Originally Posted by wphamilton

There is another consideration for retail businesses that people tend to overlook. Anyone walking in is a potential customer, regardless of their intention. Whether or not someone has any intention of buying something, you want them to walk in the door. You want them wandering around all of your displays, seeing your product there, giving your salesmen a chance work them.

Even the guy that's planning to order online after checking something out locally, you want a shot at convincing that guy to buy it now, from you, and the best place to do that is in your store. You don't want him sitting at home, haunting the forums for advice - that helps you none at all. You want that same guy to come in to check things out. If nothing else, even if you fail with the big ticket sell you want to sell him the higher margin accessories. If not now, there's always a chance later.

That's not to say I'd go in to plumb someone's knowledge, take their time and then take it elsewhere. There are people who will try that. There's a line to be drawn there, and it usually falls on the business to draw it. You tell them enough, but at some point of detail that's after the sale support and the good ones point that out. If on the other hand they're just competing on price, then there's nothing wrong with a couple of questions, browsing and going with the best price. There is nothing wrong with asking questions and finding out what value the business adds either, and deciding that it's not enough for the price. Or that it is, as the case may be. It's up to the salesman to make that case though, not the customer.

I can understand the business owner's ire at the lookie-lous with their neverending questions, as I've been there. But that "scumbag" stuff, un-evolved human, and so on, that's for venting off in the back room. That guy doesn't really cost the business anything unless you let it, and the owner - if he's a good retail businessman - wants that guy in there doing what he's doing.