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Gotta love SA's...

post #1 of 19
4/2/06 at 10:01pm
Thread Starter 
This happened to me last week & I JUST NOW thought to post about it here, lol. So, last Saturday I was @ the mall to buy a new frag for summer. I went to the Jones Store in my mall to sniff around. One SA approached me & asked if I'd like to try their "brand new" fragrance, Tommy Bahama. I couldn't help but laugh @ her. I told her it's been around for months. Then she backtracked and said it was new to the store, which, again, I pointed out that I knew it's been here for quite awhile. I then moved to the Calvin Klein display because I noticed some new stuff there (the Eternity Summer and CKone Summer). I immediately fell in love w/ the Eternity Summer. I left the display and started sniffing some other stuff. Another SA approached me and asked if I needed help w/ anything and I told her I was good. She then asked if I'd like to try Eternity Summer. I told her I actually had sprayed it on my hands I that I really liked it. We then got into a conversation about women wearing mens frags & she said that she liked mens frags but had never tried wearing them. I let her sniff my hands where I was wearing the Eternity Summer and it totally wowed her & she sprayed some on herself and let it dry down & said she could really see herself wearing it. I then took her around and showed her the other frags I enjoyed wearing like Chrome and Kenneth Cole Reaction. Soon we started laughing about how I was the one taking her around like I was trying to sell frags to her. When it was time for me to check out (I had decided to get the Eternity Summer) she threw in a handful of samples & a Calvin Klein wallet . It was a pretty fun trip to the mall.
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post #2 of 19
4/2/06 at 10:13pm
I'll one-up you. A couple weeks ago an SA asked me if I'd like to try this brand new scent named...Acqua di Gio! I was floored. She then directed me away from the Bond no. 9 and Creed scents b/c they were "for women"! Amazing...I'm just glad I'm not the owner of the store (this was a smaller shop).
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post #3 of 19
4/2/06 at 10:24pm
Thread Starter 
That's just unbelievable. You would think that people living off of commission like that would @ least do some research on the products that they're trying to sell!!! I mean...I can almost understand my SA saying that Tommy Bahama is brand new. It hasn't been out all that long (but it's still been a few months), and someone who buys cologne once every couple of years would've bought into that. But come on....trying to say that AdG is new???? That's just insane. Every time I'm directed to AdG by a SA they use the "It's our best seller" line.

And your SA said that Bond no. 9 and Creed were for women?!?!?!??!?!! Holy crap...if that's not blasphemy, I don't know what is!!! Besides...as a SA, she should've been stearing you TO the higher end goods!!!! Unbelievable.
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post #4 of 19
4/2/06 at 10:25pm
I'll add one...

I was at Neimans going for a testing of Arpege Homme, prior to that I was there a few weeks before testing it on a strip, but when I asked the SA, she said she didn't think they had that one and proceeded to ask another SA, and told her that it was on the opposite counter. She let me spray it on the back of my hand, and then she said something strange..."yeah, I like this one". Didn't she just say they didn't carry this one?
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post #5 of 19
4/2/06 at 10:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by robyogi

I'll one-up you. Â*A couple weeks ago an SA asked me if I'd like to try this brand new scent named...Acqua di Gio! Â* Â*I was floored. Â*She then directed me away from the Bond no. 9 and Creed scents b/c they were "for women"! Â*Amazing...I'm just glad I'm not the owner of the store (this was a smaller shop). Â*

LOL Unbeleivable
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post #6 of 19
4/2/06 at 10:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CologneJunkie

This happened to me last week & I JUST NOW thought to post about it here, lol. So, last Saturday I was @ the mall to buy a new frag for summer. I went to the Jones Store in my mall to sniff around. One SA approached me & asked if I'd like to try their "brand new" fragrance, Tommy Bahama. I couldn't help but laugh @ her. I told her it's been around for months. Then she backtracked and said it was new to the store, which, again, I pointed out that I knew it's been here for quite awhile. I then moved to the Calvin Klein display because I noticed some new stuff there (the Eternity Summer and CKone Summer). I immediately fell in love w/ the Eternity Summer. I left the display and started sniffing some other stuff. Another SA approached me and asked if I needed help w/ anything and I told her I was good. She then asked if I'd like to try Eternity Summer. I told her I actually had sprayed it on my hands I that I really liked it. We then got into a conversation about women wearing mens frags & she said that she liked mens frags but had never tried wearing them. I let her sniff my hands where I was wearing the Eternity Summer and it totally wowed her & she sprayed some on herself and let it dry down & said she could really see herself wearing it. I then took her around and showed her the other frags I enjoyed wearing like Chrome and Kenneth Cole Reaction. Soon we started laughing about how I was the one taking her around like I was trying to sell frags to her. When it was time for me to check out (I had decided to get the Eternity Summer) she threw in a handful of samples & a Calvin Klein wallet . It was a pretty fun trip to the mall.

