Most Annoying Sales Person

“Has anyone else ever had a sales person follow you around telling you why the product you just picked up won’t work or is dangerous for you to use?

The San Diego REI has a sales person that I swear every time I go in he pops up and tells me some obscure little fact that what I have chosen is wrong or won’t work and maybe “this product”, which is usually more expensive and weights more, is what I really need.

Take Friday as an example (not the first time this sales person did stuff like this), I pop in to pick up a new 3/4 ridge-rest pad and a 1 qt. cooking pot. While looking at the pots I selected a Teflon coated aluminum pot. He pops up out of now where to lecture me on the possibility of contracting food poisoning because of a chemical reaction between aluminum and certain foods. "You never see chefs use aluminum for this very reason" the tells me. His recommendation the Teflon titanium pots. No thanks I say and walk off. As he’s helping someone else near the pads I thought it would be safe to grab the ridge-rest, just as I grab it he starts to tell me that choosing that pad will effectively subtract 20 degrees from my sleeping bag. He even did the math for me, “0 degree bag would then be a 20+ degree bag, a 20+ degree…...” he rambled as I walked away. I got away before he could get a chance to recommend the therm-a-rests that he had in his hands.

I just found it funny, I mean did he ask where I was going (I was heading to the desert, do I want a self inflater in the desert?), what style of backpacking I did (I pack very light, the aluminum was a good compromise between wheight and cost), or even if I wanted any help (usually I know more about the products then the sals person so NO)?

So have you come across a sales person that’s more Annoying?”

“Yes. Phillip Galls in Lexington has a salesman who does exactly the same thing. Maybe they are related? He openly ridiculed me for purchasing a Pocket Rocket and then tried to convince me I needed a Whisperlite instead. He didn't ask me any questions at all. The other's there don't do that so I know it's not some warped kind of store policy. I avoid him whenever possible!”

“Are stun guns legal in your state? If they are, try bear repellent.”

“BTW, it's been my experience that the one's who do this derive their knowledge from company training and manufacturer brochures rather than actual experience.”

“I am really sorry to hear these reports since REI has been very good to me. I will forward this infomation to my friends there if you like. I am sure they would be glad to forward it on to someone who can eliminate this problem.”

“Why bother TownDawg? The guy is doing exactly what REI wants him to be doing.”

“I disagree. There is an art to selling, and this guy doesn't get it.

REI is a really good organization. I went ahead and alerted some of my friends there.

Hey, if you go away from that store unhappy, that is NOT what REI wants. In fact, I am willing to bet that REI contacts 'larock' and offers some compensation for his dis-satisfaction.”

“Hey! I'm disatisfied too! REI dissed me!

Where's my check?”

“That was the old REI, TD. The new REI is only concerned with maaximizing sales, and selling the more expensive stuff is maximum profit for them. REI sales persons are taught to make the customer happy by selling them the best stuff and add-ons. Add-ons... like "Would you fries with your meal?"”

“I haven't found that to be the case at our local REI. Not only are the sales folks helpful but our favorite one has learned from experience, not classes on the products. He hiked the AT through and the PCT and has taken loads of long trips here and there. We were looking at stoves and he recommended a pepsi can stove!!! He's cool.”

“Recommending a pepsi can stove really POs the REI management.”

“Exactly.. has been my experience also. REI in the Nashville area has money allocated for giveaways and charity projects.. (like the challenge cookoff)..

Furthermore when they COULD have sold me more expensive stuff.. (like a $10 repair kit) they looked in their spare parts closet and gave me the missing part.

I have found them knowledgeable and not the least bit pushy.

(now.. where's MY check?)”

“but seriously, i DID forward your complaint to my contact at REI, and I do EXPECT to hear favorably in that regard.”

“I have no doubt that this individual probably has good intentions, he just really strikes a nerve with me each time I enter that store. Maybe some less knowledgeable would find him helpful. But I have been playing in the outdoors for many years now and I know what works for me and what doesn’t. This thread wasn’t supposed to be about the evils of REI, I like the store, it was supposed be about the funny/annoying incident we all have had with sales people.

My wife, who trains “sales” to new hires for a local bank, was shocked at how he approached us, but later laughed when I told her this wasn’t the first time. She can’t wait to use this in her class for what not to do.

So have you come across a sales person that’s more Annoying?”

“I've experienced this on a few occasions, but these folks were always gone when I went back the next time...”

“REI isn't about catering to the experienced/knowledgeable client. REI is about catering to the novices, and to the wealthy who want to look "cool" and are willing to pay high prices for it.”

“As sass said, the guy at "our" REI who hiked the AT asked US for a "gear review" on the Esbit.

We rarely need sales help when shopping. Normally we have done our homewrok and are going to make a buy or to get some "hands on" before ordering online.”

