Anyone else feel this way when shopping in Best Buy or is it just me?

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spmahn

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The other day I was killing time and quickly browsing through Best Buy. In the span of the 10 minutes I was in the store, I was accosted by no less than 4 different employees asking me if I needed any help finding anything or if I needed any assistance. Does anyone else get annoyed by this when they go into stores? Best Buy is the worst with it, but FYE and Gamestop are pretty bad too.

Now I know that A. Most of these employees want to bother you even less than you actually want to be bothered, but that they get in trouble if they don't offer assistance, and B. The real reason for them coming up to you like that is to deter shoplifting, but there has to be a better way to go about it. It would be one thing if this was Sears and everyone was working on commission, but that's not the case here.

I don't need one, let alone four employees coming up to me asking if I need help. If I want help, I will request it, otherwise I'd just rather be left alone to my shopping. There are many times where I would be considering purchasing something, but I get so annoyed by pushy employees that I don't even bother and leave the store. I know it's cliche, but the old adage that you can never find help when you need it, but plenty of help when you don't rings true. Am I wrong for feeling this way? Does anyone else get annoyed by pushy store employees?
 
I work in retail at a grocery store, and I can vouch for two things:

One: Some people are just trying to be nice. They cant tell if you're just browsing or are searching for something specific or anything like that most of the time. It may seem weird, but some employees legitimately want to help you.

Two: Holy crap is it BORING working in these stores 90% of the day. Unless you do stocking or some other job where you have work to do all day, most employees are just trying to pass the time. If they can help you find something and it takes 15 minutes, that's 15 minutes of the day they filled up actually being productive.

Now, I understand as well. I hate going to gamestop and being asked if I need help even though I immediately know what I'm there for and where it is. But I understand they're just doing their job. The average consumer at a gamestop probably doesn't know where everything is though. Same with Best Buy or any other store.

Tl;DR, it is annoying sometimes. Gotta deal with it.
 
Cool_story_bro.jpg
 
In the store I work at we have hourly "challenges" where all of us on the sales floor have to circle the department and ask literally EVERYONE we see if we can help them find something. That means you will probably be asked 6-10 times in a 5 minute period if you need help. I think it's extremely weird and annoying, personally, but it's what we have to do. :(
 
[quote name='Luuc']In the store I work at we have hourly "challenges" where all of us on the sales floor have to circle the department and ask literally EVERYONE we see if we can help them find something. That means you will probably be asked 6-10 times in a 5 minute period if you need help. I think it's extremely weird and annoying, personally, but it's what we have to do. :([/QUOTE]

That stinks. Kind of like how the TRU cashiers have to ask if you want to buy batteries.
 
To Avoid this, wear headphones while you walk around.. people usually don't bother you. Hell, they don't even have to be plugged into anything :)
 
Yeah it annoys the hell out of me to the point that I may not buy something because of it, or I'll specifically ask for help from someone that did not annoy me. Best Buy used to be terrible about it but the last few times I've been in I've only been asked 1-2 times on average if I needed help, which is fine.
 
At where I work, the company actually asks on the survey on the receipt if you were approached and helped. And it's a metric that is taken seriously by the higher ups. It probably gets annoying being asked so many times if you're finding everything okay, but we need to make sure we hit everybody. Especially since we seem to go through odd stretches where we get barely any surveys in, and one or two not helps tanks the number for the month.
 
I work at OfficeMax, and we are specifically told to talk to EVERY customer. If a manager sees somebody walk past one of us, the manager will call us out on it. I know it gets annoying, and I hate asking everybody I see "What can I help you with today?" But, cut us some slack. We're trying to show the higher-ups that we are doing our job. And, on top of it, as annoying as we are, it's a little disappointing when somebody does give us crap for it. I'm not trying to make a butthurt speech, but just remember it's actually part of our job to follow you until we can ask you if you need help.
 
Wait till the day where you need help and you have to walk across the entire store to track someone down for help, then we'll see a new post complaining about how you can never find help when you need it.
 
try going to HHGregg...that place is nonsense

I talked to a person who used to work for them, and they are instructed to stick with a customer as long as you're in the store. They are not allowed to leave your side, even if you're just browsing.

