This week my sister told me that Saks was having a pre-sale on select items in the handbag department. So I inevitably checked it out because the word sale being used in the same sentence as Prada and Gucci sets off an instantaneous neural response that results in my arrival at said sale by any means necessary. I knew a new bag was not a feasible purchase so I headed straight for the Gucci credit card case/wallet that my sister had told me was going on sale. I decided to pre-sale it because it is classic, useful, and 40 percent off the original price. I get to pick it up on Monday when the sale starts.
(The green and red stripe is an elastic band that goes around the case, which is ideal for securing cash as well as cards)
I go to Saks a lot because it is isn't too far in the mall from the Banana Republic where I work and it is the perfect retreat when I am on my 45, 60, and even 15 minute breaks :-). These trips are purely for browsing but sometimes I wonder if the sales associates judge you if you don't end up buying anything? Even though I have purchased things at Saks, most times I leave empty handed. In theory sales associates are no different from you or me, it is their job to sell merchandise and the merchandise that they are selling isn't necessarily merchandise that they can afford to buy themselves (without the discount of course). Is the feeling of being judged really just the sales people trying to make sure that their salary is as high as possible or do they really look down at people that just browse without ever buying?
The idea that sales associates judge non-buyers may not be that unrealistic. Working at high end stores creates a false sense of status. Being surrounded by wealthy clientele and luxurious goods all day creates a sense of hierarchy especially since sales associates are the ones behind the glass and are therefore the liason between you and that Prada Cervo Antik bag. The discount that sales associates receive increases the distance between consumer and sales associate on the retail ladder and allows the idea of associates owning luxury goods to be tangible. Not only can the sales associate now afford the same items as the consumer, they also have a kind of access that a consumer does not have.
Overall shoppers shouldn't be swayed by this feeling of being judged. Everyone has the right to browse and should not feel pressured to buy things when they are not ready. Maybe sales associates aren't as judgmental as we think and that insecure feeling stems from the fact that as consumers we aren't eligible to receive the benefits of the "elite club" that is the high end store. After all, no one likes to feel left out.
