Shop local campaign: why are stores like this???

allthingsblue

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 6:08 pm

In my experience, looking very much different than the typical clientele, salespeople are usually nice and helpful, some more curt and some more forthcoming. Only once did I have a bad experience- but I remember it vividly so I can relate to the op.

CatLady

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 6:16 pm

I'm surprised nobody's posted the famous scene from Pretty Woman where a cleaned-up Julia Roberts goes back to the Beverly Hills boutique where she was snubbed by the salesladies. Here's the dialogue:
Shop assistant: “Hello, can I help you?”
Vivian: “I was in here yesterday, you wouldn’t wait on me.”
Shop assistant: “Oh.”
Vivian: “You people work on commission, right?”
Shop assistant: “Yeah.”
Vivian: “Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now.”

soap suds

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 6:18 pm

At a time when small local businesses are struggling, do we really need an entire thread bashing frum local stores? We’ve all had our experiences for better or for worse. Don’t you think it’s a little insensitive to share our bad experiences now, especially in response to a beautiful campaign set up to help our brothers and sisters survive?

I’m not a business owner, and heaven knows, I’m a big Amazon shopper myself. But can we please not discourage people from shopping local?

amother

Pearl

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 6:46 pm

I am really surprised what I'm reading here. I shop local all the time and never had such a thing- and I dress very simple. Like another poster said, the worst they did was ignore me (which I actually prefer- let me look around myself- dont pressure me)

But I just really cant understand it, why would it even bother them if a "simple/poor/neb" looks at their expensive stuff? Scratching Head

DVOM

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 6:50 pm

I don't usually walk into these types of stores because I can't afford their prices, but I had a similarly upsetting incident in a gown boutique.

I wanted to have a gown made for a close relatives wedding, and I had been gifted a generous budget to spend on a dress. I love flamboyant, over the top styles and made an appointment at a store where I was told that the owner does much of the designing and sewing herself and creates really fabulous dresses. I walked in, so excited to start custom creating the dress of my dreams, only to have her tell me that she doesn't make dresses for people like me. I was so confused, I had no idea what she meant. She looked me up and down and said something like, look at my dresses. I don't think I have a single one that would fit on you. That's the type of woman I design for. I don't make dresses your size. I was so humiliated. I'm a size 10. Apparently she only works with super skinny people. I walked out of there in tears. Beautiful dresses, but what an ugly person.

There's a happy ending to the story though: I found a wonderful dress maker to work with me and made a breathtaking, theatrical, vintage style dress with ribbons and bows and lace and yards of tulle that made me feel like a princess. Her loss.

amother

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 6:52 pm

soap suds wrote:

This is exactly why I decided to go local, because this campaign now to shop local. If they're really struggling, why are they giving costumers such awful treatment? They should thank us for shopping local instead of turning costumers away.
Salespeople & store owners should take this as a PSA & awareness. If stores want our support, they need to have nice customer service.

amother

Linen

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 7:37 pm

penguin wrote:

It would be interesting to see if any store owners are one here and willing to respond.

I’m a store owner and I can’t even begin to imagine from a business prospective why someone would do this. Scratching Head

Buy all the $600 sets you want.

In general, I show the customers the options and let them decide to spend whatever they can afford. They know before coming in that we are known to be very reasonably priced so no one is surprised at the pricing.

amother

Wine

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 7:37 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

My kids need new linen and I saw a cute set on pottery barn but I decided I'd rather go to the local linen store. I was looking at some sets I liked and was almost ready to buy a set when the saleslady came over to me and says "these aren't for you, let me show you the cheap sets." I asked her if they do throw pillows to any set, she says "we do but they're very expensive. Come let me show you which sets are for you."
I was so disgusted by her that I walked out. I was ready to spend $600 there but apparently she decided I'm poor and can only afford $89 linen sets.
Why oh why do I bother shopping local?? Yes, I know most stores are nice. But unfortunately, many aren't. I think that now that the stores are begging people to shop local, they shouldn't be pushing people away.

I've never experienced anything like this (perhaps because I live OOT) but it seems the height of stupidity for someone who earns a living, at least in part, through commissions to push a customer away from the pricey stuff.

amother

Azure

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 7:40 pm

amother [ Orange ] wrote:

Ive never had this happen to me... if anything I’m always getting up sold. (Lakewood)

You're probably dressed very well. Smile

I get it all the time when I'm dressed more casual.

Reminds me of a story that happened at work. Man comes up with a 2 piece jogging suit and sneakers and waiting around for my boss who he had met downstairs. . the office manager sees him waiting in the lobby, and starts yelling at me in front of him . "Why you letting this man wait around. give him a $1 and get rid of him". turns out this guy is a millionaire who just happened to pass on his morning run.

ra_mom

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 7:43 pm

amother [ Pearl ] wrote:

How about different style shopper snobbery? I am not simple, poor, nor a neb. I do dress with my own sense of style though. Better than their store in fact. No designer pieces. Seems to bother them. Just that one shop.

Last edited by ra_mom on Tue, Nov 24 2020, 8:00 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Scarlet

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 7:47 pm

I wonder if this is an “in town” thing. People dress pretty shabbily where I love and no one thinks they’re destitute as a result. Our neighbor is a multimillionaire and generally wears holey sweatshirts and earmuffs and picks up trash on the street over the weekend. Meanwhile, he owns several hotels and has a very posh house.

amother

Aqua

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 7:56 pm

Interesting. I can’t say that salespeople are always super nice BUT here in Monsey, I find the sales ladies to be pretty friendly. I dress very average btw.
I think that experiences like op’s are not the norm at all.

amother

Rose

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 8:01 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I remember as a kid this being the prevailing attitude in BP stores but I haven't experienced it in a really long time. And I can't afford the really good stuff. I'm sorry you had to experience that, and good for you for walking out instead of trying to prove them wrong by adding to their commissions...

amother

Ecru

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 8:04 pm

Too silly to take seriously.
Probably these comments are coming from sheltered, eccentric, maybe not terribly educated saleswomen, maybe they're kind of like, the "Jewish mother in law" stereo type & they genuinely think they're being helpful.

Honestly, I'd swallow it, don't take it personally and just smile & say thank you. Take it with a grain of salt.

See, if we respond by getting offended, we're giving their silly comment a lot of credence, get it?

amother

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 8:07 pm

amother [ Aqua ] wrote:

I live in Monsey. There are stores known for their rudeness if they don't like your nose. I don't step into those stores.

amother

Tan

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 8:17 pm

It's definitely a thing that happens in upscale stores, not just frum. The famous Pretty Woman scene comes to mind. And it even happened to Oprah once. It's really dumb, but from what I understand, the thinking (and I use the term loosely) behind it is that it's bad for business for the "wrong" kind of people to be seen with such exclusive goods.

amother

Ecru

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 8:19 pm

soap suds wrote:

I like your comments/contribution, thank you.

Just to continue my last comment, I also wanted to add, like, people should ship where they want to, & not let a socially not so on the ball, socially-sensitive person have such influence. It's giving her quite a bit of power

I like the quoted comment. These are really trivial matters.
I could see myself, in all honesty getting offended if I were in that situation, but I consider it part of having good middos, to not take my reactive thinking so seriously.

amother

Jade

Tue, Nov 24 2020, 8:20 pm

amother [ Linen ] wrote:

I’m a store owner and I can’t even begin to imagine from a business prospective why someone would do this. Scratching Head

ha your amother linen LOL