He said that countless customers left over this. They could lose their job not staying with the customer

Never saw this at any of my best buys...i guess i've been lucky :)
 
And now they seem to have the Direct TV people in on it to. Every time I go to best buy or SAM's Club they have like 2-4 people walking around asking if you have cable or satellite.
 
[quote name='Captain_Insano16']And now they seem to have the Direct TV people in on it to. Every time I go to best buy or SAM's Club they have like 2-4 people walking around asking if you have cable or satellite.[/QUOTE]

ive noticed that there is a comcast rep wandering around the games section of my best buy...maybe its a new tactic?
 
[quote name='spmahn']The other day I was killing time and quickly browsing through Best Buy. In the span of the 10 minutes I was in the store, I was accosted by no less than 4 different employees asking me if I needed any help finding anything or if I needed any assistance. Does anyone else get annoyed by this when they go into stores? Best Buy is the worst with it, but FYE and Gamestop are pretty bad too.

Now I know that A. Most of these employees want to bother you even less than you actually want to be bothered, but that they get in trouble if they don't offer assistance, and B. The real reason for them coming up to you like that is to deter shoplifting, but there has to be a better way to go about it. It would be one thing if this was Sears and everyone was working on commission, but that's not the case here.

I don't need one, let alone four employees coming up to me asking if I need help. If I want help, I will request it, otherwise I'd just rather be left alone to my shopping. There are many times where I would be considering purchasing something, but I get so annoyed by pushy employees that I don't even bother and leave the store. I know it's cliche, but the old adage that you can never find help when you need it, but plenty of help when you don't rings true. Am I wrong for feeling this way? Does anyone else get annoyed by pushy store employees?[/QUOTE]

LOL. They probably did it because they were thinking that maybe u were trying to shoplift.
 
[quote name='Vulgarism']I work at OfficeMax, and we are specifically told to talk to EVERY customer. If a manager sees somebody walk past one of us, the manager will call us out on it. I know it gets annoying, and I hate asking everybody I see "What can I help you with today?" But, cut us some slack. We're trying to show the higher-ups that we are doing our job. And, on top of it, as annoying as we are, it's a little disappointing when somebody does give us crap for it. I'm not trying to make a butthurt speech, but just remember it's actually part of our job to follow you until we can ask you if you need help.[/QUOTE]

Im cool about many people offering service, but what i dont like is the ones that try to push a sale.
 
[quote name='spmahn']The other day I was killing time and quickly browsing through Best Buy. In the span of the 10 minutes I was in the store, I was accosted by no less than 4 different employees asking me if I needed any help finding anything or if I needed any assistance. Does anyone else get annoyed by this when they go into stores? Best Buy is the worst with it, but FYE and Gamestop are pretty bad too.

Now I know that A. Most of these employees want to bother you even less than you actually want to be bothered, but that they get in trouble if they don't offer assistance, and B. The real reason for them coming up to you like that is to deter shoplifting, but there has to be a better way to go about it. It would be one thing if this was Sears and everyone was working on commission, but that's not the case here.

I don't need one, let alone four employees coming up to me asking if I need help. If I want help, I will request it, otherwise I'd just rather be left alone to my shopping. There are many times where I would be considering purchasing something, but I get so annoyed by pushy employees that I don't even bother and leave the store. I know it's cliche, but the old adage that you can never find help when you need it, but plenty of help when you don't rings true. Am I wrong for feeling this way? Does anyone else get annoyed by pushy store employees?[/QUOTE]


I get VERY annoyed by this type of retail behavior and it makes me not even want to shop in the store, no matter how good the deal is. I know what I want, thanks to the internet and have NEVER asked anyone in any store for help with nothing, but man do they keep trying.

