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Unless you buy that kind of stuff, you don't really know how well they treat you in those situations. You are literally a client of the sales person, not just

Unless you buy that kind of stuff, you don't really know how well they treat you in those situations. You are literally a client of the sales person, not just some shopper. They keep in touch, they let you know when things that you might like come in, just all around amazing service. Obviously that comes with the cost.

xxpor 9y ago
That honestly sounds like a nightmare. The last thing I want when shopping is to be hassled by salespeople.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- MiddleEndian 9y ago
  Agreed. I recently went to a store like this to purchase a light fixture where I continuously had to interact with a salesperson who referred to their customers as "clients" and I quickly became exhausted. I will purchase my light fixture online or perhaps Home Depot.
- skellera 9y ago
  It isn't "hassled." The way sales people interact with you at normal stores is nothing like the interaction at a higher end store. If you don't want to be bothered in a high end store, you aren't bothered.
dillondoyle 9y ago
Really good stores and salespeople are magic and I totally buy into their illusion. I love going to the Gucci store it's kind of the pinnacle of service you can't get online. 1:1 salesperson follows you and helps pick out pieces and pull sizes, usually with sparkling water to take your time. As you mention you can build a relationship past one transaction. They always compliment: you look great, good fit, makes you look skinny, etc. Really good salespeople pick up on your style and provide actual good direction. Sometimes I'll get this is the last size we have in the US type tactic, which for most stores would be total BS to me right away but for them I almost buy it (Gucci does intentional small runs to sell out now it seems). The psychology of it works (for me at least) even if you know they're tricking you to spend more (less deceitful hard to describe, like massaging you with dopamine into spending more $)! That's the magic. I always go in with one specific item in mind that I researched online but never leave with just one thing... I recently saw that Intuit is now offering a live 'accountant' videoconference to fill out your turbotax. I wonder how far off we are from using some AR/VR and live person to facilitate more of this in person shopping service remotely.
- crankylinuxuser 9y ago
  I'm not trying to target you per se, but you did give an anecdote about it. Gucci is pure name. Their quality is better than average, but the price is nowhere reasonably higher than the average quality. Frankly, the money is wasted because someone stroked your ego with powerful psychology and manipulation. This is only slightly different than catering to "whales" the free-to-play markets, but just with a bit more customer service. Most "popular" products are the same way. They paid celebs to carry their product, or use their product. Frankly, who cares? The celebs are being paid, whereas you pay. If you have your name on my stuff, then I'm advertising your brand. You either gave it to me as swag, or you're paying me for it. The last choice, is it's a nonprofit and you're doing advertising to help them. Aside that, you're paying for the benefit of bolstering and proving their name further. Nope nope, and nope. Concierges? Sure, I understand having hand-holding assistance. Some people do need that, as many of us in IT are well aware of. But there is a difference between "I'm not sure if that would work for you", versus "You just look stunning with that hat on. That hat just works exceptionally with you! And that parfum - oh so elegant! (add more unintended shit to buy)"
  - andrewjl 9y ago
    "add more unintended shit to buy" What exactly is wrong with that? A good portion of people who shop at a place like Gucci that don't do it for the utility and value for money, so neither of those two standards will apply to them.
    - yason 9y ago
      I think they do but not in the ordinary way. The only way to give people the signal "I have a five-thousand dollar bag" is to go buy a five-thousand dollar bag. The value is not in the bag but in the message of owning (and being able to own) one, addressed to a certain audience that is very sensitive to these signals and that also matters in your life. I'm sure Gucci bags have opened doors that other bags with a fraction of the price haven't so there's utility value, too. It just fits with goals and with social behaviour that isn't very common in regular people, not to mention engineers.

xxpor 9y ago

That honestly sounds like a nightmare. The last thing I want when shopping is to be hassled by salespeople.

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
MiddleEndian 9y ago
Agreed. I recently went to a store like this to purchase a light fixture where I continuously had to interact with a salesperson who referred to their customers as "clients" and I quickly became exhausted. I will purchase my light fixture online or perhaps Home Depot.
skellera 9y ago
It isn't "hassled." The way sales people interact with you at normal stores is nothing like the interaction at a higher end store. If you don't want to be bothered in a high end store, you aren't bothered.

dillondoyle 9y ago

Really good stores and salespeople are magic and I totally buy into their illusion. I love going to the Gucci store it's kind of the pinnacle of service you can't get online. 1:1 salesperson follows you and helps pick out pieces and pull sizes, usually with sparkling water to take your time. As you mention you can build a relationship past one transaction. They always compliment: you look great, good fit, makes you look skinny, etc. Really good salespeople pick up on your style and provide actual good direction. Sometimes I'll get this is the last size we have in the US type tactic, which for most stores would be total BS to me right away but for them I almost buy it (Gucci does intentional small runs to sell out now it seems). The psychology of it works (for me at least) even if you know they're tricking you to spend more (less deceitful hard to describe, like massaging you with dopamine into spending more $)! That's the magic. I always go in with one specific item in mind that I researched online but never leave with just one thing... I recently saw that Intuit is now offering a live 'accountant' videoconference to fill out your turbotax. I wonder how far off we are from using some AR/VR and live person to facilitate more of this in person shopping service remotely.

crankylinuxuser 9y ago
I'm not trying to target you per se, but you did give an anecdote about it. Gucci is pure name. Their quality is better than average, but the price is nowhere reasonably higher than the average quality. Frankly, the money is wasted because someone stroked your ego with powerful psychology and manipulation. This is only slightly different than catering to "whales" the free-to-play markets, but just with a bit more customer service. Most "popular" products are the same way. They paid celebs to carry their product, or use their product. Frankly, who cares? The celebs are being paid, whereas you pay. If you have your name on my stuff, then I'm advertising your brand. You either gave it to me as swag, or you're paying me for it. The last choice, is it's a nonprofit and you're doing advertising to help them. Aside that, you're paying for the benefit of bolstering and proving their name further. Nope nope, and nope. Concierges? Sure, I understand having hand-holding assistance. Some people do need that, as many of us in IT are well aware of. But there is a difference between "I'm not sure if that would work for you", versus "You just look stunning with that hat on. That hat just works exceptionally with you! And that parfum - oh so elegant! (add more unintended shit to buy)"
- andrewjl 9y ago
  "add more unintended shit to buy" What exactly is wrong with that? A good portion of people who shop at a place like Gucci that don't do it for the utility and value for money, so neither of those two standards will apply to them.
  - yason 9y ago
    I think they do but not in the ordinary way. The only way to give people the signal "I have a five-thousand dollar bag" is to go buy a five-thousand dollar bag. The value is not in the bag but in the message of owning (and being able to own) one, addressed to a certain audience that is very sensitive to these signals and that also matters in your life. I'm sure Gucci bags have opened doors that other bags with a fraction of the price haven't so there's utility value, too. It just fits with goals and with social behaviour that isn't very common in regular people, not to mention engineers.