One of the shops I am quite happy to not get any service in is a hardware store. I find simply wandering the aisles looking at different products is a good source of inspiration and ideas, and I never leave without feeling like I have learned something. Whilst some shop assistants are truly fonts of knowledge, I find too many of them want to solve my problem and get me out the door as quickly as possible, when in fact I simply seek solitude and quiet reflection, browsing the tools I love.
This is easy to do in the suburban super-stores you can wander for days without ever sighting a staff member. The smaller city stores (there are 3 within 5 minutes stroll of Martin Place in Sydney) are more of a challenge. If like me you are simply seeking a mental break from your day job here are some sure fire ways to get that helpful shop assistant off your back.
1) Go obscure
Ask for something you know they don`t have, the more ridiculous the better so they don`t waste your time actually looking for it. Yes, I`d like a horseshoe please. Stockholm tar? Shark Repellent? Should they be able to produce any of these items stare intently at the labelling for a few seconds then tell them you`ll think about it.
2) Always good for the basics
Until they start selling food at hardware shops your choice of daily essentials is somewhat limited, but don`t look past cleaning products, fly spray and batteries as perfectly valid reasons to browse the power tool section for half an hour.
3) Body Language
Shop assistants at hardware stores are trained professionals, taught to observe buyer behaviour in order to maximise sales. If you walk straight into the store like you`ve been there a thousand times and head purposefully for the back display where they keep the wall anchors, chances are they will ignore you in favour of a customer more deserving of their attention. Use this lapse in their concentration to disappear into the building materials section and you can browse in peace for hours.
In time, the staff will realise that, like me, you are not a shoplifter but a diehard hardware tragic and they will give you all the space you need. Happy shopping!
This is easy to do in the suburban super-stores you can wander for days without ever sighting a staff member. The smaller city stores (there are 3 within 5 minutes stroll of Martin Place in Sydney) are more of a challenge. If like me you are simply seeking a mental break from your day job here are some sure fire ways to get that helpful shop assistant off your back.
1) Go obscure
Ask for something you know they don`t have, the more ridiculous the better so they don`t waste your time actually looking for it. Yes, I`d like a horseshoe please. Stockholm tar? Shark Repellent? Should they be able to produce any of these items stare intently at the labelling for a few seconds then tell them you`ll think about it.
2) Always good for the basics
Until they start selling food at hardware shops your choice of daily essentials is somewhat limited, but don`t look past cleaning products, fly spray and batteries as perfectly valid reasons to browse the power tool section for half an hour.
3) Body Language
Shop assistants at hardware stores are trained professionals, taught to observe buyer behaviour in order to maximise sales. If you walk straight into the store like you`ve been there a thousand times and head purposefully for the back display where they keep the wall anchors, chances are they will ignore you in favour of a customer more deserving of their attention. Use this lapse in their concentration to disappear into the building materials section and you can browse in peace for hours.
In time, the staff will realise that, like me, you are not a shoplifter but a diehard hardware tragic and they will give you all the space you need. Happy shopping!
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