Check out this blog post from “Hugh” about being told off by a newsagent for browsing magazines. Of all the newsagencies Hugh had to walk into he chose one where the newsagent yelled at him for doing what many newsagents want customers to do. We welcome browsers at my newsagency.
Well it certainly wasn’t my Newsagency.
We too encourage browsers. Browsers are more likely to purchase multiple titles on the same subject.
Alot of sales can be lossed from having a “no browsing” policy. I have seen this first hand
Hello,
It was certainly a surreal experience, particularly being told to “piss off”. At that stage I wasn’t even aware he was there and we were like “is he talking to us?”.
As a customer, if the cover indicates it has something of interest inside I see nothing wrong with picking up a mag and checking out the article(s)…by doing that I’m more likely to buy than by just looking at the cover.
I want people browsing in my shop as do all good newsagents. I’m sorry you had such a bad experience.
Mark and Hugh:
Of course, the railway newsagent can have a better way to service his customers. He can do something more polite and does hurt anyone’s feeling.
Hugh, you did nothing wrong to brower the magazines, and you may forgive the newsagent if you can understand the life of a railway/bus stop newsagent.
A railway/bus stop newsagent has a different customer base: they are travellers and rush in and out. A transcation may take 5 to 10 second. If any thing hold up the queue, the newsagent start to worry about losing sales, as many travellers just quit the queue to catch the bus/train/ferry.
The newsagent also try his/her best to present all products in the tiny shop and wish the customers can see everything in the shop and easily pick up what they want in a few seconds. The newsagent naturally has a impulse to remove any objects that block the line of sight from his customers to his products. If he can make himself invisible for his customers and make more sales, he may do so 🙂
On Friday, one customer browered our magazine section for 15 minutes, and at the begining, she blocked the passage to our fridge. Thats mean the possible losing sales of both of popular magazines and cool drinks. After received a kind reminder, she moved to another spot and reading. We are happy to see her browsing as long as other bus travellers can easily see and get what they want.
Huge, we have a lot of kind travellers who give ways to other travellers in greater hurry. For example, one may stop buying lotteries, and wait for the others get their bus tickets. Once the bus is departed, he come back for the rest. Sometimes, the lady with a pram wait patiently until other customer rush out and start her shopping. (She know her pram may block the passage.) And we are very appreciated these people.
Wish you can forgive that newsagent and smile on both of your faces.
Cheers,
Sunny
Hi Sunny
Thanks for sharing this summary- I could write a book that was funny and scary about my small shop on the public transport line. It is never boring, I wear so many hats in 1 day, a most satisfying job.
This is not quite on topic but on the subject of courtesy in newsagents. It used at first to somewhat appal me and then amuse me to observe that in my father’s sub-agency, a business he did not really want to be in but took on later in life for the income, if people were rude he simply ignored them and probably lost no sleep if they did not return. Not necessarily great for return sales, but I like the memory that he, who was a courteous man himself, saw no reason to bow to rude and ignorant people when there were other, perfectly nice people he could serve instead. And having seen him slaving away at the ‘returns’ I have always had a better understanding of how hard newsagents work to bring us our reading matter – and lottery tickets etc
Good point Des. Talk to any employee at a newsagency and they will share their horror customer stories. Being small business and end of the food chain retailing means the mean customers can be quite hurtful. Good customer service can be a challenge sometimes.