Buyer beware - a humorous encounter

[TheDoctor]

Thought I'd share this shopping experience for a chuckle:

I am (was) in the market for a relatively inexpensive, yet capable badger brush for traveling. Since I live in the Chicago area and work downtown, I decided to go to the newly opened Merz store, which stocks a lot of wet shaving merchandise.

First I checked Merz's online site to intel their inventory, limited their selections by price and perused the reviews here. I decided on a Simpson "case" model,a relatively small best badger model that was rated well by y'all (thanks). I walked to the store figuring if they have it in stock and it is the right size, I'll buy it.

I walk into the store. An attractive (young) woman welcomes me as I march right to the brush and razor display case. The store stocks a fairly impressive display of Kent, Simpson, and some other brushes, but to my dismay, the display case is locked. No sooner do I turn around to get help, the AYW is right there, sweetly asking me if she can help. Here is the following exchange:
Me: "I am looking for a best badger brush"
AYW: "Well that would be one of our silver tip brushes...(begins to explain how great they are versus the pure, but I cut her off)
Me: "No no... "Best" is the grade that I'm looking for, it's between pure and silver tip.
AYW: Oh, we don't carry that (shows me what I presume is a sample rack of the different hair grades)
Me: Ok. (No point arguing) Let me just see what you've got. I look at a couple of the Simpsons (searching for the Case model) which I immediately find. I then grab a boxed brush and look at it to verify that it's the right brush.

Lo and behold! I am now holding a (non-display) Simpson Case ("Magic" ) and there on the box are the words "Best Badger Brush". I show this to the lovely but inexperienced and poorly trained salesgirl, and explain what it means. She graciously thanks me and then says:
"Oh, it even says that on some of these brushes! I learned something today!"
__________________

Now, had I been completely new to this game, I might have either bought the wrong brush (for me) or walked out disappointed. The moral of the story is that just because a shop carries a particular product, doesn't mean that the staff knows anything about the product. (Imagine if I was looking to buy a straight razor, something I have no practical knowledge about. I doubt the AYW would have been helpful at all.) Do your own research, don't be afraid to ask questions, and most importantly never be afraid to ask to speak with a different sales person.

 

[Chevyguy]

I alway's do alot of research before I buy anything these day's. There's lot's of information on the internet.

Clayton

 

[TheDoctor]

I alway's do alot of research before I buy anything these day's. There's lot's of information on the internet.

Clayton

Very true. As I was dealing with the salesgirl, it dawned on me that her response was perfectly reasonable from a common sense approach. Think about it... You're a salesman in a store that sells products geared for the opposite gender and (probably) products that are among the least popular sold at the store. A customer tells you are want a "best [insert product]". Obviously, the natural interpretation would be "I want your best [insert product]. made me question you the genius was who came up with "best" as a grade. Not the best word choice, eh?

 

[40boy]

There are some attractive young ladies working there.

Trying to understand the grading of the badger hair types is an exercise in frustration...Finest, Super, Best, et al.

Who would have thought that "Pure" would be considered the lowest of grades?...?....?

 

[mmack66]

I alway's do alot of research before I buy anything these day's. There's lot's of information on the internet.

Clayton

+1. I don't think I have ever had anyone "sell" me anything when I go to buy.

 

[mmack66]

There are some attractive young ladies working there.

If these attractive ladies were trained in the wetshaving arts, well, that might well stave off the shavepocalypse.

 

[TheDoctor]

There are some attractive young ladies working there.

Yes indeed. That could be why I only buy 1 product at a time there!

Trying to understand the grading of the badger hair types is an exercise in frustration...Finest, Super, Best, et al.

Who would have thought that "Pure" would be considered the lowest of grades?...?....?[/QUOTE]
Again, very true. Who came up with this stuff?

If these attractive ladies were trained in the wetshaving arts, well, that might well stave off the shavepocalypse.

Well then, I must make it my personal mission to frequent the establishment and help these young ladies for the benefit of mankind!

 

[CapnPanther]

Welcome to the world of modern day retail, Doc. Most retailers do little to train their staff beyond the barest minimum largely because they don't expect them to be there long enough for the investment to pay off.......which, in turn, creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. Gives new meaning to "Caveat emptor."

