rude Sa

[Diana Bain]

Of all places Macy's. I've shopped there in my male mode many times. Bought all types of women's clothes and even purchased Mac makeup. Yesterday I was in my fem mode for the first time there (with my wife). Was there for about an hour...decided to buy a belt for an outfit I'm wearing to a Halloween party tomorrow night (my wife will be a gangster and I'm the moll). There where a few woman checking out and three Sa's...all looked at me and for sure I was clocked. I was wearing gray boots, black tights and a black and gray stripped cowl neck sweater dress. I handed the SA the belt and my credit card...she handed back the card and said "could I get the last 4 numbers on your card SIR"...with emphasis on sir. Her comment disappointed me,she simply could have said "could I get the last 4 numbers from your card." By no way was I embarrassed and my wife gave her a dirty look( she listened and was really upset but did not say anything because she didn't want to cause a scene). I feel sad for the SA...will I still shop Macy's as Diana....absolutely they have great clothes. Thanks for reading...

[Tracii G]

Its happened to me too more than once.
Some people are just mean.

[binx]

Some people are just rude regardless of the situation. That type of comment makes her sound immature... I mean what was she trying to accomplish other than display how very ill-fitted she is to her customer service job?

[Beverley Sims]

Some SA's think they win a small victory, they do until there is a complaint.
If I get a really snarly SA, I get her sent back for retraining.
My small victory then. I do let them know before hand otherwise there is no sense in reporting them.

[Linda E. Woodworth]

Surprisingly I also had rude service in a MACY'S once. I left the store without buying anything and went to the next department store in the mall to make my purchase. Their loss of the sale.

Besides the SA in the other store engaged me in "girl talk" about fashion and the company dress code. I loved it!

[Rachael Leigh]

I don't really blame them for saying such thinks I mean it is still unusual to see guys enfem. I even would have a hard time knowing what to say but I think I would be polite and not say sir. We all should know the risk as it were when we venture out. I guess maybe that's why hesitate to do it. I really applaud you gurls who do and hope for better times

[Celina]

Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience. One can wonder what the SA's try to achieve with such behavior...


Besides the SA in the other store engaged me in "girl talk" about fashion and the company dress code. I loved it!

Totally a win win situation Linda E :D

[SherriePall]

I'm surprised at Macy's. I have several times bought lingerie there from a couple of different SA's while en drab. I bought some panties there once, looking for high cuts. The SA could only find one in my size because there were mostly bikinis and thongs and while we were looking she kept complaining that younger girls all like bikinis and thongs which are minimal coverage. Of course, I'm agreeing with her like we're just two women who miss the old days.
And, when Macy's sold Prescriptives cosmetics, the SA there and I were great friends, either en drab or femme. She often invited me to sit down and chat. Learned a lot from her.
Anyhow, I though Macy's had a policy on transgender folks. Maybe your SA didn't have the class.

[Jodi]

There is a place on every receipt to rate the SA on line. That is your place to bayonet her. Those comments are reviewed by supervisory staff and each employee is told of each comment--good or bad.

Jodi

[Amy Lynn3]

When things of like nature happen to me, I will respond with....well, you need not be so sweet about it. Works for me

[TxCassie]

Oh Gee! I have my first makeover appointment at the MAC Counter in a local Macy's store. The artist was very welcoming on the phone, so I am hoping it will be a good experience. I will be going "en drab" which the SA said would be no problem. He said, I have no problem calling you Cassie "en drab" or "en femme". Can't tell you what a relief it was to hear something like that from the SA. So, five more days. I can't wait.

Cassie :love:

[Deedee Skyblue]

I'm confused. If you had just handed her your credit card, why does she need to ask you for the last 4 digits? Can't she read?

Deedee

[Penny2325]

I assume she asked for it as a security measure incase Diana had stolen the card. If she stole it then she most likely wouldn't know the last 4 digits.

[BritneyLynn]

Does anybody actually memorize their credit card numbers, even the last four digits?

I've never had a store clerk ask for that information. Occasionally one will ask for photo ID. I wonder why they bother since to my understanding the card issuer pays the merchant anyway if the merchant gets authorization from the card issuer and card is either swiped or the merchant has the code number from the back of the card.

Is the merchant even allowed to ask for photo ID. I thought the agreement between the card issuers and merchants specified that the credit card itself was to be considered the only credentials the customer needed.

[Penny2325]

I know my CC number by heart. But then again I buy a lot online.

And the merchant doesn't have to check but their is no law or rule saying they can't. I always checked when I was a cashier. Always err on the side of caution when it comes to that.

[Valerie1973]

Should of told her she was on camera and your where working as an under cover boss. Since her customer skills are rude she will be in the unemployment line Monday. LOL.

[nvlady]

I guess please was more difficult to say than sir.

[kimdl93]

It happens. Glad you didn't let it get you down.

