Shopping For Couture Can Be Exasperating !!!

[Prada's Meadow]

My couture shopping experiences.
On the odd occasion while out shopping and browsing I have run into the most snobbish sales help imaginable. In other words "I hope you have come here to buy, because I need my commission" or "you lead and I will surely follow".
So, at times I have found its best for me to know what I want, see it, buy it, then run !!!!! with out dealing with the sometimes stale customer service.
What are your experiences ?

 

[CeeJay]

I think that the insurgence of Catalog & Online shopping says it all! You're right, there's no reason to deal with nasty S/A's just because they work at a couture store! I prefer to shop at places where I know the S/A's are NOT on commission (Louis of Boston is this way).

 

[Minnie]

I AGREE! Especially in New York, I feel when I come into a boutique or into a luxury department store I feel like I am being watched like a hawk, judged and critiqued by the sales people. I don't feel helped but either stalked or the opposite,not given any attention. I also feel pressured when walking into expensive stores. I hate it. Sometimes I walk into stores because I just want to see what new merchandise came in, other times I walk in because I am looking for a specific pieces. However I think the SA can't be too snobby and they are!!

 

[wickedassin]

I've decided to just pretend I don't see or hear them. I'll find the "nice" SA to help me since it's likely that he/she is earning a commission. And I'll leave the store if no one is helpful. I figure I'm spending my money, so I should decide how to spend it.

 

[carrie13]

Generally I don't have that many problems - but a couple weeks ago I was at the NM in Boston waiting to meet up with a friend for lunch. I was dressed down in jeans, sweatshirt, and sneakers. Had my Coach purse. Nothing about my look screamed I have money and want to buy something After doing a couple walks through handbags without any SA's helping me (or bothering me) my friend called my cell to tell me she was almost there. I happened to be standing in front of a Chloe display that had 2 paddingtons and I was drooling. I almost bought it the day before online and was really working on the willpower not to get it since I am supposed to be saving money. My friend asked where I was and I responded that I was standing in front of the paddington I almost bought yesterday debating if I was going to get it. I swear I could hear the antenna on the SA go up after that. She immediately came over and asked me if I needed help and pretty much stalked me throughout the department. I had to "escape" to Gucci in the mall and wait for my friend there because this SA was annoying me so much.

Normally I don't think this would've bothered me - except that none of the SA's had time for me until they found out that I was willing to spend $1,500 on a bag

 

[peacocky]

We don't have any couture stores here, so I'll just share my experiences.

I went into Coach yesterday while at the mall to get my son some new shoes. I went in and there were 6 SA's working. They were all so friendly and everyone of them helped me. I only purchased sunglasses, but they were so nice. I'm going to write to the GM of that store and big letter of thanks.

I went to the Dior boutique in Tampa, FL and it was raining outside due to a tropical storm. I was wet but halfway dry due to how long I had been there. The SA at the Dior store asked me to not touch the bags, and then watched me like a hawk like I planned on stealing something.

 

[Noriko]

^^^wow, that is horrible

I haven't really had too many bad experiences with shopping in high end boutiques. I've only had problems after the items were purchased, but that isn't really related to the help. Everyone should get good service regardless of if they look like they have money. I'm sure there are a lot of lost sales because of this.

 

[moe]

I usually go shopping in sweats because i want to be comfy so SA don't really talk to me. But yesterday i went out shopping in heels and and jeans and my fendi spy. Every single SA in the store noticed me and was super nice. lol
today i dressed in sweats aswell when i walked into Gucci but i had a huge Chanel bag with my new purchase in it and the same thing happened even though i dressed like someone going to the gym because of my shopping bags they were all talking to me and showing me the latest and greatest styles................
It doesn't really bug me too much everyones just trying to make a living. As long as the SAs don't follow me around and try to upsell me i'm cool.

 

[whatzerface]

I usually don't have a problem with the SA's where I live (Calgary). I tend to dress nice though if I know I'm going to shopping at Holt Renfrew, which is the only luxury store in the city. (It's Canada's version of Saks or NM) Everyone here is pretty friendly anyway and nobody really dresses up that much.

The only time I've really been annoyed by the SA's at Holt was the other day when I spotted a Gucci bag and an SA girl asked me if I wanted to try it on and I did and I told her I was going to keep looking around and would probably be back for it. I went over to the purse section (which is on the other side of the store from the Gucci section) and I found 4 or 5 more purses I was interested in and the SA dude that was over in that section was helping me with them. I've delt with him before a couple of times and he's really great, and kinda cute, but probably a little old for me. (I'm getting sidetracked, talk about easily destracted) I picked out the purses I wanted and told him I wanted the Gucci one I was looking at as well, and he went to grab them for me and suddenly the SA that barely helped me with the Gucci appeared out of nowhere and just kinda stood there and started watching the SA guy. If I hadn't worked in retail I might not have thought anything of it, but it was so obvious to me that she was just keeping her eye on him to make sure that she got commission of the Gucci sale. I just thought it was so unprofessional of her and the SA dude seemed kind of annoyed with her too.

Also the SA's in the Prada store in Toronto are a bunch of snobs. They are the type that won't talk to you but just stand there and watch every move you make.

 

[kathyrose]

I like the SAs in LV. They would ask you if they can help you and they don't follow you like what you guys mentioned other SAs do. I feel so relaxed there.