Vent about Nordstrom!

[katesorad]

I grew up on this store. My parents spoiled me rotten. Until the day I moved out, I was decked out in designer clothes, purses, shoes, etc. Now it just makes me sick that my parents spent all that money on clothes for a growing teenager.. yikes.

Anywho, I still visit the MAC makeup counter there every few months when I need to pick up makeup. I went in there today to pick up my makeup, and I had the one item that I needed written down exactly, so all the girl needed to do was grab the bottle and ring me up. Well, I stood in front of the register as the girls at the counter waited on the people before me.. and then 6 people who came after me. As the people after me came, the employees would acknowledge me with a rather condescending smile, and just keep going with the other people who came. I finally spoke up and said "I've been waiting for over 20 minutes.." and one of the employees said "Thank you for your patience, I'll be with you soon!" Then two more customers came up, and they waited on them hand and foot.. giving them little mini-makeovers from behind the counter.

I then grabbed a comment card and they saw me writing on it, and then came to help me.

I'm SO confused by this. I'm young, but I don't look THAT young. I didn't look like a slob, I was carrying a nice purse, and was in a great, happy mood.

Anyone else had an experience like this? What are your thoughts on my experience/any experiences you may have had?

 

[Agri]

I wouldn't have kept standing there. I would have gone to customer service and asked to see the manager of the store.

Other than that, people act that way for different reasons. Who cares why they acted the way they did, it only matters that they *did* act that way.

I'd call up the store tomorrow and let the manager know what happened directly - who knows what they do with comment cards.

 

[HeatherH]

Eh, I wouldn't get my knickers in a twist over it.

MAC counters at Nordstrom can be free-for-alls. I wouldn't take it personally. In the grand scheme of life, it's a minor annoyance.

 

[klacey1]

I literally have nothing nice to say about Nordstrom. I worked there in college and it was the worst job I have ever had. I am shocked they treated you like that, especially because they work on commission.
Your comment card would NOT have been ignored. They would have read it aloud the PA system and berated the employers for losing $$ for Nordstrom and keeping the customer unhappy. If you feel like you were wronged (definitely sounds like it!), by all means, send in a comment card!
ETA: I should specify that they read the negative comment cards in the mornings, when the employees are there (working for free since they work on commission and if there's no customers in the store, it's impossible to make money) the hour or two before the store opens!

 

[agnes!]

I'll never go to the Nordstrom's in Pentagon City again, I've had too many bad experiences there. So yeah, I'm kind of soured on Nordstrom's as well.

agnes!

 

[LuvOrlando]

I would have been ticked and I would have called the store manager to complain. I don't do it often, maybe a handful of times in my life, but I think the stores are there to make money, spend millions in advertising to get me there, and a manager should know about it when I walk out empty handed because of an employees behavior. Even worse, if they have lost me forever which does happen, I hold a grudge.

PS- I have also called to complain when witnessing one employee berate another in front of me. I was in Wal-mart and a seemingly nice older man stopped to ask the guy at the front for his hours/more hours, I couldn't tell I was looking for a magazine. Anyway, what I overheard was appalling. The guy he was asking was acting like a diva, embarrassing & humiliating the older guy so much that it caught my usually oblivious attention, then I got . As I left I asked the cashier about the guy up front and 2 told me he's always like that. SO I paid, got in my car & called the manager whose name & number were at the top of the receipt. Guess who I never saw up front again I bet he's still lifting boxes in the back

 

[vettegirl]

Customer service has gone out the window, which is so sad. I would have been fuming as well.

 

[SeaShelley]

I grew up on this store. My parents spoiled me rotten. Until the day I moved out, I was decked out in designer clothes, purses, shoes, etc. Now it just makes me sick that my parents spent all that money on clothes for a growing teenager.. yikes.

Anywho, I still visit the MAC makeup counter there every few months when I need to pick up makeup. I went in there today to pick up my makeup, and I had the one item that I needed written down exactly, so all the girl needed to do was grab the bottle and ring me up. Well, I stood in front of the register as the girls at the counter waited on the people before me.. and then 6 people who came after me. As the people after me came, the employees would acknowledge me with a rather condescending smile, and just keep going with the other people who came. I finally spoke up and said "I've been waiting for over 20 minutes.." and one of the employees said "Thank you for your patience, I'll be with you soon!" Then two more customers came up, and they waited on them hand and foot.. giving them little mini-makeovers from behind the counter.