[cdmcconnell84]

I am trying to get out there and be a bit more open these days myself too. I'm not entirely sure how much I get clocked, but I figure that all of the check out girls at my last shopping trip to the mall must have read me as I had a bit of conversation with each of them. And I imagine that by the end of each exchange there must have been no doubt I was transgender since I also had to show my driver's ID at the register when using my credit card. Still, all of them were really nice - the girls at Kohl's, Sephora, and even Rack Room Shoes really made me feel welcome and "normal".
So, there are plenty of pleasant SAs out there! I really hope you have a few of the good ones next time too!
~ Caleigh

[ShriekCassandra]

I'd die if someone called me out for ID in front of everyone to check a credit card even in male drab, let alone as my better half. Just one more reason why I never use the damn things. Just pay by cash or direct debit and they shouldn't ever have anything to mouth off about.

[Marcelle]

Hi Diana,

So sorry to hear about your experience. I just find some people are so miserable with their own existence on this planet that they take any opportunity to rain on someone they think is vulnerable. You handled it well given the circumstances and that is all we can do.

I agree with Lee that when we venture out we have to expect weird reactions from those around us. I find most are just curiosity stares. It is not every day a person actually sees a CDer up close and personal. However, the one thing I won't take is rude stares (I just normally smile back and that is enough to throw them off and go about their business). I will always call an SA on rude service as I would not accept it en male and won't en femme. I have every right to accept good/polite service regardless of how I am dressed.

I had an SA refuse to serve me at Walmart one time because she was "A good Christian (how ironic) and I was an abomination according to the bible". I told her it is her right to believe what she wants but she works in the service industry and can't pick and choose. She didn't agree and still would not serve me . . . I asked for her supervisor. The supervisor agreed and fired her on the spot. When she said that wasn't fair as it was her religious right to refuse service my only comment back was "Well at least you go on unemployment with your ethics and values in tact" I know that was a real b****y thing to say but like I said I do not do rude well.

Hugs

Isha

[rachel_rachel]

It's unfortunate that still seems to be a caveman element to society and not everybody is entirely tolerant...

[Lynn Marie]

I'm surprised you thought that was rude. People make mistakes, people get flustered, people can be ignorant. My daughter was an SA at Penny's in high school. She didn't feel it was a very rewarding experience. She was 17 years old.

[Khaleesi81]

Sounds like you handled it well by not rising to the bait. Sad that they'd do that though, I've only had positive experiences with SAs.
Maybe an email or letter to that store?

[Sarasometimes]

Sometimes it isn't worth making a point but I wonder if her look would have changed if you said on second thought forget the belt, my I have my card back? It wasn't due to a CD issue but recently at a local store I got a rude reception so I skipped the purchase. Second store, saved 40% on the exact same thing, on sale. Doesn't always work out that way. Sorry to hear of your experience, but keep your well-powdered chin up.

[Daphne Renee]

Sorry the sa was so rude. I don't have my card number memorized. So I I wouldn't have been able to give those numbers. I cony know if macys does but most stores now have s survey they want you to take. It will be printed on your receipt. I would definitely take it. Would itvacomplish anything? I don't know for certain but it might make you feel better.

[SherriePall]

Macy's does have a survey. It's been a couple of years now since I last did one. Believe it was done on line. One was for a lady in the lingerie department and the other for my friend at the Prescriptives counter. Gave both the highest marks available, along with some nice comments.

[Barbra P]

Like Deedee I’m a bit confused because Diana clearly wrote “she handed back the card and said ‘could I get the last 4 numbers on your card SIR’”. Even if the card was stolen Diana could simple read off the last four digits of the card in her hand. I see no security involved in doing this. I’ll add that I have never encountered this in any store or ever seen it done.

Many stores that are part of a chain now have some sort of Store Card which the SA swipes and usually the SA won’t ask for additional ID if you are using a charge card or writing a check. I shop a lot at Home Depot and part of the time I’m asked for ID if I write a check and the rest of the time I’m not. So one day I asked why and the cashier said that it is part of their cash register system; the register requests that the SA enter a driver’s license number and won’t let the transaction continue without the DL. She didn’t know what triggered the request but thought that some of the request were just generated randomly.

Some stores can’t process debit cards (food to go places are a good example), the credit service they are using processes them as credit cards (the bank makes the correction); if you are handed a receipt to sign rather than asked to enter your pin number then this is what is happening. At no time should you be asked for ID if the card is being processed as a debit card, your pin is all that is needed. I shop almost exclusively in drab and when using my debit card, and I’m entering a pin, and I’m asked for ID I want to know why and I generally want to speak to someone in charge.

It used to be the norm that stores asked for two forms of ID when you wrote a check or used a credit card but a number of years ago California passed a law stating that stores could only ask for one picture ID and nothing more.

