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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have told the women their rudeness lost them a sale?

76 replies

muggglewump · 07/11/2009 15:35

So I was just in town, and went in to a shop where they had a gorgeous dress in the window. I had phoned about it last week so knew it was £54.
I went in to get it, and saw some boots too priced at £99.99

Now I never buy myself anything new, but have just been paid and also my last maintenance payment of £500 has just come. (4 months money and I have to get my ex investigated now as he has fiddled his taxes).

The three assistants were all serving one man, who apparently was buying a lot. Fair enough they want his sale, but were so dismissive, not even apologising for the wait.
Surely one man didn't need all three women?

Anyway, after 10 minutes of waiting around, I went up, told them they has just lost a possible sale of over £150, and left.

So am I?

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 07/11/2009 15:36

no

BunnyLebowski · 07/11/2009 15:38

YANBU. They sound fairly typical. I've done similar in the past.

KnickKnack · 07/11/2009 15:38

you are not being unreasonable in the slightest.

One of the number one rules for a retailer is to let the customer browse for up to 1 min then ask if they need any help, or explain that they'll be with you in a minute.
Chances are that they will get paid their wage at the end of the week regardless of losing your sale, I can't see any other excuse for their rude behaviour (not that thats a valid excuse!)

JackBauer · 07/11/2009 15:40

YANBU, and I'd write a letter to the manager as well, but I am a spiteful cow

KnickKnack · 07/11/2009 15:41

I lived in a very small village before I got married. the owner of the shop chatted on the phone despite sales girl telling him we were looking for 2 platinum rings and she needed help serving us (can't remember why she couldn't help us!). We left after about 10 mins and he lost over £1000 old irish pounds that day.

Spidermama · 07/11/2009 15:43

I would have done exactly what you did but then would have come home sad that I had no boots and no dress.

I think it would be far better to interupt politely while they are serving this man and say to him, 'You don't mind if I have one of these three do you? I'm on a bit of a tight schedule' or say something similar in a very polite and smiley way to the shop assistants.

Usually I am so immersed in fury by that time that I wouldn't be able to do this politely but I live in hope it comes with age.

Original poster
muggglewump · 07/11/2009 15:44

I think that may have sounded a bit crowy about money. I didn't mean it to.

I just meant I never spend that much on myself, ever and when I try I can't

I have found the boots online, but they don't have the colour i want in stock. I might see if they have them somewhere in Glasgow and get them next week.
I can't find the dress at all

Thanks though, I didn't think I was BU, but I always wonder when I am rude to someone.

OP posts:
Original poster
muggglewump · 07/11/2009 15:46

Spidermama, I did politely interrupt, asking what the smallest size was they came in, as my size wasn't out.
One waved me off and rudely said I'd have to wait.
I did for another 5 minutes as I really wanted them, but got fed up after that.

If they'd politely asked me to wait, and perhaps acknowledged I was still politely waiting, I wouldn't have minded.

OP posts:
leftangle · 07/11/2009 15:47

YANBU but they won't care, unless they are on commission. I think very few sales assistants see any share of the profits. Better contacting the manager if you want to make a statement.

diddl · 07/11/2009 15:48

One waved you off?

Was the man gorgeous?
Obviously rich & available?
Hung like a donkey?

pleasechange · 07/11/2009 15:49

erm - do you mean you're spending part of the maintenace payment on clothes for yourself?

Sorry if I misunderstood

Spidermama · 07/11/2009 15:49

I didn't think that sounded 'crowy about money'. The circumstances (ie finally getting to treat yourself) served to add to the sense of frutstration and injustice at being treated so badly in the shop.

You must be very pissed off.

Spidermama · 07/11/2009 15:50

I would contact the manager btw. I hate rudeness in shops. It's amazing they hire some of these people who are so ill mannered and bad with the public.

LibrasBiscuitsOfFortune · 07/11/2009 15:52

"erm - do you mean you're spending part of the maintenace payment on clothes for yourself? "

Yes that's exactly the point of the thread. We must hunt mugglewump down immediatly and burn her for being a witch.

Spidermama · 07/11/2009 15:53

Well said Libras.

MaggieMonday · 07/11/2009 15:54

NYANBU

to "allnew", I've never received a cent in maintenance, so for the past 3 years I have funded EVERYthing the children have needed. so, if I ever received a penny of maintenance I would be entitled to buy myself something. I'm sure the same applies to the OP.

foxytocin · 07/11/2009 15:56

"erm - do you mean you're spending part of the maintenace payment on clothes for yourself?"

and pray, tell. what does it mean if she was? ?

Bathsheba · 07/11/2009 15:56

I had similar once in a Bridal shop - it was a rainy day and I looked like a drowned rat, but the owner of the shop was far more intersted in the guy who was trying to sell her advertising space in a wedding directory than she was in my business (which would have been substantially more than she was dithering about paying for advertising space).

Never went back and told all my friends of the experience.

I'd write them a letter - simnply because if you do get an apologetic discount voucher or similar then you have reason to go abck in and get your dress and boots as you can't get them elsewhere.

bellavita · 07/11/2009 15:57

allnew, I don't think that we need to query if the op is spending maintenance money on herself or not - you do not know the op and her circumstances.

You were so right to say what you did Mugggle. I would have too.

FWIW, a couple of years ago, DH said he would treat me to an eternity ring and I looked around the shops in town and picked out three, two in one shop and one in another. We went to the first shop, yes it was busy, but the assistant said to me oh I won't be a minute. Two women then walked in through the door and she went to serve them , I said very loudly as we walked out that they obviously did not need our money.

Original poster
muggglewump · 07/11/2009 15:57

I will contact the manager, I don't mind waiting, even though it was unnecessary when there were 3 of them, but still I'm fine with it if they are polite.

Yes, I was going to spend some of the maintenance money on myself and I'm not remotely ashamed, why should I be?

Diddl, no he wasn't good looking, dunno about his package, his face made me not want to bother checking it out

OP posts:
sarah293 · 07/11/2009 15:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

SerendipitousHarlot · 07/11/2009 16:05

LOL @ allnew

OP, you should have taken that money immediately to deposit in the dc bank account, whilst wearing your sackcloth. Shame on you

YANBU, btw.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 07/11/2009 16:08

Allnew
I expect the OP has paid for everything for a really long time - so this money is money she has 'lent' her Ex and he is paying it back - so she's entitled to spend it on whatever she likes!

[raspberry emoticon]

Original poster
muggglewump · 07/11/2009 16:11

Yes, shame on me. Spending money on myself indeed, well trying to anyway. I came home with two second hand books instead, costing £2.25.
I will castigate myself and eat gruel for a week to make up for it, whilst fashioning myself boots from old newspaper.

OP posts:
AmazingBouncingFerret · 07/11/2009 16:14

You need to go in with lots of designer shopping bags, ask if they remember you and whether they work on commision, hope to god they say yes and then tell them "big mistake, BIG"