what your saleslady wishes you knew

amother

Tue, Sep 23 2014, 12:32 am

1) If u don't want anything u dont have to run out shamefully. It feels so respectable when a customer turns to me looks me in the eye and says thank u bf walking out.

2) im here to help you. Cant reach something? Want an opinion? Cant find what youre looking for? Need an idea? Always safer to ask. I might be able to help and if not I wont think youre crazy. Ive heard the weirdest already.

3) happy with the service? Takes an extra 30 sec to tell my boss that. Its the greatest gift u can give a worker.

4) please don't ask "what is everybody taking?" Take what u like. thats what everybody else is doing...

5) need to return something? No problem. We understand. Do it like a mensch. Follow store rules and well be glad to help.

6) please respect store hours. Plan your day accordingly. If u know u need to run in close to closing please make it quick. We work hard all day and look forward to going home. please don't keep us late.

7) I saw a sign in a store once, break it u must take it. I wish I can say that for everything ppl take and dont put back. U changed ure mind? Np. Put it back where u took it from. Yes were here to help but were not ure maids.

8) Please watch what ure kids are doing. Were not babysitters. Please make sure theyre not emptying shelves or that u dont leave them in the stores (yes!!! That happens!!) If ure kid is cranky its better u come back a different time. You, the other customers and me will be able to concentrate better that way.

Thank you for your understanding and we hope you have a pleasant shopping experience!!

Scrabble123

Tue, Sep 23 2014, 1:07 pm

amother wrote:

7) I saw a sign in a store once, break it u must take it. I wish I can say that for everything ppl take and dont put back. U changed ure mind? Np. Put it back where u took it from. Yes were here to help but were not ure maids.

While I usually do return unwanted items/clothing to their original places, I think that this request is not such a practical one. People sometimes forget where they took something from, or put it back in the wrong order. Rather, if you do not want something either hang it on a generic rack (clothing) or hand it over to whoever rings up your purchase. This way items get back to their correct places.

I follow all of the suggestions in your list, and I'd like to suggest one more thing. Please respect me as a shopper, too. I need my space. I came shopping alone without my friends and family because I want to be alone. If I need your assistance, I'll ask for it. Please also understand that when I ask for a specific saleslady it is because I enjoy communicating with her. I'm sure you're great and competent too, but I just have a relationship with her already.

debsey

Tue, Sep 23 2014, 3:02 pm

amother wrote:

3) happy with the service? Takes an extra 30 sec to tell my boss that. Its the greatest gift u can give a worker.
!

This is something that is so appreciated, whether as an employee or as a customer. It's such a kiddush Hashem in the mall, and so wonderful in a frum store. Owners always hear the complaints. If an employee went above and beyond, tell the owner and let them both be happy!
I so agree with this one.

Simple1

Tue, Sep 23 2014, 3:02 pm

I agree, customers should be considerate, and I try to do a lot of what you posted. But it would also be nice for you to keep in mind that shopping is a stressful activity for some, especially if you need to shop for older kids, and mistakes can be made.

And I do agree we should be very careful not to break anything. On the otherhand, I was very impressed with one kosher supermarket when my daughter broke a jar of pickles. I was mortified, but the cashier was very nice about it and also said it's their policy is not to charge for broken items because they want parents to feel comfortable shopping there. I understand the loss with food items is much less than for clothes and other things, but it's really about the attitude. But, yes customers should definitely still be careful with merchandise,.

amother

Tue, Sep 23 2014, 11:19 pm

Simple1 wrote:

Op here.
Thank you for reading.
Of course we Dont say all these thingd aloud. We are very sweet and cheery to the customers. There's a reason its written here, anonymously. Its just what came to mind a few times and finally got written down.
We all make mistakes salesladies included. This was just to make people aware...

FranticFrummie

Tue, Sep 23 2014, 11:53 pm

Number 8 should be at the TOP of the list! It drives me crazy as a customer, when someone's toddler is running around the store getting sticky fingers all over the skirts and blouses. I might have considered buying some of them, but not if I'm going to have to have them dry cleaned before I can even wear them.

Please keep your kids to yourself!

amother

Wed, Sep 24 2014, 12:00 am

ces wrote:

Yes, but what if I don't have any other time to come shopping except with the kid who is ALWAYS cranky? I am embarrassed too, believe me, but it's that or no shopping, period!

If I have to listen to a kid screaming endlessly I will leave the store. I'm sure others would too. So you are harming the store's business. Do your best to make arrangements.
I haven't gone clothes shopping in nearly a year for this reason. I will not force others to listen to my screaming baby when they are trying to shop. That's life.

amother

Wed, Sep 24 2014, 1:21 am

I understand not wanting a baby to cry for an hour while you shop for clothing. But I've had bad experiences shopping in a store just for a few minutes with a crying baby. For ex. I once went to a store to buy fancy plastic plates for my sons upsherin. My baby was only a few months old, and did not like it when I stopped pushing the carriage in order to shop. I was only in the store for a few minutes, and he was kvetchy and then started crying. The saleslady/owner made a nasty comment about not wanting crying babies in the store. I was almost done, but I left, and made my purchase elsewhere. In my case my husband worked long hours and my baby didnt take a bottle so I couldnt leave him at a sitter until he started eating solids.

