Could I Please Buy Something?

                                                Could I Please Buy Something?

I'm looking for a small HD video camera and, on my way to the airport, stopped at the Bond and Bond store in Newmarket in Auckland recently. The store was deserted except for one customer paying at the counter, a staff member taking his money and another one unpacking a computer for a display.

I found the camera section and saw one that interested me. I stood around doing the best I could to look like I needed some assistance but nobody noticed. Then I walked across to the store to the chap unpacking the box. "Can you please give me some assistance with a video camera?" I asked.

"What do you want to know?" he said,  unpacking the box.

"Come over here and I'll show you," I said, turning back towards the cameras.

"I'm kind of busy right now,' he called out.

I turned and walked past him out the door, taking a $500+ sale with me.

I'm sure the senior management of Bond and Bond is convinced the economy is responsible for their low sales figures.

I got back in my car and continued my journey to the airport. At the other end of Newmarket there is a Farmers so I stopped to see what they had in the way of video cameras. There was nobody in the camera department except one staff member who was on the phone. While I was looking at what they had on display, the staff member finished phone call and walked straight past me without asking if I needed some help. All of a sudden I lost interest in what they had to sell.

On the way out of the store, I had to walk through the men's clothing section. I stopped to look at some dress slacks. WhileI was looking, a staff member walked within a meter of me but didn't bother to ask if I needed some help. For some reason, I lost interest in their clothing too.

I'm sure the senior management of Farmers Farmers is convinced the economy is to blame for their low sales figures.

Isn't it tough being in retail?