I've had similar experiences with other types shops (any type really).
+1
Owners and staff both showing ignorance of their products.
I've had similar experiences with other types shops (any type really).
Thanks! I just realized my mistake. I was confusing The Body Shop with Bath and Body Works. I'll make a trip later this week to pick up a tube.
mind you, I was actually talking about store owners...
Well, I was pleasantly surprised while out to lunch a bit ago. I swung into Don's Humidor to pick up some Earl Grey. It's a little pipe/cigar shop that also carries asorted coffee beans and loose leaf teas. It went something like this:
Sales Clerk: Is there anything I can help you find?
Me: I'm here to get some tea, but I'll probably browse a little first.
Sales Clerk: Just let me know if you need any help.
Almost immediately a display case with razors/brushes/etc. caught my eye. After she sees me eyeing everything intently for a bit:
Sales Clerk: Can I show you something.
Me: I'll probably get some shave soap. I'm glad to see y'all have some shaving supplies, especially the straight razors. They're the only ones I've seen in town. I also mentioned I had recently started shaving with one.
Sales Clerk: We just got them in. We don't cary very many because of their price. Most people don't want to pay that much for a razor.
They had two straight razors, both marked at a little over $100. They also has a few DEs and a variety of brushes to choose from, in addition to a few varieties of Colonel Conk soap. I mentioned that I has acquired a used shave ready hand honed razor thanks to SRP and what I had paid for it. I also threw in that if the razors they were carrying were new from the factory they were not shave ready. She immediately admitted that she didn't know much about them and took the opportunity to pick my brain for some information. By the time I left she knew a little more about straights and I had some Colonel Conk Bay Rum soap and some Earl Grey. All in all it was a very pleasant shopping experience.
Well, I was pleasantly surprised while out to lunch a bit ago. I swung into Don's Humidor to pick up some Earl Grey...
Whenever I'm buying shaving stuff (hardly ever online - no need to ) I always get the impression the people who are selling it know as good as NOTHING about it. When you ask for soap, they'll give you cream, when you ask for a DE with a straight bar, they'll tell you it's actually called a 'slant bar' (true story), they don't know the difference between a cologne and an AS splash, they want to sell you all sorts of horrendeous 'modern' stuff, they tell you Penhaligon's shaving soaps are discontinued while they're not, they claim only a true silvertip will last for years and supers or bests won't, they'll claim Merkur Supers are the best blades on the market, and so on and on...
I'm surprised that all these folks are convinced the customer is totally ignorant, and they can just tell you whatever. ('You're mistaken, sir, AdP doesn't have an AS splash, you should use the colonia for an aftershave' (true story), 'Doctor Harris only has cream in tubes, sir', 'No, sir, a soap with brush is not better than this newest gel in a can. Really, you should give it a try', ..... )
One exception: The Clean Shave here in Antwerp. the ONLY real shaving store in the country.
Sorry for the rant, guys. Anyone had similar experiences?
I'm not the one asking questions, the store clerks/owners come up to me and tell me whatever about their products. When I correct them, they'll give me the look huh: ) and continue to rant without knowing what they're talking about. Just because they're selling expensive items, these people feel the need to 'inform' you about them. Yeah right, if only...
Dashing in, grabbing and paying doesn't work. Plus, I like to stay polite, even when dealing with the ignorant.