Not too long ago, I visited a boutique in Mid Valley with three initials on the 1st Floor. There was a particular white blouse with blue embroidered flowers which caught my eyes so I went to take a closer look. As soon as I zoomed in to the blouse, one of the shop assistants latched herself on to me. I really hate being stared at when I am considering a purchase. I wish shops would stop this practice of shadowing customers around. I walked into the shop and the assistant followed me until she went to another target who looked more promising. I went back to the first blouse I saw and a second shop assistant came to me, this one was less pleasant as I could see the look on her face which told me she’d rather be doing something else.
This particular boutique definitely tells all its staff to follow customers around because I had the same experience at their other outlet in Sunway Pyramid and most recently at their 1 Utama outlet. I told the 1 Utama outlet shop assistant that she didn’t need to follow me around and she replied that she wanted to serve me. Seriously, following customers around smacks of desperation. At this 1 Utama outlet, as soon as I looked closely at an outfit, the assistant would bring the outfit out. I don’t know about other customers but it’s just very off-putting for me to have eyes fixed on me as I browse. It makes me want to get out of the shop quickly because I don’t feel comfortable. The hard sales tactic also doesn’t work on me. In fact, it works the other way as I want to take my time to look at whatever I like rather than be recommended this and that.
So follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter but please don’t follow me around in a shop because that kind of sales tactic is so last century.
