Today I rant about stores who try to persuade you to sign up for their "INSERT STORE NAME HERE"
BONUS CARD! Why? Because they bug me.
There, I illustrated.
Almost every time I go to a store, be it a clothing store, shoe store, gadget store, pet store, whatever, I am first greeted by four or five people asking me if they can be of any assistance. While this does make me a bit uncomfortable, it's tolerable, and I usually politely tell each person that no, I'm fine, I'm just looking, as I gradually make my way through the store. Then, as I reach my destination, I am often greeted by another employee (who knew tiny little stores could employ so many people in these tough times?) asking me if I want a basket to hold my things or if they can start a fitting room for me. I usually decline, on the grounds that 1. There's no way in hell I will EVER buy enough of something from a specialty store to need a basket, and 2. I hate trying on clothes. By the time I finally get what I want/need and make my way up to the checkout queue (yes, I say queue, get over it) I am so thouroughly irritated with the store that I just want to pay for my items and run away screaming as fast as I can. Then comes the tip of the iceberg. As I place my items in front of the register, the employee ringing them up starts with, "And did you find everything alright? Good. Now, do you have a "INSERT STORE NAME HERE" Bonus Rewards Card? You don't? Well do you want to sign up for one?"
No, I do not. Generally, with any store that is not Target, Publix, or another chain-megastore, I do not shop there enough to get any real reward from using one of these cards that racks up "points" for each thing you buy there. Places such as American Eagle Outfitters, ULTA, etc, I usually only visit a couple of times a year, and only buy things ONCE a year if that; why would I need a card for a store I don't shop at? However, when I tell the employee this, as politely as possible mind you, they usually counter with, "Oh well you could always use the rewards from the card whenever you DO come in, they don't expire."
Yes, that would be nice if I had a computer and a printer glued to my ass, so that when I do spontaneously decide I need a new cardigan/eyeliner sharpener/other I can log onto my email and print out that AWSUM coupon I got from the rewards program. I get to save 10% on an already-overpriced item, yay!
I'll use this to glue the computer and printer to my ass.
Then there are the "sign up for our credit card and get a free t-shirt/ten dollar giftcard/tub of Parkay" stores, but I won't even get into that. They generally leave you alone after you say "no" the first time, unlike the rewards card people who just keep GOING.
I'm not trying to bust your balls, specialty stores. I have to do the same sort of "suggestive selling" in my job EVERY DAY. But the difference is that I work at a resturaunt, and we sell food. Food benefits you NOW, not three months from now when you finally get your coupons printed out and bring them in to the store. I offer cookies with your meal so that you can buy them and give them to your kids that are running around the dining room. But I understand that, if you are an employee of said establishment that pushes their "service" on you every time you walk in the door, it is only your job to do so. Yes, I know you really don't want to be annoying, but that doesn't change the fact that you are.
Maybe one of the CEOs of AE or ULTA (or Icing. Please let it be Icing! I miss shopping there.) will read this and realize that they are LOSING cutomers because of their service policies, and they will change them. Then I'll shop there again. Until then, I'll stick with online shopping or Target. I love you, Target.
No comments:
Post a Comment