The worse offender I would say is Fry's Electronics. Please tell me what the hell is the reasoning behind paying money for cameras all over the place, 50 aimless employees walking round like robots patrolling the aisles and STILL have some idiot at the door holding me up looking meticulously through my bag is if I stole something?!?:bomb: Why must I be treated like a common theif just to buy a freaking game at a store? Wal-mart doesn't stop you at the door to check bags. Target doesn't stop you at the door to check bags. K-mart doesn't stop you at the door to check bags! Even Fry's grocery store doesn't stop you at the door to check bags, so I want to know what makes Fry's Electronics sooo damn special they feel a need to treat paying customers this way?!:wall:

I already know the naysayers are going to respond, "Well don't shop there" and trust me I am THIS CLOSE to making that commitment, but Fido posts a deal up and before I can even remember my stance on this shit, I am at the check-out counter about to head towards the exit dreading the uncomfortable encounter awaiting at the door. I just wish this type of treatment was universal at all retail outlets, so it would seem somewhat acceptable OR it was outlawed in places like Fry's. But that's the nature of the good ole USA in the 20th century....GUILTY until proven innocent by a bag-checker!
 
[quote name='spmahn']In the span of the 10 minutes I was in the store, I was accosted by no less than 4 different employees asking me if I needed any help finding anything or if I needed any assistance.[/QUOTE]

I really doubt you were accosted, but if you want more drama in your life, so be it.

Also, if people talking to you causes you to say "it makes me not want to shop there," then you should probably just stay home and buy everything online.
 
It's not annoying, since most people are just trying to be nice. But if I know what I'm looking for, I'll either find it or find someone.
Now those asshole salespeople at the mall however, I have no problem saying "fuck off" or just ignoring them completely.
 
[quote name='shadyfozzie']To Avoid this, wear headphones while you walk around.. people usually don't bother you. Hell, they don't even have to be plugged into anything :)[/QUOTE]

You have two fun options with this advice:

1. Ignore any and every one.

2. Show them the unplugged jack and ask them (very loudly) if they have something you can plug it into. Not something to buy, just something that you can plug it into.

The age old BB annoyance isn't the fact that they offer assistance a bit too much, it's the overwhelming percentage that if you really do need their help, they either give the absolute worst advice or flat out don't know.
 
[quote name='Captain_Insano16']And now they seem to have the Direct TV people in on it to. Every time I go to best buy or SAM's Club they have like 2-4 people walking around asking if you have cable or satellite.[/QUOTE]

I've been approached by DirecTV reps twice in BB. Both times they asked me if I was on cable or satellite. I respond saying neither, I watch everything online. Both times that put an immediate end to their pitch.
 
[quote name='The Punisher']Im cool about many people offering service, but what i dont like is the ones that try to push a sale.[/QUOTE]


Here's the deal... When I go into a store, I am with everybody else, where if I need help, I will ask. This goes hand-in-hand with what I was saying though... We are obligated to offer warranty plans with any electronic item or furniture. We have two versions. If you say no to the higher priced version, we STILL have to try and sell you the lower priced alternative. I've gotten to the point where I say, "Now, I'd just like to throw this out there...." I'm fairly shy, so trying to sell somebody on something they don't want, and then trying again... It sucks... AND THEN the cashier ALSO has to ask.
 
That's never been a problem for me, I have a hard time finding anyone to willing to help me at BB. Two years ago when I was shopping for a TV I went to the local BB and asked four different people for help; three of them said they would be with me momentarily, only to have someone else barge in on them and steal them away. The last guy pissed me off so much I called corporate, sure I got a $25 gc as a result but the issues remains. I brought it up to the store manager's attention and he bruhsed me off saying it was the first time he's heard of it. I mentioned the countless surveys I'd filled out and my call to corporate and he said he'd never heard of it and walked away; haven't shopped at that location since.
 
I'm not gonna get mad at someone doing their job. Everyone just needs to relax. A simple "I'm good" means you have to say two words. Who cares. Unless the same dude is asking you this every 2 minutes, it's not a problem. Or at least, it shouldn't be a problem.

I believe the comcast/directv people are not technically best buy employees and do work for commission. They are annoying because I didn't go into Best Buy to buy cable.

The only time I get annoyed is when the dude at Gamestop asks me about preordering 10 different items. I actually will go to a GS where I know the guy is cool and will simply ask "You want to preorder anything today?" They have to do it because it's their job. But they don't need to be obnoxious about it.
 
