Faux pas act in AoS Store?

How's it going fellas,
The wife and I went to the mall after I dragged her around a couple antique shops looking for some good razors (no luck). We passed by the Art of Shaving store and I noticed the salesman was kind of working a customer who was obviously interested in DE shaving but hadn't done much research.

I watched this for a little bit and while normally I don't do much talking with strangers (result of growing up near East LA), I just had to step in once the salesman stepped away. I told him the Muhle R89 he was looking at was a fair price but to not buy the blades in-store. I told him to check out WCS and Amazon for much better prices and samplers.

This was a quick exchange and I tried to be quiet so the employee wouldn't hear. Still felt bad - as if I hijacked the sale. In the end, I think the customer bought the razor.. my wife made me leave before I did any more damage.

You guys think I was too far in the wrong for doing that? I just didn't want someone to get taken-advantage of..

I`ll bet the salesman would think you should have stayed out of it. I think that it's no harm, no foul though, what with free speech and all that.

No, there's nothing wrong with recommending products or websites to people even in a store.

Little old ladies always slip me coupons when I am in the check out line at the grocery store.

August West said:

Little old ladies always slip me coupons when I am in the check out line at the grocery store.

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Better check if there are phone numbers written on the back. Ladies love a well-kempt man.

If someone is so poorly informed or uninformed to make an obvious purchase mistake, I generally let them do it. Sounds like you are more compassionate that I.

As far as being a faux pas, if an informed person advising a single potential customer is the stiffest competition that store faces, then I think they'll be fine.

Waiting for the person to leave the store before you talked with him would be a little weird. "Hey, Hey...stop, I need to tell you something, don't buy those blad...Hey stop, Hey stop!!" "Where are you going?"

If all you offered was information then I don't think so. Having info to make an informed decision is a good thing. Ultimately the buyer made their own choice on what to get or not. If the salesperson works off a commission, then perhaps a faux pas.

Badmedicine said:

Better check if there are phone numbers written on the back. Ladies love a well-kempt man.

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Funny you should say that. One spunky ol' gal wrote her number along with this note: "Call me. If a man answers, hang up."

Nope. I commend you, in fact. Don't get me wrong, AoS is an important part of the wet-shaving community, IMHO. They do have a few good products, and their function as a "gateway drug" is invaluable (well, maybe a bit overpriced...) On the other hand, if the poor guy's knowledge of blade prices was AoS blade prices, that might scare him back to cartridges. Because we all know wet shaving is about saving money...

gdgeorge said:

I`ll bet the salesman would think you should have stayed out of it. I think that it's no harm, no foul though, what with free speech and all that.

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Yeah, he did give me a couple looks.. along with my wife, haha

nelsonic21 said:

No, there's nothing wrong with recommending products or websites to people even in a store.

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Appreciate it! I didn't think so, but I've never worked in retail and I just wasn't sure.

August West said:

Little old ladies always slip me coupons when I am in the check out line at the grocery store.

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Great... now I'm that old lady huh? Just wanted to save someone a couple bucks!

abragus said:

... Just wanted to save someone a couple bucks!

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That's what she said.

DoctorShavegood said:

Waiting for the person to leave the store before you talked with him would be a little weird. "Hey, Hey...stop, I need to tell you something, don't buy those blad...Hey stop, Hey stop!!" "Where are you going?"

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"Hey! LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT WET SHAVING! STAHHHHHHHP!"
LOL

Any person who has had to try and make a living working in the retail market might not be appreciative of your efforts to "save" that pilgrim.

No harm, no foul, it is after all a free market economy.

I believe that retailers call this "showcasing", i.e. customers go in, examine the merchandise, and then buy it on-line cheaper.

You just facilitated that process a little bit.

At least you didn't pull a tuck of blades from your pocket with a "hey, man, I've got a deal for you."

I see no problem with it. It's just friendly advise between 2 gentlemen. I do it, I've had it done to me. It's a good thing I think.

Isn't AoS a faux pas?

I've done the same thing at a best buy when some kid was trying to rip off some older couple on a computer. I just walked up and told them flat out the guy was lying and when he got offended i asked him some basic computer questions and he could not answer them so then the older couple thanked me and asked me to help them pick one so i did. I also worked in a department store in electronics and i have no idea how many times i told people where to buy products cheaper or of better quality it got to a point where customers came in and asked for me by name. To be honest i absolutely hate when sales people take advantage just to make a sale. I once argued with a car sales man about a car for six hours and in the end they paid off all 8k of my old car and i bought a brand new one under 20k with warranties, gap coverage and everything in between i even got them to tint my windows for free and i had terrible credit and i only put down $500 down payment. So yeah....

abragus said:

"Hey! LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT WET SHAVING! STAHHHHHHHP!"
LOL

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That was me in WalMart the other day...in the automotive section...talking to the girl stocking the shelves...