This weekend - and through this week - a lot of shopping has/will be done. My mother even splurged her Christmas money on a bottle of Chanel No. 5 (the jealousy I am feeling is unexplainable!) One thing that surprised me was how worried she was to find out the price of what the bottle would be. Once the cosmetics counter associate left to scan the different sized bottle was my mother turned and expressed her concern with find out the price and finding out it would be too expensive. I have run into this issue a few too many times - I obviously need to find some different places to shop!
So this post today is just this piece of advice from me to you. In a store where the associates help you directly through pretty much your entire search - commitment - purchase process, they can sometimes come off as a little intimidating, pushy, or judgmental as your face displays that feeling of defeat after learning the price of your potential purchase. White House | Black Market was my place of defeat. What I have learned to do is to not be completely honest with them. If it something that I cannot afford I simply ask them to put it on hold for me, or to just put it back so that I can shop around a bit more. Stores will typically agree to put an item on hold for at least the day. That way the words, "No thank you, it's not in my budget" don't actually have to come out of your mouth. If you can say it with enough confidence the salesperson shouldn't even bat and eyelash.
<3 Ashley
How do you deal with this kind of dilemma?
I think that this is the main reason why online-shopping has become so popular. I felt pretty stupid once, when I actually bought a pair of shoes that was too expensive (I thought it was on sale, but it wasn't), just so that I would not lose face. I think a good sales assistant won't make you feel bad about not being able to afford something.
ReplyDeleteThat's probably very true! I remember a few years ago (I was younger and more naïve!) We were at a department store and I wanted to look at the cosmetics because I needed some new mascara. The associate helped me find some and then immediately began to ring it out. I had to pump the breaks and ask how much it was and she said $15! Being younger and not having a job I could not exactly swing that. It was kind of embarrassing
DeleteThis is insane. But sadly, I am sure every one faces this at some point or another. I have done the, "I'll just keep browsing, thanks" kind of comment to sales representatives. EVEN IN A DEALER's CAR LOT.
ReplyDeleteWhat it really comes down to is us either not putting ourselves in the situation OR just being honest and learning that it really isn't as bad as we think it is. That's what the stores, labels, world want us to think so we buy their product.
Thanks for sharing!