[quote name='confoosious']

The only time I get annoyed is when the dude at Gamestop asks me about preordering 10 different items. I actually will go to a GS where I know the guy is cool and will simply ask "You want to preorder anything today?" They have to do it because it's their job. But they don't need to be obnoxious about it.[/QUOTE]

This. The one douchebag at the mall store is annoying as fuck though here... he doesn't understand what the word "no" means for their powerup card/game informer. It will be 5 minutes of saying "No, fuck off and die" until he gets the picture I don't want to fork over $15 for rough toilet paper and a card I'll use four times a year.

Normally though, if an employee understands the word no, I'm fine. If they continue to hassle me, or worse, follow me trying to sell something... Yea. My patience won't last very long then.
 
I do hate it, but get the hell over it.

If people are never approached, they bitch about how the store has shit customer service and then when you do get approached, they bitch about how many times they were approached. You can't have it both ways.
 
Well coming from Gamestop I can understand the annoyance of it all as well. It sucks but because the company can and will fire you over not meeting sales goals some employees and DM,s will go far beyond what they should to make a sale. Let me put it in this frame. About a year ago res requirements were 1 for every 10 people. Simple right. Now currently it is about 1 for every 4 to 5 people. The same with the powerup card(former edge card). 1 for every 20 people. Now 1 for every 5 to 7 people. And depending on the manager said employees not meeting goals could get a coaching, then a right up, and then a termination if continued. Seems pretty unfair to me and just making working there harder and harder on the staff. I understand a no and when people don't want to get stuff. It's fine and I move on. But if your job is literally on the line people will do just about anything, including harassing a customer, to keep it.
 
lol you all sound like you have legit retail jobs ;)

mine is a busy dock at a retail donation place. problem is its so freaking busy and understaffed i just lie to customers about a lot of things on what we can or cant take. some guy comes over with a trick full of furniture, even if its good i just say sorry bed bugs. a wall unit microwave, sorry no major appliances lol. if the customers complain i learned to lie too. always say IDK. takign responsibility gets you no where. :)
 
[quote name='Whinterfell']Well coming from Gamestop I can understand the annoyance of it all as well. It sucks but because the company can and will fire you over not meeting sales goals some employees and DM,s will go far beyond what they should to make a sale. Let me put it in this frame. About a year ago res requirements were 1 for every 10 people. Simple right. Now currently it is about 1 for every 4 to 5 people. The same with the powerup card(former edge card). 1 for every 20 people. Now 1 for every 5 to 7 people. And depending on the manager said employees not meeting goals could get a coaching, then a right up, and then a termination if continued. Seems pretty unfair to me and just making working there harder and harder on the staff. I understand a no and when people don't want to get stuff. It's fine and I move on. But if your job is literally on the line people will do just about anything, including harassing a customer, to keep it.[/QUOTE]

After my share of crap jobs, thats just the manager being an ass and covering their own ass from corporate. A lot of times corp doesnt really look into whats bs or not, especially when firing someone. boss just shows em a lot of the exaggerated stuff they written up about ya and presents it to corp. Thats why i started filling my employee comment section out if it's bs hehe. but surprisingly i've never been fire from a job, i just am careful of problem managers hehe :)
 
[quote name='neocisco']I've been approached by DirecTV reps twice in BB. Both times they asked me if I was on cable or satellite. I respond saying neither, I watch everything online. Both times that put an immediate end to their pitch.[/QUOTE]

Ha, good one. I always get those Direct TV guys stalking me at BB. My instant sales pitch killer is to tell them I live in a college dorm. (Despite me clearly looking too old to be a college student, and there being no college in the immediate vicinity).
 
[quote name='shadyfozzie']To Avoid this, wear headphones while you walk around.. people usually don't bother you. Hell, they don't even have to be plugged into anything :)[/QUOTE]

Works like a charm.
 
[quote name='GreenSpark'] Wal-mart doesn't stop you at the door to check bags.....GUILTY until proven innocent by a bag-checker![/QUOTE]

Depends on the location I guess. I walked into a Wal-mart and purchased a fishing license and a 40lb bag of dog food (didn't use a cart). Paid at the cashier and pocketed the receipt.

