Shopping but not buying?

that sucks look for an other store that has what you want.

 

If this ever happened to me I would save up all my receipts from one of his competitors for a month and then mail a copy of them to him with a letter thanking him for banning you.

 

Well banning you from the store without just cause is very unprofessional and disrespectful, you must make him pay!

 

spiteful is kinda' harsh. i prefer to look at it more as "educational". lol.

 

I do it all the time. Maybe once a week I'll go into the store by my apartment just to see whats new. Out of the last ten visits I think I bought something once, and it was just for a locals BIF. I also pop into stores I've never visited just to see what they have. I always feel a bit weird walking out with nothing since the employees will either give me the stink eye, or ask if I was looking for something specific.

Being asked to not return is a bit harsh. Nothing wrong with doing a little window shopping.

 

What? I just wanted to make sure I'm reading this clearly.

Employee: Hey, didn't find what you were looking for?
You: No, I was looking for _______, did you get any of ________?
Employee: Not to my knowledge, but I can try and order you some.
You: No thanks, because ACTUALLY it's not possible for you to get it for me, thus undermining original question, which I asked for the express purpose of deflecting suspicion of me stealing stuff.

 

wait!! you're 6'9 or 69??? let me get this shit straight, some guy follows a gent that's 6'9 to the lot to tell him get lost? sounds like there's a missing beanstalk in this story.

could it be he mistook you for a rival college ball player & it had nothing to do with not purchasing?

true story. i have a friend that's a dwarf (literally). after a few drinks, never failed, he use to always find a Samoan bouncer (or bigger) walk up to them & say: "I can take your ass down right now". the bouncers typically rubbed his head like he was a poodle... "isn't he cute" kinda thing. sorry but your story just reminded me of some of those old moments. the merchant you're describing isn't 3.87ft tall - is he?

 

Go back in, take a couple hundred bucks worth of beer to the front counter to check out, pull out a wad of cash, count it out but right before you hand it to the cashier say "Oh, my mistake, I forgot I wasn't allowed in here any more". And walk out.

Even if he isn't the one that checks you out, whoever does will very likely relay the store to him.

 

Pretty much. After years of doing this, I got tired of explaining (and spending a long time doing it), that I go from store to store checking out inventories so I can keep friends and other BAs informed as to what is available where. And that I keep pretty detailed records of what stores carry what brands, who gets limited releases and in what quantities, where vintage bottles are still sitting, etc. I rarely purchase anything and I've been accused of: stealing, casing the joint, working for a competitor, loitering, etc. After a while it is just easier to have a patented story to fall back on. Especially in the case of shops I know I will never set foot in again. Now stores I frequent on a regular basis, due to their rapidly changing inventory, this isn't an issue, they know me and I know them.

 

The store owner is insane. And all of you talking about feeling bad when you don't buy something? Are you riddled with guilt when Foot Locker doesn't have your shoe size? I spend my hard-earned money however I please, and my wife is the only person who is allowed to say a word about it!

 

WTF! That is shocking! I often wander around my local bottle stores, just having a look. I don't see how this can hurt anyone?

 

I have to admit that if someone comes in, wanders around, and then walks out without saying a word I'm a bit suspicious because (as other folks mentioned) it's incredibly rare for people to walk in and not buy anything. Also, this may be a by-product of my Midwestern upbringing, but it strikes me as rude to not acknowledge people so I can't imagine walking out of a store of any kind without at least saying "Thanks", or "Have a nice day."

However, all it takes is a simple, "Do you guys have X?" to make me realize they're looking for something specific, which gives me the chance to point them towards the beer they're seeking, or barring that I can hopefully make a couple recommendations. Finally, despite the fact that we have over 1,300 beers, we don't have space for everything that's available in Oregon, so if someone walks out without at least asking me about something then I miss an opportunity to help them by special ordering something or telling them where else they can find a particular beer.

Mexican beers are a perfect example or this; we're a specialty beer store in the whitest neighborhood of the whitest major city in America, so it's rare that our customers come in looking for soemthing like Tecate in cans, but if they ask I'll happily order a case or point them towards the Hispanic market a couple miles away that will almost certainly have the beer.

Anyway, I'm rambling off-topic now...

edit: I forgot to mention, even if you came in every day for a month, browsed, and didn't buy anything I still wouldn't think of doing something stupid like confronting you in the parking lot and telling you not to come back.

 

I do it all the time, feel akward about it but if they don't have something I like I'm not going to get it.

On Monday I picked up some reserve society stuff at the provisions and asked to see the draft menu. They didn't have it ready yet and that it would be a few minutes. After waiting for them to print one out I couldn't find anything I wanted (Looking to try Mother Funker) so I thanked them for their time and split

what happened to you was just plain bad customer service. I wonder how much future business he'll lose if that's his policy

 

You should just go back and browse anyway.

And yeah I would be leaving a review of the shop on here and yelp and every other review site.
Dood is just a toolbag. They didn't have what you wanted. Perhaps they get something you want but its out of your price range. Maybe you walk in and then decide you need to go take a shit. Really, its none of his business why you don't buy anything.

 

As a business owner, if you worked out your business plan and budgets based on an assumption that 100% of the time someone walked into your store they are going to buy something you would be out of business in 6 months, if not sooner.