those sales ladies!!!!!

[Ralitsa]

I've been on the road for the last several days and evidently hadn't packed sufficiently for the length of time I've been away. So I was driving through Aberdeen SD and decided to stop at the Kohls and replenish my supply of panties. I got what I needed and looked around a while and was rather disappointed there were no tops, skirts or dresses that I liked much.

So I walked around the mall a bit a noticed a little shop that had some really cute stuff. I was not planning to buy anything, I was just going to look around - seriously, I really wasn't going to buy anything - seriously, I was just going to look!!!!!

The younger lady asked me what I was looking for and I said nothing in particular, just browsing. So she said, "ok, just let me know if you need help with anything." And I looked around a bit more and saw a lot of cute stuff but nothing I really wanted to buy.

Then another lady, closer to my age, asked if I were looking for anything particular and I told her the same thing. So as we're talking she points out a blouse and comments on how nice it is. It wasn't a color I would buy, but it was nice and I said something like "yeah that is really nice." Then she takes a dress off the rack and holds it up, and asks what I think so I tell her I like it but it's a lot shorter than I would wear.

Well pretty soon she's going all over finding all sorts of stuff, asking what colors I like, my size, whether I like lace, if I want something more formal or more casual, etc. etc. And before I know it she has an armful of stuff and I'm off to try them all on. It came down to 3 dresses that I like and that fit well. So I told her I couldn't decide which to get.

She tells me, "you should have modeled them for me so I can see how they look on you." So I'm back to the dressing room with those 3. The first one was a burgundy, sleveless, with a really cute neck that fits me just awesome. So I come out and show her, and she agrees that it looks really good on me. Another lady, who is a customer, also comments that it looks really good on me. And we try a few shrugs, and wraps with it, but agree that the dress by itself is perfect.

The second one I really liked, it was very comfortable, casual, with a low v-neck and flowing sleeves. But the sales lady and the other customer didn't like it much.

The third one is a blue, half sleeve sheath with lace exterior and it fits me perfectly and looks amazing. And they both liked that one as much as I did.

So I ended up spending $100 on two dresses that I didn't want. Well actually I do want them, maybe technically I don't need them because I have a closetful, but that's irrelevant. And I happen to have with me a pair of blue strappy heels that will match my new blue dress perfectly, so I had to buy it. And that burgundy dress fits me so well it would have been sinful to leave it on the rack alone.
But I'm blaming it all on those ladies - it can't be my fault!! It just can't!!

[Carole Hill]

A cute story. Perhaps, the younger woman will have learned a lesson about how to make a sale.

[KimberlyS]

South Dakota is over all a very conservative and a bit back woods, out on the plains, redneck type state. But I have the same experiences as you, there are pockets of unbelievable acceptance. Plus money does talk.

kimberlys cd
joe in a skirt

[DeniseL]

I agree with Kim that SD is kind of a redneck state, but when i was down there to visit was very pleased as to how friendlly the sales people were.

As Kim Says, money talks and after all it is the buyer that pay the salaries of the sales people so they need to be helpful and courterous

I live a 3 day drive from SD but would love to go back for a visit some time

Denise

[Heather W]

I've never been to heaven but I've been to Oklahoma. OOPS! That is an old song I heard on the radio yesterday.

I have never been to South Dakota but I will take Kim's word for it being a redneck sate. I grew up in a redneck small town so I hear what she is saying. I now live in Ann Arbor, home of the University of Michigan. For the most part it is quite liberal, yes there are a few holdouts, but for the most part a very accepting community. Even back in my early days of being out I generally found most SA's accepting and helpful. I do believe that for the most part you will find in the chain stores more acceptance than you will find the smaller shops. Large chains are suffering enough to sacrifice even a single customer where the smaller places that the SA is also the owner. There you are more subject to the owner's own beliefs rather than a corporate edict.

With all that said I know what you are saying Ralista. I have many times gone to buy a single item and a sly SA talks me into more. Glad all went well for you and I hope you have somewhere to wear those lovely dresses.