As I'm walking out, an employee stops me at the door to check the receipt. So I'm holding the damn heavy bag of dog food on one shoulder and trying to pull the receipt out of my pocket with my other hand. I get a little annoyed, but whatever, I hand the employee the receipt and say, "Do you want to see my license too?"

That's when the employee gives me a dirty look for giving her a "sarcastic" remark and tells me, "I'm just trying to do my job."
 
[quote name='GreenSpark']Wal-mart doesn't stop you at the door to check bags.[/QUOTE]

Yeah they do. Most places don't really seem to care, but Wal-mart is as bad as Frys with regards to recipt and bag checking. I've never gotten out of either of those places without being checked.
 
[quote name='Bloodbooger']Depends on the location I guess. I walked into a Wal-mart and purchased a fishing license and a 40lb bag of dog food (didn't use a cart). Paid at the cashier and pocketed the receipt.

As I'm walking out, an employee stops me at the door to check the receipt. So I'm holding the damn heavy bag of dog food on one shoulder and trying to pull the receipt out of my pocket with my other hand. I get a little annoyed, but whatever, I hand the employee the receipt and say, "Do you want to see my license too?"

That's when the employee gives me a dirty look for giving her a "sarcastic" remark and tells me, "I'm just trying to do my job."[/QUOTE]

1. If the dog food is such a burden, use a cart. Or put it on the ground. Don't blame the employee cause you want to be the tough-guy carrying the dog food but then complain about it being damn heavy.

2. I'd bet that employee was having a worse day than you having to ensure that nobody grabs something off the shelf and walks out the door. And every time she stops someone, she's met with rolling eyes or sarcastic remarks. She was just doing her job, but we're all so wrapped up in our own worlds that we think we're royalty and above five seconds of inconvenience.
 
My local Wal Mart has someone posted at the door with a clipboard, and if you walk through the door and the security alarm goes off, they stop you and check your bags and write something down on their clipboard. The thing that I find odd about it is: it is almost always a little old lady assigned to that job...so if someone is really stealing something, they think grandma is going to stop them?? If it goes off on me, I like to just keep walking...out the inner door, through the vending machine area and out the outer door, just to see her running after me calling 'sir! sir! I have to check your receipt!'


and I hate those direct tv guys at Sam's club...but not as much as the door nazi at the entrance. I just find it incredibly stupid that I have to stop and show you my freakin' card to get in the door. What if I was a new customer and just want to get in to the service desk to sign up? why does it matter if you have a card, it's not important til you get to the register. It has become a game with me to get past the door without having to dig through my wallet to find my card...walking in with someone else that has their card out and ready usually works, or hopefully they've stopped someone else that is bumbling around trying to locate their card so you can slip past them while they're distracted.
 
[quote name='JediKiller24']If it goes off on me, I like to just keep walking...out the inner door, through the vending machine area and out the outer door, just to see her running after me calling 'sir! sir! I have to check your receipt!'[/QUOTE]

That's pretty bad ass. You showed grandma who was the bitch.
 
[quote name='salty tbone']
2. I'd bet that employee was having a worse day than you having to ensure that nobody grabs something off the shelf and walks out the door. And every time she stops someone, she's met with rolling eyes or sarcastic remarks. She was just doing her job, but we're all so wrapped up in our own worlds that we think we're royalty and above five seconds of inconvenience.[/QUOTE]

Like legit people who have money to actually come in the store and buy things can't be having a bad day too:roll: Sorry but i am not Mr. Happy-Go-Lucky just frolicking through the store without a care in the world hoping to get bothered upon exiting for no good reason! I have lots of things on my mind as well at any giving moment and hate being bothered when I'm trying to handle some business. Why waste the money to have a 100 black domes in the store covering EVERY aisle, RFID tags and door scanners to beep if someone gets stupid and STILL pay some idiot to inconvenience what should be a valued customer with such nonsense?! It makes no financial sense nor does it value the customer one bit.

And I don't care about them having a bad day, just as sure as they could give a rat's ass about mine, so get out my way and let me leave with what I purchased with some dignity. To me it's belittling, humiliating and demeaning at the very least and if they're that scared of someone stealing a $5 dvd, then build a security room in the back, put that dumb bag-checker back there and watch people like a damn hawk for all I care. Just don't treat the customer like a thief FIRST, is all I expect while shopping at retail.
 
