![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Today, I went out to get new bed-linens. I sort of succeeded, after I went to the factory outlet stores, tho' I'm not real thrilled with the options. Still, these will do for now.
However, this? This is an observation on something else. Before I succeeded, I went to the mall. Figuring that, as it was after lunch and prior to work letting out, the crowds would be somewhat reduced. I was right. (The hordes of parents-with-toddlers were still about, but they tend to cluster in the food court and play area for the most part, rather than congesting the mall.)
I forgot to take on thing into account. When the population of shoppers goes down, the population of store clerks does not. Bored store clerks. Store clerks with few or no customers. Stepping into those shops is like diving into a tank of starving piranha.
I should note here, that my ideal shopping experience is browsing quietly, uninterrupted, but with clerks I can find to ask questions - if I want to. I actually did not go into one store I was curious about, because there were no customers and four clerks...and when I walked closer, looking in, all four clerks looked at me and stayed looking at me. It was like they were some kind of tracking system and starting to lock on. I did not go over the threshold in case the weapons were loaded.
(I would like to note that I was polite to every clerk that approached me. Some are required to do that by company policy; not their fault it drives me nuts. Others are required to look busy, which is hard when the store is spotless and customer-free.... I realize this. I don't enjoy it, though.)
However, this? This is an observation on something else. Before I succeeded, I went to the mall. Figuring that, as it was after lunch and prior to work letting out, the crowds would be somewhat reduced. I was right. (The hordes of parents-with-toddlers were still about, but they tend to cluster in the food court and play area for the most part, rather than congesting the mall.)
I forgot to take on thing into account. When the population of shoppers goes down, the population of store clerks does not. Bored store clerks. Store clerks with few or no customers. Stepping into those shops is like diving into a tank of starving piranha.
I should note here, that my ideal shopping experience is browsing quietly, uninterrupted, but with clerks I can find to ask questions - if I want to. I actually did not go into one store I was curious about, because there were no customers and four clerks...and when I walked closer, looking in, all four clerks looked at me and stayed looking at me. It was like they were some kind of tracking system and starting to lock on. I did not go over the threshold in case the weapons were loaded.
(I would like to note that I was polite to every clerk that approached me. Some are required to do that by company policy; not their fault it drives me nuts. Others are required to look busy, which is hard when the store is spotless and customer-free.... I realize this. I don't enjoy it, though.)
no subject
For what it's worth I very much agree here.
Sooooo glad that I don't, and have never had to, work in retail.