Just leave me alone and I might buy something!

My friend and I walked through the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. We weren’t bombarded with sellers until we left, when a man carrying a quite a big rolled up rug that we’d looked at, chased us all the way back to the coach, offering increasingly lower prices as he followed us. Not even an explanation that we couldn’t take it on the plane deterred him.

We found Kowloon the worst of all the places we’ve been to. They almost pull you into the shops and when you do go in they then try to stop you from leaving. A very unpleasant experience for my sister and myself.

knspol

This is just the same in Hong Kong, it always made me feel like I was a prospective shoplifter! I imagine these assistants were trying to be helpful but even if you said you just wanted to look round and you'd ask them if you wanted to know anything they still followed you around the shop and woe betide if you picked up anything up to look at, they would be there in a flash telling you all about it. Basically you just had to be rude and walk away or just leave the shop.

It’s a horrible experience, enough to almost put you off shopping.

SueDonim , the same thing happened when I was in Morocco in the late 70’s and my friend was offered 20 camels for me. It happened every day and made me adamant that I would never go back. The men and children hounded us during any visits to markets / casbahs. I would get random strangers touching my hair or skin, as my hair was bright red and my skin was/ is translucent. Not a pleasant experience

I was walking past a local Mini dealers on a main road and decided to have a look at a two tone Mini Cooper, more out of curiosity as it had a top speed of 155 mph and its price tag that was well out of my range. Next thing is the salesman pops up from nowhere suggesting this would be an ideal car for an older motorist who wants some fun back in his life. I told him I was just passing, which sort of deflated him, and moved on.

Nope! Not just you. The more I'm hounded the less I buy.

I hate being hassled in shops but I also hate being ignored . I just say no thank you , I’m fine . I wouldn’t walk out if I wanted something.
Egypt and Tunisia were a nightmare for being hassled. I had to do a firm no thanks and walk on . The Turks aren’t as bad and accept a no . I’ve never been hassled in Greece and I’ve been loads of times and to different islands .

I had the opposite experience Cumbrianmale56. I arrived at quite an upmarket garage, wandered around the forecourt, paying particular attention to 3 models and was completely ignored.
As Julia Roberts said ‘big mistake, huge’. (Stratstone Jaguar).

Perhaps they thought a grey haired old lady didn’t merit one of their cars?

Cateq

SueDonim , the same thing happened when I was in Morocco in the late 70’s and my friend was offered 20 camels for me. It happened every day and made me adamant that I would never go back. The men and children hounded us during any visits to markets / casbahs. I would get random strangers touching my hair or skin, as my hair was bright red and my skin was/ is translucent. Not a pleasant experience

We had an awful experience in Morocco many years ago, my OH just reminded me. We were looking round a bazaar/souk and at that time had our children with us. One man was very aggressively trying to sell us something but we said no and walked away a moment later he came after us saying he had a knife and would teach us a lesson, we didn’t see the knife but ran as if he did. Thankfully he gave up. We tried to report it to the police but they could only speak in French, my OH can speak Arabic but they refused to speak in anything other than French and were also hostile. Indeed we met with a lot of hostility in Morocco and for that reason would never return.

I found it very helpful to do some research on the cultures and travel etiquette of the countries that we’re planning on visiting. It was a great help in navigating our way round various customs and traditions.

You don't have to be abroad for this to happen. I was in H Samuel a couple of weeks ago with my husband. We were going to look at gold bangles. I fancy one for Christmas. The minute we entered the shop we were literally pounced on by a shop assistant who asked us if we needed any help. NO GO AWAY!! I hate that!! I like to browse and be left alone. If i need help i will ask for it.

Cateq my dd has chestnut/red hair, too. It’s a magnet for attention in these places. When we lived in Indonesia she was always being touched on her hair and face, ‘for luck’ even though she was only six when we moved there.

