Just leave me alone!

[WorldWacky]

DH and I are in need of a new couch and kitchen table and have been looking for the past three weekends. I realize that the salespeople have make a living but is it necessary to hound the buyers so much?!
We walked into one particular store and couldn't believe it when we saw people sitting at a counter who simply said hi and welcomed us to the store. That was it. It was great! Then we rounded the corner and were approached. Ugh. (Or so I thought.) Instead, the guy welcomed us to the store, told us his name and said, "Don't worry, I'm not going to shadow you. If you have any questions, my name is Jason." Wonderful! That was the FIRST store that we experienced this. UNTIL, we were approached by another salesman. This guy could not only not take a hint but when we came right out and said, "Thank you, but we're still just browsing. We'll find you if we need and anything or have and questions," he continued to follow us and point out all of their beautiful merchandise and great sales. We were weaving in and out of the displays trying to talk to one another and this guy was walking closer to my husband than I was! We couldn't shake him and it was getting uncomfortable. We got so fed up that we walked out. He was just WAY too pushy for us. Worked out in the long run though. We went to the store across the street and found the perfect couch. And the saleswoman was helpful but not overbearing. Around if we had any questions, but kept a respectful distance while we browsed and talked things over. Now we just have to wait 6-8 weeks for the darn thing!

 

[cybrkitn]

Ugg, I can't stand when sales people do this. Their pay is commission based, but it still is very annoying when they shadow customers. They get told to "push", but what they don't seem to realize is that for most people, it's a turn off and a loss of a potential sale. I will usually leave a store when they start doing that.

 

[Bluestars]

I hate it when salespeople follow you around a store. The salespeople at the furniture stores near our house aren't pushy. My husband is the problem. When I go into a furniture store, I let them know I am just looking and I never tell them a specific item. When I am shopping with my husband, he tells them what we are looking for, which prompts the salesperson to show us every item all over the store. Ugh. I hate it. I want to shop in peace.

 

[LBIJim]

Yeah, I understand they work on commission, but still can't stand pushy salespeople or the ones that follow your every move. I'm likely to just walk out, even if I'm genuinely interested in buying something there.

 

[Traveliz]

In your case I take the name of the first person so that would be Jason and just say thanks I 'm working with Jason and I will let him know when I need help. I have found that to work.

Liz

 

[Lynne M]

That's a pet peeve of mine, too. I like the way they do it at Raymour and Flanigan. A salesperson will greet you within a minute or two of walking in and ask what you're looking for, and walk you to that department, and then they'll say "I'll be over there if you have any questions" and leave you alone. They'll occasionally check in to see if you need anything, but they never hover.

It's not a coincidence that I go there first when I'm looking for furniture....

 

[Gumbo4x4]

In your case I take the name of the first person so that would be Jason and just say thanks I 'm working with Jason and I will let him know when I need help. I have found that to work.

Liz

My first thought EXACTLY!

 

[Tiffylv]

.

 

[usnuzuloose]

When that happens, I start walking to the door and leave, or have guts enough to say if I need you I will find you.

 

[anniemae]

Furniture sales people are the worst I have found. We get shadowed big time when we are just browsing. The funniest was a woman following us, but she never spoke, and whenever we stopped to look at something she would stop. She would be pretending to look at her clipboard and check off things. Then she would go over and look at a chair and consult her clip board. Then we would move and she would move with us. We would stop and she would stop, consult her clipboard all the while pretending to not be tracking us and listening to us. Again, we would move and she would suddenly be done with her clipboard and move with us. We would stop, she would stop and pretend to be checking whatever piece of furniture was in front of her. I was very comical. Especially when I decided to back track.

 

[LBIJim]

Sometimes the salesperson is great, but then the supervisor or sales manager screws things up. 30 years ago I wanted to buy a Chrysler Laser. At the first dealership, a female salesperson, which was quite the novelty at the time, approached me. I told her what I wanted, that this was my first stop, that I wasn't ready to buy just yet. She was cool with all that, showed me around, knew her stuff, went on a test drive with me, gave me her card, and thanked me for stopping in. When leaving, the sales manager physically blocked my way, and tried to cajole me into buying that day. It took several minutes to get past him. I turned around and looked at the saleswoman, and she mouthed "sorry" and knew she lost any chance of making the sale.

