Shoppers 'Annoyed' By Sales Staff

[Jazzy]

Most people find the "robotic" shopping culture of sales staff asking if they want help a turn-off, a survey has found.

Two-thirds of shoppers (68%) find offers of assistance from pushy staff "annoying", according to a survey of more than 11,000 people by MoneySavingExpert.com.

This group said that they would rather be left alone to browse than asked: "Can I help you?" by an overly-zealous member of staff.

However, one fifth of those surveyed (19%) thought there was no harm in being approached and said it saved them having to seek out help.

Where do you stand on this issue?

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

I dont mind if someone offers to help me. Sometimes I actually need help finding something.
Its funny how nobody is ever around when you actually need them.

 

[Jazzy]

Really depends on how pushy they are. If they ask me "can I help you?" and I say "no thanks" but they keep it up, I'll leave the store. I've done that several times.

The ones that ask and when told no and then leave me alone are okay. I realize they are probably instructed by management to offer assistance.

I really do, however, like to just browse and be left alone.

Jeez, what the heck vote option am I going to pick now that I gave 3 answers??? :s

 

[Evil Eye]

I don't think I've ever been asked
Still, if I can't find something I'll ask, don't really need any help besides that.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Really depends on how pushy they are. If they ask me "can I help you?" and I say "no thanks" but they keep it up, I'll leave the store. I've done that several times.

The ones that ask and when told no and then leave me alone are okay. I realize they are probably instructed by management to offer assistance.

I really do, however, like to just browse and be left alone.

Jeez, what the heck vote option am I going to pick now that I gave 3 answers??? :s

The third one I suppose.

 

[Andrew Darmac]

Yes it bothers me, but I'll tolerate it if someone just asks me once. I figure it's part of the job description to do so.

What really bothers me however, is when half the store's employees come after me asking if I'd like some assistance, especially when they've seen someone else ask me the same question.

 

[Nikki]

I don't mind it as I know they're only doing what they've been told to do by management.

 

[Crys]

Not at all. I rather be acknowledged than not, more often than not these days when you walk into a store associates don't even say a word. But, I usually can get on fine. It's just nice to know if I need help, someone has offered.

 

[passenger]

It's just nice to know if I need help, someone has offered.

What's a little annoying to me is to go into a (usually specialty store) having questions and needing help & answers to question and there are half-a-dozen "representatives" (sales people) sitting at their desks staring at their computers and no one responds to the bell on the door signaling that someone has entered the store & you stand around & finally say, "ahem" or walk back out.

 

[Crys]

What's a little annoying to me is to go into a (usually specialty store) having questions and needing help & answers to question and there are half-a-dozen "representatives" (sales people) sitting at their desks staring at their computers and no one responds to the bell on the door signaling that someone has entered the store & you stand around & finally say, "ahem" or walk back out.

Right! Baton Rouge is notorious for this at stores or you have them on their phones actually having conversations on the clock.

 

[Dee]

It doesn't bother me because I've been in retail hell before. We're essentially forced (sometimes) to greet customers a certain way and can get admonished for it if we don't and it becomes a pattern. Then the next quarter, higher management will realize it doesn't work and change things up again. It's fucking stupid. I know employees don't really want to be greeting customers like that, but they do it to drive sales. I'll give them the time of day and listen because they're at work doing their job. It's about respect and maybe I'll find out something I wasn't certain of, like sales.