Hello Lovely Ladies, first post but i have enjoyed the discussions for several years.
Just wanted to comment on recent post re Bali by Nanna8.
I live in Perth WA and holiday in Bali twice yearly. I have stayed all over the island but favour Sanur. Many years ago there was a lot of “hassling” to buy…now very little other than by the Javanese who favour the area of Kuta….which also tends to be favoured by the younger Aussie tourists some of whom need to learn some manners and cultural awareness.
The Balinese people are kind gentle people who mostly follow the Hindu religion….have never experienced stealing in Bali but I have in Australia. The Balinese people earn an average of $50 a week and live quite a simple life by western standards. They believe in Karma. Most Javanese are not Hindu and are not welcomed by the Balinese as some tourists are unaware of their different morals.
So Nanna8 it may be a few years since your last Bali holiday or perhaps you had a rare unfortunate experience….it may be worth giving beautiful Bali another try if you enjoy that relaxing style of holiday. I am flying there this evening for twelve days of R. and R. …✈️

We’ve stayed twice in Sanur, Glamgirl, admittedly 20+ years ago, but it was a wonderful place. On one trip we arrived at Hindu New Year and that was an amazing experience, when everything was shut down, we dined by candlelight and nothing was moving. It was so calming, the perfect start to a holiday.

I think it happens everywhere including the UK. Total put off buying anything. I was in John Lewis looking for high end kitchen knives and was followed by I suspect an under cover shoplifting detective. Put me off totally and couldn’t concentrate, so left.
I’m married to an Arab so when we went to Tunisia he knew what to say and do. Haven’t tried Morocco yet but he speaks Arabic and I speak French.
I lived in Kuwait with my parents in 1965 and disappeared to a late night souk with a more liberal friend’s family and they left us teenagers alone. When dad found out he went ballistic. Can’t say I blame him. In 1982 I went to live there with my Arab husband (not from Kuwait but he was working there and so was I). Must say we soon left because of the hassle at the supermarket. Women would come up and touch my hair everywhere. I was lucky enough to have waist length natural blonde hair. Ancestors from Ireland and the Netherlands.

It's odd no-one seems to have clocked on that having someone hovering around you, making unwanted comments and suggestions, is almost guaranteed to scare customers away.

Yet often in this country, when you really need some assistance in locating a product, there is no-one to be found.

I have never been to Bali but my son and his partner have and say the people are absolutely lovely.

I always like to look around the local markets when on holiday but it can be difficult when you're not left alone to look at anything.

It can happen here in the UK as well and particularly at craft markets. A few years ago my DH and I were at Winchester Christmas Market which was lovely but a woman kept offering me scarves none of which I wanted.

Selling in a retail environment is an art in my opinion.
I have witnessed great salespeople who switch between hyper-intensive to very hands-off according to a customer's preference.

My father was like this.
He had a lot of repeat custom though so got to know his clients.
The ones in a hurry "having a quick look", the ones not sure what they want but wanting something new, the ones for whom any purchase is major, the ones who need you to be at their elbow and the ones who like you to step in only when asked.

I was waiting for my daughter once years ago to go for a quick lunch when she was a Saturday girl in a busy shoe shop. I saw her lovely way with the customers and thought of my dad.
In time she was put on "training up" new employees in how to help customers but unfortunately she did find some people to be hard work - very slow to read body language and over or under enthusiastic.

For myself, I have found memorably pushy/"know all" assistants all over - in both big stores and boutique independents.
And I do hate the rather subservient attitude prevalent in the USA.

Georgesgran

I had the opposite experience Cumbrianmale56. I arrived at quite an upmarket garage, wandered around the forecourt, paying particular attention to 3 models and was completely ignored.
As Julia Roberts said ‘big mistake, huge’. (Stratstone Jaguar).

Perhaps they thought a grey haired old lady didn’t merit one of their cars?

The classic scene in Pretty Woman in the snobbish boutique where Julia Roberts was snubbed the previous day by the sales assistants in her working clothes and shows them up the next day.
Some car dealers think old people or people in jeans aren't worthy enough to be on their premises or just ignore them.