# "I'm just looking." Sigh...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [May 19, 2005, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571 "2005-05-19T12:55:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/61 "2005-05-19T16:01:38Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#):
>
> Did you read the thread? At Chefguys’ place, you **can’t** shop alone. The RVs are locked. You just want to wander around and look at the pretty colors?
Yeah, I came back around to address that post in a separate point. Errr… point in a separate post.
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### Author:  [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/62 "2005-05-19T16:04:34Z")
> [@Maendosa](#):
>
> I always prefer establishments where the sales staff greet me with a casual ‘Hi, I’m Soandso. Take a look around, and let me know if you’ve got any questions or need any assistance.’ – and then make themselves visible and available when **I** go looking for them.
>
> The one way to make sure I never spent my money on your product is to do just what other people in the thread have outlined - push yourself on me and make me feel like prey. That was a good way to describe it.
Same for me. I agree with the OP that it is rude of a customer to waste a salespersons time if they have no intent on a possible purchase. Agressive salespersons get an “I’m Just Looking” because saying “Fuck off, I know about the products you sell and don’t need a smarmy know-nothing bastard to tell me incorrect information.” tends to offend.
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### Author:  [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/63 "2005-05-19T16:34:07Z")
> [@velvetjones](#):
>
> Am I the only one that tells sales people what I want?
>
> I dislike browsing, I know what I want and I want to make my purchase and leave with the minimum amount of fuss.
Those are the same exact reasons I _don’t_ like help. I may know that I’m looking for red pants, but there is also generally an element of _je ne sais quoi_ to my search that basically boils down to “I’ll know it when I see it.”
Therefore it takes far less of everyone’s time for me to whip through the store on my own than to have a salesperson bringing me every pair of red pants in the store, because often I can’t articulate well what it is that I like/dislike about a given pair of pants to make the search easier for the clerk (and even if I could, there’s still the “You Never Know” factor; for example, 98% of the time I hate capri pants, but every once in awhile I find a pair to which I am strangely attracted–and I could very well miss that pair if I told the salesperson, “No capri pants!”).
But to answer your question, no you’re not. My mother does it. Which is why I hate shopping with her (if it’s something for myself)–because Honey, she’ll call me out in a nanosecond:
Salesperson: Can I help you find anything today?
Me (very politely): No, thanks–I’m just looking.
Mom (very loudly): What do you mean, you’re just looking? I thought you said you wanted a pair of red pants! I mean, that IS why we’re HERE, isn’t it?
You get the idea.
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### Author:  [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/64 "2005-05-19T16:36:43Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#):
>
> Same for me. I agree with the OP that it is rude of a customer to waste a salespersons time if they have no intent on a possible purchase. Agressive salespersons get an “I’m Just Looking” because saying “Fuck off, I know about the products you sell and don’t need a smarmy know-nothing bastard to tell me incorrect information.” tends to offend.
I agree, salespeople deserve to not be jerked around, as well. They’re in a crappy job, and a lot of them are very off-putting, but there’s no need to give them the runaround when you’re not actually planning to buy anything. That’s just rude.
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### Author:  [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/65 "2005-05-19T16:38:27Z")
> [@Squink](#):
>
> I drive past a lot every few days, and have noticed that many now come with sections that expand out from the sides, for a roomier interior. Are those driven by cranks, or is there a button I can push?
The motor homes, or the sections? 😃
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### Author:  [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/66 "2005-05-19T16:46:55Z")
I’ve never bought, or desired to buy, an RV… but I recently bought a new car. The salesman was okay, I knew I wanted a mid sized car and he showed them to me. He lead me away from the higher priced ones and tried to sell me a demo that I didn’t care much for, but was totally helpful when I pointed out the car I _was_ interested in. It was a few thousand more than the cars he was trying to show me, but I got it and am happy with it. Salesmen can be a big help.
On the flip side, when I say I’m just looking, that’s what I’m doing. I don’t go to look in person until I’m ready to buy and sometimes I need to be left alone to decide whether the car I’m looking at is one that I really want. I don’t want to waste the salesman’s time when I can walk inside and get him/her when I make my decision.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/67 "2005-05-19T16:48:21Z")
> [@spectrum](#):
>
> I agree, salespeople deserve to not be jerked around, as well. They’re in a crappy job, and a lot of them are very off-putting, but there’s no need to give them the runaround when you’re not actually planning to buy anything. That’s just rude.
You couldn’t be more wrong on one point. Perhaps clothing salespeople are in ‘crappy jobs’, but I know RV salesmen who make over $100K a year.
**aunti em** : I understand your point, but pants ain’t luxury items for most people. In my world, ignorance is NOT bliss.
**Driver8** : One more time, with feeling: intelligent guided tour, si; guided tour for the fun of it, no. We’re not an amusement park. That’s what RV shows are for.
**squink** : Slideouts are controlled by electric 12v motors that operate off the chassis batteries. Should the motor conk out for some reason, manufacturers provide a hand crank so you’re not stuck out in the boonies with no way to retract the slides. Driving with the slides out will result in catastrophic damage to the coach.
