What is the appropriate behaviour towards SA when shopping?

[irenetancd]

Hi girls,

I know that for makeover, some counters SA requested upfront product purchase and some don't. I have tried several counters, and the brands I like best I will revisit for makeover in the future and also purchase products that I can learn to put it on myself later. These purchases are relatively small like a foundation, lipstick, primer etc.

What is your approach if you are looking for "big budget" item, such as wedding dress. How do you approach the situation then.
I mean, if the dress fits and I fancy it, I don't mind the purchase. But I reckon more often you have to try lots of dresses before deciding. As such, does this behaviour annoy the SA?

I am asking because I went through the experience last week. I somehow stumbled upon a bridal/prom dress shop and had a sudden curiosity of trying dress-fitting. But because I knew I was not ready to make an immediate purchase, I self-restrict to just ONE dress (despite encouragement from the SA to try few more dresses). These dresses demand assistance from SA and I do not want to trouble them too much. I guess my brain was in "shopping as a male" mode.

Do let me know what do you think is appropriate.
By the way, the pics is at here

Sorry for the long post. Just thought of contrasting on how the "purchase price magnitude" affects behaviour, if you know what I mean.

[boink]

The vast majority of bridal/prom dress shopping involves trying on multiple dresses and only selecting one after some careful consideration. And I'm positive that there are plenty of women who don't make immediate purchases and either come back, or find a dress at a different store. I'm sure the sales assistant is well aware of that. So you're probably not troubling them as long as you do have some intention of actually buying a dress. If you're just going for the thrill of trying stuff on that's another matter.

[I Am Paula]

I would lay it out on the line. You are looking to buy, but you're doing some shopping around first. I'm sure they will be glad to help.

[Tracii G]

I think they know you want the perfect dress and will be trying on several.
Its their job to help you make the decision.

[VickysBFF]

Hello Irene: Two things....
1.) I had the experience of trying on wedding dresses in SoCal (suburban Los Angeles to be specific). I was well treated and I only tried on one dress, not because of not wanting to bother the salespeople but because I had a wig "malfunction" in the dressing room that made me decide that it would be easier to come back another time in my natural (long) hair for ease of trying on dresses. All the staff were very nice and polite and one particular sales assoc. was really friendly and invited us to come back on a weekday when they would be less busy and they could devote more time and help to us. I was not made to feel like a problem or rushed in any way; I simply decided on my own to cut it short because of my wig issues.
2.) I highly recommend going to a salon/spa for a makeup application. I have not gone to a makeup counter; I've only gone to salons to have it done. It is great because you get more privacy and no pressure to buy a lot of products. I have had terrific service buying makeup at stores; I just have not had any makeovers done there.
Best of luck to you.

[Eryn]

The thing to remember is that these businesses exist to make money and will react badly to situations where this does not happen. If a bridal shop experiences too many TG clients who consume their time but don't produce any revenue they will eventually say "no." OTOH, TG clients might be considered better customers than GGs if they actually buy more than the one or two gowns that a GG might buy in a lifetime! You might work into the conversation the phrase "I love wedding gowns, I have seven in my closet right now!"

The same goes with makeup counters. Buy things and you're their best friend, be a lookie-loo and you aren't. I remember reading an article written by a makeup saleslady and she described the SA at the neighboring counter telling a client to go to her counter because their products were better for "younger skin." The reality was that the other SA had decided that the client, a teenage girl accompanied by her mother, wouldn't buy enough product to make it worth her while and therefore offloaded her onto the less-experienced clerk next door!

I've never sat for a full makeup session, since I want my electrolysis to be complete first so I can be clean-faced. However, I fully intend to buy at least the foundation products they recommend and to make careful note of the lip, cheek, and eye product that they use, if I don't just break down and buy them as well.

[Miriam-J]

Our daughter tried on dozens of wedding dresses at a number of shops before buying one, while at the same time doing the same with her bridesmaids. From what I've heard (from as great a distance as possible), I think this is the typical experience. The SAs are quite used to indecisive ladies who want to try on everything. If you can avoid bridezilla mode you might just make their day anyway.

Miriam

[Chickhe]

You can look at it another way... the shop would sell nothing if the customer could not try things on and shop around. I think the key is to make the experience a positive one for the seller even if you don't plan to buy.... sales is all about impulse buying so they are offering you the dress to try on in an attempt to convince you to buy it...so a little deception or intent is shared both ways... Personally, I would be more worried about finding the perfect dress and then convincing myself I need it.

[Beverley Sims]

If you are encouraged to try more clothes on just do it, I do explain i am just looking but at a couple of bridal salons I have been bailed up to try dresses on as they were fascinated in how a boy could look so good in a wedding dress.
I had a few revisits there as I had lots of encouragement.
I did buy a couple of dresses as I organised mock weddings for charity functions.

[mikiSJ]

A bridal boutique is not looking to make money on volume as a Macy's or Nordies would be. If you walk into a bridal shop and ask for the sale rack you should not expect the same help as if you walked in and told the SA your budget was $500/$1000/$2000.

That is not to say the SA should/would ignore you - she won't. But don't be surprised if the doting you were hoping for at the sale rack somehow disappears if another customer walks in.

[suzanne]

It is not uncommon in any store to try on several dresses and not find anything suitable. This has happened to me many times and when I go to the SA to tell her the bad news, they are like, "Oh well, that happens. Come back in a week or so." If you are shopping in good faith, ie, you have a real intention to buy something, then it's OK to be skunked sometimes. There would only be a problem if you're a habitual looky-loo.

[Alison Lewis]

This may be tangential, but if you don't want to buy lots of cosmetics, but still get a makeover at a counter, can you just buy a large giftcard? If you don't want to purchase that brand's cosmetics, you can sell giftcards on eBay for close to face value. With the small loss and eBay fees, it's like getting a makeover for a few dollars.

[Jodi]

Appropriate Behavior? Always courtesy and honesty--the same way that you would like to be treated.

Jodi

[Sabrina133]

Appropriate Behavior? Always courtesy and honesty--the same way that you would like to be treated.

Jodi

Jodi, i think you nailed when you said "courtesy and honesty..." In another thread, i related how I was out looking at corsets this weekend -- yes i en femme. We picked out a couple and went into the dressing room. She asked me to remove my top and bra....I did and of course off came the girls. She didn't even blink. Wwe just continued with the fitting. Frankly, after tyring on a couple, I didnt really like anything so i didnt buy. When she realized i wasn't going to buy, her attitude didn't change one bit (in fact she agreed that thy didn't really look good on me). I did end up buying some very cute panties and bras. She promised me that when she gets a new shipment of corsets, she'll contact me. She now has a lifelong customer. Its all about building those relationships and customer base.

[lingerieLiz]

Shopping with women I have learned there is more trying than buying. More than once having drinks after a day of shopping I've been asked what I bought and did you try that such and such on? Including one time when the 4 of them tried on bras, I was asked if I had tried any on. They all knew I wore bras so they thought I might. I had bought a bra but I hadn't.