Strange Experience. Shopping in the LOS.

[yogi100]

When in Pattaya few people can fail to notice that when visiting clothes shops, the Tukcom mobile phone department or the laptop PC stands how the assistants are on you before you've even had a chance to browse round looking at the items on offer. Usually they're  trying to sell you something before you've even stopped in your tracks.

 

It's always been this way ever since I can remember first going in Tukcom and Mikes Shopping Mall. I just walk away because few people like being badgered and much prefer to look at what's on offer and take their time and I'm one of those who won't tolerate it.

 

It's as if they don't think you have the gumption to know what you want to buy. And to top it all few of us can speak Thai and few of them speak enough of any falang lingo to discuss the items on sale. I walked through Mikes the other day and practically every stall holder tried it on but I just carried on walking. I might have bought something if they'd just have allowed me to look at their wares in peace.

 

I know I'm not the only person who finds their sales technique irritating and would have thought that by now the penny would have dropped. As soon as they follow you round or keep pestering you nearly everyone I've noticed just walks away. Surely they must have realised it by now and that falangs don't like the hassle of high pressure salesmanship and that their use of it results in much lower sales figures. 

 

It's very puzzling why they still do it. It must be something to do with Thai culture or part of their psychology but it certainly does not work where I'm concerned

[bojo]

I would imagine this sales tactic is aimed at Thais and they (Thais) probably enjoy engaging with a sales person. It has an endearing quality about it.

I feel that probably some foreigners believe they don't need the help of the sales person and they can fend for themselves.

This may be true in some cases....but if one just lets one's guard down for once and go with it and make a little effort, it may lead to a more enjoyable day....

[rumak]

26 minutes ago, bojo said:

but if one just lets one's guard down for once and go with it and make a little effort, it may lead to a more enjoyable day....

i keep suggesting that very thing to the young ladies i meet (hey, so what if i'm 40 years older than them)

go with the flowwwww

[Damrongsak]

I do love browsing in traditional markets for odd-ball or common stuff sold by small vendors.  One time on a visit to BKK down by Chinatown with my two half-Thai little boys I talker to a couple vendors.  I spoke enough Thai to engage them in conversation.  Just visiting, boys don't speak Thai, etc.  I bought one or two trivial things from them at a good price just because they were cool.  We enjoyed each other's company.

 

Funniest one was observing a fruit seller in the old Sanarm Luong market down by the river in BKK years ago.  I watched someone buy some oranges and noted the price.  Then the gal tried to sell me some at two or three times the price.  I said in perfectly understandable Thai in a puzzled voice that the person a second ago just bought 2 or 3x that many for that price.  Not confrontational, just messing with her.

 

I once pissed off a shill at Patpong in BKK.  He wanted us to go into one of the girly shows with ping pong balls and such. I asked him if he had any shows with girls and elephants.  He got more than a little bit perturbed.  But I'm still alive.

 

I met my wife in a market in Loei, selling clothes.  She was a bargain. 

Edited February 5, 2019 by Damrongsak

[madmen]

Mikes is the most aggressive sales pressure in the whole of thailand or maybe the world.

But it's due to the stalls are owned by individuals and not the mall itself so they are all in competition. I'm a sales trainer in a previous life and completely avoid Mikes unless I need to crap in their toilet.

Home pro has a hundred useless staff just follow you around untill you reach check out and claim commission for whatever you bought.

[bluesofa]

I agree it can be annoying.

An example was being in Big C looking at the display of batteries (like AA types). I  was looking for a specific button type of small cell.

 

A sales person came up trying the hard sell for refrigerators. I asked them where the CR2032 batteries were, they just pointed at the display stand I was already looking at and walked away. Not interesting in trying to help me locate them.

[brokenbone]

it helps me to ask for what i came for

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

my two half-Thai little boys I talker to a couple vendors.  I spoke enough Thai to engage them in conversation.  Just visiting, boys don't speak Thai, etc.

Why don't your Thai children speak Thai?

[digbeth]

2 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

 

I once pissed off a shill at Patpong in BKK.  He wanted us to go into one of the girly shows with ping pong balls and such. I asked him if he had any shows with girls and elephants.  He got more than a little bit perturbed.  But I'm still alive.

 

I'm sure if they're quick witted enough, if they don't already serves bottles of Chang on the premise, a quick trip down the 7-11 up the road and the girl could be performing all sorts of acts with the bottle of Chang

[owl sees all]

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I agree it can be annoying.

An example was being in Big C looking at the display of batteries (like AA types). I  was looking for a specific button type of small cell.

 

A sales person came up trying the hard sell for refrigerators. I asked them where the CR2032 batteries were, they just pointed at the display stand I was already looking at and walked away. Not interesting in trying to help me locate them.

Had a similar experience in Big C. I was in the pet food aisle and couldn't find the cat food that Charkie likes so much. A shop assistant was stacking some shelves nearby. "Where are the Friskies luv?" Asked I. Just got a blank stare at first; but then! The penny must have dropped. She beckoned me to follow her and led me to the TV (TeeVee not Thai visa) section.

 

I browsed the Tech area for a while (just to not upset the lady) before sneaking back to the pet food.

 

To cut a long story short. There were no Friskies that day, but I did get a bargain on Mee-ow, which were on offer; 3 tins for 100Baht.

 

Turned out that Charkie wasn't keen on the Mee-ow grub. So I had to go to Tesco especially to get the Friskies the next day.

 

 

Edited February 6, 2019 by owl sees all

[newnative]

     This sales technique isn't unique to Thailand--I've experienced the same thing in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China.  Several times in China recently the sales people grabbed my arm to pull me into the shop.  Doesn't really bother me.   In Vietnam I was literally stopped on the street while an old man insisted on applying glue to a loose flap on one of my shoes.

