worked in retail for a long time (since having Saturday jobs at school) but I do know that often the management are away in their ivory towers and take zero notice of the staff on the ground, who you know, do the job.

I worked in a library for a year and we were told to greet people coming in. We told management that people wanted to be left alone but they weren't really having any of it. However, our immediate supervisors understood that we did not want to annoy people by doing it, so we didn't get told off.

I really dislike being hassled in a shop, some are worse then others and there are some I just walk straight out of again if the staff come over to bother me. I assume that it's not being about friendly and is actually about trying to intimidate shop-lifters? Can anyone enlighten me?

I don't like aggressive sales assistants either, its one of the reasons I left high end sales for a general retail job but I honestly would be quite surprised if more or less ignoring customers is really what people want. Many customer's see a bit of attention as a chance to chat. I genuinely don't mind hearing that they are going on holiday, shopping for a new baby etc.

I have read that many lonely /elderly people like going shopping to have some human contact and see a friendly face. The alternative is online shopping and those self service tills, which doesn't suit everyone. I must be lucky, I've never been harrassed by an assistant. They've usually only greeted me, or offered help.

I should add, I'm pretty good at reading people, I probably unconsciously only approach people who are open to it. Some of my colleagues make me cringe with their awkward exchanges to people who really don't like to be disturbed

clionba yes older people are more used to old fashioned service maybe. They do chat more.