At least your salesperson seemed willing and happy to learn something.

 

[TheDoctor]

Welcome to the world of modern day retail, Doc. Most retailers do little to train their staff beyond the barest minimum largely because they don't expect them to be there long enough for the investment to pay off.......which, in turn, creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. Gives new meaning to "Caveat emptor."

At least your salesperson seemed willing and happy to learn something.

Sad but true. I would like to think that it was actually ME that the salesperson was interested in. But all kidding aside, I found her attitude to be refreshing. Unfortunately, she's a rarity nowadays.

 

[aamtz87]

well with me being a noob to wet shaving, i found a store in houston that sells quite a bit of shaving supplies and what helped me the most in picking out a brush was not the salesman but a display that had all the diffent grades of material used for making shaving brushes fanned out on a semi-circle of wood, from synthetic to boar to all the grades of badger. this was a great help in making my choice for a brush.

 

[TheDoctor]

well with me being a noob to wet shaving, i found a store in houston that sells quite a bit of shaving supplies and what helped me the most in picking out a brush was not the salesman but a display that had all the diffent grades of material used for making shaving brushes fanned out on a semi-circle of wood, from synthetic to boar to all the grades of badger. this was a great help in making my choice for a brush.

Ah. That is exactly what the saleslady referred to. But that display was rather small and did not have a "best" sample. It had pure, "fine" and about 4 different silvertips. So again, can't blame the salesgirl. She did her best.

 

[Convert]

Glad that your transaction worked out well in the end. I generally find that a small amount of research usually puts me on equal product knowledge footing with most retail sales staff, regardless of the product (to include the last new car I purchased after visiting three dealerships that sold the same make of car and all had salestaff that did not have some basic answers to questions that I eventually found on the main manufacturers website).

I was just in Chicago and stopped by the new Merz downtown location, now at the Palmer House - (Monroe and about State Streets) the day they reopened last Friday. They were still setting up the shop and it appeared like at least some of the sales staff was brand new - perhaps your sales woman was a new hire? Overall an awesome bricks and mortar shave shop, the best I have been to yet, even with the first day kinks.

Well worth a trip - however I agree it is better to come armed with some prior knowledge to get the best products at value. Caveat Emptor!

 

[djh]

You are lucky to have shaving stuff available in a store in your area. I'd hate to think what would happen if you were trying to buy shoes from a salesperson like her...

 

[pauls51]

That scenario pretty much sums up the Australian Shaver shop!

 

[DFrancis]

I'd hate to think what would happen if you were trying to buy shoes from a salesperson like her...

You would get somebody saying "These are shoes, they are made of leather, this variety is brown... they go on your feet!"

 

[TonyGold]

that scenario pretty much sums up the australian shaver shop!

+1

 

[Shavely Manden]

You have to admit, it is kind of confusing...after all, aren't they all pure badger, and isn't silvertip the "best" grade? Very amusing exchange, but at least give her credit for knowing about silvertips!

 

[TonyGold]

Along the lines of poorly trained sales staff I was in a jewellery store in the city and a slightly post pubescent female sales assistant came up to me and said 'Are you all right?' (This is Australian parlance for 'May I be of assistance?') I replied 'I am magnificent!' She got huffy and called the manager. I offered to take over the sales training for the store. My offer was declined.

 

[Born2bwire]

Along the lines of poorly trained sales staff I was in a jewellery store in the city and a slightly post pubescent female sales assistant came up to me and said 'Are you all right?' (This is Australian parlance for 'May I be of assistance?') I replied 'I am magnificent!' She got huffy and called the manager. I offered to take over the sales training for the store. My offer was declined.

Heh, good to know. I have a feeling I would be very annoying if I were to visit the shops in Oz because of this. It's weird how automatic these sayings become. I am used to restaurants asking if I want my food "here or to go" but out here it's "stay here or take away." I can't tell you how long it took me to finally catch the meaning of the phrase.

 

[TxPhoto09]

I alway's do alot of research before I buy anything these day's. There's lot's of information on the internet.

Clayton

Yes. With luck, some of it's even accurate.