Shopping for running shoes
You would think that shopping for some running shoes is an easy task, but apparently not in Egypt. True, I have some fussy feet, but I am the kind of person who doesn't care what the shoes look like as long as they are comfortable and not red or pink in color. I buy my running shoes from the male section, which kind of eliminates all the frou frou bullshit in the female section.
My typical attitude is locate a pair that looks like the previous pair, made in the same country and with the same size. Try it. If it feels the same, then huzzah, I just bought a pair of running shoes.
So, today, I go to the same store and do the same thing I have always done. After locating a pair, I ask the salesperson which happened to be a new girl for my size.
She looks at me with some dumb looking expression and tells me with complete conviction: "Male sizes begin at 42. You might want to check the female section."
Me: "I always buy my size from the male section."
She insists that I am wrong. So I take off my shoes, which happen to be the old ones and show her that it says MALE and that it is the size that I want.
She looks at the shoes and then throws her head back a little: "yes,there are other models with the same size, but not this one."
Me: "so, you are out of my size for this model" DUMBASS!
I don't know whether she was dumb, lazy or just lying, but anyhow, I turn around and leave. I know that there is probably my size somewhere in the warehouse, but the store is dumb enough to employ such a stupid person. Hence, I don't feel inclined to buy anything and reward them.
I go to another store and find a pair I like. The salesperson is very helpful and it seems like it is going well. I ask for the other shoe. When he gets it, I find out that one shoe is yellow because it was outside in the display and the other shoe is shiny white. It looks like two different shoes entirely. I am desperate at this point and so I tell the salesperson: "I will buy them if you make me a discount". After all, it is damaged goods and my ego won't feel happy buying them if I don't get some kind of bargain.
The salesperson tells me I have to speak to the manager. I know that the shoes are an old model, maybe two or three years ago, and that is why the one outside is so yellow. So, technically, I should get them in one fifth of the original price or something to that effect.
I go to the manager and he says that he can't give me a discount because they are already discounted. I tell him they are damaged, but he insists. I would have gone fora 50 pound discount. I wasn't looking for a great deal, but the guy insists. So, I leave.
The incompetence of sales managers is amazing. The store is empty, dusty and obviously they are suffering from the stagnation of the Egyptian market like us all. However, the guy doesn't even want to make an effort to try and sell a three year old product for a measly discount. What logic is that?
Anyhow, I return without any shoes and a great sense of disappointment at the state of our country.
My typical attitude is locate a pair that looks like the previous pair, made in the same country and with the same size. Try it. If it feels the same, then huzzah, I just bought a pair of running shoes.
So, today, I go to the same store and do the same thing I have always done. After locating a pair, I ask the salesperson which happened to be a new girl for my size.
She looks at me with some dumb looking expression and tells me with complete conviction: "Male sizes begin at 42. You might want to check the female section."
Me: "I always buy my size from the male section."
She insists that I am wrong. So I take off my shoes, which happen to be the old ones and show her that it says MALE and that it is the size that I want.
She looks at the shoes and then throws her head back a little: "yes,there are other models with the same size, but not this one."
Me: "so, you are out of my size for this model" DUMBASS!
I don't know whether she was dumb, lazy or just lying, but anyhow, I turn around and leave. I know that there is probably my size somewhere in the warehouse, but the store is dumb enough to employ such a stupid person. Hence, I don't feel inclined to buy anything and reward them.
I go to another store and find a pair I like. The salesperson is very helpful and it seems like it is going well. I ask for the other shoe. When he gets it, I find out that one shoe is yellow because it was outside in the display and the other shoe is shiny white. It looks like two different shoes entirely. I am desperate at this point and so I tell the salesperson: "I will buy them if you make me a discount". After all, it is damaged goods and my ego won't feel happy buying them if I don't get some kind of bargain.
The salesperson tells me I have to speak to the manager. I know that the shoes are an old model, maybe two or three years ago, and that is why the one outside is so yellow. So, technically, I should get them in one fifth of the original price or something to that effect.
I go to the manager and he says that he can't give me a discount because they are already discounted. I tell him they are damaged, but he insists. I would have gone fora 50 pound discount. I wasn't looking for a great deal, but the guy insists. So, I leave.
The incompetence of sales managers is amazing. The store is empty, dusty and obviously they are suffering from the stagnation of the Egyptian market like us all. However, the guy doesn't even want to make an effort to try and sell a three year old product for a measly discount. What logic is that?
Anyhow, I return without any shoes and a great sense of disappointment at the state of our country.
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