American Express forbids merchants to ask for any sort of customer ID. A few years ago I worked for a large office supply store chain and one of our cashiers asked for ID from a customer using an American Express card. He refused, she refused to ring up the transaction, he requested to speak to a manager, she said he was on a meal break, he asked that she call American Express, she didn’t know the number, he said it was on the back of his card, she refused, he capitulated and produced ID while informing her that he would be contacting both American Express and the company’s corporate office. American Express requested that she receive additional training and if it happened again that she be discharged. The district manager took a dimmer view and she was discharged for poor customer service.

[Stephanie47]

I posted on another thread that sometimes one should write a letter to the appropriate corporate officer concerning sales associates who provide exemplary customer service and those who are rude or a black eye on the company.

I would write to the store manager (ask for the name of the person) and write a personal letter explaining the situation. By giving the date, time and station the sales associate can get some remedial training or worse.

[Nicole Erin]

The surprise is that an SA would even notice. I work in retail and the customers are just "there". I do treat them like they are spending money but I don't pay attention to how they are dressed or look or whatever. Usually my greatest concern is, "How much longer til I can leave?"

With Macy's - I don't know about that place, to me it seems like a cluttered mess. Crap just crammed in every nook and cranny. That and being overpriced.

[Chickhe]

You should just respond in a very friendly way, do I look like a SIR to you? ...there is one problem with our frame of mind though...if the clerk sees a guy dressed in a costume, he is still a guy in a costume....so Sir is appropriate. ..maybe its because it was so close to Halloween. The way I see it, it is respectful to say Mam, but not all that wrong to say Sir because it is true, but I would be most happy with Mam or something neutral.

[Diana Bain]

Thanks for all your comments. We have sent a e-mail to Macy's, so we'll see what happens.

[Alison1842]

Its one thing that has surprised me over the years. Blokes will generaly lightly rib one anouther a bit even if they don't know each other that well, more being a bit cheaky than rude or offensive but women can be real cows to one anouther for next to no reason. Some females even seam to have some kinda extreame form of jelousy permentantly.

[Jodi]

Was the credit card signed? when I worked at NY & co, you would be amazed how many customers presented a credit card with no signature on it. We were required to ask for photo ID. If we had any question about the credit card, we were to ask for photo ID. It would surprise you how many people are trying to use another's credit or debit card, whether the card is stolen or not.

If the SA was just trying to ascertain the validity of a credit card, that was not rude. That was doing her job.

For those on this board who have never worked retail, you have no idea how many scams and scam artists are out there. SA's get continuous training on all current scams. As a customer, when an SA asks you to go the extra yard on ID, just give in, smile and help her do her job.

Jodi

[Deborah2B]

This can happen wherever you go and however you are dressed, regardless of the gender you are presenting. Some people are just naturally miserable and try to bring others into their world. I have learned to ignore people like that other than to have pity on them.

[cdmcconnell84]

Jodi, I think I may have confused the thread a bit with my account of how a few SAs recently asked for my ID, but although poster Shriek felt like that was an embarrassing sort of situation she apparently likes to avoid, I said that for me it went just fine and all the girls were really nice to me. In the OP's case, the SA just very rudely called her "Sir" while dressed and no ID's were involved... Sorry if things got mixed up!

[Jessica giovanna]

Since I go out a lot! This way....I have found that most people are pretty cool about it...but if not..well then that is their loss

[Lynn Marie]

I guess I'm rude too. I addressed a girl as "sir" by mistake last Friday night. I was corrected, and I apologized. Gee whiz ladies, talk about getting your panties in a bunch. Yes, she was a little on the butch side, still no harm done.

[Lexi Moralas]

Sorry you had a bad experience! I've gotten the "SIR" a few times myself. I figure the SA has low self Estes
And has to make themselves feel good by trying to make some one else feel bad. It's kind of sad really.
Over all she was probably jealous that you are prettier than she is.

[mikiSJ]

Please take the time to write a letter to the CEO of Macy's, Inc.

Mr. Terry J. Lundgren
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Macy's Inc.
7 West Seventh Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Also, call the store and get the name of the store's manager and copy him/her on the letter that states the department, SA's name or ID (will be on the sales receipt), the SA's comment and why she made the comment (you were dressed).

We can complain about our SA experiences on this and other forums, but unless you take the time to write about bad AND extra-good experiences, the store's have no need to change.

[Devin C]

Please take the time to write a letter to the CEO of Macy's, Inc.

Mr. Terry J. Lundgren
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Macy's Inc.
7 West Seventh Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Also, call the store and get the name of the store's manager and copy him/her on the letter that states the department, SA's name or ID (will be on the sales receipt), the SA's comment and why she made the comment (you were dressed).

We can complain about our SA experiences on this and other forums, but unless you take the time to write about bad AND extra-good experiences, the store's have no need to change.

This is great advice. 7nless they know about it they cant change it.