Sometimes when I'm out shopping I get "those looks" from the clerks, as if I should not be in their store, and they act like I can't afford to be in their store.
I'm not talking about clothes though, well not clothes for myself.
Sometimes when I shop for the kids or for things for the house I just get these looks from clerks. Recently I was shopping for house stuff. The clerk barely offered to help and I said "Yes, I'd like that please....and 3 of those, and I need that, and that...."....and her eyes were bugging out of her head, and suddenly she was being very nice to me.
I'm sure it was because of the way I was dressed. Though actually for a fat chick I thought I looked as cute as I could. Jeans, and spring sweater, cute shoes that matched my sweater.....so I'm guessing it was the weight thing.
It happens at many types of stores, and just curious if it anyone else ever fell victim to it. One time my husband was with me and I dropped $2,000 in 15 minutes at Pottery Barn....when she rang it up I walked away and said "he'll pay for it", then I left with the kids to move on to another store. But when she first started to help me she acted like I couldn't afford to buy dirt from the floor.
P.S. - I might add that some, not all, but some of the moms from the kids school also don't approach me, and I'm assuming it's because Im not in their spin class and I don't wear a size 2. So annoying.
I have had it happen....many times unfortunately. My 14 year old daughter is my champion!!! She has a knack for saying just the right thing at just the right time.
We were shopping one day and I had sent her ahead to "her store" while I ran some packages out to the car. When I came back she was in the drssing room, so I just looked aroudn the store for a bit. This is a Junior's store, even if I were SMALL ENOUGH to wear these clothes....I am just too dang old.
Well snooty sales clerk approached me and asked if I needed help. I smlled and said, "Nope just looking." She said, "Well you won't find anything here, we don't carry anything near your size."
I was shocked...I was speachless (and that doesn't happen very often).
My daughter came out of the dressing room in a very expensive outfit and had heard her remark. As I told DD the outfit was cute, she shrugged and said, "Yeah I like it...but I don't like the way she talked to you. We won't shop here anymore." Then she turned to the clerk and said, "Too bad you didn't have a mother like mine who had the good sense to teach you some manners!!"
My daughter put her own clothes back on and we left. True to her word we have never set foot in that store again.
I have had it happen....many times unfortunately. My 14 year old daughter is my champion!!! She has a knack for saying just the right thing at just the right time.
We were shopping one day and I had sent her ahead to "her store" while I ran some packages out to the car. When I came back she was in the drssing room, so I just looked aroudn the store for a bit. This is a Junior's store, even if I were SMALL ENOUGH to wear these clothes....I am just too dang old.
Well snooty sales clerk approached me and asked if I needed help. I smlled and said, "Nope just looking." She said, "Well you won't find anything here, we don't carry anything near your size."
I was shocked...I was speachless (and that doesn't happen very often).
My daughter came out of the dressing room in a very expensive outfit and had heard her remark. As I told DD the outfit was cute, she shrugged and said, "Yeah I like it...but I don't like the way she talked to you. We won't shop here anymore." Then she turned to the clerk and said, "Too bad you didn't have a mother like mine who had the good sense to teach you some manners!!"
My daughter put her own clothes back on and we left. True to her word we have never set foot in that store again.
Kate B - that is an AWESOME story!!! When my kids are older I hope they'll back me up the same way. What a beautiful daughter you have.
The nerve of that clerk.
Well snooty sales clerk approached me and asked if I needed help. I smlled and said, "Nope just looking." She said, "Well you won't find anything here, we don't carry anything near your size."
See? That right there... THAT bothers me. What does snooty clerk know anyway? You could have been shopping for someone else... daughter... niece... etc. Some people are not only RUDE.... they're STUPID as well.
And good for your daughter! - that girl's got a good head on her shoulders!
Last edited by Beach Patrol; 04-12-2008 at 05:24 PM.
Unfortunately, yes. While I have posted many times about how I don't feel my weight has held back my career or caused me to be treated differently by those that KNOW ME, I have been treated very differently by sales people when I have been different weights.
