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Here's one thing brick-and-mortar stores could try learning from online retailers: stop bugging your customers. If I need help looking for a TV, I'll ask. I p

Here's one thing brick-and-mortar stores could try learning from online retailers: stop bugging your customers. If I need help looking for a TV, I'll ask. I promise, I'm not shy. But if I want to just LOOK at some TV's and see what's available, please stop hovering over my shoulder and asking me if I have any questions. I don't, really. I can read the specs. If you want me to spend $400 or more on something, you're gonna have to grant me some time to chew over the options and go home and do my research before coming back. Let me do that, and I might come back and buy from you. Pester me, stalk me, or refuse to let me leave without making veiled threats that "This TV may not be here when you come back," and I'll shop online. For its part, Micro Center guys have usually been extremely helpful when I needed it and have always left me alone once I said "Just browsing." They've also periodically looked up the part on Newegg to see if they could price-match it.

DanBC 11y ago
...and yet some people report feeling ignored by shop staff. Is there any research into the ideal balance between asking people if they need help and not bugging them?
- JoeAltmaier 11y ago
  Is there room for an app here, where you can declare your need for help, and the store can respond (by queuing it or whatever)?
  - lfowles 11y ago
    An app? The solution has existed for decades without being more complex than a lightbulb.. hit a button that turns on a light in the area so staff can come help you. The specific case I'm thinking of was buying a graphing calculator that was locked in a case. Hit the button and someone will come by to get you one. Same concept on airplanes too, though.
    - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
      Except, no queuing, no estimate of when they'll get to you, no idea if anyone will ever show up at all. Complaints about bad service are epidemic. I'm thinking there's room for disruption here.
- themetrician 11y ago
  Yes, it's called a button, many pharmacies have it beside the electric shaver or other expensive items. Just put buttons next to items that call for staff.

DanBC 11y ago

...and yet some people report feeling ignored by shop staff. Is there any research into the ideal balance between asking people if they need help and not bugging them?

JoeAltmaier 11y ago
Is there room for an app here, where you can declare your need for help, and the store can respond (by queuing it or whatever)?
- lfowles 11y ago
  An app? The solution has existed for decades without being more complex than a lightbulb.. hit a button that turns on a light in the area so staff can come help you. The specific case I'm thinking of was buying a graphing calculator that was locked in a case. Hit the button and someone will come by to get you one. Same concept on airplanes too, though.
  - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
    Except, no queuing, no estimate of when they'll get to you, no idea if anyone will ever show up at all. Complaints about bad service are epidemic. I'm thinking there's room for disruption here.
themetrician 11y ago
Yes, it's called a button, many pharmacies have it beside the electric shaver or other expensive items. Just put buttons next to items that call for staff.