Is this inappropriate

sara1 · 14-09-2014 05:08PM #1

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Birneybau · 14-09-2014 05:11PM

Yeah, should make a complaint.

Rubberchikken · 14-09-2014 05:11PM

if the saleswoman actually said that to her, then yes inappropriate and hurtful and completely insensitive.
if your friend feels strongly enough about it, she could write to whatever brand the woman was working for or to the shop management if she preferred.

some people reallyh don't think.

Tilly · 14-09-2014 05:11PM

Yes very. The silly bitch had no business commenting on your friends skin without being asked. Very bad form.

UpCork · 14-09-2014 05:11PM

Yes, I think it is a little inappropriate. They should only comment if asked to make recommendations. I would certainly be annoyed.

Frosty McSnowballs · 14-09-2014 05:12PM

Your friend was at a make up counter. The sales assistant offered advice and recommendations as per her presumed job description.

If your friend made it clear she wasn't interested and the sales assistant stuck her nose in and preached, then that would be inappropriate.

Rightwing · 14-09-2014 05:13PM

At the end of the day, she was only trying to help.

eviltwin · 14-09-2014 05:13PM

Yes very tactless on the sales persons part. I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt your friend though. If she is very sensitive about her skin anyway then any comment would probably hurt her. Not sure I'd make a complaint but its up to her.

Pwindedd · 14-09-2014 05:15PM

Senor Fancy Pants wrote: »

Your friend was at a make up counter. The sales assistant offered advice and recommendations as per her presumed job description.

If your friend made it clear she wasn't interested and the sales assistant stuck her nose in and preached, then that would be inappropriate.

"Is there anything I can help you with today Madam?"

"No thanks I'm just waiting for my friend?"

The conversation should have ended there.

LETHAL LADY · 14-09-2014 05:15PM

I was in The Square in Tallaght and a woman selling makeup cajoled over to her cosmetic counter. She did half my face up with her products and then tried to sell me her ridiculously overpriced ****e. I walked away like two face but with my head held high. Moral of the story.......when you're on commission you act the bollix.

Mint Aero · 14-09-2014 05:16PM

This is one for the only in Ireland thread :rolleyes: talk about being sensitive :rolleyes:
I was browsing in London and the geezer salesman drags me into a really posh place with face creams and stuff. Stuff that cost 150 quid for a small tub. I had a spot and he was giving me tips and stuff :pac: had a great ol' chat. I bought FA though even though he thought I'd be shamed into paying 100 quid for his creams

Seems to be the way sales people are nowadays.

I haven't a problem with it. If you look sh*t and they think they can sell you something to help then fair play to them. Fat people should be targeted more like this.

eviltwin · 14-09-2014 05:19PM

Mint Aero wrote: »

This is one for the only in Ireland thread :rolleyes: talk about being sensitive :rolleyes:
I was browsing in London and the geezer salesman drags me into a really posh place with face creams and stuff. Stuff that cost 150 quid for a small tub. I had a spot and he was giving me tips and stuff :pac: had a great ol' chat. I bought FA though even though he thought I'd be shamed into paying 100 quid for his creams Seems to be the way sales people are nowadays.

I haven't a problem with it. If you look sh*t and they think they can sell you something to help then fair play to them. Fat people should be targeted more like this.

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that someone who has bad skin might just be a bit sensitive about it. You would imagine someone whose job it is to sell skincare products would have been trained to sell them in such a way that enhances the self esteem of the buyer rather than preying on their insecurities. Anyone tried those tactics with me wouldn't get a sale or see me in their store again.

sara1 · 14-09-2014 05:20PM

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_Kaiser_ · 14-09-2014 05:22PM

OK, I'm assuming the OP and her friend are teenage girls

They go into a shop, stand around the make-up section, and a member of staff approaches to offer help (as they're paid to do) and assumes not unreasonably that your friend may be looking for something to help her acne. Given you're both young girls (again I'm assuming this is the case) the approach was likely somewhat different than to an adult woman.

A little tactless - yes, inappropriate - hell no

People need to stop looking for reasons to be offended and look at the full context before launching into complaining

Mint Aero · 14-09-2014 05:26PM

eviltwin wrote: »

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that someone who has bad skin might just be a bit sensitive about it. You would imagine someone whose job it is to sell skincare products would have been trained to sell them in such a way that enhances the self esteem of the buyer rather than preying on their insecurities. Anyone tried those tactics with me wouldn't get a sale or see me in their store again.

Tell them that buddy.

