That’s not my experience. I ask someone where a really strange item is, and they’ll tell me the exact aisle, exact shelf, and exact bin. All from memory in 2.5 nanoseconds.
Depends on where I am at the time. If I’m in Austin (City) and I ask someone where a really strange item is, I see their eyes glaze over, then they pull out their phone and proceed to check the store’s website.
When I’m in Wyoming and I ask someone where a really strange item is, they ask me what I’m trying to accomplish. Then they proceed to give me a master class in the subject matter as well as a full parts list
I tried that once. I literally showed him a picture. His response was to ask me what I was working on and then when I explained. He was like "oh you should do this instead and pointed me towards something that wouldn’t work for what I was trying to do at all. Then he argued with me about it. I was like… man just show me where this fucking item is I don’t give a shit about your opinions I know what I’m doing. He had no idea and I had to go find it myself.
I knew it was going to be this 🤣
Whatever you do, don’t go with your dad, end up spending 2 hours there.
Depends if you get the old man or one of the kids, the kids just pull out their phone and look it up in the same app is used only to find that it’s wrong since there is no aisle 57E. Old man will know where it actually is and even explain how to use it well if I want
I agree. Until I read your comment I didn’t even know what the comic was about.
Matters which Home Depot and what hours. If you go during slow time. Some old person who is doing this as a retirement gig will tell you what you really need etc., but I’ve also experienced not being able to get someone while it’s busy and having the department-specific person MIA. Many parts are missing even if the website says they are in stock because people steel them. I had an employee tell me that the didn’t sell the individual plumbing part that I needed, but winked and nudged that I should buy a kit that had it and return it without that piece. He was like, either that or essentially steal the part out of the box when no one was looking. That’s your ghetto Home Depot. In the more upscale town Home Depot, they are better stocked and less busy, so generally more helpful.
At Home Depot? They’re definitely different in your area then. Around here they all run away when they see you need help, just like this comic.
About 12 years ago, I had what I half-believe was a mystical experience at a Lowe’s outside San Francisco, CA. I was doing an electronics project, and my wire strippers were ragged and not handling small gauge wires well; it was causing me a lot of frustration.
So, I was staring at the kinda shit Chinese options on the shelf at Lowe’s, when an impish older employee in a Lowe’s uniform rocked up and asked if I needed help. We talked about what kinds of stuff I was making, mostly microelectronics with the occasional home repair, and I explained the typical range of gauges I was working with. He was extremely knowledgeable and mentioned he had just retired out of 40 years at PG&E, then said, “I think we carry exactly what you need,” and wandered off.
Ten minutes later, he rematerializes carrying some new German wire strippers that are obviously way better made than the stuff on the shelf and wishes me well. They have been god-tier precision strippers; I’ve stripped thousands of tips without any issue.
Here’s the thing: I’ve shopped there many, many times since. There’s no other section for electronics tools, and there isn’t a professional-trade Lowe’s next door. And, this guy must have quit pretty much immediately, because he was never there again and other employees had no idea who I was talking about when I asked if he was around.
Well now im curious what brand of wire stripoers they were
I’ve had similar experience with this magic employee that doesn’t exist. Angels in disguise.
Please tell us the exact model of wire strippers. If there’s something better, I would love to try it.
Did he look like Christopher Walken?
I’ve found on average that the younger the worker is, the more likely they are to ask if you need help finding something. Every time it’s an older worker they scatter into the canals and sewer grates from fear of having to use their handheld.
But also the younger the worker, the less likely they are to know where the thing is. They’re going to pull out their phone and look it up on the website. Go to a local hardware store if you want people who know where things are and what those things do.
the younger the worker is, the more likely they are to ask if you need help finding something
Unfortunately, it’s also true that the younger the worker is, the less likely they are to know where anything is.
I actually started to write that out and stopped. The last time I was “helped” this very nice young girl took me back and forth across the store to the spots I already searched and eventually she asked an older worker who knew where it was. She walked past the item and I had to tell her “it’s right here thanks for your help”. I wouldn’t have found it on my own, but she also wouldn’t have found it on her own.
Dang it! I just replied with the same thing and then saw your comment right after sending mine.
This must be an man experience. I get asked by what feels like every employee if I need help when I go to Home Depot.
I’ve definitely noticed a difference since transitioning to female when I go to a hardware store I get asked if I need help way more than before.
That’s such an interesting experience I’d never thought of. Now I wonder if that’s bias, attraction or friendliness.
Experiencing a day in the opposite sex would be fascinating. I’m not even sure I’d notice things like that, they seem so subtle.
It’s a combination of all of the above, I’m sure. Probably some sexism, but it could also be that now that I’m happier I project a friendlier attitude making me more approachable. I guess I’ll never know!
I’ve definitely noticed that women are muuuuuuch friendlier toward me since transitioning which is really nice. Other women meet me eyes instead of averting it and usually flash a genuine smile (not a sheepish one like before), and will usually say something even if just a quick “hi!”.
On the other hand, men are much more standoffish and weird around me, which I’m totally fine with lol
Yep. I get ignored and my wife gets asked non-stop.
My wife and I tag-team when going to home depot or Lowes. I’ll check isles, and she’ll find assistance faster than I ever can. It’s expedited our trips there significantly
Smart
Man here, I get asked by every employee I pass. Like I’m stubborn guys, I wanna struggle through it on my own.
I’m normally used to being ignored and wear headphones, so when people suddenly ask me if I need help I’m always not ready. Usually can’t hear em either. Why are they looking at me amd moving their lips?
I have the opposite experience, I have to keep telling people that I don’t need help. I don’t know if I just look that helpless or clueless.
They’re just trained to approach you pretty much no matter what. Leaving people alone means youre missing out on opportunities for good business I guess. Just annoying to me, especially when I was working at one.
Now I’m imagining you at work and the jackasses from the Northside store come flooding in and asking customers if they need help. Like a home depot turf war, with customers in the crossfire, running and screaming.
The best idea I’ve ever seen was a documentation about a shop that had baskets of different colours. One meant “talk to me, I may need help” and one meant “leave me alone, I know what I am doing”. That is a great idea for everyone.
My wife gets that a lot.
Truth.
I’m too proud to ask for help so I wander around Lowes for 20 minutes trying to find it. Sometimes the website will tell me where it is. I have much better luck at Home Depot.
This is true. I always try to see if I can find the aisle and bin on the website before asking. Some things are tricky though like paint. Depending upon the store, the paint people are either nice or rude. It matters if it’s a wealthy area.
Maybe just ask for help and reap the gain in sanity next time.
…or it’s an old fart and they “help” by being a condescending grumpy asshole.
“look sonny back in the good old days we’d pay a nickel to the [redacted] on the corner and he’d figure it all out lickety split, sometime we’d even let em keep the nickel. then they gave em equal rights and that’s what really caused the world wars, you see, the balance of power was threatened and germany knew it and…”
not-slowly backing away
(this has been not far off from most of my boomer and older random interactions in public; or something like they are holding a nice conversation with you and then mention the 5G covid nano robots that are going to activate next Thursday and start killing everyone. I just want to buy my thing and go home, please stop talking.)
There just straight up aren’t enough people manning retail stores anymore.
