Bad Shopping Experience

I am a shopper. I am also a Retail Manager. If you put those two together, you get someone who cannot abide poor service while they are shopping. I will walk into a store, fully prepared to make a purchase and then walk right out if I am not even acknowledged by the staff. Let me clarify, I do not want to be hounded, but I do want to be acknowledged, especially if I am going to make a large purchase. (Coach has lost hundreds of dollars from me for this very reason).




The other day, I wandered into Bath and Body Works to see if they had any nice new fragrances. I especially liked their new Japanese Cherry Blossom fragrance:



I noticed that there was a sign on the display that I was looking at that said Buy 3 Get 1 Free(this is a standard B&BW promotion). The sign did not list any exclusions. The only 2 items I was interested in were the Body Spray and the Shower Gel(I prefer unscented lotion), but I figured I might as well take advantage of the promo and picked up a Bubble Bath and a Shimmer Lotion and headed up to the counter. At this point, I would like to point out that I was yet to be acknowledged in the store.

When I got to the counter the girl informed me that the Body Spray was not included in the BOGO(Buy One Get One) promo because it was already marked down to 5 dollars. She then put my stuff aside and told me to go pick out another item. At this point 3 things went through my head:

1. The sign did not specify that the body spray was excluded.
2. There was no other indication that the body spray was marked down.
3. Just give me the body spray as the freebie.

I didn't say any of this, I simply said that I would only take the Shower Gel and the Body Spray(since these were the items that I had originally wanted). The girl sputtered and asked me repeatedly if I was sure, since the Body Spray was only 5 dollars. I very politely said that I was sure. She finished processing my transaction and then went to put my receipt in the bag, I told her I would rather take the receipt, but she placed it in the bag anyway. When I again told her, I would take the receipt, she turned her back and huffed away.

Suffice it to say, I will not be shopping at Bath and Body Works anytime soon, which is a shame because I really like the Japanese Cherry Blossom fragrance. I just don't like it enough to put up with a snippy, snotty sales staff.

King of Prussia Mall

I finally visited the King of Prussia mall this week. I have long desired to see this legendary mall and finally had the opportunity when our store there, suddenly required assistance.
The mall was quite huge. It's in actuality two malls: the Court and the Plaza. The Court is the "smaller" section. The Plaza is mindblowingly huge! You can't even imagine until you're driving around and around it, how enormous it is. You can check out the mall's directory on their website: www.kingofprussiamall.com

Brighton Collectibles

Brighton is a newer chain of stores that I have long been a fan of. They manufacture and sell both through wholesale accounts and through 70 retail locations, handbags, wallets, watches, jewelry, belts, shoes, luggage etc. Their products all feature their trademark heart on them. I first saw a Brighton store in the Short Hills mall, but it was on my recent trip to the King of Prussia mall that I finally made a purchase:



I wish the image was larger, but it is a hand woven, straw handbag with black leather trim. The sales staff at the store was enthusiastic, friendly and helpful. They were obviously well trained in selling techniques (as am I:), but backed off as soon as I made it clear that I would be capable of making up my mind with the information that they had given me. Overall it was a very pleasant shopping experience and probably the first of many.