background information:

I am 54 years old.

I was on this outing with my parents.

The purpose of the outing was to try and test and hopefully purchase a new mattress for my mom.

setting:

a furniture store in a small to mid-sized city, on a rainy day

story:

OK. So, I parked the car near the entrance (as my mom has a handicapped sticker) and the three of us entered the store.  We didn’t have to open the door, because it was being held open for us by one employee. We stepped over the threshold, and when we looked up, we were immediately accosted by two additional employees. All three greeted us. One of the non-doorman employees was holding three opened frosty bottles of Coca-cola (in old-fashioned looking bottles) and immediately offered them to us.

None of us drink soda. We said, “No, thanks.” We were not offered anything else.

The non-doorman, non-soda man stepped forward, closer, and asked what he could do to help us.

His nametag indicated he’d won some honor (relevant to the establishment) in 2005, so we thought we had an experienced salesman to work with.

We proceeded to the mattresses, to the specific name brand my mother was hoping to buy.

My mom asked several questions. The salesman did not appear to know the answers to any of them.

Three times he excused himself and ‘disappeared’ for a few moments, returning with the answers.

My mom made a purchase, and decided to take advantage of a 12 month interest-free payment plan.

As she was filling out the paperwork, the experienced salesman interrupted her several times.

It was made very clear to the salesman that my mother has physical limitations [she sleeps at an incline, she needed to prop up extra pillows and support to test the mattresses; she obviously moves slowly when sitting/reclining and then standing again; she declined the soft low chairs offered, and asked for higher seated, more support chairs, and so on]. Yet, this salesman beckoned my mother to a computer where there were no chairs, and then cracked jokes and lengthened the process of the transaction while my mother was left leaning, with minimal support, and evident discomfort, for what felt like an interminably long time.

As we (finally) left the store, this salesman grinned and handed my parents two stuffed “creatures”– one named Squeaky, one named Lumpy, as gifts, tokens of his appreciation. They also received a free lamp (which we are donating to Goodwill).

I repeat: I am 54 years old. You do the math; my parents are obviously older.

Am I the only one who finds something ‘insulting’ at being offered two tacky stuffed ‘toys’ after making a $1400 purchase?

How is this deemed “good business”?

I will not be visiting, certainly not patronizing, this establishment in the future.

What say you?

Reactions? Comments? Questions? Suggestions?

Holly