You are currently browsing the daily archive for April 24th, 2008.
“Do you have a new piece?”
“Nope. That’s the last one.”
Familiar? Most probably you as a shopper would have initiated this conversation with a retail staff whenever you want to buy something. Your reply?
“Then I don’t want it. I prefer a new one.”
OR.
“OK. I’ll take this piece then.”
If it’s the latter, congrats, you have not been cursed by the retail staff. But if it’s the former, you really should get a kick in your ass. Seriously.
What’s with the absurd fascination over how new the item is?! Don’t you wash the items before wearing them? Anyway, most of the time, the items (especially if they have different sizes and colours) are displayed in such a way that the different sizes will be up.
Example: Let’s say I just sold a yellow top in small and I only have a medium left for the same colour. But there’s a medium on the rack in green. So I’ll just display the green in small and put up the yellow in medium. So honestly, there really isn’t much difference in the new or old pieces right? Unless of course, you’re buying from somewhere that has lots of the same item stocked up in the store!
I don’t really mind like people asking if there’s a new piece but what I mind is their critical obsession. It’s very frustrating for a staff to let a customer keep trying the clothes when in the end, she’s not going to buy because it’s the last piece. Why not ask right from the start so you won’t waste our time?
I last heard from a customer that when she shops overseas, whenever she asks if it’s a new piece, the retail assistant will tell her it is (to them, new means not second hand/not worn before) and will get pissed off when the customer does not buy if the item isn’t fresh-from-the-drawer kind of new.
If it’s some uncontrollable habit (i.e. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) then it’s understandable. But don’t tell me that 90% of the customers I’ve met have OCD? And that most of them are OLs (Office Ladies)? Man. This adds to the mounting reasons of why I don’t like OLs!
So please. Next time, if you are one of those who just NEVER buy clothes that aren’t “new”, tell us in advance so you don’t waste our time. If not, it would be quite a struggle for the retail staff not to show you the finger AND the door.
