Have anyone else experienced " Shop Mobbing?"

[Styleforever]

I understand we are in a deep recession and I know many people have far extended their credit card debt far beyond their means. And no they could not be out buying things if the necessaries bills need to be paid. But I do think there is a better way than the new organized gang activity called "shop mobbing."

It work like this- a store that is primarily a gender orientated store like Victoria Secret, ladies shoes, handbags store large qualities of the opposite gender enter in literally mob, block aisles, follow close behind and make thing uncomfortable as to the shopping becomes unpleasant, it is done to the customers to drive away customers. I was at a (STORE I WON'T NAME) Sunday afternoon and the security guards which I did not know was even there asked several gentlemen who had ventured into the back section to leave the store immediately. I saw the ladies preceding them come in first but paid it no real attention since they were not near me. The women with these men put up a real big fuss and he asked them to leave too or said he was going to call the mall security.

So when I was checking out I asked the clerk what was that all about? She said in the past several months there has been something going on in the retail industry called "shop mobbing" it is said to be done to keep mostly women out of selective stores, especially high-end designer stores. I almost laugh in her face because I couldn't believe my ears. Keep women from shopping!? Only God can accomplish that feat!!

So I asked her what exactly was "shop mobbing?" She said it is when a lot of pretend-to-be-shoppers enter a store with the intention to distract (start make-believe argument with each other over the price, condition and ect of the merchandise, allowing children to run wild, allowing pets to run wild ect.), with the sole purpose to make shoppers feel uncomfortable and scare away customers and primary high-end stores have been these group's primary target.

I told her about my experience I tried to share here in another thread and she told me I was in the middle of a "shop mob" going on is why they refuse to let me pass, saying this had been going on since before Christmas.

I further explain to her in details my shopping experience which I tried to tell here but was unsuccessful in making anyone understand what I was saying. She told me I had experienced "shop mobbing."

She said usually at first groups of women come in usually with strollers, pets , and kids in tow and then their men enter and then they deliberately crowd out the customers or do things to make them feel uncomfortable so they will leave.

I asked where do they come from? She said they are usually local groups around the area upset about the financial state of the union.


I was astonished that such activity actually existed let alone was being carried out.

I had been wondering what was going on with at least two shopping expenditures in the past 4-6 months I experienced exactly what she described. I had been to these stores previously many times before and never encountered this behavior. I wanted to know how was this saving anyone money or helping the economy? She said she had no idea, but it is an unpleasant experience. She said the customers who appear to be about to spend the most is the one most likely to targeted.

So this morning I walked over and I asked several other shop owners along my mall plaza had they experienced this and two said yes, which made them hire extra security.

They said another method used is getting into an argumentative debate with the sales people about the prices and constantly exclaiming very loudly about the prices. I told her I had experienced this last week. They looked at me and said well then you have been "mobbed." This was not price haggling, this was shop mobbing.

I understand the need to promote the family agenda. I have a family of my own but this is not the way to do it.

If these mobbers know anyone overspending, they could talk to them privately about their habits. Ask them to attend credit consulting services, most cities have these services for free. This practice may eventually cause more trouble than it is worth.

[Cedes]

That's weird. Why would anyone want to spend their time doing this.. are they just that bored?

People wonder why online shopping is beating brick & mortal by leaps and bounds..

[ssc0619]

That is so weird. I've never heard of it.

[randr21]

maybe some ppl need to take some action, any action, just to make them feel like they're doing something...I wish they'd put more effort into stopping wars and world hunger.

[jellyv]

Interesting that there is literally no other mention of this on the entire Internet. You'd think that if this were a known behavior, some news story or group of retail employees might be talking about it, but apparently not. This leads me to wonder, for sure.

Would like to know what others in retail have to say about this.

[KarraAnn]

Hmm...I work at Express and I havn't noticed anything like this. I don't know if Express is even considered 'high end'??

So these are just random Joe Schmoe's who get together and decide to do this?? So strange!

[Compass Rose]

That is very weird. Never heard of it.

[callire]

Uh... Maybe people are just being their normal, odd selves?

http://notalwaysright.com/

[cheermom09]

I've never heard of it either... It sounds so strange. The promoting of the family agenda, overspending counseling... Just sounds like "big brother".

Whose to say someone is overspending if they don't really know who they are?? My best friends wouldn't even know if I was overspending, how could a stranger??

Bizarre.

[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.

[ssc0619]

[QUOTE=jellyv;11445267]Interesting that there is literally no other mention of this on the entire Internet. QUOTE]



I agree. First thing I did was go and google this. Didn't find anything on this, but found an article from the UK on "flash mobs":


A bizarre activity called "flash mobbing" has come to Britain from the United States and several cities are set to be targeted by the craze.

Since June, spontaneous crowds summoned up via the internet have been assembling in cities around the world and taking part in a form of performance art.

The first British case took place on Thursday night when 300 people converged on a London furniture shop as it was about to close, all chanted the same phrase, and then left as quickly as they had arrived. The craze has already spread to Europe and one website dedicated to the subject has links to future events planned for UK cities.
People register to take part on the internet and are then told, by text messages or e-mail to turn up at a designated public location at a specific time and await further instructions.


A flash mobbing website explains: "The 'mob' appears without warning and dissipates as swiftly as it arrived - like a school of fish or flock of birds."
One of the first "flash mobbings" took place in New York in June when scores of people, who had first been told to gather in various bars, suddenly descended on the rug department of the famous Macy's store and surrounded one rug to apparently debate its merits.
In another incident a crowd swooped on the Mezzanine floor of a New York hotel at 1900 EST and began applauding loudly for 15 seconds before disappearing.

[tonij2000]

There is definitely something weird about this.

[divadivine682]

People need to find more constructive things to fill their time....

[NoraV]

[QUOTE=ssc0619;11446196]

Originally Posted by jellyv

Interesting that there is literally no other mention of this on the entire Internet. QUOTE] I agree. First thing I did was go and google this. Didn't find anything on this, but found an article from the UK on "flash mobs": A bizarre activity called "flash mobbing" has come to Britain from the United States and several cities are set to be targeted by the craze. Since June, spontaneous crowds summoned up via the internet have been assembling in cities around the world and taking part in a form of performance art. The first British case took place on Thursday night when 300 people converged on a London furniture shop as it was about to close, all chanted the same phrase, and then left as quickly as they had arrived. The craze has already spread to Europe and one website dedicated to the subject has links to future events planned for UK cities. People register to take part on the internet and are then told, by text messages or e-mail to turn up at a designated public location at a specific time and await further instructions. A flash mobbing website explains: "The 'mob' appears without warning and dissipates as swiftly as it arrived - like a school of fish or flock of birds." One of the first "flash mobbings" took place in New York in June when scores of people, who had first been told to gather in various bars, suddenly descended on the rug department of the famous Macy's store and surrounded one rug to apparently debate its merits. In another incident a crowd swooped on the Mezzanine floor of a New York hotel at 1900 EST and began applauding loudly for 15 seconds before disappearing.

Flash mobs aren't the same thing...there were occasionally flash mobs at my college. They are pretty entertaining and usually not destructive or disruptive in a negative way - the whole point is that they last a few minutes, tops. Whatever these other people are doing sounds very creepy and pathetic.

[Styleforever]

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.

I had heard of the mobs who enter stores to steal but this activity was an entire new agenda for me. I had never heard of it.