I then grabbed a comment card and they saw me writing on it, and then came to help me.

I'm SO confused by this. I'm young, but I don't look THAT young. I didn't look like a slob, I was carrying a nice purse, and was in a great, happy mood.

Anyone else had an experience like this? What are your thoughts on my experience/any experiences you may have had?

Okay, a lot about this post has me rolling my eyes, but YOU WAITED 20 MINUTES??? No way would I have gone that long without speaking up! I guess that's just something that comes with maturity. Darlin' - you've got to start speaking up! If you can't be assertive at a make-up counter, you're in big trouble!

 

[Megan_J]

When I used to dress a bit 'differently' many cosmetics workers would ignore me assuming that I didn't have any money. The only ones who didn't were the ones working at the MAC counter. I guess they're used to weirdos wanting to wear make-up too. I would have spoken up if I had to wait a long period of time for service.

 

[Kellydelly]

Okay, a lot about this post has me rolling my eyes, but YOU WAITED 20 MINUTES??? No way would I have gone that long without speaking up! I guess that's just something that comes with maturity. Darlin' - you've got to start speaking up! If you can't be assertive at a make-up counter, you're in big trouble!

Exactly!

 

[ols386]

Okay, a lot about this post has me rolling my eyes, but YOU WAITED 20 MINUTES??? No way would I have gone that long without speaking up! I guess that's just something that comes with maturity. Darlin' - you've got to start speaking up! If you can't be assertive at a make-up counter, you're in big trouble!

It's not about being assertive at a make-up counter, it's about the people working behind the make-up counter being rude to a customer.

It also has nothing to do with the op needing to be more mature.

 

[bettymae1121]

My DH had that experiance once at an electronics store. He stoped by after work so he was a bit of a mess (he works with printing presses, lots of ink stains!). He couldn't get anyone there to give him the time of day. Too bad, he had $2k on him in cash and was looking to spend it all!

I get that sales people don't want to waste their time on people that can't/won't give them a sale, but you can't judge a book by it's cover.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I grew up on this store. My parents spoiled me rotten. Until the day I moved out, I was decked out in designer clothes, purses, shoes, etc. Now it just makes me sick that my parents spent all that money on clothes for a growing teenager.. yikes.

Anywho, I still visit the MAC makeup counter there every few months when I need to pick up makeup. I went in there today to pick up my makeup, and I had the one item that I needed written down exactly, so all the girl needed to do was grab the bottle and ring me up. Well, I stood in front of the register as the girls at the counter waited on the people before me.. and then 6 people who came after me. As the people after me came, the employees would acknowledge me with a rather condescending smile, and just keep going with the other people who came. I finally spoke up and said "I've been waiting for over 20 minutes.." and one of the employees said "Thank you for your patience, I'll be with you soon!" Then two more customers came up, and they waited on them hand and foot.. giving them little mini-makeovers from behind the counter.

I then grabbed a comment card and they saw me writing on it, and then came to help me.

I'm SO confused by this. I'm young, but I don't look THAT young. I didn't look like a slob, I was carrying a nice purse, and was in a great, happy mood.

Anyone else had an experience like this? What are your thoughts on my experience/any experiences you may have had?

Yes, once at the Clinique counter. Not sure why, either. Finally, I just left.

 

[SeaShelley]

It's not about being assertive at a make-up counter, it's about the people working behind the make-up counter being rude to a customer.

It also has nothing to do with the op needing to be more mature.

I believe it has everything to do with not speaking up. After the make-up gal had waited on the person in front of me, it would have been my turn. If she had then waited on someone out of turn, yes, it would have been rude; however, it is then my responsibility to say “Excuse me, I believe I was next in line. I need a tube of “whatever”.”

Instead, the OP allowed six more people to be waited on without speaking up. She allowed the rude behavior to continue & waited for what I consider to be an outrageous amount of time before saying anything.

As far as maturity, I made this statement based upon my own experiences. 15 or 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have said much either, but now (in my 40’s) you’re darn tootin’ I will say something….before 20 minutes and six additional customer have passed. I define that as a sign of maturity.

 

[robinb]

It's not about being assertive at a make-up counter, it's about the people working behind the make-up counter being rude to a customer.

I think both the employees and the OP are to blame for her waiting so long. The employees should have waited on her before all the other people who walked up after her and she should have insisted that they do so.

I do give her props for finding a way to finally get their attention .