I am absolutely amazed at the service I receive these days. From bartenders to shoe stores. From sporting goods clerks to hotel clerks. And everything else in between.
It makes me sad actually. I am the same person I was 70 lbs. ago. I am over 50, so it isn't that I am some hot, young chick either
Yep by pretty woman moment I meant that scene in the store on Rodeo Drive where the clerks implied she should try another store and they didn't have anything there for her...later she went back and said 'remember me?, you work on commission right? too bad" or something like that.
Counting Down -- from your signature looks like you are doing so well!! I need to watch your posts so I can get motivated and be inspired!!! Good job!
It happened to me the other day. Dh & I were looking at the Coach purses at Macy's, because he was gonna buy me one..and the sale clerk totally ignored us. She made a point to WALK AWAY from us and helped this older woman who was buying some cheap plastic purse, when we were willing to spend 200dollars on a purse. So I guess it was her loss really. And that is so weird, because whenever we go to the Coach store, the clerks are super friendly.
As for clothes, the only time I ever got a dirty look is when I went into this store with my friend, and I was helping her look for clothes for herself (she's a size 4)..and this clerk came up to me and told me the plus size stores were on the other side of the mall. I was so shocked!! My friend was all "actually, we were here picking out something for me to wear. But you can just forget that now." And she just dropped the top she was holding on the floor and we left.
shopaholic - that makes me so mad when hear about stuff like that.
I remember shortly after I had my 2nd baby I was with a friend and my mom. We were standing in between the plus size dept and the regular dept. My friend was trying to find just the right dress and couldn't find the section she was looking for -- they had a zillion sections for the regular sizes, from designer to junior, etc etc....
So the clerk pointed her in the right direction and looked at me and said "You'd need to stay right here in the plus".
WTH? I was mortified -- and my jaw dropped. I calmly said that I wasn't asking, wasn't looking, and it was time for me to go home to my 2 week old baby. People like that make me want to SCREAM the b word.
Well, this isn't about my weight (I was thin when this happened), but it's along the same line. Just recently my dh and I went to a furniture store to buy some pieces for our dining room. We were being very casual that day, he in pajama pants (we're not bums, we're usually dressy) and I was in jeans. Not one salesperson looked our way or offered to help us (we were expecting to spend about $2000). The next day we came back in our usual dressy clothes and a salesman opened the door for us and offered us coffee! We were just so amazed by that.
Before I lost my weight I was treated negatively at times, too. It's so sad.
Sadly, I think everyone has moments like that. It's disgusting that people can be so ignorant and disrespectful to another human being! But I believe in karma, and they'll get what they deserve eventually...
And KateB, whenever (if ever!) I have a daughter, I hope she turns out like your little girl! That girl sounds like she's got a great head on her shoulders!!
Ugh..I dunno what makes clerks think they have a right to treat people like they are below them. Dont some of them work on commison?? My friend worked at Macy's and some of her co-workers were just total snobs, she just couldnt understand why they were like that.
I remember when I got my first job this summer I wanted to treat myself to a Dooney Bourke purse. I'm no snob, most of my clothes come from Wal-Mart...but I had just graduated high school and was working hard, I wanted to treat myself.
So I went to Macys and walked in. Walked around the purse section. Walked around the perfume part too because I wanted to pick up a new fragrance. Walked around...smiled...got ignored. A saleslady would literally look over my shoulder and ask the lady behind me if she needed help.
So I had a plan...kinda dangerous but oh well. I went back into that store 15 minutes later with 8 hundred dollar bills in my hand...spread out and dangling...I was fanning myself with them lol. And guess what? I had to fight the salespeople off, they were tripping over themselves to help me. It started as a joke but it turns out a vulgar tacky display of wealth gets results!
And I just generally have people be rude to me at every clothing store I visit. I'll never figure it out...my fatness won't hurt you.
Ever have a PRETTY WOMAN type moment?
