Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Junior]

Answer: far fewer than fill the average Korean supermarket or department store.

I was besieged by overzealous store-attendants today- they must have packed the store at a density of about 1 per every 2 square metre. Most of them looking bored and of course all of them thinking I speak fluent korean.

How many of these people are necessary?
-As far as i can see their main function is to drive away anyone who might be interested in buying anything. Do they work on commission or something? They have the tenacity of an Amway pyramid seller.

And then theres the alpha-male ajoshis at the meat counter, armed with loudspeakers, hyping up the virtues of their vegetables or galbi. They never let up. You'd be forgiven for thinking you were in a nightclub filled with booming DJ's and hookers. What a racket. its difficult to even focus on what you came to buy. Escape becomes a priority.

At the end, the whole team lines up, recites their apologies together, and the shows over.

[Hollywoodaction]

Don't forget the pop music blasting from speakers, apparently to cloud shoppers's judgement and keep them circulating at a higher pace.

[numazawa]

Yup, that's Korearama.

Watch your step. It's a carnival out there, folks.

[Junior]

Have you seen the team recital though? That was a first for me today. The entire staff lined up and spoke some sales mantra, spurred on by a ditzy female voice on the microphone. The only words i got from it were "sorry". They all bowed in unison at the end.

[djsmnc]

They only have to pay each worker 2500 won per hour; they can afford double to three times the amount of workers a western market could at any moment!

[cdninkorea]

It's definitely annoying at the grocery store, but at least they leave you alone there- at department stores it's even worse because you end up with a whole entourage following you around the store.

I remember the first time I went to the Galleria in Apgujeong and was looking at some shirts. I start off in the Paul Smith section and pick up a shirt. Immediately a woman comes over and asks if I want to try it on. I say I'm just looking and put it down. Then I pick up another, and she asks if I want to try that shirt on. Again I make it clear I'm only looking.
Eventually I get tired of this and go to the Zegna room. I now have two sales clerks breathing down my neck to spend a month's salary on a suit.

JUST LEAVE ME IN PEACE

[Muffin]

Absolutely. I completely gave up trying to buy some facial moisturiser in my local E-Mart because I was too stressed by the sales girl following me round and gabbling in Korean. I bought some online instead, no wonder they find that foreigner spending is at an all time low here. It is far more relaxing to sit at home and shop online.

And forget dashing into a shop to take cover on a rainy day. I did that at the Samsung Plaza near my school a while back, what a mistake! I thought I would just idly mooch around until the downpour let up. Oh no, I was pounced on immediately by the zealous sales boy and when he didn't make any progress he enlisted a colleague to help. Out into the storm I went.

What a contrast I noticed in Japan recently, shopping there was actually relaxing. Sales people didn't approach you until you asked them too - bliss!

[djsmnc]

They'll never stop following you. I recommend finding what you have on mind beforehand, then going and checking it out if you're thinking of buying it. Their job is to watch you like a hawk and make suggestions, which is a method of preventing theft.

Actually, retailers in western countries are supposed to do that too (it's in the handbook and training videos), but you know how that goes; it's all about smoke breaks and talking to Jennifer about the guys Samantha is hooking up with even though she's engaged to Joe, who just slit his wrists last week after smoking meth and popping 2 Valiums.

I found that the best thing to do is save your shopping until you have time to go to Hong Kong where it's all cheaper anyway, or go to the outlets at Mujeong dong or Yong in (around Seoul).

[Qinella]

No, I worked several retail jobs and was always trained to greet the customer, then hover around pretending to ignore them until they beckoned me.

I have to say this OP made me laugh. It's something that hasn't been addressed in a few months, so it's about time.

I tried to go shopping in Mokdong the other day. I needed some pants and shoes. I went in to three different stores before I found a place that would leave me the hell alone long enough to find some pants I wanted. For the shoes, I tried six stores and kept being followed so closely that if I stopped the dude would bump his chin into my back. I just gave up.

One thing I truly do hate about Korea is shopping. If it isn't the jackassy saleszombies trailing you at point blank, it's the lack of anything at all in my size. Truly a nightmare.

[ajgeddes]

I don't like how many people there are in grocery stores either. That's why I shop at Wal Mart. It is the complete opposite of every other chain here.

[laogaiguk]

보고 있어요 has always worked for me. I've never went shopping in the really big department stores in Seoul though.

[eamo]

Try this for a bit of fun.....

In the department store, look at something for the required 2 seconds before a salesperson starts bothering you. Then walk fairly quickly to another item. She'll trot after you. Spend 2 seconds looking at that then walk quickly to another item. And so on.....

After about 3 times she will notice you're teasing her.

It's either that or have the patience of a saint.

[Milwaukiedave]

I had the same experience walking into electronics stores over the weekend. I told me wife I don't want to talk to the salesmen (of course she did) and just politely said "no thank you" in Korean to the salesmen when he approached us.

I'm sure someone will say, "well this is their culture and that is way they are here" but you have to find a way to be firm and polite in terms of your own boundaries.

[seoulsucker]

MP3 player...don't go shopping without it. 50% of the time I just put on the headphones and don't even turn it on. It's instant sales vulture repellent.

[kermo]