 

[dislaney]

Wow, around here one of the stores with the best customer service is definitely Nordstroms. I would have spoken up as soon as the salesperson ignored me and tried to move on to the next person.

I do know some of the makeup counters can be kind of chaotic and sometimes they really don't know who is next in line. It doesn't sound like this was the case with you, so I'm glad you did find away to get their attention. Glad you finally got service though.

 

[Swalphin]

What I find to be rude is that the other customers saw the OP there and did not say, "excuse me, you were here before me have you been helped?".
Where I live, in the south, not always but I would say 90% of the time in a circumstance like the OP descibed, people have been polite and used common curtesy.
I have seen people in stores where it has been hard for sales person to tell who was here first, I think the other customers were as rude if not perhaps ruder than the counter help.

Otherwise always stand up straight and make it known you were here first.

 

[themermaidgirl]

My DH had that experiance once at an electronics store. He stoped by after work so he was a bit of a mess (he works with printing presses, lots of ink stains!). He couldn't get anyone there to give him the time of day. Too bad, he had $2k on him in cash and was looking to spend it all!

I get that sales people don't want to waste their time on people that can't/won't give them a sale, but you can't judge a book by it's cover.

I agree with this! I worked seasonal at an electronics store and this guy came in smelling to high heaven and was really dirty. We worked on commission and my full-timers sent me to talk with him and see if he needed anything, because they figured he wasn't worth anyone's time. I didn't care. He looked like he needed help. Whatever, right?

Shame on them, because I sold two laptops, an iPod, a DSLR and a blu-ray player, all with added warranties. I made a good $150 on that one sale!

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I grew up on this store. My parents spoiled me rotten. Until the day I moved out, I was decked out in designer clothes, purses, shoes, etc. Now it just makes me sick that my parents spent all that money on clothes for a growing teenager.. yikes.

Anywho, I still visit the MAC makeup counter there every few months when I need to pick up makeup. I went in there today to pick up my makeup, and I had the one item that I needed written down exactly, so all the girl needed to do was grab the bottle and ring me up. Well, I stood in front of the register as the girls at the counter waited on the people before me.. and then 6 people who came after me. As the people after me came, the employees would acknowledge me with a rather condescending smile, and just keep going with the other people who came. I finally spoke up and said "I've been waiting for over 20 minutes.." and one of the employees said "Thank you for your patience, I'll be with you soon!" Then two more customers came up, and they waited on them hand and foot.. giving them little mini-makeovers from behind the counter.

I then grabbed a comment card and they saw me writing on it, and then came to help me.

I'm SO confused by this. I'm young, but I don't look THAT young. I didn't look like a slob, I was carrying a nice purse, and was in a great, happy mood.

Anyone else had an experience like this? What are your thoughts on my experience/any experiences you may have had?

WHAT? You're really upset because your parents gave you the best? You sound ungrateful to me. My parents spoiled me rotten. They bought be Coach bags before Coach was even a big name. I'm BEYOND thankful that I had a mom who was stylish and a dad to foot the bill. I'm very grateful to them for giving me nice things as I grew up and it's why today I love having nice things and don't accept less. They don't call me "High Maintenance" for nothing.

As for the MAC counter your first mistake was going to a MAC in a department store. NEVER!!! It's a free for all and unless you have an appt to get make-up done there it's to busy. MAC has a great website and their ACTUAL stores are phenomenal when it comes to service. You would be better off going there.

 

[ols386]

I believe it has everything to do with not speaking up. After the make-up gal had waited on the person in front of me, it would have been my turn. If she had then waited on someone out of turn, yes, it would have been rude; however, it is then my responsibility to say “Excuse me, I believe I was next in line. I need a tube of “whatever”.”

Instead, the OP allowed six more people to be waited on without speaking up. She allowed the rude behavior to continue & waited for what I consider to be an outrageous amount of time before saying anything.

As far as maturity, I made this statement based upon my own experiences. 15 or 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have said much either, but now (in my 40’s) you’re darn tootin’ I will say something….before 20 minutes and six additional customer have passed. I define that as a sign of maturity.

So, it's the op's fault that they were rude?

When I first read the op, I interpreted it that there was a line of customers at the cash register, and if this is the case then the employes were rude, if the op was standing there next in line. If it was a situation where there wasn't an actual line at the register, but that several people were standing around the make-counter area, not necessarily in a line, then maybe it would be helpful if the employes/cashiers say "May I help who's next".