Death of a salesman?

Post Reply New Topic

I don't mind asking for help. I used to work as a sales associate at Staples, so I've been on the other end.

There needs to be an option for "automatically buy whatever is being sold because you're so desperate to figure out the right response to the situation that you've got no brain left for proper choices."

If I have time to think about things, I'm the furthest thing from gullible or suggestible. If I don't have time, wham, I've just bought something I don't need.

I usually say, "No, thank you, I'm just looking." Once in a while I will ask for what I need, if I can't find it or don't want to spend the time to look for it. If they get super pushy, I'll leave, but that's kind of a last resort; I drove to get there, so I'd like to do my shopping.

Skilpadde - not that this is super related, but I personally have a super hard time understanding accents (any accent, really). I haven't worked in retail, but I have had to help people in a volunteer situation, and on the occassion that we got someone from another country, I always had to ask them to repeat themselves several times. I know that they thought I was mocking them, but I just can't process accents, for whatever reason.

My worst experience was a couple of years ago when I needed to get a new bra and the salespeople (multiple) would not let me leave nicely. Was not a happy person.

I work in consumer electronics retail sales. I wasn't able to get a job as an Electronics technician years ago, and took a job in consumer electronics retail sales as a "temporary" way to earn money. Even though it is often stressful and counter to my inclinations, I have learned a lot about interacting with people. I have got to the point where I only show any AS traits when stressed out from management pressure and/or trying to multitask in a way which is impossible. I have now found a good combination of understanding management and work environment which is tenable.

Just remember, that the salesperson who is required to offer help may be glad when you tell them that you are "just looking."

I remember my brief experiences working in sales and in my case the customer/prospect/punter was the one making me feel intimidated (sometimes)

RainSong, I’m aware that accents can be hard to understand. I have known immigrants whose Norwegian was so poor that I couldn’t understand more than a few words. I wouldn’t have been offended at all if I thought that was all there was to it.
Granted that I’m not good at reading people, but his entire attitude from gaze to expression and tone of voice seeemed to say ”Quit bugging me”.


Warsie and Followthereaper: Exactly, it shouldn’t be a hard thing to do. I’d have done it myself if I knew the correct percentage!

I do virtually all of my shopping over the internet these days so I don't have much contact with sales people. There is practically nothing I want in the High Street that I can't find on eBay or Amazon for the same price or cheaper. The only exception I make is with footware -- I always like to see the shoes/trainers I'm buying.

Most often I would politely say that I am just looking.

If someone is pushy with me I'm more likely not to buy and just shop elsewhere.
However, why is it that on the rare occasions I do want a salesperson they are all busy!

I am from Brazil, here rude salespeople is a rarity...
But here there are really poor counter attendants, like in the university cantina (not only in my university, but severla I saw that).

Once I even saw a UGLY stuff... The costumer went there, and asked for a coffee with milk. The attendant served a regular coffee. The costumer got upset and asked again, and said that he was not going to pay for the regular coffee, the attendant just got his coffee and put sugar and handed it back to him, he asked what was the attendant problem, and the attendant said: "Aaah, you stupid game designers nerds have no respect, you just want a sweet coffee... now go away." The guy imediatly grabbed the coffee (that was much hotter than it was supposed to be, because the attendant don't bothered to regulate the machine) and threw it on the attendant face (that got some really ugly burns), several students sided with the guy and tried to break inside the counter to attack the attendant, and other people horrified with the attacked attendant went to help, and some minor brawls happened...

Really ugly situation that one :/ I hope that I will never see this again, but seeing the amount of stupid attendants and irritable people, I doubt that it would never happen again somewhere...

Joe Girard is a very well published author of books on selling.

He was one of the most successful car salesmen of all times.

His typical test drive style goes something like this.

Prospect gets into the driver seat, Joe in the passenger seat.

Joe's mouth stays SHUT

Joe does not want to distract the prospect from

1. Feeling the steering wheel
2. Feeling how the car handles
3. Smelling the leather
4. Enjoying the view
5. Hearing the smoothness of the engine
6. Enjoying the comfort of the seat etc

Joe's mouth remains closed until he and the driver have exited that car and the driver has had an opportunity to say something.


This was back in the 60s.

Oh, Joe was a High School 'dropout'

I was wondering, what quality do you most appreciate in sales people?

Okay, here's the irony.

I would rather gouge out my own eyes with a rusty spoon than go to the mall--so when I do go, I go during the times where there are the fewest people around. But that means the salespeople are generally free, and trying to latch on.

If the "just browsing" leads to a repeat attempt, I will probably leave.

But, if I find what I need, and then need help (get one from the back, open the locked display cabinet, whatever) and no one's around, the agitation level starts.