I have an intense dislike for retail store greeters. Best Buy, Blockbuster, Wal-Mart – and many others I’ve most likely blocked out – have me in a bad mood immediately when forced to deal with a painfully fake greeting. I can’t believe I never realized it before, but this MetaFilter thread taught me that stores don’t do this to impart some sort of homey friendliness to their giant mass-produced consumerism – they do it to combat shoplifting. Apparently studies have shown that if you greet people at the door, they feel more like the employees are keeping an eye on their activities, and are less likely to attempt stealing.
As if I needed another reason to avoid Wal-Mart.
AMEN!! I feel like snapping at the person “greeting” at those stores. (Especially the woman at the Eastside WalMart who always wears that enormous cheery pink bow in her hair.) Sometimes I want to yell, “If I wanted to be attacked by a sales person I’d go to a used car dealership!” But of course you can’t because they’re usually old people.
It’s the same at high end retail stores where there are usually greeter/sales people who are “HAPPY TO HELP YOU” (they yell it as though Big Brother is watching them). Generally, I think they work on commission, so if you go into those stores dressed like crap they figure you’re not going to buy anything and they don’t talk to you. They do however follow you around like a dog in heat watching and waiting for you to swipe something. It’s irritating.
WalMart greeters make me sad. I hope when I’m 75 I’m not working at WalMart.
well, the studies that show people are less likely to shoplift if greeted don’t attribute the drop in shoplifting merely to feeling watched – they also attribute the human touch, having smiled at, or spoken to a human, a “casual shoplifter” is less tempted, as they have just made a human connection; folks no longer have the “it’s just a big corporation they won’t notice it” feeling going on – but to hear you guys talk about the greeters, sounds like you’re MORE likely to shoplift now!
May I suggest wearing a walkman? Even if it’s not on, you won’t feel obligated to intereact, as you can pretend not to hear them, but it won’t seem rude.
Not only that, but they watch you for returns and direct you to the customer service area.
Anyway, I’m not as bothered with the greeter as I am the guy who wants to check your receipt. It’s especially annoying when they watch you walk from the register to them. I have just started walking straight past these people. If they accuse me of shoplifting, I can sue them for libel and wrongful accusation among other things. It’s true! The minute I remembered that I started passing them and never looked back.
OK! OK! I’ve only actually done it once, and it was really only because I didn’t hear him calling me and my hands were painfully full of items in like six bags. But still!
If anyone I knew wore a walkman for the sole purpose of avoiding a retail greeter, I would be compelled to slap them.
I’ve never had any problem walking straight past them without making eye contact. If in a good mood, one can look at them with an unnervingly affectless expression and say, “Hi.” or even smile. Wouldn’t want to be geriatric and greeting people at a store all day myself, maybe take a little pity on the bastards. It’s not like they’re the corporate overlord. They’re just wage slaves who aren’t competent enough to man a register.
If one really hates them enough to wear a walkman, just flip them off instead or give them a dose of profanity. Saves batteries.
Oh indeed, what a dreadful world we live in where one is actually subjected to a “Hello” or, perish the thought, a smile when one enters a building. The bastards. And from a senior citizen yet! How dare they!
And a corporation taking steps to reduce its losses from shoplifting? The absolute nerve!
hehe. i love this thread!
since i’ve had many jobs similar to “greeters’, I have little problem with them – in fact, once at Banana Republic, the greeter saw my arm in a sling, and proceeded to be my personal shopper, helping me sign up for a discoutn card, carrying my Xmas selections, etc.
yes, it would be nice if the smiles and hellos weren’t part of a corporate plan, but i can think of bazillions of worse things coming from those folks!
in fact, i’ve actually gotten a bit miffed when in stores and they DON’T smile or acknowledge you; seems like common courtesy to greet a guest, even if it’s still just about money.
I guess what I’m objecting to is the false familiarity/friendliness that also leads to my least favorite retail experience: having checkers comment on what you’re buying. Just ring me up, please. There’s a guy at Best Buy who I recognize now, because he always attempts to engage you in conversation about your purchase. Sorry, but I just want to get on with my day. If that makes me a misanthrope, then so be it.
I object to the fact that it’s someone’s job to be nice to me. They should be nice to me when I’m nice to them (like I usually am). I agree that they are usually annoying, and they are not there to make me feel welcome in their homey mega-chain store. They make me feel intimidated and thouroughly unwelcome. Specifically, the huge guy at Best Buy. He’s friendly and all, but yikes.
Actually, Phil, it’s not true. Well, I suppose you could sue them, but you sure wouldn’t get very far.
My sister had me research this very question over the holidays, as I am a (non-practicing) attorney. Laws are pretty much on the side of the stores. You may refuse to submit to a search, for instance, but if they have “reasonable” suspicions they may hold you until the police arrive.
(By the way – libel generally referrs only to written communications. Slander is oral.)
If you don’t like a store, or its policies, don’t shop there. Personally, I can’ count the number of times I’ve been to Wal-Mart on the fingers of my hands – I just hate the place. Greeters and friendly sales clerks don’t bug me. Having worked retail myself, I’m more than happy to engage in conversation with a clerk, be it about what I’ve purchased, the day outside, or whatever.
I’m afraid to tell you the real truth…what do people say about all the phoney security tricks. I’v been through about 30 or 40 over the years at Walmart, Sams,HQ & Best Buy. Who are those people who follow you arround. Are they queer for old folks like me, 75?