Just now I left the Target where I laid down $100 that I really shouldn’t have. It’s just that the store was chock full up with bargains and color and the right music hit. And my credit card was all paid off and dammit-I-got-nada-for-Christmas-and-double-that-for-Valentine’s-Day-and-dammit-I-work-hard every-day. I really did score. But as I pull the door of my little car shut, safely closing in myself and my little treasures, I find I am oddly not as thrilled as one would think. A certain tiny tristesse shares the driver’s seat with me. What could it be? Guilt? No. Buyer’s remorse? Too soon. Slowly, a very pointed edge begins to separate the fog of successful shopping – though successful the experience was empty. I pause. What does this mean? I love shopping alone.
Shopping alone, I don’t have to follow any strategy or justify any thinking process – or absence of it. Then what…? And now the pointy edge is in sight – I wanted Target to appreciate what I had done. I wanted feedback from Target. Something along the lines of appreciation in the experience should have come from Target – besides the color and music and great prices I mean. I think back. The cashier never looked at me.
She didn’t even hand me my sales slip – she held it up in the air for me to take. The sales person who showed me where the computer accessories were never spoke to me. I told him what I wanted, he sprinted ahead of me only to find it was not there. He apologized nicely for not knowing where what I wanted was, but left me to find it for myself after all. The next staff I corralled knew the location of what I wanted, pointed to the shelf and sprinted off. (I had a question I would have liked to ask.) Of some four Target employees I passed, not one looked at me or acknowledged me in any way. (In fact, I think one of the females scowled at my stylish new boots that I was wearing for the first time in honor of my shopping trip.)
I couldn’t believe that I was thinking what I was thinking. Why does this matter? Aren’t bargains enough? Well – no! No. Bargains are not enough. I could have gone some place closer and gotten bargains. I mean Microsoft stuff is Microsoft stuff anywhere you go. Yes, I want more from my retailer and from now on I am going to demand more – or I will take my business elsewhere. Retailers! Read on, here is what I expect from you to keep my business from now on.
1. I want the cashier to hand the receipt to me and say thank you.
2. I want sales personnel to know what stock you carry.
3. I want sales personnel to know where items or located or at least what department they may be in.
4. If they don’t know where stuff is I want them to find out and not be satisfied with telling me they don’t know.
5. I want sales personnel to hang around for a second after they show me where stuff is for my questions about the stuff.
6. I want sales personnel to have a working knowledge about stuff you sell or at least know who does have a working knowledge about the stuff you sell.
Do this for me and I will spend money with you. Now is that a bargain or what?
Comments