I do understand, that it's not nice to shop for clothing for an hour with a crying baby. I try to shop as quickly as possible, and try to do most of my shopping online. But it would be nice if others were more understanding. Like it or not, many of our communities are full of people with young babies. There isn't always someone else to watch the baby, and when you have a family shopping is sometimes neccessary - not something I do for pleasure.

amother

Wed, Sep 24 2014, 2:08 am

Can I like this post a million times?

It means so much to a boss and an employee to hear a good word. I just started working as a saleswoman. My store has 2 branches and boss is usually at the other one. I helped a customer who came back a couple of days later to tell me that she really appreciated the service and went to tell my boss. It felt really good.

I understand if you don't need my help while shopping. But when I ask if I can help you and you don't need my help, all you have to say is "no thank you". Or the like. Ignoring me or giving me a nasty look won't kill me but it will cloud my judgement when you finally decide that you do need my help.

You don't have to put stuff back where you took it from. You can leave it in the fitting room. I would rather you not put it back than put it back in the wrong place. I could have sworn I had a certain item a customer needed but couldn't find only to find it somewhere totally not in place a couple of days later. Also, when taking off an article of clothing, if you don't feel like hanging it back on the hanger, please please don't just leave it on the floor just the way it fell when you took it off. Extra points if you don't step on it. (Yes. I have seen it)

Another big one is. If you want it, please buy it. If you cannot buy it at this time, then don't. But please don't hide it somewhere it doesn't belong so you can come back in a week and buy it then. It is really not fair. I have found articles of clothing that was deliberately hidden under bins, no way they could have gotten there by accident.

I will stop now. But I could go on and on.

One more thing, deodorant is a good thing. I sometimes have a hard time helping a customer because the body odor is so bad. And I mean really bad. Half the room smelled for a good few minutes after this customer left.

Last, my job is to help customers. That is what I am here for. And I try to do it with a smile. Smile back.

amother

Wed, Sep 24 2014, 4:19 am

Bump. Cuz I really can't like it enough.

I am the previous amother. I sometimes want to tell a customer that by her staying later than our official closing time is geneiva. Halachically, I don't know. My store closes at 7. Please don't come in at 6:56 and expect to be treated like royalty. My sitter only babysits till about 6:15 so if you keep me up there is a whole chain reaction. And it is really not fair. Please allow enough time.

MaBelleVie

Wed, Sep 24 2014, 10:18 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

My kids don't run around with sticky fingers, but they will not either sit docilely in a stroller or on the floor while I shop. They like to browse too, and they do no more damage to the clothing than other shoppers do. So no, I won't keep them to myself. They aren't attached to me and there's no reason they should be.

PS I keep a very close eye on them and if they get too rowdy we leave. But otherwise I treat them like regular people.

33055

Wed, Sep 24 2014, 10:38 am

MaBelleVie wrote:

Your kids should not be doing any damage at all to the clothes. If I thought for a moment my kids would do any damage at all to a merchant's stock, I would not bring them.

The OP of this thread can let us know what is an acceptable level of damage that kids can do. Perhaps if the mom is a good customer, then the level goes higher. Also if I damage merchandise, I bring it to the saleslady's attention and offer to pay for it. I doubt kids who play on the floor or have strollers have that maturity.

rainbow dash

Wed, Sep 24 2014, 10:48 am

I was 3 yrs as a checkout girl in the local supermarket. I saw young kids shopping with a baby in a baby in it and the kid put the shopping on the handles and boom!!! the buggy with the baby is on the floor backwards and things are broken and milk everywhere.

or kids losing the open cheque that has only a signature or losing a credit card.

amother

Wed, Sep 24 2014, 10:54 am

MaBelleVie wrote:

When you look through a rack of blouses, you're looking for something you like, or for your size. Any damage is a cost of doing business.

When your 4 year old does it, she's playing. She's not buying anything.

Also, when she's not close by you, she may well be in the way of other shoppers.

There's no bright line, and I surely don't expect perfection. OTOH, the woman who allowed her kids to peek and crawl under other doors while she was trying on things should be banned from every retail store in the country.

And allow me to add one to OP's list: If you let your baby put it in her mouth, buy it. I was shopping with a friend. Her baby became restless, so she picked up a baby toy from a rack and handed it to her. Baby loved it, was shaking it and rattling it and -- yes -- sucking on it. When my friend finished shopping, she put it back on the rack. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.