“Did I mention that all I asked the guy was "Where are the Pocket Rockets?" because I didn't see them right off. That's part of what makes them so annoying. Their advice is totally unsolicited!”

“I've never dealt with REI, but we do have EMS around here,,so far I've only seen helpful staff, who really do use what they sell,,they don't push stuff on you, I think you've gotten hit with sales indoctrination,, commissioned sales means they mark up anything they can, and some places really get aggressive with sales training,, I still laugh at a guy in Electronics Boutique,, every time I go in, he pushes a $50 cd cleaner,, I wonder what the markup on that junk must be? I have to admit, I really have fun at the idiots expense sometimes,,I try to sell telemarketers other fictional products, and would probably point and laugh at the guy you describe,, really looks good to the boss, that's for sure!”

“I once encountered a really annoying sales guy at a furniture store. As soon as I'd walked in the store he was all over me. I didn't like his attitude from the gitgo and told him I was going to look around. I found a matress set I wanted and approached a sales lady that seemed more laid back; he immediately dragged her aside and informed her he was helping me. I told him he was NOT helping me and that the lady was. Nothing worse than a pushy salesman!! I'd be more likely to walk out and buy nothing if the likes of he was my only choice!

Never had any bad experiences at a gear store though.”

“I have the same luck with other retailers as I do with outdoor gear. Ever get that pimply-faced geek who tries to sell you something he knows absolutely nothing about in a computer or electronics store? What about slimey car sales people who make a profession out of lying? The mechanic who phones up with the expected "while I was fixing your ****, I discovered **** and **** need replacing too"? It pays to know what you need before you go shopping.”

“Poor bugger, probably doesnt even know he's irritating you. If you like to shop at this store and he comes over, let him know unsatisfied with his level of service. Something like "If you even breathe near me I'll rip your arms off and beat you to death with the sloppy bits!"
You'll be surprised how effective that is.”

“Do you ever get that strange feeling you now more than some of the minimum-wage salespersons at outfitter stores?”

“Please ad a "K" to now...(ie. k+now=know)”

“I would really like to work at REI.”

“LOL Sass, sounds to me like you might be over qualified!”

“i know a lot of people who work there part-time, primarily for the 50% discount. i always get them to get me stuff with their discounts too, moooaahahahaha! so no complaints about the salespeople there from me!”

“i applied for part time, to get the discount.

they want someone to work weekends!

ummm... sorry, i'm BACKPACKING! can you IMAGINE THAT???”

“...there's always a catch...”

“when we bought our last computer the guy went and got it, then went and got "everything we would need with it". he never asked if we had anything, just went and brought about $500 worth of accessories. $200 dollar UPS, 5 extra ink cartridges ($33/each), anti-virus software ($40), printer paper (photo quality), 100 burnable CD's. i kept removing stuff from the pile almost as quickly as he could pile it on. he put the anti-virus software on the pile 3 seperate times. i finally caught up with him and said "do NOT put another thing on this pile". i was about ready to slug him.”

“Someone I know was looking to buy a computer. Knew exactly what he wanted and where it was on sale. His mother offered to pick it up for him because the place where it was on sale was closer to her. The sales guy talked her into $700 worth of accessories that were either useless with that computer or went with equipment he didn't own. Ever want to see someone go truly ballistic? Ripoff their Mom!”

“See, these are the stories I wanted.”

“I got an email back from my REI contact. Here's his reply.

"WOW! I read the whole discussion. rather eye opening, and disappointing. I'm passing along the information to be sure the problem is addressed - AND REMEDIED!

I will set aside a gift certificate and some trinkets for this weekend's program. I'll have the prize pack at the customer service counter with "TTA/Town Dawg" on the bag.

Thanks for the support on the website. Keep me informed for
future events."”

“A while ago I went shopping for a vacuum with my wife (mistake #1).
We wanted something cheap, as the kids are hard on appliances.

The sales lady kept steering us towards high end vacuums, though we repeated our requirements many, many times.

She showed us one for like $800, and I was getting annoyed. Thinking she was out or earshot, I told the wife "for $800 dollars, it should have an attachment for my d***.

Of course, she was right behind me.”

“Le Subtil - Got ya beat. Long time ago, My wife and I got suckered into buy a Kirby vaccum for 1,300 !! It's good, but gggggeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Never got screwed like that again!”

“I bought my truck from Budget Car Sales, it was my first car buying experience and it wasn't fun and I probably got screwed. Therefore I will never buy or RENT from Budget ever again.”

“I learned a lot from my first car purchase. Young and in the military they must have seen me a mile off. I payed something like $18,000 total for a Ford Fiestiva. I probably could have gotten a better APR using a credit card.

Oh well, live and learn, now I have fun running the car sales people in circles.”