Do I look like a shop assistant?

Here's an amusing bit of trivia about me.

I get mistaken for a shop assistant on a regular basis. I guess a major contributing factor is that I usually wear navy trousers and a blue shirt to the office, which looks similar to the regular uniform worn in many retail stores. Apparently I also give a first impression of not being very smart to some people - no idea why.

Often when I am cruising the chocolate aisle in Coles at lunch time, people come and ask me which aisle certain items are in. Sometimes I don't hear them, and they raise their voice, thinking I am an unhelpful shop employee, and end up speaking to me quite rudely. When I don't know, they appear to be very put out, and never seem to comprehend my explanation that it's because I don't work there. It also used to also happen in Grace Brothers, but not David Jones because they wear a black and white uniform.

In Jaycar it happens even more. I don't mind that...I used to be a computer and electronics nerd, and I know the Jaycar catalogue inside out. At first when they approached me, I would tell them I didn't work in the store, but then I realised I knew as much as the floor staff, so it was simpler to just answer their questions, and show them to the product they needed. Occasionally I would even go there at lunch on purpose, just for fun to see how many people would ask me for help. At one point I thought of asking for a commission from the store. It got even more amusing when there would be a queue of people waiting for me to assist them when they decided I was the guy they wanted to ask because I appeared to know my stuff.

The highlight of my undercover retail career occurred one lunchtime when I was looking to purchase a soft cooler bag in Town Hall Woolies. A work colleague was with me, and Woolies sold two different bags that I was trying to decide between. I pulled both out of their packing, and had them side by side on a table, trying to decide which I wanted. My friend was standing nearby watching on, and I was pointing out to him the pros and cons of each one, so that he might help me decide. After a couple of minutes a small crowd had gathered. They thought I was giving a product demonstration, and since I was looking down at the bags as I was pointing out the features to my friend, I didn't even realise people were watching until there were 5 or 6 of them there. They were a little confused when I suddenly decided which I wanted to buy, and unexpectedly walked off, with my product demonstration not complete.

Who would have thought that there was such a thing as a closet shop assistant

I get the same happening to me fairly regularly at Bunnings,

It doesnt bother me that much when I get asked for help by thier customers - I get to do my good deed for the day.

But ..... it really pisses me off when the Bumblings staff go and point people in my direction, or even worse - I have to set the Bumbling muppets on course.


stephen

In the states a couple weeks ago

This old couple of trump supporters
Full regalia, head to toe red white and blue, placards, big badges pinned all over them
Hunched backs and beady eyes, way too close together..

Ask me n the missus where the nikalodian was..
We look at each other and without missing a beat

She points down the street and says
"About three blocks down that way"

We were standing almost across the street from it, watching a snaking line of Bernie supporters waiting for their circus to begin. .

start smoking crack they won't come near you.

Mostly to do with the fact there is no staff that you can find?
3 vacuous girls on checkouts and a disinterested stoner slowly unpacking a pallet is about it for a major Coles or Woolies

I have the opposite problem. For the last 10 or so times I've been in my local Supercheap, within 1 minute of walking in & starting browsing they've announced "security to section a/b/c". It's getting to the point where they either prank random customers to amuse themselves, or have my face on the wall out the back.

<-- no that's not my actual face

After working in retail for some years now, I'd have some interesting stories on this topic.

I work in a regional BCF. All the staff wear the same, cream pants and blue shirts covered in fishing/camping logo's.Yet EVERY DAY, at least 1 person asks me " excuse me, do you work here?" I have sworn to myself one day, I'm going to give them a really good answer.
"No, I'm actually an astronaut. I just like to come here and walk around in the uniform on my days off".
or
" I actually made this shirt myself. I really want a job, and I figure if I walk around helping people for another 6 months, they will cave in eventually".
or
"I'm actually in a witness protection program in conjunction with a high profile murder case, your going to blow my cover!"

Funny thing is, on my day off, I go in there in my most derro clothes, keep my head down, walk the long hidden way to where I want to go, and sure as eggs, everytime some customer will see me and whether it's because they recognise me, or I seem to know the layout, the don't hesitate to start asking me about hot water systems and how much they are and what the flow rate is. I'm wearing a beanie, tracky dacks and thongs FFS.

Someone who needs braid fishing line on a whim, and wants to get it half price using their team discount, that's who.