Excuse me, do you work here?

[Milhouse]

I recently had this happen to me at a sewing store of all places. I had to buy some thread and a needle so I could sew a button back on my shirt.
A little old lady comes up to me and says "excuse me sir, do you work here?"
"No, I don't ma'am, sorry"
She gets kind of a disappointed look on her face, and she seemed nice enough, so I said "I bet you need me to reach something on the top shelf for you"
"yes, how did you know?" (she was about 5 feet tall, as were most of the staff there)
"just a guess, ma'am"

Thinking back, I'm pretty sure she knew I didn't work there.

 

[stamp0102]

i was in, hold your breath, banana republic the other day using up a gift card i had (btw, they had some sweet socks marked on sale for $1.99, i bought half the rack, 1 of each style). some lady halfway across the store started talking in my direction about something. i figured she was talking to someone standing around/behind me so i didnt pay any attention to what she was saying. i wasnt even looking in her direction. after about a minute of her explaining something to me, i look up and said, oh are you talking to me. she said yeah and asked me about a coupon or something. i said i'm sorry i dont work here. i was actually a little taken back that she thought i worked there. idk how she could have thought that, i mean i wasnt wearing my khaki polyester pants and cotton/cashmere blend v-neck sweater. silly lady.

 

[globetrotter]

I took my mother shopping to a land's end outlet today. so I am wearing a charcoal gray double breasted suit, with a darker gray cashmere odd vest, a gray cashmere tie, a shirt with contrast collar and cuffs and cufflinks, and brogued ankle boots. everything, aside from the tie, is bespoke.

some lady comes up to me and asks "do you have this in a size 12?" I just about exploded wit puzzlement - I looked over my shoulder. then I looked over the other shoulder. then I looked down at my drapped chest, then I looked at one of the actual employees - like the other employees, a little old lady, then I looked back at the lady who addressed me and said "maam, were you addressing me?"

wtf?

 

[FidelCashflow]

I've noticed when you're really dressed up, its always old people who confuse you for someone working there... not because you look like you're an employee, but because you look fit their old-fashioned idea of what a store employee should look like.

 

[YoungAmerican]

I was shopping at Saks Off Fifth in downtown Minneapolis during a public radio convention, and one of the hosts of the new Public Radio International morning show asked me to help her estimate her husband's shirt size. I did, and then I told her I had enjoyed her presentation that morning. She looked completely baffled, and I realized she thought I worked there. I had to explain that I, too, hosted a PRI show. That was awkward.

 

[stylemeup]

I've asked a guy in a hardware store if he worked there before and it turned out he didn't. The reason I asked is mainly because he was just standing around.

I think if you look good and you look knowledgable and you are just standing around in a store that it's only natural that people will come up to you and ask if you work there. Try looking at the store merchandise more or something and then they will have a better chance to realize that you are just a customer too.

 

[Zenny]

A store manager asked me if I was to model in the store window, then got irritated because I was apparently "15 minutes late". It was one of those special sale days where they have live models in the display window fronts at the mall. I was flattered because I'm quite short and nowhere near "model height." He ended up apologizing and I got a managerial discount, the only problem is that this was at Tarocash (low quality-ish, trendy, "cool young business dude" clothing) but they had this lovely velvet jacket that I ended up buying for $59.

 

[JetBlast]

I find that the appropriate response is "no, I don't work here, I just do this as a hobby."

 

[Bruce9241]

Happened to me at a Ralphs supermarket. I was in my work clothes shirt, tie, pants and shoes. Nothing special.

An older man asked "Excuse me sir, can you tell me where the oriental foods section is?"

I told him I did not work there and he said "I know, but since you're oriental I thought maybe you would know"

I stayed to talk with him for a good five minutes. Turned out to be a real interesting old guy. He used to fight for the French foreign legion and was in the store to look for some Adobo sauce to season the chicken he was going to BBQ later that night.

 

[fuji]

When I was in the US I went into target wearing a red brooks brothers polo, chinos and brown loafers. Little did I know that was the uniform at Target.

 

[JayJay]

I mistook a guy for a salesman in a store a few weeks ago. It was an honest mistake, but he seemed insulted; of course, I apologized and sought help elsewhere.

This was the first time I've mistaken someone as a salesperson, but others have mistaken me many times, and only on a few occasions have I felt annoyed. My recent experience of mistaking someone else has helped me to understand how it can happen so innocently.

 

[PatriotsFan]

I guess most of these stories show you that the average person that's not into clothing will not be able to tell the difference between A $2,000 suit and $200 suit.

 

[rjmaiorano]

Originally Posted by emmanuel

happens at saks mostly but thats because associates there have no uniform and wear what they want. i dont really get offended because you expect to see a stylish sa at saks. anywhere else... and i cant stand it!

Originally Posted by PatriotsFan

I guess most of these stories show you that the average person that's not into clothing will not be able to tell the difference between A $2,000 suit and $200 suit.

I'm offended...