P_1 · 14-09-2014 05:27PM

If ye were at an ice cream counter it would have been inappropriate however ye were at a make up counter, so while admittedly tactless on the part of the sales assistant it was certainly not inappropriate.

Bafucin · 14-09-2014 05:28PM

sara1 wrote: »

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I wouldn't bother complaining. It's called negative sales pitching. It's part of training for some in retail. They wanted to upset her enough into making her feel she had to buy it.

Pwindedd · 14-09-2014 05:29PM

sara1 wrote: »

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I would agree that maybe the salesperson needs to learn a bit of tact. Acne is a medical issue that should be addressed by a medical professional or dermatologist, not the lady on the local makeup counter who's expensive products won't actually address the problem, just cover it up and perhaps exacerbate it. I'm not sure if your friend has been to see the doctor or not, but if she hasn't I can highly recommend it. They have some pretty good stuff for acne now. Speaking from experience here.

sara1 · 14-09-2014 05:29PM

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sara1 · 14-09-2014 05:31PM

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_Kaiser_ · 14-09-2014 05:34PM

sara1 wrote: »

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Fair enough but my point still stands - the saleswoman was a bit tactless but hardly inappropriate.

Best solution would be to vote with your wallet and shop elsewhere if you're that bothered over it, but complaining over what was at most a misunderstanding would be silly IMO

Pwindedd · 14-09-2014 05:38PM

sara1 wrote: »

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Hope it works out, don't be afraid to keep trying different things till she finds something that works. I'm guessing the assistant could tell her age or thereabouts, any decent human being knows you don't talk about a teenagers acne unless prompted by said teenager. Teenage years are the most self concious years of your life for some. Would you walk up to an old person in a department store and try and flog anti wrinkle cream, or deodorant to someone who whiffs a bit. No.

B0jangles · 14-09-2014 05:40PM

Totally inappropriate - would any of you guys be happy if you went into a shop and the salesman came over to you and tried to sell you a bunch of hats because they'll cover up "that scruffy-looking balding patch?" or some baggy shirts "to help disguise that beer belly"?

The phrasing was very rude and insensitive - if she'd asked if your sister had sensitive skin and would like to see some soothing products that might have been ok, but talking about needing"to cover up that sore looking stuff" was incredibly rude.

Babysmurf · 14-09-2014 05:43PM

No, it's not at all appropriate, but those make-up sales girls can be really painful!

Tzardine · 14-09-2014 05:44PM

So your friend has a messed up face.

Sales assistant offers to fix her up. Make her decent like.

And you want to make a complaint.

Can I suggest you take up a hobby.

JimBobPlayer · 14-09-2014 05:44PM

Completely inappropriate. I would complain to management of the store. 100%

PizzamanIRL · 14-09-2014 05:45PM

No it's not inappropriate. Is that what you want to hear?

_Kaiser_ · 14-09-2014 05:49PM

Well maybe it's just me (and I'm not quite 40 yet but apparently "out of touch" with modern sensitivities) but this seems to be a classic case of making a mountain out of molehill

Young girl arrives into a make-up section of the store with bad acne.. it's not an unexpected assumption that she's there for something to help with it - if her older sister was with her it would look even more likely (moral support/advice as it were)

Sales woman was absolutely a bit tactless but I would be 100% confident that no malice was intended. Teenagers (or kids in general) can also be difficult for some people to deal with as you can't approach them in the same way as you would an adult.

I'm curious why the OP (being nearly 30) didn't step in and politely but firmly refuse the offer of help though. Coming home and asking all of us what we think seems odd to me in that case (and to be honest why I thought they were both teenage girls).

As I said, tactless and a unfortunate misunderstanding yes but hardly inappropriate - but take your business elsewhere is the best option at this stage really

Bafucin · 14-09-2014 05:51PM

Well she didn't make a sale and put you off so you could at least tell her manager she should look into her approach to sales. Look at it as feedback. If she can give it out she should be able to take it. Do onto others and if they can't take it **** em.

Lapin · 14-09-2014 05:54PM

If the sales assistant approached your friend unsolicited and made the following remark as a sales pitch -

sara1 wrote: »

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Then it was a completely inappropriate remark.

She has no business making unrequested personal remarks about someone's appearance despite being in the cosmetics industry.

She should have asked first if there was anything she could help, as she would with any other customer and taken it from there.

You have every reason to complain but should weigh up whether taking things further will actually achieve anything for you or your sister.

sara1 · 14-09-2014 06:01PM

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Is this inappropriate

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