UPDATE: 'The store... treated me like I was not a potential client': Furniture store customer gets unfairly judged by employees, contacts manager to share their experience

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Mar 11, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

People really do treat you differently depending on how attractive they find you. It makes a huge difference, actually! You've probably experienced this to some degree if you've ever gotten dressed up really fancy for an event, or walked around in a nice tux or some high heels. People act differently when you're dressed to the nines with a fresh haircut versus when you're rocking sweatpants, old Uggs, and a messy bun. 

This phenomenon is also easily identified when you're out shopping. If you're just bumming around, the sales folks will probably pay you no mind. They're going to be focused on the customers who look expensive… but it's not the best move to judge a book by its cover. 

When this shopper had a bad experience at a furniture store, they contacted a manager to explain. The manager did the right thing by apologizing profusely, and hopefully, it'll inspire a teachable moment for his staffers. 

Next, read the hilariously philosophical questions that students wanted answered when their school banned phones, like one kid who asked, "Am I permitted to use smoke signals to communicate?" 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10478416640
    via Julien-Pier Belanger on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    I just ordered a coffee table online, because the store I went to treated me like I was not a potential client
    via u/helya85
  • 03
    I live in a small city where the economy is not so good, and I ALWAYS try to buy local. Online is a last resort. I want a new coffee table, the one we have was left behind when we bought the house. It does the job, but we need something more sturdy because we have toddlers, and we want a lift-top to store our controllers/remotes.
    via u/helya85
  • 04
    I went to the furniture store we have around that has the specifics I wanted. 3 times over the past 2 weeks. I have made eye contact with 4 different employees. Not a "hello", "welcome", "are you looking for something". They go to the offices section and stay there until I exit the store.
    via u/helya85
  • 05
    Today, someone finally talked to me. I explained what I wanted, and pointed to the models that I liked. He smiled and said those where really expensive and told me to follow him in the liquidation section, where none of the tables where meeting my criteria. I told him again that the other ones where interesting me, and he said "young lady, I know they look nice but those range between 600$ and 800$. They're really
    via u/helya85
  • 06
    expensive. Those here (cheap) are probably more realistic for you." I said thanks and I got out, found what I want online and ordered it. Over the past 3 years, we bought a few things there and always had a good service. In total, we bought for roughly 15 000$. It's a more "high end" store for our area.
    via u/helya85
  • 07
    It hit me that the other times we bought stuff there, for some reason it was on days I would look more "presentable" (before a date, important meeting or special occasion) and we/l went there with our truck. I mostly drive a small rusty 11y/o SUV, but we have a 3y/o GMC Sierra AT4. On my day to day life, I am really low maintenance. Cheap clothes, messy ponytail, no makeup. I'm in my mid 20s.
    via u/helya85
  • 08
    I realized that my "day to day" presentation was probably not worth their time, as they probably assumed I couldn't afford it. So they lost a client, and it makes me sad that this is how a store would treat potential clients, based on how they look. It's not the first time I get better/worst treatment depending on how I'm presenting.
    via u/helya85
  • 09
    And before you throw me rocks, I am not saying "I have money, treat me better". I am saying "I am a human and potential client, treat me as such".
    via u/helya85
  • 10

    Now for the update: this person arrived looking spiffy for their second try

    UPDATE: I went back today, same time of the day. I was dressed up, hair done, with heels. I did have my grandma with me tho, because she wanted a new bedframe. But I wasn't even inside the store that an associate was walking towards the door to greet us! He asked us what we were looking for, answered all our
    via u/helya85
  • 11
    questions, showed us prices and options. I told him that it's sad he wasn't there on Tuesday, because he would have sold me a 800$ coffee table if I would have received the service he was providing me today. He started to apologize profusely, and proceeded to offer 200$ off on
    via u/helya85
  • 12
    whatever bed my grandma would choose. Moral of the story, they were probably judging me either because I was alone or because I was not dressed up enough. And my grandma saved 200$ so I guess it's a win in the end!
    via u/helya85
  • 13
    Cheezburger Image 10478416896
    via Ray Shrewsberry on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 14

    Commenters strongly urged this person to contact the manager, and thankfully they did

    Scatterbrained... I'd be sending this exact story to the manager/owner and attaching my receipt from my online order. "I sure hope I don't hear about no one wanting to "buy local" from you or your staff. I tried, repeatedly, only to be ignored, profiled, and patronized."
    via u/ScatterbrainedBookie
  • 15
    My_Lovely_Me I have never worked sales, so I don't know if this is poor form, or whatever, but I can't fathom why a friendly "Sure, I can show you our selection! What's your budget?" isn't used in these situations. It's a directly applicable and appropriate
    via u/My_Lovely_Me
  • 16
    question, and takes a lot less time than arguing with them about how expensive their choice is, and how there are other options better suited for them.
    via u/My_Lovely_Me

    This person is exactly right, it costs nothing to be polite to every customer who walks in the door, no matter how they look. Some are going to be window shopping anyway, and might not make a purchase right away. But if the customer service is on point, they might return or even recommend the store to other people. Word of mouth is everything for small businesses like this. 

  • 17
    RealCharlie My father owned a dealership, and one Saturday morning an older couple came in a bit disheveled. All the salesmen denied it was their "up", to the point he decided to serve them himself. They were a wealthy couple who were planning on buying, and had decided on their gardening day to go kick some tires.
    via u/RealCharlieNobody
  • 18
    They bought two new T- birds outright, no financing. All of a sudden everyone complained it was their up, after all.
    via u/RealCharlieNobody
  • 19
    Savvy salespeople know not to assume anything based on appearance (or someone's vehicle). Seems like those workers could use some training. Could you message them via their website to let management know about your experience?
    via u/thatburghfan
  • 20
    Apprehensive _... Notify the owners and write a bad review. Management needs to know how you were treated!
    via u/Apprehensive_Leg_760

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furniture retail shopping retail worker sales workplace tales-from-retail store shoppers
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