[quote name='rainking187']Yeah they do. Most places don't really seem to care, but Wal-mart is as bad as Frys with regards to recipt and bag checking. I've never gotten out of either of those places without being checked.[/QUOTE]


they do but only if they see ya with a high value item. whats funny tho is if they forget to deactivate the thing and the buzzer goes off they dont stop ya, tho. :)
 
Call me crazy but if I dont like how a store operates, I DONT GO THERE.

So if you dont like CS people asking if you need help, door checkers there doing their job, or any other sales person, DOING THEIR JOB, then dont go.

For everyone that bitches about theirs too much CS, theres just as many saying their isnt enough.
 
Wow I get the exact opposite at Best Buy when I actually bother, the employees huddle in circles talking and basically don't do anything unless you approach them and practically beg for their service. The one time I actually wanted to buy something there i decided to see how long it would take for someone to come and help me and I think it took me like 20 min of circling the MP3 section before someone asked if I needed anything.
 
[quote name='GreenSpark']To me it's belittling, humiliating and demeaning at the very least[/QUOTE]

Thanks for proving my point. If this is the shit we complain about as a society, we've lost touch with what really is belittling, humiliating and demeaning.

Get over yourself, you will be happier when you do.
 
[quote name='shadyfozzie']To Avoid this, wear headphones while you walk around.. people usually don't bother you. Hell, they don't even have to be plugged into anything :)[/QUOTE]

Lol.....I've seen this happen before...sometimes the song they just listened to stays in their head for hours on end....


Anyways this thread needs to be changed to the "Leave me the fuck alone, I'm just browsing thank you very much!" thread.

The other day I was at best buy looking for the DOTM album and there was NO ONE in media to help me find it. Had to go to a cashier who came up to me and said "What's the problem???" and I corrected her and said not a problem, just looking for a certain cd...and of course she was clueless.

Microcenter is a PITA to find someone to help you in the main areas. You might have in your hand a number of items and if you ask one employee to help you find something that should be in stock, they will take the items out of your hand and put their sticker on it. That urks me a lot. So you know what? I pull the stickers off and go to the check out line, where I am asked..did anyone help me today? and I say not really no. :D Yea it's mean, but you don't grab someone's stuff just to put your stickers all over it without permission.

Well from my experience it seems that everyone comes in for one thing it means that your a normal customer....if you are holding several things or looking at two difference things in your hand it means your an employee in the eyes of another customer.

There have so many times where I've been bothered by other people asking for help (tip never wear a different shade of a blue button shirt at best buy and target...yes I said target!!!) that I have been tempted to say, "Sure I'll help you for 12.50 an hour!" Sure it's a jerk move and they can be a real ahole by going to AP and say I am going around telling people that they will help them for money...but seriously...:roll:
 
I don't mean to sound like an ass, but all I'm seeing here is "HUMAN INTERACTION!!! NOOOOO!!!". Seriously, people... you know that the employees are just doing their job by asking if you need help. I don't think it's all that troublesome for you to say "No thanks" and go about your business. Besides, as someone who worked at Circuit City a few years ago, I can tell you that if employees don't ask if you need help they get bitched at by management.
 
[quote name='salty tbone']1. If the dog food is such a burden, use a cart. Or put it on the ground. Don't blame the employee cause you want to be the tough-guy carrying the dog food but then complain about it being damn heavy.

2. I'd bet that employee was having a worse day than you having to ensure that nobody grabs something off the shelf and walks out the door. And every time she stops someone, she's met with rolling eyes or sarcastic remarks. She was just doing her job, but we're all so wrapped up in our own worlds that we think we're royalty and above five seconds of inconvenience.[/QUOTE]

See, that's the thing, I offered to show the fishing license on the receipt. Yeah, I was busy juggling crap, but I was still trying to be nice about about it. If she had even looked at the damn receipt she would have seen #1 fishing license, #2 dog food.

The lady gets so much crap she's always playing defense.
 
On the flip side, if you want some help and you're not getting any, just start typing on the computers/registers in the department. Trust me, you'll get some attention real quick. It's worked for me in the past.
 
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