I guess knowledge is power? or at least free stuff Perhaps this hobby is useful.
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post #7 of 19
4/2/06 at 11:17pm
I love friendly and personal SA's like that. Most of them are so ignorant and do nothing but spread the PR story their boss tells them to spread. I'd say 85% of them really has no idea about fragrances.
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post #8 of 19
4/2/06 at 11:53pm
Hmm.. I have had overall good experience with the SA's, they seemed knowledgeable and didn't push me into generic stuff. However, maybe that's because I'm not as knowledgeable as the BN regulars Then again, I've only gone around 4 times(bought a frag every single time! BN=The Devil!!!) I guess I should try to get a job as a SA when I finish High School ;D. However, I have yet to see a male SA... :-/
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post #9 of 19
4/3/06 at 8:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Somedude

Hmm.. I have had overall good experience with the SA's, they seemed knowledgeable and didn't push me into generic stuff. However, maybe that's because I'm not as knowledgeable as the BN regulars Then again, I've only gone around 4 times(bought a frag every single time! BN=The Devil!!!) I guess I should try to get a job as a SA when I finish High School ;D. However, I have yet to see a male SA... :-/

The male SAs are out there: I've seen a few male SAs at Macy's in Cherry Hill NJ.

I don't really have a problem with the SAs: my guess is that they are on commission and that they get paid higher rates for certain fragrances. They are doing their job. Hell, I'd be doing the same thing if I were in their shoes - you have to make $.

I don't ask the SAs for advice, but maybe to see if they have something in stock. It might be nice if they were more knowledgeable, yes, but my guess for a lot of them it is a part-time job. Generally I'll try what they push though if I haven't tried it.
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post #10 of 19
4/3/06 at 11:02am
Well, I know a lot of us don't like SAs, but I ask all the basenoters:
Do any of you really buy fragrances from regular shops?
Because from what I've read a lot of people buy from ebay or e-tailers... Discounted itens only...
Wouldn't this fact make the SAs angry???? A lot of people only testing to know the fragrance and buy it cheaper online... Just wondering....
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post #11 of 19
4/3/06 at 11:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by RCavs

Wouldn't this fact make the SAs angry???? A lot of people only testing to know the fragrance and buy it cheaper online... Just wondering....

It would make me upset. However, I'm not going to announce to an SA, "Yeah I like it, but since I can get it for half off online, I won't buy it from you." The markups are a bit ridiculous for fragrance, but its not as bad as say, jewelry.

FWIW, I have bought at a retailer for niche (PdN - New York), and have considered getting Santos Concentree from Nieman.

In my youth (which was of course, 2002), I got M7 at a ridiculous price at Macys because that was the only place I could find to test it. It pains me to have purchased it at that price still!
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post #12 of 19
4/3/06 at 11:40am
I buy mostly from on-line to obviously save money. We all do -- budget integrity is a good thing -- but in loyalty to a couple of special SA's, I occasionally buy from them since they keep giving me plenty of samples without even asking.

One SA even gives me their old juice that they no longer carry. They do have several testers in their drawers that they do not put out anymore -- if you are nice to them and build up customer loyalty, they may splurge on you. Just ask. One time, this SA gave me 4 free bottles that they no longer carry in stock otherwise they were going to throw them out. Relationships are everything!

Next time you are blowing off your SA, remember, there is a lot of free juice sitting in their drawers. Shh!
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post #13 of 19
4/3/06 at 11:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrothaG

I love friendly and personal SA's like that. Most of them are so ignorant and do nothing but spread the PR story their boss tells them to spread. I'd say 85% of them really has no idea about fragrances.


I would tend to agree with that!...

