Ludovic Posted December 5, 2012 Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 (edited) Had a few hours to kill while waiting to play the taxi for my daughter. I was in a big mall with lots of boutiques. Of course, there are shoe stores . Being in December, there was lots of people in some of these stores. First store I visited was a Aldo. The young lady who approached asked right away as I was looking at heeled boots if I was looking for a Christmas gift. I told that in fact I was looking for a heeled boot that wasn't too feminine. She showed a couple styles but when she caught on that these were for me, she essentially stopped helping me and moved to another customer. Oh well. Not being too concerned by this event I continued my tour. I stopped at a Payless Shoes Store location in the mall. In the isle for my size, in the women section of course, I was greeted by another young lady. Asking her basically the same thing, that I was looking for a heeled boot that wasn't too feminine. She asked for the size which I of course gave her. She suggested this model and I agreed that it could be interesting. When she couldn't find any in my size she told she would look in the computer but needed to find one in another size for the product number. I followed her. She looked for both black and brown but no luck. Has she came from the computer, she asked if these were for me to which I said yes. She said that she wold help me try to find something suitable. All this time she kept her wonderful smile. So we looked around a bit more and asked me in a few questions. At one point I told her that what I would really want would be these boots but that they would harder to hide under jeans. She grabbed them from the shelf and told me she had these and that they were pretty comfortable but she could understand my predicament. I almost kissed her! (Of course not but you get the idea). All this time, we were basically alone in the isle but a new mom arrived with her stroller and started looking in the same section. The salesgirl then suggested these to which I mentioned that I was told once that suede boots were maybe not the best choice for a guy to wear but I tried them on anyway. With that she excused herself and went to help someone else. I took the box and found a stool, just beside the mom and stroller. I tried the suede boots and liked them alot but put them back. My salesgirl came and then suggested another model, and she went away again. I tried these on again, lower than the suede one but the heel is thinner. While I had them on, the salesgirl came back and commented on how the nice the jeans fell with these boots and went went away again. At 20$, in special, I was very tempted but passed. Just before leaving, I found her with another customer, but I stopped to thank her for her help. With renewed confidence, I stopped at another shoe store, Call It Spring, which I believe is owned by the Aldo Group. There were 3 salesgirls and 5 female customers. I spotted these western boots and asked for my size. The salesgirl came back a few minutes later, I assumed they didn't have them but no, they did. As she presented me with the box, I hesitantly if she had a place to try the on as most stools were busy. But she found a place, in front of the store, but still hidden from the entrance to the store because of a display. I tried the boots and walked to the mirror, a couple feet away. The salesgirl was nice but there was a female customer, from an arab country but not veiled that was checkin me out with the corner of her eye. I made eye contact to let her know I noticed but she continued giving me stare and even as I exited. It bugged me a bit but I let it go. Edited December 6, 2012 by Ludovic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
char747 Posted December 5, 2012 Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 wow, very awesome! Wish I could do that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wetboot Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Great job! I like the tall boots, or the cowboy boots! I applaud your resolve to "push on" in spite of some less than positive reactions. As for the wonderful sales clerk, write a note to her boss so she will know that her great people skills are appreciated. I had a similarly positive experience at Payless, I had ordered the boots online and was to pick them up in this store...Seems like their computer system is fouled up and got the size all wrong...The sales girl was happy to spend a little time with me and help find an alternative, but all too small... As for the rude middle eastern woman, she was probably just jealous cuz you looked so good in the boots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFreddy2 Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Had a few hours to kill while waiting to play the taxi for my daughter. I was in a big mall with lots of boutiques. Of course, there are shoe stores . Being in December, there was lots of people in some of these stores. First store I visited was a Aldo. The young lady who approached asked right away as I was looking at heeled boots if I was looking for a Christmas gift. I told that in fact I was looking for a heeled boot that wasn't too feminine. She showed a couple styles but when she caught on that these were for me, she essentially stopped helping me and moved to another customer. Oh well. I'm reminded of a scene from Pretty Women .... when the snobby salesgirls dismiss the Julia Roberts character because she doesn't seem to qualify as a customer? I've worked in retail - though never on commission. Not once felt the need to do anything other than help the customer. Even when they may have treated me poorly .... I take pride in selling, and providing a good service. You're not the first to experience 'not great' service from ALDO. I have myself found it a bit hit and miss, though predominantly good. If I had gone into the store with the intention of spending money and gotten poor service, I would have been tempted to ask for the manager. Over here we have laws about discrimination..... The salesgirl was nice but there was a female customer, from an arab country but not veiled that was checkin me out with the corner of her eye. I made eye contact to let her know I noticed but she continued giving me stare and even as I exited. It bugged me a bit but I let it go. Most of the Western World enjoys a liberal attitude toward life, borne of a progressive culture grown over 2,000 years. Many other cultures, some even older, have made no progression at all. I read a news article only hours ago, about a 20 year old girl shot 6 times (fatally) because (i) she left her home without her family (to give aid to others) and (ii) for giving polio vaccinations to folk the local vigilantes (possibly Taliban) said shouldn't receive this sort of healthcare. Someone from a culture still subject to that sort of background (either directly, or indirectly) is hardly likely to understand a man wearing heels. That said, I've been subject to staring by women from a wide variety of backgrounds. Sadly, wealth or a Western lifestyle is no guarantee of good manners nor consideration for the feelings of others. Like you, this sort of thing bugs me ... Fortunately, not for long .... Sounds like you had an event filled adventure? Nice to read about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreshinHeels Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Ooh I both like "these" boots! Just ignore the ignoramus she just jealous!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludovic Posted December 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 Went back to the store with the firm intention of buying the suede one, as the website shows them on sale at 24.99$ instead of 44.99$. Well lo and behold, the website gives the U.S. prices. which are not in effect in Canada (even though our dollars have been pretty on par for quite a while). In the store they were on at special at 54.99$ you read that right, on sale at 54.99$. Didn't check the regular price and left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFreddy2 Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 Had a quick look around the web site, specifically to find pricing from the Canadian stores .... There doesn't seem to be any, rather it pushes for a location to provide details of your nearest store. No other detail found (by me leastways). Rather looks like the Canadian version, might be a run as a private franchise deal? Each store has the potential to run their own pricing isolated from anything found on the US (mail-order) service? Makes sense from the business point of view, where historic currency fluctuations could have made American vs Canadian web selling prices ambiguous. Before it got taken over by Amazon (and currently with Amazon) stores like Endless, and maybe ALDO too, use an I.P. address to work out your location and provide a local item range and local [currency] pricing to suit the enquiry. Since the Priceless (Canada) site wants a place to determine your location, I'd say this wasn't a function offered by Priceless. They might say this level of complexity costs money. I would propose it helps sales, and since they are in the business of selling...... Of course the "why's and where-for's" are of no significance. The bottom line is; few things are going to switch off a customer quite as much as almost doubling an on-line price, when a buyer arrives at a store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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