It's very likely I would have gone back to her if not for the arm twisting by the manager, but I ended up buying at a different dealership.

 

[spacemountainmom]

I don't believe Best Buy salespeople are on commission any longer but they are the worst. If dh and I are just looking, we get accosted by every salesperson in the store. If we walk in the door ready to buy, we usually have to spend several minutes trying to hunt someone down. Never fails!

 

[Handbag Lady]

We have a solution. My husband just starts crop-dusting. There is one store in Buena Park that we can't even drive by without bursting into laughter.

 

[Lilliputian]

I find furniture salespeople to be among the most annoying too. Sometimes they just won't leave you alone. I always feel like they think I'm going to shoplift when they shadow me, but I obviously can't drag a couch out the front door.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I think that's why places like Carmax are successful. the sales staff will only assist you if you ask, otherwise you can browse all you want.

 

[LBIJim]

We have a solution. My husband just starts crop-dusting. There is one store in Buena Park that we can't even drive by without bursting into laughter.

I wish I had that talent. It would come in handy plenty of times.

I find furniture salespeople to be among the most annoying too. Sometimes they just won't leave you alone. I always feel like they think I'm going to shoplift when they shadow me, but I obviously can't drag a couch out the front door.

Probably not a couch, but one could possibly slip a small vase or knickknack into a purse. But of course that's not why they're following you. The salesperson would probably gladly GIVE you the vase if you bought the couch.

As for shoplifting, you'd be surprised at what people attempt and sometimes get away with. My daughter used to work at Kohl's, and vacuum cleaners were one of the highest shrink items.

 

[SkaGoat]

it is annoying to be accosted when you're just browsing, but... if it were reversed, they just ignored you until you spoke to them, or they didn't stay close by to answer questions, then people would complain that they can't ever find anyone to help.

 

[scrapquitler]

DH and I are in need of a new couch and kitchen table and have been looking for the past three weekends. I realize that the salespeople have make a living but is it necessary to hound the buyers so much?!
We walked into one particular store and couldn't believe it when we saw people sitting at a counter who simply said hi and welcomed us to the store. That was it. It was great! Then we rounded the corner and were approached. Ugh. (Or so I thought.) Instead, the guy welcomed us to the store, told us his name and said, "Don't worry, I'm not going to shadow you. If you have any questions, my name is Jason." Wonderful! That was the FIRST store that we experienced this. UNTIL, we were approached by another salesman. This guy could not only not take a hint but when we came right out and said, "Thank you, but we're still just browsing. We'll find you if we need and anything or have and questions," he continued to follow us and point out all of their beautiful merchandise and great sales. We were weaving in and out of the displays trying to talk to one another and this guy was walking closer to my husband than I was! We couldn't shake him and it was getting uncomfortable. We got so fed up that we walked out. He was just WAY too pushy for us. Worked out in the long run though. We went to the store across the street and found the perfect couch. And the saleswoman was helpful but not overbearing. Around if we had any questions, but kept a respectful distance while we browsed and talked things over. Now we just have to wait 6-8 weeks for the darn thing!

I'm not shy. I tell the pushy sales person, "I'm looking, but I need some space so I can think. If you want to follow me around, I'll leave". And then I do. And I write a thing on Yelp.

 

[WorldWacky]

In your case I take the name of the first person so that would be Jason and just say thanks I 'm working with Jason and I will let him know when I need help. I have found that to work.

Liz

I should have added that we DID tell him we had already spoken with Jason. This guy was having none of it! He was especially pushing a marble floor sample table that was "JUST A STEAL that had NOTHING WRONG WITH IT!" (Except for the chip on the edge, scratches on the table top and dings on the chairs.)
Incidentally, to take advantage of the last day of the Memorial Day sales, we walked into Raymour and Flannagan tonight, took the first salesman we saw right back to the table we've been eyeing and one, two, three, bought it. Nice easy sale for that particular guy.

 

[North of Mouse]

it is annoying to be accosted when you're just browsing, but... if it were reversed, they just ignored you until you spoke to them, or they didn't stay close by to answer questions, then people would complain that they can't ever find anyone to help.

Not when it comes to furniture buying - most people I know want to be left alone - we 'know' where the central desk is if we have questions.