(no subject)

[oakenguy]

What is it with retail folks asking "Did you find everything you were looking for?" at the checkout aisle?

This happened yesterday at the comic book store I've been going to for seven years, and it seemed like such a bizarre question that I gaped at her. I'm still not sure what she was thinking. Was she hinting that she'd hidden the really GOOD stuff? Did I look totally lost? Was she asking in a larger-scale, life goals sort of way? It baffles me.

Comments

[ngakmafaery.livejournal.com]

...I got that recently in a supermarket, and said in reply, "Well, actually, I only come here twice a year for those good anderson pretzels, and I couldn't find them", and she just nodded like, "See? Life screws you every time" and said no more about it...I found that comradely...

[callunav.livejournal.com]

I am now giggling at you.

This seems very normal to me, because they invariably do it when I'm at Trader Joe's, which is regularly. I like it because it suggests to me that the people at the cash-registers are actually familiar with the store - people who will, if I say, "I could only find one brand of canned saurkraut, which I thought was odd," immediately say, "Ah, you must have been in aisle three. There is some there. Most of the canned saurkraut is in aisle 67, though, about halfway down on the left, near the canned black-eyed-peas," and look at me attentively to see if I want to drop everything and hare off to aisle 67, or if I want to go on with what I got - and not just drones with their wings pulled who have never been allowed past the glowing lights at the ends of their aisles.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

At Trader Joe's, where they change the inventory and layout every month, this question is a NECESSITY. Bless their hearts. I'm trying to think of one type of food item in the Memorial Drive store that hasn't changed location in the two years I've been going regularly, and all I can think of is possibly the cheese.

[cktraveler.livejournal.com]

I always interpret the question as "Was there something you wanted to buy that we didn't have in stock?"

[wylddelirium.livejournal.com]

I've been a retail manager in a few different settings, and it's a standard question. The real meaning ranges from, "Were the people working the floor able to help you, to the point of which you'd remember to mention that now", as in, "Yes, in fact, Dwayne helped me find the exact shade of blue I was looking for,"; to "Was your shopping experience satisfactory today, or are you going to bitch the minute you leave the store that you didn't find a can of Swanky brand Sardines, because District told us to move it three aisles away from where you'd normally look?"

Yeah. Sometimes it's a silly question. But it's mostly to guarantee that you were happy with your excursion and got mostly what you wanted.

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

Yeaaaaah... I've been reading customers_suck too much, but that question has alllwwwwwways seemed to me to be "You found everything, right? Right? You don't really need help with your shopping experience today? You're not just not saying anything because you're shy/dumb/passive-aggressive and are going to throw a huge fit in about three seconds and complain to the manager? RIGHT?"

Yay retail I love it soooooooo

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

But, but, a comic book store the size of a garage? With one employee?

I guess partly I'm just a little affronted/puzzled because I've been using this store for five years before she started working there, even helped move a few of the shelves, and could draw you a map of it in about two minutes. It's like me asking you if you knew anyone who had opinions about paganism.

[sistahraven.livejournal.com]

My favorite is when I tell them exactly what I couldn't find, and they then struggle to find another associate to be able to help me. ;) Then they learn the lesson of not asking!

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

See above. And heck, I've used it -- I've worked a lot of retail, including comic book stores -- as it does give the customer the opportunity to say "Actually, I was looking for the second Spidey archive edition... ummmmmmmm..."

"Oh! It's right up here on this high shelf, so sorry it's hard to spot!"
"Oh! I'm afraid we're sold out of that right now, I'm really sorry; would you care to special order it? We can have it here in a week!"

Without seeming to be pushy/upselly on the clerk's part.

You'd THINK customers would ask for help if they need it.

You'd think that, and you'd be WRONG.

[kissoflife.livejournal.com]

My goodness, this reply collection is putting me in a Rorschach state of mind.
I always took it good-naturedly, but felt it was most likely soft-shoeing the upsell "surely you want fries with that, in fact the whole happy meal, store in your cart, right?

I certainly didn't imagine it meant they were afraid I would scream at the manager in 30 secs- I, I, look at all the over-righteous scream therapy I've been missing!!

Also, you kicked major tush in the Friday pre-performance!

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I've always liked that question. I think it means that in case I couldn't find someone to help me, or didn't want to bother anyone, that they sincerely do want to help me and are giving me another chance to ask. I see it as good customer service; their way of making sure that I don't leave the store unsatisfied. And I've worked plenty in retail.

[silveroak.livejournal.com]

As a former retail manager I asked that all the time as well as other questions on what might be lacking, or what they might like to see more of.

[ireneloughlin.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I've always found this question kind of insincere, because its like if there was something I didn't find I'm sure as hell not going to mention it now, and suffer the hate rays of the long line up behind me...
so I'm kind of forced to say "I found everything just fine, thanks" without it necessarily being so. I know they're just asking cause they have to, like there's some superviser watching, so I don't blame any particular individual for the insincerity, just the corporates kind of saving face by catching you at the end of your visit, making you admit you had a great, efficient time in their establishment when of course you didn't. Cause they're paying those employees minimum wage to care about what? and they don't hire enought staff to cover the floor....

[sumimasen-kiyo.livejournal.com]

Methinks it's a generic reply :P

[discojesus.livejournal.com]

Someone was asking me that when I was buying holders for my dimplomas in Berkeley, they asked "did you find everything OK?" And I said, "yes", but my answer should have been, "no, I had to ask two of your employees where to look, and the first one had no idea where the graduation section was, and the second had to point me into the dank corner where you cater to people who will no longer buy your expensive ass books anymore". And then he asked me if I wanted to join the frequent shopper program. As if I'm going to keep shopping at the Cal Student Store after buying diploma holders. Please.

Karnak says: it's the natural follow up to...

[jadasc.livejournal.com]

Q: Anything I can show you or tell you about?
A: No, thanks; I'm just looking.