     I am more bothered when we sit down at a restaurant and the waitress immediately stands next to me waiting for my order.  What do you want, my partner asks.   Well, I don't know.  I just sat down and I haven't even had he chance to open the menu!  Can't she come back in a few minutes?   I think this is normal for Thailand.  When we have dinner with my partner's Thai family they think nothing of having the waitress stand for 5 minutes or more while they discuss at length what to order.  They expect the waitress to be there the whole time in case they have a question. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

Mikes is the most aggressive sales pressure in the whole of thailand or maybe the world.

But it's due to the stalls are owned by individuals and not the mall itself so they are all in competition. I'm a sales trainer in a previous life and completely avoid Mikes unless I need to crap in their toilet.

Home pro has a hundred useless staff just follow you around untill you reach check out and claim commission for whatever you bought.

Yup, Homepro is definitely the worst shopping experience !

There is one in a Big C complex near to me that has a ridiculously large amount of employees for the size of the place ( it’s a relatively small one).
You have to “ run the gauntlet “ if you go in the front door, an experience likened to entering the Beach Club in KL ( an altogether more favourable experience ! ).
I now go in the back door ( innuendo intended ) to avoid the multitude, but still you will be delegated your own stalker who offers little assistance only a feeling of not being alone [emoji51]

[Henryford]

The other thing that irritates me is bargaining for goods. If i see something i like i just want to know the price and i can decide whether to buy. I can't be bothered with them saying 100, then me 30, then them 80, then me 40, then them 70 ............. Bugger that i just walk off.

Edited February 6, 2019 by Henryford

[sanemax]

6 hours ago, bojo said:

I would imagine this sales tactic is aimed at Thais and they (Thais) probably enjoy engaging with a sales person. It has an endearing quality about it.

I feel that probably some foreigners believe they don't need the help of the sales person and they can fend for themselves.

This may be true in some cases....but if one just lets one's guard down for once and go with it and make a little effort, it may lead to a more enjoyable day....

From my experience , sales people dont try to give you what you want or require or the best product, they will try to sell (to you) whatever makes them the highest profit

[Guderian]

I stopped showering six monthe ago, now I can shop in peace, nobody comes near me for some reason.

[Damrongsak]

14 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Why don't your Thai children speak Thai?

They were born and raised in USA. My wife never spoke to them in Thai for some reason.  Now she's in Thailand and I'm trying to get her to speak mostly English to her two little grand nieces... yeah, right. 

 

The boys did learn to say "eat rice" and "eat sh!t", LOL.

[balo]

The reason for this behavior at Tukcom is they all compete against each other but at the same time they also work together.

Lets say youre looking for a cover to you phone. If you mention it to the first sales guy near the entrance , he will look at your phone and say yes he can sell it to you. You ask for the price and he will tell you 300 baht. As a foreign tourist that sounds reasonable so you accept the offer. But then the guy will walk to another stand who is the real seller and bring the product back to you.

You have been cheated. You paid 300 baht but the real price for the cover was150 baht. So both sellers shared the profit. Instead you could have just walked to the right place if you can find it in the crowd and paid the normal price.

Or as I do , order from Lazada and pay less.

[DowntownAl]

On 2/6/2019 at 5:29 AM, madmen said:

Mikes is the most aggressive sales pressure in the whole of thailand or maybe the world.

But it's due to the stalls are owned by individuals and not the mall itself so they are all in competition. I'm a sales trainer in a previous life and completely avoid Mikes unless I need to crap in their toilet.

Home pro has a hundred useless staff just follow you around untill you reach check out and claim commission for whatever you bought.

Easiest way to get rid of the staff in Homepro or Powerbuy is to ask for something really low price, the disappearing act is quite impressive. 

[yogi100]

21 hours ago, DowntownAl said:

Easiest way to get rid of the staff in Homepro or Powerbuy is to ask for something really low price, the disappearing act is quite impressive. 

I now use a similar tactic when in the gogo bars of Pattaya because they've become so expensive. 

 

When urged to buy a shot of Tequila or Sambuca or a lady drink I now ask 'How Much'. The reply will be between 150 and 200 baht and sometimes even more.

 

I offer them 50 baht in a sincere and non joking manner and they're off in seconds.

 

[Pilotman]

On 2/6/2019 at 4:30 AM, bojo said:

I would imagine this sales tactic is aimed at Thais and they (Thais) probably enjoy engaging with a sales person. It has an endearing quality about it.

I feel that probably some foreigners believe they don't need the help of the sales person and they can fend for themselves.

This may be true in some cases....but if one just lets one's guard down for once and go with it and make a little effort, it may lead to a more enjoyable day....

My wife (Thai) and her mates hate it, so I dont think that's it. 

[metisdead]

A troll post has been reported and removed. 

[phycokiller]

I have met thais that feel obligated to buy something if they have asked the price, Ive seen tourists being abused for not buying after they have asked a price. Ive seen thais too polite to say anything when bring short changed

[fruitman]

I don't speak to them at all.

 

And if i wanna know the price i ask it in thai, if i don't like the price i say paing maak kab, me auw. Lod dai mai kab?

 

But i hate it when they follow me, then i ask them in english : Can i help you sir? Oh then they have to call 5 collegues and if they do i run away haha.

[DrTuner]

On 2/6/2019 at 5:29 AM, madmen said:

Home pro has a hundred useless staff just follow you around untill you reach check out and claim commission for whatever you bought.

I sometimes have fun by trying to get as many as I can to follow me. Four is fairly easy to achieve, does than count as a conga line already? Of course I then craftily loose the tail and top it off by doing a surprise attack from the rear. Reminds me of playing with chickens when I was small. They share the same IQ I think.

Edited February 11, 2019 by DrTuner