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Post by chrisperoni on Sept 22, 2021 4:52:12 GMT
So, I went to Reliks Swords today- after living a couple of hours away for all these years I was super excited to finally make the trip and..
What a let down (I don't mean the store itself- the store is fantastic inside)
Total bummer of a time
Never expected to feel so unwelcome
I was so pumped up when I pulled up to their store. I even took pictures of the storefront and me excited to go inside. Once I was inside I was wide-eyed and interested in all that was on display... but I quickly felt like I was nothing but a bother to whomever it was working.
I tried to start several conversations, mentioning sword manufacturers, oakshott types, asking about the new sword designed by Reliks, talking about how long I've collected for, some of my swords.... got nothing back. Zero interest/response. Bummed me right out man.
I could easily have ended up buying 2 swords and a knife and who knows what else- I was fully expecting to shop- but man was I ever disappointed in how unwelcoming the vibe was, and how disinterested the guy working was. I mean- why even have a sword store if you couldn't care less about anything sword related?!
It totally sucked.
Sucked big time. All I wanted was to talk swords with someone who gets it like us guys do, and buy some swords in person.I wanted to try handling a few more swords too but maybe he just didn't like that I wanted to? Idk- but I only held two swords and in that store with all those swords, man did it suck to miss out on seeing how all these others swords felt in hand.
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Post by nddave on Sept 22, 2021 13:26:12 GMT
So, I went to Reliks Swords today- after living a couple of hours away for all these years I was super excited to finally make the trip and.. What a let down (I don't mean the store itself- the store is fantastic inside) Total bummer of a time Never expected to feel so unwelcome I was so pumped up when I pulled up to their store. I even took pictures of the storefront and me excited to go inside. Once I was inside I was wide-eyed and interested in all that was on display... but I quickly felt like I was nothing but a bother to whomever it was working. I tried to start several conversations, mentioning sword manufacturers, oakshott types, asking about the new sword designed by Reliks, talking about how long I've collected for, some of my swords.... got nothing back. Zero interest/response. Bummed me right out man. I could easily have ended up buying 2 swords and a knife and who knows what else- I was fully expecting to shop- but man was I ever disappointed in how unwelcoming the vibe was, and how disinterested the guy working was. I mean- why even have a sword store if you couldn't care less about anything sword related?! It totally sucked. Sucked big time. All I wanted was to talk swords with someone who gets it like us guys do, and buy some swords in person.I wanted to try handling a few more swords too but maybe he just didn't like that I wanted to? Idk- but I only held two swords and in that store with all those swords, man did it suck to miss out on seeing how all these others swords felt in hand. Was it the actual owner or just a grunt watching the counter? I don't think it was the owner/operator of Reliks as he seems pretty sword enthusiastic to be like that. If it was shame on him. I'd definently expect a sword enthusiast let alone someone at least knowledgeable of what their selling to be behind the counter though. Probably asking to much this day and age for at least one employee to show and have customer service skills and know how to treat customers. Maybe you forgot your mask!?....š Maybe his mom forgot to pack him's fruit snacks in his lunch?š« Maybe you just knew too much and he couldn't keep up?š„¶ I had a similar encounter at a used videogame store, employee was the typical heavy set neckbeard type that knew everything about nothing and didn't want to talk about it, lol. Owner was cool though he came out and we ended up BSing about Zelda and late 90s 3D gaming for quite a while. So rest assured in some places in the world there's still friendly people!
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Post by RufusScorpius on Sept 22, 2021 13:34:36 GMT
Sorry for your experience. Customer service can make or break a business.
I have experienced similar things in the past. What I find to work well as an ice-breaker and immediately engages the employees to take an interest in what I want is to walk into the store, throw down about $500 in cash on the counter, and say "talk to me". They will either be 100% engaged in whatever it is I want, or I take the money and leave the store. Their choice. It shows them I'm not there to whistle Dixie.
It's literally a case of "money talks". In defense of the business, I'm sure they get lots of people that just want to talk and look, but not buy. This can get pretty cumbersome when they are trying to make some money to keep the lights on. I'm not excusing rudeness, it's clear that being friendly to potential customers can result in a sale. Sometimes it helps to see things from the perspective of the business also.
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pgandy
Moderator
Senior Forumite
Posts: 10,296
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Post by pgandy on Sept 22, 2021 14:19:30 GMT
I know that was a bummer, especially after the anticipation. As someone told me once, anticipation is greater than realization. As dave hinted at, probably a counter watcher and not the owner, although the end result is much the same.
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Post by paulmuaddib on Sept 22, 2021 15:16:21 GMT
I think I would go to their website and if there is a place to comment and tell about your experience. If they actually read them you might get a response. And maybe the owner will talk to his employee. Especially mention that you were prepared to buy a sword or two but didnāt because of employees lack of courtesy and interest. That usually gets an owners attention. Just a suggestion.
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tera
Moderator
Posts: 1,654
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Post by tera on Sept 22, 2021 16:44:53 GMT
*I can think of no way this post could be considered political, but if any Moderator disagrees please feel free to do what you feel appropriate, I only ask a sidebar in PM's to help me understand.*
Retail sucks. Always has. Retail in the middle of a pandemic feels like outright usery for many. And then there's the fact that the clerk you were talking to was likely one of two demographics:
1) A job is a job, and with record walkouts of employees they hired someone who had little real interest or knowledge in the product they sell.
2) Someone who is a true sword enthusiast, but has worked there long enough to get jaded as they aren't paid enough to buy the objects of their desire that they sell to others all day long.
Working a few years in firearm sales, I saw people from both categories down both roads. For me, it was a vacation job so I was always happy to engage with customers, but that is rare. Most people have to worry about paying rent, buying groceries, and not dying due to a heavily customer-facing job. For us, geniuses pulling their concealed carry gun and carelessly aiming the muzzle at us when asking "Do you sell holsters for this?" got old. FAST.
Am I excusing it? No, of course not. I'm just asking that we all show more patience and compassion to people in retail and "essential" jobs that aren't getting any rest or raise in pay. Can you imagine the stress, and how they must feel, to have to go to work every day, risk exposure for themselves and their loved ones at home with every customer, all over something as non-essential to daily survival as a sword, a television, or a gaming PC they could never afford or could never have TIME to enjoy?
At least until the world stops being on fire, let's try to treat everyone with sympathy and understanding. One person can't change the whole world, but you can change one person's world. Even little gestures can make a huge difference.
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Post by alientude on Sept 22, 2021 17:15:37 GMT
Not excusing the lackluster service, but just giving some ideas on what might have caused it.
1) I bet the vast majority of people who go into the store know absolutely nothing about swords, and are only interested in them for cheap prices. You know, the mall ninja crowd. Dealing with that day in and day out could very well have sapped any interest the clerk has in discussing swords.
2) Unless the clerk gets a commission on items sold, he doesn't have much direct incentive to make sales. Sure, there's the incentive of the store needing to make sales to stay open and keep him employed, but that's a lot more abstract of an incentive. This, incidentally, is why telling a clerk "I'll never shop here again!" or "You just lost a sale!" is a joke to them.
3) Maybe the guy was just having a bad day.
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