Today I went to the mall with the intention of buying new rubber shoes.  I needed cross-trainers that would work with a variety of activities.  I’ve been joining Zumba classes, plus have plans to try other workouts, and I wanted a versatile pair of shoes, especially because these didn’t come cheap.  So off to the mall I went, but alas, it turned out to be a very frustrating exercise and I came home, not with a new pair of shoes, but a headache and a very bad temper.    Hence today’s series of Inday’s WTF, The Shopping Edition:

1.  We are not all average-sized!

Attention storeowners/merchandisers:  There are customers who wear XL clothes, whose shoe size is 9 or 10, whose bra size is beyond 36B.  You manage to turn what is a positive shopping experience into an infuriating one. I once walked into the Nine West store in Glorietta and was told that their shoes didn’t come in size 10s.   Of course Nine West comes in size 10! I have a few pairs at home. I once went to Rustan’s and asked for my bra size in Maidenform, a brand which I wear regularly (but I buy mine in the US) only to be told that they didn’t carry my size. The plus size market does exist here in the Philippines! Please don’t ignore us!!!

2.  Name studies people!

Why do Filipinos have to be so literal when naming plus-size brands?  Why would I want to shop in a store called Tubby? Why would anyone ever want to buy from brands like Maxi or Big Beautiful Woman?  Can’t you just call it some random name and then have larger sizes?  Lane Bryant is one of the larger chains of plus size stores in the US, but you wouldn’t know from the name.  Old Navy just added a Women’s Plus section, but it’s still called Old Navy.

3. Listen to the customer!

I walked into a store and told the sales person I needed cross trainers and that I was a size 9 or 10.  She kept showing me running shoes and telling me that they didn’t come in size 9.  So I said, I don’t need running shoes but which of the cross trainers come in size 9?  We have size 9 but not in cross trainers.  Ok how about men’s cross trainers? Again she pulled running shoes. These are men’s running shoes.   Do you cross trainers for men? Yes we do.  Do you have size 8? She gets the running shoe again, “this one mam?” Are those cross trainers? “NO mam.” Inhale exhale.  “Miss you are not listening to me.  I don’t want to talk to you anymore.  Find me someone who will listen to me.” A few minutes later, a male sales person approached me who found me the shoes I needed, answered all my questions, but alas, wasn’t able to find me shoes that fit. HAAAY!  This happened in three other stores, so suffice it to say that it was not a productive shopping day for me.

4. There are other sports aside from running.

Yes I get it, running is in nowadays.  I can’t scroll through my fb wall and not find one friend or another who ran a 5k or joined some funrun etc etc etc.  But please, there are other sports too.  Why do sporting goods store only stock limited (as in 2 or 3) styles in cross trainers or walking shoes but have a whole wall dedicated to running shoes?

5.  Be nice to the customer.

Filipino sales people really do not understand the concept of “customer”.  They are sometimes just downright rude to the people who, let’s face it, indirectly pay their salaries.  And this is true for high end and even tiangge stalls.  Be nice to us, please.

6.  Sorry to interrupt you at work!

I know that you are probably not getting paid enough, but remember you are in a business that deals with people.  So don’t make us feel like we are inconveniencing you by actually buying something.

There are really more “horror stories” from many shopping expeditions.  But for now, these will do.  Someday, I will write another edition.  But till then….i have to remember patience is a virtue…and visit amazon.com to find my rubber shoes.

That’s all for now…bow