make-up salespeople are just scary....most of them have make-up that appears to have been trowelled on.  and they tend to be *in your face*.  not a line of work i'd be comfy with....

Yes...there are plenty of good people out there who sell cosmetics...too bad the vampire clown ladies like this one have to give the industry a bad name.   I do my research and I have a pretty good handle on what works and what doesn't work, and I ask when I need more information. But people like this just never give the customer any credit and try to force their "help" on everyone...it is terrible. I may actually write a letter to Sephora to complain, once I find out Blushzilla's name. My favorite makeup salespeople work with their customers, not against them, and look tasteful, not terrifying.

I remember when I was trained to be a corporate salesperson -- sometimes the company puts a lot of pressure on its workers to make a buck, even going as low as threatening to fire you if you don't make a quota for the week or month.  I hated having to go up to people and pushing things.  I remember in one of the sales lessons they gave us was to "dance to the music played" which meant to observe the customer's behavior and act according to their body language and speech.  Not very many salespeople, or people in general, know how to assume what someone else really wants, so mistakes are made.  In American retail, all clerks are required to sort get into a customer's face and persuade them into buying something.  In Europe, the attitude is very different.  European clerks are taught to hold back and wait, let someone shop around, and then try to upsale at the counter.  One of my German friends told me she was disturbed, insulted even, with the way salespeople respond to her in the U.S. -- I think we could take more lessons from our European nieghbors.

The other economical thing going on right now is a lot of retail stores are losing sales at a dramatic rate, even the big chain corporate stores are pressuring their employees to push sales.  It's obnoxious.  It makes me glad I no longer work for a major corporate store and just handle sales every now and then for a friend's small business.  Even though she is also experiencing a retail crunch, she's making more sales in her store for just simply allowing people to have a nice atmospheric place to be.  I think Forbes and other finanicial magazines need to take a hint -- let your customers shop in peace, especially if its an adult oriented retail store, and see what kind of response you'll get.

Then again, there are those who still have to just learn that basic rule of "dance according to the music played" and they might get more sales.  I've been accused myself of the same behavior that this lady displayed to you.  One customer got so angry with me that he personally insulted me and when he walked out, he was rude enough to knock down a display and accuse me of disturbing his peace.  I was shocked into tears.  I asked my fellow employees if I had been too enthusiastic with him.  They disagreed and thought he was just a jerk.  But whenever I hear stories like this one, I worry if I did my job wrong, that maybe somewhere there's someone writing a blog about how I chased them out of a store for trying to make a buck!  Still... that was back when I worked for Godiva Chocolatier -- how can anyone turn down a sales pitch when they're given a free sample and a smile to go along with it?

I think it all boiled down to this woman's personality, and not corporate. The first woman was fine and made me appreciate that she was checking in but would leave me alone unless I asked, the second made me feel invaded, just wasn't listening to me and wasn't noticing that I had to physically back away from her...she was probably just clueless. Sephora employees don't get commission, so it couldn't have been that. I agree with you and your friend that the more European approach is more effective. I did end up buying something once she left me alone, but probably would have shopped longer and purchased more if she hadn't irked me so much.

 

Of course, customers can be jerks too...the guy who came into your store sounds like he had issues of his own if he was actually knocking things over!

Yeah, since you and Amy have had to deal with her before, jeez... makes ya wonder.  How does she keep her job?

You handled that very well. I'm afraid I would have gracelessly insulted both of us with a "your sales associate is helping me". I like your way better. It gave her an opportunity to correct her behavior, even though it didn't improve, and in the end, you were subtle. Something I wish I did, innately.

Thanks...and I really can't imagine you being "graceless" at anything. What I said felt very right at the time...I didn't speak angrily, just honestly.

 

I still need to sneak back to get the products I was too distracted to pick up this weekend, so hopefully I'll have better luck the second time around!

Ouch...a STALKER!! You got yourself the "PERFECT CURE", though. I really want to see "RUN FATBOY, RUN". I know that Bernard from Black Books is in it....so, I CAN'T WAIT!!

You said it's excellent...but I am in the middle of nowhere....maybe I'll see it in a couple of months... *can't wait*

I hope you get to see Run Fatboy, Run soon! And yes, Dylan Moran is pretty awesome in it...you won't be disappointed. I started laughing within seconds of him appearing on the screen.

I am so jealous!! I have free access to the movie theater here on base. I see movies almost everyday. The only problem is that these guys seem to be obsessed with B-Movies (especially horror ones). Last week I saw "30 Days of Night"; I believe it is THE WORST MOVIE EVER MADE!!!

....I appreciated SUPERBAD!!! ...it will give you an idea of the movies I get to see

Dylan Moran IS MY HERO!!!!! HE RULES!!!

lol...I'm with you on that.  There are few things I dislike more than a pushy salesperson.  Fine, ask me once if I need help, if not...back off.  I'm always like "if I need you, I will let you know".