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Is it just me, or do store employees at malls who are at in the middle of the floor, with the kiosks, appear to be more "aggressive" in trying to get people to buy stuff and services? You walk by, they smile, and then apply their sales pitch on you. Nothing wrong with that, as AFAIK, if you just stand there and hope that folks will buy or inquire, that may not be enough. They seem more so these days, or at the very least, there are more of these types of businesses compared to last decade. Yeah, internet came into town a good while ago, so is this just how things are now?
And the mall I've been is on the more affluent side, so nothing rundown, with 1/4 of the stores closed, or any lots vacant for that matter. Complete with an Apple store, food court, numerous clothing apparel stores, and even a Microsoft store. I still remember more rundown malls not having this come up.
I don't go to malls often. I can count with one hand how many I've been to in the past few years, but I've already been pitched sales for face cream (lady "dragged me" inside the store, applied to my arm to show just how much gunk it cleans off), more cosmetics (and I'm a guy), messages, one of those electronic modular messaging units with the pads, and oxygen bar + that same messaging unit (in where they try to sell you that unit and heavily discount the session as an incentive).
They all seem to use the tactic of "you can't afford $50 to $180!?". I tell them I can, but honestly (and I was), I'm either not going to use it, or I just have too much junk anyways. I bought a veggie chopping tool from inside a Sears, and even though I should be cooking my own food more, at least I've already used that twice.
Those kiosk spaces are NOT cheap. They have to make the sales and the small ones that close up on wheels are usually manned by the person that owns them.
I don't treat them as real people. Just like timeshare people I extend a hand to throat level to convey "stop" and carry on.
I'm really nice to people, being personable is a big part of my job, but my free time is valuable, and if I'm at the mall it means I'm with my family, and time with them is all I care about so I care not to get into a discussion on why I know their product isn't a good fit for me.
The breaking point was when I was at the mall with just my kids, and a teeth bleaching service tried to convince me to sit for 20 minutes to whiten my teeth. Ha, 20 minutes in one place with kids, yeah right.
After those mall kiosks became ubiquitous, I quickly learned to avoid eye contact with their employees. That doesn't always prevent them from trying to accost you, but it definitely reduces the chances of being buttonholed by them.
The breaking point was when I was at the mall with just my kids, and a teeth bleaching service tried to convince me to sit for 20 minutes to whiten my teeth.
...because the best quality dental care is found at mall kiosks, tended by people who have no credentials in any of the health sciences...
I'd say being accosted is fine in where they're allowed to do that. But those folks shouldn't be surprised if they're told to "shove off" in a nice or otherwise not so nice way if folks need to be on their merry way. They definitely need drop it after that.
I was in the mood to talk, so I didn't mind, but being on the nice side, I really should've told them "not interested" and moved on about 5 to 10 minutes sooner.
And Girl Scout cookies... yeah, in another mall, they run up to you, pleading that you'll buy their cookies. That's a whole nother thing there (although in the end, they just want to make the sale like any other scout or business).
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