One incident that I
remember is when my friend and I were shopping at a boutique (typically on
white people shop at). As soon as we
walked through the door, we were greeted by the owner. As we continued to look around the store, she
trailed us as if she was checking the items on the shelf. She then continued to follow us and asked us
several times if we need help looking for anything. My friend responded to her, that there were
other people in the store that may need her help because we are just
browsing. She then left, and sent a
sales associate to follow us around the store.
In other words or less, we were social profiled. Which bothered me greatly, we asked why she
was following us, and she said that she was just giving us customer
service. However, we left without
causing any problems.
This made me feel like
black people cannot afford to shop in boutiques and that because we were
browsing she “assumed” that we were trying to steal. It makes me sad that I cannot go into a store
and shop without being socially profiled.
I would ask the other
customers in the store how that would make them feel if they were followed
around the store. I would then pull the
owner to the side and discuss how I feel like what she did was completely inappropriate
in I would point out the fact that she social profiled my friend and I. I would also tell her that we were nice about
the
situation, but if it
were someone else they might’ve not been.
Hi Kayla
ReplyDeleteIt is somewhat awkward to go shopping, and you are being followed. It makes you feel uncomfortable. I remember shopping in a store with my mom in a situation similar to yours. There was one male that was following us around the store. At first we did not notice but when we went into the women section he was still near us. Finally, my mom asked him “can you help me pick out what shirt looks best for me” he turned bright red and walked away from us. We did not buy anything from the store because of how he followed us around the store. It is terrible that you were treated that way in the store. I like the way in which you would handle the situation. Thanks for sharing your story.
LaNea
Hi Kayla -
ReplyDeleteIt is truly sad that store employees feel the need to socially profile customers. I feel terribly uncomfortable when the employees stay right behind you and try to carry on a conversation like they are just being friendly, but you feel that they just don't trust you. In my situation it might not be because of my race, but I love to go to town dressed comfortably with no make-up and hair usually pulled back. I do feel that they look at me as a person who should not be shopping in a retail store as nice as theirs because of my appearance and I usually don't want to shop there.
To me if the employees knew what they were doing and the feelings they had the customers feeling, they would also see that in the end they wind up hurting the store because most of the time we leave without purchasing anything.
So sorry you had this experience. Thanks for sharing your story.
Gena
Hi Kayla,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your post. I can understand your frustration growing up it's a local clothing store in my hometown that we would frequently visit that was owned by a local white family. Each time blacks would enter their establishment they would ask may I help you and if you said no the would constantly follow you and continue to ask do you need help. My mother being who she was would always respond when I need help I will let you know. And to top it off it was only blacks that patronize their establishment. Today this store is still in operation and to my amazement the have now hired blacks and non family members to work for them and the no longer follow you around and ask do you need assistance. Now you have to almost beg for assistance.