How do you feel about shopping? Not the everyday type like grocery which is bad enough but clothes shopping and the dreaded gift shopping. It’s funny but at one time I could spend all day in the big shopping centres browsing, popping in and out of different places, trying on, coffee drinking or just walking the different levels window shopping. That’s a thing of the past – these days if I don’t have something in mind I have to psych myself up just to walk out to the car.
As a bye the bye I use all sorts of things as bookmarks and on finding a little envelope stuck in the pages of an old book the other day was instantly reminded of a very different shopping experience I had a couple a couple of years ago.
Doing the usual wandering past some of the more upmarket shops in a nearby centre that had almost tripled in size I stopped and looked in the window of this one wondering if they had anything I could get for the birthday gift I was looking for. Wondering but thinking – no, it would be well out of my price range. Anyway in I go, just for a look I tell myself.
A very young looking (almost child like) well dressed assistant approached asking if I was looking for anything special or would I just like to browse. I pottered about looking at handbags and wallets and scarves and all sorts of things when she asked in a roundabout way who I was shopping for. I said a 21yr old granddaughter to which she replied, ‘Oh I might have just the thing’. Oops thinks I, after having seen the prices on other goods, how am I going to get out of this.
The assistant returned with a box which did contain ‘just the right thing’ A very modern looking circular pendant and chain that could be worn in a couple of ways. As I waited for it to be ‘wrapped’ another assistant asked if I’d like to sit down and maybe have a glass of water. Well, this is a first I think and make myself comfortable on the small couch. There was no need for me to get up to go to the register because a mobile register came to me – Yes a hand held eftpos machine took care of my credit card right there on the couch 🙂
The girls left for a while and then presented me with a very posh looking ‘shop’ bag containing the very smartly gift wrapped package and this glossy little envelope like packet.
I walked out of the shop feeling quite refreshed, pleased I had actually secured the gift that had stressed me out so much. Driving home I mentally asked myself why I’d bought it there. Was it the ‘special treatment’ I’d received, or was it the fact I’d allowed a certain figure for my gift and with the sale on that day it came to less than $5 more than that figure?? Oh that every shop/store had such good personal service and treated their customers that way – the way they used to do many years ago.
I’d been assured the receipt was in the bag, yet when I was looking for the till roll all I could find was that little envelope (which I had thought was just for advertising puposes, a bit like a business card). Guess what was tucked inside – a very neatly folded till roll receipt.
How good was that – how discreet was that 😊
Still Waters 
Loved this post Cathy! Like you, I no longer enjoy shoppping as I used to. ( good heavens I can remember holidays in Melbourne that included the Boxing Day sales in the city!!!!😳) What lovely memories for you of shopping in the Oroton store.
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Oh yes, the Boxing Day sales. I remember them well! I’d even take the train into the city to see what David Jones had because there were no branches out in suburbs 😊
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That sounds like the way stores used to be. Now you can’t find anyone to wait on you. I like giving money and it is way less stressful then they can buy a book or whatever they want.
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I often give cash Germaine. This gift had to be a proper gift and I’m glad I was able to find it.
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I loathe shopping and have almost total sales resistance (except where books and plants are concerned). That sounds like a wonderful experience. And these days a very rare one.
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I don’t think I’ve been back in that part of the centre since EC so yes it was right place right time – a rare occurrence indeed.
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I too used to love shopping. And yes I now have to really psych myself up. But that experience sounded lovely. Hope your granddaughter liked the gift
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I wonder why we’ve ‘gone’ off it Angela. No personal service- stores too busy – too expensive-?
The present went down a treat. I’ve seen her wearing it on more than one occasion
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Now there are several people thinking good thoughts about Oroton. Exhibit A; advertising that money cannot buy.
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Yes what’s the thought Andrew – five people tell five more people or is that about bad service?
We have to remember this happened over two years ago so don’t know (because of staff changes) whether the service would be the same today. I’d like to think so but you never know.
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I have had two excellent shopping experinces this year, one in Cath Kidston choosing a gift for my step grand daughter, which she loved, and one in a Clarks shoe shop choosing shoes for a wedding. Old fashioned service really works for me.
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Doesn’t it give you a good feeling Cathy. Sloppy service is becoming more and more evident so yes ‘old fashioned’ service worked for me as well.
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I go out of the house only to restaurants or movies. I do almost all my shopping online and am quite satisfied with their efficiency. If however, I did go once and got the kind of treatment that you got, I would be tempted to do more of the same again!
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More and more of my associates are shopping online these days and seem happy to do so. Believe it or not I have yet to put my foot in the water and ‘try it out’
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Fun that we both are talking about our dislike of shopping. Did you read my Sunday post, “Thanks Becca”? Glad you had a good experience in a real store. That never happens to me.
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Annie I’ve been offline- thank goodness for scheduled posts lol. I’ll pop over and have a look soon.
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That experience was unique and will keep that business going in the days of empty shopping malls.
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You’re right about empty shops in shopping centres Marie. – also in areas with ‘strip’ shopping (streets with shops)
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I grew to hate shopping while in France but the attitude of shop staff here has begun to make it a pleasure again.
Nothing is too much trouble for them: they lead you to a chair and off they go to try to find what you want. If the search is fruitless there are no hard looks…just a smile.
Even the street vendors will pack your purchases into your shopping bag for you…
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Lucky you Helen. But having said that I need to shop more regularly to see if it’s got any better here in the outer eastern suburbs where I live.
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Sigh – service used to usually be like that in shops. Now it is rare.
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I wonder why that is Freda? Time is money I suppose and shopkeepers need money.
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What a nice shopping experience. I tend to give cash as gifts.
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I often do as well Gigi – this birthday required something ‘nice’ and feminine.
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I have a lot of trouble – with shopping and tend to try and not do it – my hands don’t work well anymore and because they also “tremble” -people either try to help (because they want fast) or they shy away – probably think I’ve had a liquid lunch OR they might catch it…sometimes I can’t get the “card to slide in the slot gadget” -usually they will do it, but you can almost hear the muttering…
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What a lovely experience. Unexpected nice happenings really do life the spirits, don’t they?
Eloise (thisissixty.blog)
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Great post. We often shop at a department store that is committed to customer service. It is such a comfort to know that if we have any problems, we will be helped by someone who is actually interested in helping us. Is it a coincidence that this UK store is a workers’ cooperative? The employees all get a share of the profit at the end of every financial year. As a customer, I like that a lot.
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