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How Often Do You... (get mistaken for shop assistants)

G

greatdevourer

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Aug 5, 2005
1,996
0
...get mistaken for shop assistants? I was in my local music shop the other day, talking to some fellow customer about effects pedals, and someone came over and asked me how much something was and whether they had to pay then :confused: However, this isn't the first time it's happened (I get accosted thus in many computer stores, as well), and I was wondering how often you lot get this?
 
It's happened to me a few times – mind, it was a few years ago when I had a summer job in a supermarket. If you popped out at lunch and went in another shop you'd often get accosted by a confused pensioner asking you where the catfood was.
 
Not very often, but then again, I avoid going to the stores if I can help it. Online shopping is the way to go!

The last time I remember getting mistaken for a store worker as one was when I was in high school (or maybe early college). I used to always wear Levis (have since switched to Old Navy) and I was in a Levis outlet store trying to find a pair of jeans. Someone came up to me and asked me about some merchandise thinking that I worked there (I guess because of the jeans).
 
Too often. I seem to have a store of the month thing going on. I tend to get asked at the same store for months in a row, and then never again (but suddenly somewhere else).

As of my last year's woth of trips to the Apple store, it was there. But I think it had something to do with my always wearing a black shirt, jeans and glasses. Also, it was because I was usually getting something or another done with my PB or ogling the 5G iPods (which I broke down eventually and bought) and would be standing around from 20-30 min. That lead to the inevitable two or three questions. I guess I didn't mind it since I know the Tysons store (my usually place) layout pretty well and questions were usually "Do you have an iPod cover?" or "Can I use Word with a Mac?", with the occasional simple support question that could be answered with a yes or no.
 
I was looking for my size in jeans (33X32 thank you!) and was sorting away. A lady asked me about sizes, and I just started talking to her and answering her questions without thinking what she was thinking - that I worked there. We had a good laugh about it!
 
I got asked when I was 11 in Bhs where the lingerie was. :eek: I was in my school uniform of a light blue shirt and navy skirt, and was 5'4" when I was 11. (I'm still 5'4" now!) I just stared at the woman though - was truly speechless....
 
Some idiot in Dixons asked me something and I just said "I dunno", little cow gave me a right dirty look, and was about to start with me before I chimed in with the fact that I DON'T WORK THERE!
 
I needed a new pair of tennis shoes ASAP (stepped in some dog crap and thus, they smelled) but had to work that day (I work at Target) so I left home a bit early and stopped at the Shoe Carnival in the same shopping center. I'm sitting down, trying on shoes, when someone comes up to me (mind you, I'm wearing a Target nametag, a shirt that says Target on it, I have the infamous red and khaki on and I'm trying on shoes) and says...."Can you tell me how much these are?" Boy, she felt dumb.


I think what's dumber is when I'm at work in Target clothes, behind the counter, with a walkie talkie and handheld scanner thingy around my belt, and someone asks "do you work here?" Duh.
 
yg17 said:
I think what's dumber is when I'm at work in Target clothes, behind the counter, with a walkie talkie and handheld scanner thingy around my belt, and someone asks "do you work here?" Duh.
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I think that's simply a "stock phrase" used to start a conversation with an employee, meaning essentially "Excuse me, may I have your attention?"

Like saying "how are you?" when you don't expect an answer or "are you ok?" to somebody who is bleeding. We're just used to these phrases, even when the words aren't quite right.

I've been mistaken for an Apple employee just because I was wearing a black T-shirt in an Apple store. I answered one fellow's questions (something I happened to know) and off he went to buy something, none the wiser.
 
I had an employee at the Apple Store here in Charlotte start talking to me like I worked there. Probably didn't help him that I was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt, but I do blame him for not noticing that the t-shirt had NO Apple logos or text on it anywhere. :p
 
i don't recall it happening to me but i do get mistaken for some rich idiot who must be willing to buy anything the store associates want to pester me with. i don't know what it is but people [who work on commision] will flock to me in droves and try to convince me to blow my money on their crap. it seriously bothers me. i try to dress really plain and blend in but it still happens. :confused: i abhor being approached by strangers at any time and strangers who want me to buy things especially bug me.