Regards,
Steve
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post #14 of 19
4/3/06 at 12:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vicomte de K

[quote author=Somedude link=1144040465/0#7 date=1144047224]Hmm.. I have had overall good experience with the SA's, they seemed knowledgeable and didn't push me into generic stuff. However, maybe that's because I'm not as knowledgeable as the BN regulars Then again, I've only gone around 4 times(bought a frag every single time! BN=The Devil!!!) I guess I should try to get a job as a SA when I finish High School ;D. However, I have yet to see a male SA... :-/

The male SAs are out there: I've seen a few male SAs at Macy's in Cherry Hill NJ.

I don't really have a problem with the SAs: my guess is that they are on commission and that they get paid higher rates for certain fragrances. They are doing their job. Hell, I'd be doing the same thing if I were in their shoes - you have to make $.

I don't ask the SAs for advice, but maybe to see if they have something in stock. It might be nice if they were more knowledgeable, yes, but my guess for a lot of them it is a part-time job. Generally I'll try what they push though if I haven't tried it.[/quote]


Oh hey, a fellow New Jerseyian!
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post #15 of 19
4/3/06 at 1:41pm
You must try the new Armani Code! Have you sampled Chrome today? How about trying our most popular scent - Realities for Men! Blah.

Oh Somedude, I have plenty of SA men around here, and they are about as gay as a gay stereotype can be...not that there's anything wrong with that....
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post #16 of 19
4/3/06 at 2:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by John

You must try the new Armani Code! Â*Have you sampled Chrome today? Â*How about trying our most popular scent - Realities for Men! Â*Blah. Â*

Or even worse..."Have you tried Kenneth Cole Signature? It's FABULOUS!"

I can't believe how many times the KC rep at Ayres tells me that. Hand me the air sickness bag, please. Â*:-X
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post #17 of 19
4/3/06 at 2:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RCavs

Well, I know a lot of us don't like SAs, but I ask all the basenoters:
Do any of you really buy fragrances from regular shops?
Because from what I've read a lot of people buy from ebay or e-tailers... Discounted itens only...
Wouldn't this fact make the SAs angry???? A lot of people only testing to know the fragrance and buy it cheaper online... Just wondering....

Personally, I would rather foster a real-life relationship with someone who actually cared about frags and who was willing to get to know my tendencies and could thus recommend things that I might like rather than the latest (or oldest) thing they have. And, if I were the owner of a shoppe and my SAs were blowing people off or making inane recommendations, I wouldn't be too happy about it. Everyone who walks in the door is a potential customer. You never know when someone is going to purchase something and you simply cannot assume that everyone is coming in to test and then will go buy it online. I think the real issue is in hiring and pay rates - all of the SAs I have dealt with in person seem to be high school or college kids who really don't care about frags and just need the paycheck. If the stores I've been to were to hire more professional folks, I think my experiences would be better.

As a counterpoint, I dealt with someone via email and then phone at Aedes in NY and it was such a positive experience that I plan to buy from them in the future, and am going to visit their store the next time I am in NY (and most likely bring back a souvenir). Or, for example Vijay on this site, his service makes all the difference - it makes me WANT to buy from him. Maybe I'm an outlier though...
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post #18 of 19
4/3/06 at 4:46pm
When I go to a fragrance counter, I'd have to admit that sometimes I play dumb just to see what the SAs will say and where they will lead me to. They will usually first show me the new stuff like the Reaction (yech!) and Unforgivable (an unforgivable ripoff of Creed's Millesime Imperial). After moving on, I will inevitable be led over to the "Ack-u-uh duh Gee-Oh" (I've only heard one SA pronounce it right, but she was also an Armani rep...) where I want to gag and vomit at that vile juice that is omnipresent on my college campus. After taking a lap around the counter/counters, I'll ask if there are any samples I can take home to try, and I usually end up leaving with a bunch (I have essentially two shoeboxes filled with just the one's I'd consider wearing). Granted, there are many very friendly and knowledgeable SAs, but it seems like most of them are mediocre at best, or have their interests elsewhere (read: commission).
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post #19 of 19
4/3/06 at 11:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by John

Oh Somedude, I have plenty of SA men around here, and they are about as gay as a gay stereotype can be...not that there's anything wrong with that....

Woah! Does that mean that they can dress properly?:
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