Have anyone else experienced " Shop Mobbing?"

[i_wona]

Originally Posted by Magdeline

I heard about this while I worked at Victoria's Secret. A different variation of it, actually. According to the managers at VS, the groups that mob are there to steal. They take things to "return" later or sell. Not as a political statement.

Yes, I've had this experience - large groups of people causing distractions so that their friends (dressed differently to the "mob") can steal things.

[i_wona]

Originally Posted by Voodoo

I hadn't heard of this before and it is um... ridiculous haha These large groups of people can't find something better to do w/ their time and numbers?

LOL, people's motivation for doing ridiculous things just doesn't surprise me any more. What's weird about this story is that no one else on tPF (and we are a pretty varied and wide-spread bunch) has ever heard of this or experienced it, apart from the OP.

[Styleforever]

Just because no one here haven't heard of it doesn't make it not exist. (No one has seen air but it exist.) And doesn't make it haven't happened. Apparently I was not the only person in the real world who have experienced this due to the other customers' reactions to this drama the last time I noticed got started, as I said in earlier post. The last time it was the customers driving them out the store instead of the other way around.

There was this petite lady with a huge Michale Kors handbag (cute bag she was carrying) who appeared to trying to move away from them and the women with their babies in strollers and toddlers in tow kept easing up on both sides of her, pretending to be shopping or looking at the same items she was looking and shortly the men with them would join the group and whatever she pulled off the rack they would pull it off the rack also and say things really loudly to each other like they were talking to someone on the other side of a country meadow not someone standing right beside htem "LOOK AT THAT PRICE! ANYONE WOULD HAVE TO BE CRAZY TO SPEND THAT MUCH ON A BLOUSE, SLACK, OR ETC!!" or "YOU CAN PAY MORTGAGE OR RENT WITH THE PRICE OF THAT BAG!"

Everywhere the lady moved to get away from them they followed her. Other shoppers started noticing it and went over them and politely (and some not so politely) bump them out that lady's way to let her pass. The other women shopping kept bumping them politely out of the way so that group finally got the message and left the store and everyone shopped in peace afterward.

So apparently others have experienced this too to recognize it for what it was and was determined to put a stop to it because people have a right to shop in peace without being crowded out by someone's else group regardless of anyone's opinion on what they are buying. If you think they are spending too much that is none of your business.

I have been in many stores and seen bags, shoes, coat, jewelry the price on the tag almost made me faint and someone else bought it. But I made no remarks about it nor tried to make the person spending which I thought was too much.

[Styleforever]

Originally Posted by COACH ADDICT

That is very odd and kind of scary.. I do not believe that is a constructive way of protesting the economy. What good does it to take customers away from stores? That just sound silly..

Actually it's more annoying than scary.

I know this is not a constructive way to protest anything. There are any other constructive ways to express how you feel abut something, there are blogs that can be written, flyers can be handed out, radio airtime to be bought, so there are many other ways other than this. I understand many people are upset about all the job and housing loss and the ways things are going now. But apparently these people don't realize consumer spending is the first sign of economical improvement.

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by i_wona

LOL, people's motivation for doing ridiculous things just doesn't surprise me any more. What's weird about this story is that no one else on tPF (and we are a pretty varied and wide-spread bunch) has ever heard of this or experienced it, apart from the OP.

ITA. This is so random.

[chinahopes]

Originally Posted by Magdeline

I heard about this while I worked at Victoria's Secret. A different variation of it, actually. According to the managers at VS, the groups that mob are there to steal. They take things to "return" later or sell. Not as a political statement.

That makes a lot more sense to me than people doing it "just because".