</vent>
 
i get asked all the time at various stores.
i don't know why.
i wouldn't think i'm the outwardly approchable type either.

doesn't bother me.
 
iBlue said:
i don't recall it happening to me but i do get mistaken for some rich idiot who must be willing to buy anything the store associates want to pester me with. i don't know what it is but people [who work on commision] will flock to me in droves and try to convince me to blow my money on their crap. it seriously bothers me. i try to dress really plain and blend in but it still happens. :confused: i abhor being approached by strangers at any time and strangers who want me to buy things especially bug me.

</vent>
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They must somehow sense you own a Mac (and therefore "must" have money to burn). ;)
 
It's happened to me a few times, especially in computers/electronics stores/departments. Most recently, I was approached by some Exec VP of some company at the CES in Vegas when I was at the Blu Ray booth. I told him more about the technology (and in terms that he could understand and that were of interest to him) than the actual reps there themselves! :eek: :cool:
 
If I spend too much time at the Apple Store, CompUSA or MicroCenter, I usually end up getting ask for help. I politely explain that I don't work there... and then help them. :D I tend not to tell my wife about things like this as she is likely to ask if I gave them my card (and I usually forget to carry my business cards around with me).

Come to think of it... I get asked for help by people in a lot of retail situations. I think it must be that I look approachable and seem like the type of person who would help people (which is what I do for a living... just not in retail).

I don't mind. :cool:
 
jsw said:
They must somehow sense you own a Mac (and therefore "must" have money to burn). ;)
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ha, yeah. :p (i have an apple sticker on my car but it's not often i am seen driving up) the only thing that made sense to me was my engagement ring. i have sort of a "rock" on my hand and people seem to notice it from 20 paces, but when they grab my hand and pull it towards their faces (unsolicited i might add) it freaks me out , so i don't wear it very often anymore. (just my wedding band) it happens anyway - so that theory is shot all to hell. i ask my friends (who also notice how people act around me) if i have a sign on my back that says "rich idiot" or something... they've all denied it. :p who knows, but it does make shopping less plesant. <sigh> sales.
 
Why does everyone else look like fab Apple/tech employees, when I get mistaken for an old woman's knicker vendor? :confused: :p
 
Don't just take off the rock. But the smallest, cheapest, CZ piece-of-cr*p engagement ring you can find, and wear that instead. That, and an old Beavis and Butthead T-shirt.

You will be left alone.
 
jsw said:
Don't just take off the rock. But the smallest, cheapest, CZ piece-of-cr*p engagement ring you can find, and wear that instead. That, and an old Beavis and Butthead T-shirt.

You will be left alone.
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hehehe... just for the sake of experiement (anything for science) i might try something of this nature. although once i wore crappy jeans and a sex pistols t-shirt with slightly messy hair and still seemed to get pestered. i need to work on my "approach me and die" glares. :D
 
FWIW, I've been mistaken for an employee at a number of places (Apple Store, restaurants, Target, the local adult toy store, etc). Must have that "I'm going nowhere with my life" look about me. ;)

iBlue said:
hehehe... just for the sake of experiement (anything for science) i might try something of this nature. although once i wore crappy jeans and a sex pistols t-shirt with slightly messy hair and still seemed to get pestered. i need to work on my "approach me and die" glares. :D
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You could always try pulling roadkill on a leash.

People will leave you alone.

Edit: and there are no poor Sex Pistols fans. Not anymore. Old Sex Pistols fans tend, oddly enough, to be successful now. Try a Whitesnake T-shirt.
 
iRachel said:
I get mistaken for an employee at various places....my favorite was a few months ago when I was at the supermarket - wearing my winter coat and gloves. Now if I worked there, why would I have a coat on?
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cart catcher? ;)
 
It happens to me all the time, it's ridiculous. I don't mind though. It happened in an Apple retailer once (even though I was wearing a suit, not a baggy T-shirt) but I got a sale. :cool:
 
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