Sometimes They Let Me Out Of My Cage

Sometimes the overbooked overlords let me out of my cage and allow me to roam free among you. 

Yesterday and today I have learned a couple of things:

First, when walking through modern indoor shopping malls, (a place I have not been more than 4 times in the last 10 years as I primarily shop outdoor outlet malls) there are a myriad of kiosks for things like sunglasses, jewelry and a variety of beauty products. These kiosks are staffed by what I shall now call the sales trolls. Related to the carnival barker, the sales troll scopes you out from a distance, takes a split second to determine a method of engagement and jumps out at you saying things like "What do you use to straighten your hair?!" or "Do you always wear your fingernails natural?!" or even (in desperation) "I like your earrings!!"

Yesterday I was captured by a particularly adept sales troll who took 10 minutes of my time to buff my fingernails all nice and shiny and then try to sell me a fingernail buffing kit for 49.95 (usually 69.95 - but "special price for today!"). I finally extracted myself and resolved to spend the rest of my trip through the mall buffered from sales trolls by my two hulking teenage sons. They can be very intimidating. It worked.

I later went on the internet and discovered that I could get the same nail buffing block at Target for $1.89.

I bought three.

So he succeeded on one level at least - he did convince me I needed a nail buffer.

Secondly, when you go to your local superstore (take your pick, Target, Walmart, Kmart, Shopko, etc.) and attempt to buy a camcorder, the sales person will know absolutely diddley squat about camcorders. He/she is just some poor sales sap who got stationed in the electronics department that day. He/she hasn't had an ounce of training about anything in that department or any other department. And when you ask what the difference is between this camera and that camera, all he/she can do is read and attempt to decipher the same sales tags you just spent 10 minutes trying to decipher. 

Today's salesperson was a sweetheart and readily admitted as much.

I don't blame the employee - I blame the store.

Now, I don't run a store - but if I did, I think it might be just a teensy, weensy bit of a good idea to find a way to make sure my employees know something about what I sell.

But then that would be the sensible thing to do.....

I have great hopes that, as the economy remains in the tank, retailers will look for ways to improve my shopping experience.

But I'm not going to hold my breath.