Why is it that shop assistants prefer to serve older, better dressed people?

Question

I went shopping this afternoon, and wanted to ask a question in the computer department of a store, but apparantly I was invisible, as all the staff walked blindly past me towards people who looked older and were wearing suits. I didn't dress like a slob, and was planning on spending a reasonable amount of money. What's the deal?

This isn't the first time I've noticed this sort of thing either, this has happened to me, and others that I know.

Ok, extra clarification - I was only intending to ask one question, as in I wanted to know the location of the product I was looking for as I couldn't find it, so it would have only taken a maximum of 1 minute to tell me where it was, and perhaps even other useful information!

Answer 1

It's only the old conception that those well dresses older people have the money and will purchase the most expensive items! The shop keepers were told to go where the money is! It's not you, they do that to everyone, except me! I look like a bum because I recently lost a front tooth in a car accident and I like to wear big, long comfortable dresses and have my hair twisted up in a ponytail, so I guess I look sorta like a bum, but when I am ignored, I don't like it and I make my self noticed! Example: I might stand there and say something real loud like: HELLO? are you in there? Then I might turn to a customer and ask: Can you see me? And when they say yes, I say real loud: THANK GOD, I THOUGHT I WAS INVISIBLE!!!!!! Don't just take it, make your self known!!! It works!! You are just as important as everyone else!

Answer 2

Well my young friend.

Things are affecting your situation.
1. Where your shopping: Shopping in a place like the mall, or best buy is going to get you ignored because; The sales people are on commission (meaning they get paid on what they sell) and sell people is what they do. If your paycheck depended on how much you sold, you would look for some indication of who you should pay attention to. And so logically, older, well dressed customers "look like" good people to sell to, because they look like they have money. Younger, Teenage like people usually don't have any money to spend on expensive things, and usually ask a lot of questions, which makes it harder for the sales person to get out there and make thier money, if they stay stuck talking to someone that isn't going to buy.

So, want better treatment before your wearing a suit?
Go to a store that specializes in building & repairing computers. Call ahead of time and make an appointment to purchase a system. Usually you will be dealing with the actual owner of the store, and the service you should find will be better than you would have gotten at any mall like retailer.

One last thought, if you don't take the time to learn about what ever it is you are buying and how it works, where it is made, etc. Then in your lifetime you will find that you will be taken advantage of many many times, However if you never do the research, you won't realize how much and how often you've been cheated.

I hope this insight has helped you.

Answer 3

Because most of the time, they have good credit or money to spend. Or at least look like they do.

I am in sales and let me tell you that a GOOD sales person DOES NOT assume that someone who is dressed nicely or is older will be a for sure sale. I personally treat everyone the same, no matter if it's a celebrity or someone who looks like they don't have a penny. You just never know. By the way, I also get that treatment occasionally because I'm under 30 and sometimes dress kind of funky when I go shopping. You just have to be a little more pushy for their attention and act very serious about what you want to purchase.

Answer 4

I think being polite is fine and at the most passing the time of day or a casual comment. In most cases employers don't want their shop assistants to have proper conversations with the customers as when they are doing that they are not working. I know there are some as you say who never smile and can be rude but in my experience most are pleasant and helpful. You often see young people who just have not a clue and think they can chat with colleagues and act as if they are on a 'go slow'. However, I blame the employers for not training them correctly or their immediate supervisor for not enforcing they way they should be working.

Answer 5

Shop assistants have seen from their experience that older people generally require help to spot the things they are lookin for.

And well dressed ppl generally are highly paid and hence are able 2 afford better dressing.So they mostly have a higher purchasing power.So helping them out would mean more sales.Also assistants are more comfortrable with them cos they feel they are going to interact with them politely and they prefer them against a shabbily dressed person who may be more arrogant in conversation.These are only general perceptions.But good assistants can figure out ur intentions and charatcer jus by seeing the way u come into the shop. They dont care much abt the dressing.They are the intelligent ones who can exactly concentrate on ppl who are gona buy rather than going by dressing.

Answer 6

Because they automatically assume that the older, better dressed people are going to spend more money, hence more commission received. Also, it helps not to have a pissy look on your face.

Answer 7

Because they assume they have more money & will buy more expensive things (i.e. clothes)

Shop assistants are actually told to target such people.
Also, young teenage girls.

Answer 8

They think that the richer ones will buy more 'cuz they have more $, hence their commision goes up. It's not fair!