scrubbedexpat091

Ive only been to one Brick. The one in Squamish and they always came to see if you needed help but if you said no they left you alone.

I go to Ikea for furniture stuff simply because you dont get bothered by sales people.

quiltman

Yes, virtually everything is tested - light bulbs,irons, cookers , even washing machines!I bought a new halogen oven recently and it was plugged in at the store, it came on so they switched it off and packed it. got it home and found the thermostat was faulty. Whatever you set it at it did not cycle and reached 260 degrees before i switched it off. Took it back to store "It was working when you took it yesterday sir" . Told them to plug it in, set it at any temp and wait. They set it at 175 , and put a temp sensor inside. It got to 260 and still had not switched off! Asked for replacement - no stock sir. OK please refund the money. Four people and umpteen bits of paper later , "Will take one month sir"! It actually took 3 weeks for it to re-appear in my UK bank. now, I wonder why a department store has a digital temperature probe in the oven section????

DandNHill

Re The Brick. My son worked there after he left Future Shop when they closed. I think he lasted a week and hated every minute. Despite whatever they said to Bristol he was told he needed to pounce on people. Being commission only they have no choice if they want to earn any money otherwise a colleague will get that customer!!!

spouse of scouse

It really should be illegal for stores to employ people on a commission only basis. Staff get up, dress up, front up and are there for their allotted hours - why the hell should the employer expect all that for free? grrrrrr

plasticcanuck

forced to work at bank branches

Eh????

DandNHill

Have you not been listening to the news? A few weeks back they were saying that the bank staff are being given unreasonable targets to the point it's making them sick from stress and in some cases they are selling unnecessary services/products to clients.

Piff Poff

It's not only sales staff that have that deal either - mechanics do too. If they are not physically working, they are not being paid.

scrubbedexpat091

Flight crews as well. At least at US airlines. They are not paid for the time spent when boarding at the gate but they are working.

Beckie and Morgan UK

I get this all the time in the Mall....not like back home where I could nip round Meadowhall and be ignored to my hearts content!
I just find it so over the top "what are your plans for the rest of the day"
"What are you shopping for". I understand some people might want the help but it really grates on me..when they are really pushy with me now I say "fine thanks" but I look away and they seem to get the hint!!!!

plasticcanuck

This has nothing to do with being "forced to work".

DandNHill

I don't follow?

confused_uk

I work in a small independent department store (not on any commission) & I'm constantly being told by the manager to hassle the customers, tell them what's on sale, try to up sell. I refuse to do it. The only time I ask customers if they need help is if they are looking at shoes or jewellery where they can't serve themselves, and that's only after I've given them a few minutes to check out the stock first. Or, if they are aimlessly wondering around looking lost I'll ask if they need help finding something.

The manager pretends that it's all about giving a good service to customers but it's not, it's all about making more sales so she can look good to the owners & say look how much profit increase there's been since I started. She doesn't seem to get that the majority customers do not want to be pounced upon & will likely not return in the future with that type of service.

Shakyuk

I thought this was going to be something different. My friend went to collect a parcel from a couriers warehouse, later on she had a random friend request on Facebook. She didn't recognise him, she asked him did she know him and he said he had remembered her name from the package she collected and thought he'd add her on Facebook and ask her out...

She said she could imagine it being in a film as a romantic thing.. but in real life it was extremely weird and stalkerish!

not2old

that was my son's experience many years ago when in was in store sales

Not just the 'stalkers', it's the constant sales pitch

On being 'hassled', take Walmart Canada - at the checkout it's the greeting followed with [the scripted] 'did you find everything you were looking for today' then the 'would you like to sign up for a Walmart credit card' you get this, that an the other.

Likely other major chain stores do the same

cxx

I've actually told sales staff directly that if they continue to hassle me I'll leave and won't buy anything. If they continue to hassle me I leave the store so they loose the chance of a sale.
Also, just because someone spots you first, why should you have to deal with them. I find the person I want to deal with, not the one who's watching the door for their next victim.