Lush staff intimidated/accused my dd and her friends

[B1bbleBabble]

Dd 15 had Christmas money/ vouchers to spend in Lush£30. Went in with 2 lovely girls from school and were smelling perfume testers. Approached as per usual by sellers, one girl didn’t turn round to listen and carried on smelling. None had anything in their hands.Seller then told said girl off for being rude and said it looked suspicious. Went over to speak to other staff who collected in a huddle and started watching them. Girls left as felt uncomfortable but returned as wanted to spend their money and also to complain to manager.Told her what happened and that they wanted to make it clear that they weren’t shop lifters. Dd said she was very fake charming and excused their behaviour by saying they get shoplifters in the store. Manager proceeded to follow them round the store pestering asking if they wanted anything in particular/if they had decided what they wanted to buy yet even whilst they were paying for bath bombs. All other staff doing the same and taking in turns to follow the girls with eye signals. Then all followed them to door and watched them leave the shopping centre through window.

Dd is devastated/ mortified and vowing never to return. She used to love Lush. I’m so pissed off as this was a cheer up trip. They work hard at school and my dd doesn’t generally have money to spend in there.Upstairs in her room now really upset. I could bet your bottom dollar I wouldn’t have experienced the same and surely you need good grounds to accuse and intimidate anybody.

Should I complain to head office?

*lose

I (and my friends) used to get followed round shops in our teenage years, it's not a new thing. Lush staff are very pushy and unfortunately that sounds like a normal trip to Lush to me - you have to fend off staff every few yards round the shop!

Also, if they hassled me, I'd ignore them too. If I then heard them accusing me of being rude, I'd have something to say to them. Customers do not have to engage with pushy staff, whatever their age.

Also seems a bit odd that a member of staff would accuse someone of being rude just because she didn't look round

Not in Lush. I've seen it happen to others and had one try it on with me when I declined repeated demands to plaster me with some smelly crap. It is not acceptable to tell customers they are rude because they don't comply with harrassment.

Where are the stats for teenage girls being the biggest shop lifters and why is there more to this? You honestly wouldn’t get anybody more honest than my dd hence them going back as upset that staff were thinking they were shop lifters.

I (and my friends) used to get followed round shops in our teenage years, it's not a new thing

I find it happens now and I'm in my late 40s. Clearly look dodgy. But that doesn't mean it's right, or that the shop assistants have the right to make customers feel uncomfortable. But really the best policy is to take your money elsewhere. Retailers are struggling, customers should be able to go to places which offer good service. And good does not equal pushy and/or accusatory.

Our town used to have a whole shopping mall with a policy of assuming all teenagers were up to no good. Any group of teenagers would be followed by security guards, there were rules against wearing hoods, and some other petty rules targeted at teenagers.

I'm 25, but look 16, I get this all the time. John Lewis bouncers are the worst. Highly entertaining when they realise I'm an adult who will follow them right back.

I had one member of staff criticise me for saying I didn’t want any teeth cleaning products if they didn’t have fluoride in( kids have braces). Pestering when browsing. They can be rude, this was on another level, it was accusing and intimidating.

I think it's worth messaging HO to highlight the comment about the suspicious behaviour. Teenagers have the right not to talk to strangers. It's OK just to go into a shop and not interact with the staff.

BUT I have a teen DD who has a tendency to believe 'everyone' is looking at her and 'those people' are talking about her and 'god it's so awkward', so I would also take the other stuff at the end about the checkout and the eye signals with a small pinch of salt and perhaps sympathise with but not catastrophize that bit.

pregnant women are also shoplifters, with fake or real pregnancy.
Does it give the right to any shop keeper to treat all pregnant women like shit? of course not.

Lush is a terrible company and they are getting worst. They won't last if they don't get their act together.

Lush is horrendous for over attentive, in your face, service. I find it really intimidating and have stopped going in now.

No she’s been shopping many times with friends and not come back complaining of this.

Most shoplifters are girl teenagers so don't blame shop. They should have had an adult with them.

Every Lush I've ever been in has over enthusiastic sales people who pounce on you as soon as you enter the shop,

I'm afraid this is true (it gets on my tits mammary glands.

I could spit sometimes.

They should have had an adult with them. Seriously at 15!

In the early 80s the people who own Lush had another company who sold by mail order. I liked their stuff so saved up my Christmas money and put in a big order. They went bust and I lost all of my money which really upset me. Six months later they opened Lush.
I still hold a grudge 35 years later and refuse to enter their stores . So tell your DD to take her business elsewhere

They should have had an adult with them.

At 15?

Fairy don’t worry I doubt she’ll ever step foot in there again, I certainly won’t either and pretty sure anybody else treated like this wouldn’t.

They should have had an adult with them. Seriously at 15!

You've got to be kidding!

@Starlink I am an adult who looks very young and I get this... people shouldn't have to have a grown up chaperoning to buy bath bombs.

They should have had an adult with them

I didn’t even take an adult with me, when I was buying booze, fags and cocaine at 15, never mind bath bombs from Lush. Honestly.

Fucks same, 15 year old girls don’t want to go shopping with an adult. I avoid Kush like the plague OP, their maniacal in your face chat isn’t my cup of tea. Take to Twitter

You wasn't there though?

Maybe they were being a bit silly. I should imagine shoplifting is a nightmare in there.

The staff are trained to harass everyone in Lush - faux friendly and following you around. If you're that bothered go and get the managers side of the story first before running to head office.

I've worked in retail and big groups of teenagers can be an utter pain in the arse. Of course they're not going to go home and say they were misbehaving - it's always the stupid sales assistant that has wronged them.

Same = sake. Fuck’s sake