THE SHOPPING BUG - - ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY?

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Mirraw.com

There are shopping trips, and there are shopping trips! Nowadays, shopping malls and supermarkets have mushroomed, with everything under the sun available under one roof. However, a good shopping experience depends on the luck of the draw, as I was to find out, rather piquantly!

My two sisters and I once went to a particular sari shop to buy a sari for our mother, who happens to hold a record in being the toughest customer to shop for! With a walk-in cupboard filled with specimens of every hue and material, buying a sari for her is like carrying coals to Newcastle. In fact, like carrying red hot coals, to boot!

When we entered the shop, we knew exactly what we wanted, and went about our task like bloodhounds after a clue. "Could you show us an onion pink sari, with a non fussy print, that drapes like a dream?" This was after we mistook the lone salesgirl for a mannequin, so still was she! 

"Onion pink - what colour is that? Never heard of it!" That was no mannequin! Her main job seemed to be to sit and look pretty, and give snappy rejoinders at times. As we pointed out various saris, akin to the shade we were looking for, she got up languidly, flowed across, picked out the one sari we had pointed out, and flowed back, probably modelling herself on Tennyson's 'Brook', minus the babbling.

At the tenth catwalk, I could take it no more. "Could you stop pretending to be working?" The sarcasm had no effect on her. She gave me an ice cold, totally bored look, and proceeded to fold each sari meticulously, not even bothering to take out any more for us.

Whistling for my sisters, who had meandered off in search of more live specimens behind the counter, we decided to confront the manager, who happened to be a youngish man with a manner that suggested that he was the fount of knowledge from which his assistants had picked up their shop tricks from. After chasing him around as he proceeded to stride around, doing very little in terms of actual labour, we finally cornered him.


"Yes, what exactly do you want?" he demanded distractedly, and when we repeated our demand, he mopped his brow in irritation. "What is onion pink...? Never heard of it!"

We were stymied. All three of us wrote down our grouses in an enormous complaint book that should have been complaining under the load of complaints, none of which had obviously been addressed ever! 

We staggered into a coffee shop to boost our sagging spirits with a hot cup and a sandwich. Wasn't shopping supposed to be retail therapy? Obviously not when you were organizing a hunt for an onion pink sari for your mother!

                                                                                                       YourTango

It had to be onion pink and easy to drape, the sari, I mean, because otherwise we would find our maid or our neighbour wearing it the next time we went home. So off we toddled into another sari shop, a huge structure which had about five floors. Now here we would definitely be able to find what we were looking for, hopefully!

                                                                                                      Shutterstock

And we were pleasantly surprised. A beaming salesgirl came towards us. "What can I help you with?" As we repeated what we wanted, she led us to the second floor, where another charming lady took over. She smilingly deposited us in the right place, where yet another lady took care of us, and very well too. 

In less than two shakes of a duck's tail, we were confronted with a dozen saris, in various shades of onion pink, and she kept going from counter to counter to get us exactly what we wanted. Not surprisingly, we found not only the perfect sari for Mom, but were so happy with the service that we ended up buying two other saris, some blouse pieces and salwar kurtas for ourselves! So much for excellent service and charming smiles that warmed the cockles of our hearts.


                                                                             Onion pink in all its glory - Koskii

Which left us wondering why we would ever bother to go back to the first shop next time! Hasn't 'Service with a Smile' always been the motto? Finally, isn't it profit that everyone is looking at? Life is too short to moan and groan, and make others unhappy. There is nothing better than a warm smile to make you feel that all's right with the world! So, while the customer doesn't always have to be king, there is no harm in observing the niceties of life, the little courtesies that oil the wheels of human communication, and make shopping a more enjoyable experience for the buyer and the seller! 

 
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'This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.'

Comments

  1. marietta pereira10/31/2025 10:22:00 PM

    Arrogant and rude salesmen are sure to spoil your mood and the therapy that you've come for. I enjoyed the piece.

    ReplyDelete

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