[Styleforever]

Originally Posted by lostnexposed

exactly! haha! we should be spending more to help the economy! I haven't heard about this but I'll keep an eye out for it when I work. But u do know that now whenever a group of ladies come in with strollers and screaming kids, I'm gonna think "they're shop mobbing us..get them outta here"

Women with strollers and screaming kids do not annoy or bother me at all, used to be one myself. My days of strollers and diaper bags ended 5-6 years ago and I don't envy anyone still doing this. But when someone push their stroller in your way to keep you from passing, or nearly trip you down with it that is when I have a big problems with strollers in the store.

But from what I have seen and experienced what you said is not how this works and if you ever experienced it, it is not funny by no stretch of the imagination. Just imagine if you were in a store minding your own business and suddenly about 4 or 6 or more people or couples surrounds you and moves every time you move, refuse to let you pass and are making comments on everything you pick up to look at. And if you saw something you would like to try on, they and the men with them follow you back to the dressing room,standing out the room and when you come out there are the same 6 or 7 people or couples you don't know commenting on what you just tried on. It is enough to make anyone mad not scared. And it doesn't take being a rocket-scientist to figure out you are being deliberately followed.

[canada's]

so this happened to you in chicago, i'm guessing?

some of these "shop mobbers" should watch out. in larger cities, women deal with so much bullcrap that they are not afraid to tell someone to get the hell out of their way, no matter what you look like. someone shouting prices wouldn't scare me in the slightest, and there's always security at most high end shops (neiman's, chanel, etc.) so the idea that they'll get very far with this is hilarious. if they don't like the air of the store, clientele or prices, there's the door!

if a man attempted to follow me to the dressing room, i'd call the cops on the spot.

[azhangie]

Originally Posted by Styleforever

Women with strollers and screaming kids do not annoy or bother me at all, used to be one myself. My days of strollers and diaper bags ended 5-6 years ago and I don't envy anyone still doing this. But when someone push their stroller in your way to keep you from passing, or nearly trip you down with it that is when I have a big problems with strollers in the store. But from what I have seen and experienced what you said is not how this works and if you ever experienced it, it is not funny by no stretch of the imagination. Just imagine if you were in a store minding your own business and suddenly about 4 or 6 or more people or couples surrounds you and moves every time you move, refuse to let you pass and are making comments on everything you pick up to look at. And if you saw something you would like to try on, they and the men with them follow you back to the dressing room,standing out the room and when you come out there are the same 6 or 7 people or couples you don't know commenting on what you just tried on. It is enough to make anyone mad not scared. And it doesn't take being a rocket-scientist to figure out you are being deliberately followed.

Most high end stores do not allow this to happen. They have their own security and I'd be suprised if any sorts of commotion were not squashed within minutes. If plp were following me I'd immediately bust out my self defense moves...I'm paranoid .

[Jahpson]

That is so ridiculous! Although I never heard of such a thing.

how do they stop the online shoppers?

[Jahpson]

Originally Posted by canada's

so this happened to you in chicago, i'm guessing? some of these "shop mobbers" should watch out. in larger cities, women deal with so much bullcrap that they are not afraid to tell someone to get the hell out of their way, no matter what you look like. someone shouting prices wouldn't scare me in the slightest, and there's always security at most high end shops (neiman's, chanel, etc.) so the idea that they'll get very far with this is hilarious. if they don't like the air of the store, clientele or prices, there's the door! if a man attempted to follow me to the dressing room, i'd call the cops on the spot.

I would let him talk my ear out as I complete my purchases. LOL

[Jahpson]

Originally Posted by i_wona

Yes, I've had this experience - large groups of people causing distractions so that their friends (dressed differently to the "mob") can steal things.

I have seen that done. but not the "preventing customers from shopping" thing.

[frozendiva]

Originally Posted by Jahpson

That is so ridiculous! Although I never heard of such a thing. how do they stop the online shoppers?

Maybe they wait for the delivery truck to come to their area?

[canada's]

^^^
lolz!

[.:Sprigged:.]

Originally Posted by frozendiva

Maybe they wait for the delivery truck to come to their area?

HeeHeeehe.

I still think this is a complete crock.