[Gillian]

SD might be a redneck state, but a sale is a sale. We forget that a business is there to make money. Any smart business does exactly that, regardless of who the customer is.

[Noeleena]

Hi

Okay you have red neck states oh wow, I thought it only appyed to men Hmmm okay.

well what would a Kiwi know scruber,s we are, hiding in the bush..and only come out at night so cant be seen......

I was told years ago about going to Australia and not to get off the main land ya ya so don't go to Tasmania oh no not there,....I thought oh why not....oh they are rednecks ...Hmmm and more so if your a dresser or Trans Oh.. gee what a turn off . I told that person well I,m not a dresser or Trans any thing just a female..

Knowing what you do about this kid , I went, ... I wonder why I have so many lovely friend there and people working in all kinds of shops from womens clothes to Photography to car parts and spares, and builders surplys to food out lets and banks ..

yet to meet a redneck, oh and I,v been there some 8 times and be there again in July at 6 to 8 weeks at a time ,

I,m a member of our concert Brass concert Bands 130 members, no red necks there, 5 bands and the Army vet Band oh ya and I can become a member as well, oh hang on they are all men ooops and I,m a Navy trained female in our music section gee they just accepted me as a normal female no rednecks

Oh I,m so disipointed now , I shop all round Hobart City center of Tasmainia I wonder where those rednecks are hiding ....Hmmm.....
...noeleena...

[Ralitsa]

the less obvious point of the post is that, maybe SD is not quite so redneck as everyone thinks it is. All my experiences in this neck of the plains (ND, MT, SD and even WI) is that the rumors about how bad it is, are not consistent with the facts.
Seems like Noeleena has observed the same thing in Tasmania.

[Amanda R]

SD might be a redneck state, but a sale is a sale. We forget that a business is there to make money. Any smart business does exactly that, regardless of who the customer is.

So true Gillian!

Sounds like you came across a smart SA Ralitsa. Wonder f she got a commission on the sale?

[Eileen (SO)]

Red neck State, Red neck State, Red neck State. Do any of you notice your own stereotyping? I can surely attest that there are just as many Cd's or trans girls out there on both sides of political affiliation.

Ralista had a wonderful shopping experience at a privately owned business. Just as it should be. Honestly though, not many SA's fawn over me when shopping in the same way. They know you gals will spend till it hurts given enough attention. SA's know when you intend to buy and give special attention. It does feel so good!

Eileen

[Sarah Rene]

I worked at Target while in college and trust me it only takes a second to tell if someone is buying for themselves or someone else. I know most of you in the beginning think you are pulling one over but trust you aren't! Remember the sales associates are there to assist you so if take advantage of the help. In the larger chain stores they are evaluated annually and part of that is customer interaction so most try hard. Just remember your money is as green as the next one's so shop and enjoy!

[Ralitsa]

Half the reason I posted that is, as Eileen quickly noticed, was to identify the incorrect stereotypes we often hold against the "redneck states." And like Noeleena observed "we have states with red necks?"

And the other half of the reason was that I just wanted to brag about the really cute new dresses that I have!!!!!

[Eileen (SO)]

It's a wonderful experience to be treated with undivided attention until you find the perfect outfit. Even though Ralitsa really had no intention of buying anything, those terrible SA's broke her down.
Whether she was read or not, Ralitsa was treated as the lady she is. I do think you gals get more attention than GG's. SA bragging stories or they know you won't walk away until you buy something.

The dress descriptions do seem lovely. The smaller shops are more personal too.

Eileen

[Sarah Rene]

I do think you gals get more attention than GG's.

Eileen

Sounds like you are jealous Eileen!

All joking aside, the girls need more help than we do.

[Amanda R]

Red neck State, Red neck State, Red neck State. Do any of you notice your own stereotyping?
Eileen

So true Eileen! We whine and complain about being stereotyped yet we do it ourselves. Does that make all of us hypocrites? Perhaps in the purest sense of the word but in reality it just makes us human. Regardless of how open we believe ourselves to be we all have preferences and prejudices, it is just human nature.