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### Author:  [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/68 "2005-05-19T17:20:20Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Please go back and re-read the entire thread. You’re creating a circular argument. Your final sentence is something I would never say to a customer. Not answer questions? Salesman suicide.
I am not creating a circular argument. You keep saying that it’s a waste of time for you to spend any time dealing with anyone who says he is “just looking.” I am pointing out that some people who say they are just looking will in fact buy. Maybe not within the hour, but they do plan to buy something in the near future. They just don’t want to deal with the sales details right then. They just want general information to start off. Or they want NO information from you at that point and just want to LOOK and see what LOOKS good to them.
> [@](#):
>
> I’ll never refuse to accept a ‘just looking’ response. If you don’t want to talk to me, that’s your right. However, if you don’t want to talk to me, but you want me to spend two hours opening vehicles so you can bitch about the price, it just ain’t happenin’.
>
> However, if you are willing to talk with me only to the extent of identifying the product that will best suit what you intend to do with it, I’ll spend whatever time is necessary showing you that line of vehicles.
So you only want to deal with people who are willing to explain to you the kind of travel they do, how big their family is, how far they want to go, etc., in the pursuit of a possible sale - but if they want to look at the interiors and ask general questions (for whatever reason, which you cannot possibly know - maybe to buy, maybe to gawk), then, in your opinion, it’s a waste of your time and “it just ain’t happenin’.”
I guess I am missing something in your stance. It just doesn’t make sense to me.
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### Author:  [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/69 "2005-05-19T17:27:22Z")
While I’m sure some customers are never-going-to-buy tourists, if I were to buy an RV, the first thing I’d want to do is walk through a bunch of them. _Without_ a salesperson helping me target my needs or telling me about features or asking questions. Just unlock the doors and let me walk around. Whether the salesperson feels that is an inefficient way to select and purchase an RV means less than nothing to me. If he/she can shut up and let me start by randomly browsing, he/she has a very good chance of getting my business when I’m ready to move to the next step of discussing specifically what I want and need. It sucks that the salesperson can’t know from the outset that I’m not just a tourist, but that’s not my fault.
And this quote illustrates an attitude that pisses me off about big-ticket item salespeople:
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> For what it’s worth, a $7K difference in price is usually irrelevant to someone who is financing the purchase. $7,000 means a monthly increase in payments of about $100 (if the term of the loan stays the same). An RV that costs $68,000 is going to mean a monthly nut of roughly $700, so another hundred isn’t always seen as a deal breaker, since the term of the loan can be extended to keep the payments down.
I _hate_ when salespeople want to talk only about the size of the payment. I’m not saying there aren’t hordes of customers who only care about the payment size, which may be what **Chefguy** was referring to, but I know of many salespeople who encourage this attitude. Gah! You’d have to be a fucking idiot to shrug off a larger principal or poor interest rate by just taking out a longer-term loan. The total cost matters! Every dollar I spend on that purchase by the time it’s paid off is money I don’t have for something else.
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### Author:  [@I\_don\_t\_care\_about\_your\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_don_t_care_about_your_cat)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/70 "2005-05-19T17:38:43Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> What you _really_ want me to do is to give you a guided tour of every coach on the lot, even though you have zero intent to purchase anything in the forseeable future. This is a waste of both our time, since as a person who works only for commission, I cannot afford to spend inordinate amounts of time with someone who is just trying to kill a couple of hours.
Really? Because the phrase “I’m just looking” seems pretty clear to me. It usually means, “Please leave me alone.”
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### Author:  [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/71 "2005-05-19T17:43:31Z")
I love your username, **I don’t care about your cat**. Seriously. It’s hilarious.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/72 "2005-05-19T18:59:27Z")
> [@Giraffe](#):
>
> And this quote illustrates an attitude that pisses me off about big-ticket item salespeople:
> I _hate_ when salespeople want to talk only about the size of the payment. I’m not saying there aren’t hordes of customers who only care about the payment size, which may be what **Chefguy** was referring to, but I know of many salespeople who encourage this attitude. Gah! You’d have to be a fucking idiot to shrug off a larger principal or poor interest rate by just taking out a longer-term loan. The total cost matters! Every dollar I spend on that purchase by the time it’s paid off is money I don’t have for something else.
I was responding to another poster’s question. Of course it matters. But most people don’t seem to understand how debt and interest work. The fact is, most payment buyers will not quibble over a small increase in payment for a large ticket item. Cash buyers and difference buyers will fight over every nickel because it’s money out of pocket _today._ I don’t make this stuff up. There has been ample research on the issue.
**I don’t care about your cat** : I hate to be rude to a guest, but go back and actually read the damn thread. I’m tired of repeating myself.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/73 "2005-05-19T19:02:51Z")
> [@missbunny](#):
>
> I am not creating a circular argument. You keep saying that it’s a waste of time for you to spend any time dealing with anyone who says he is “just looking.” I am pointing out that some people who say they are just looking will in fact buy. Maybe not within the hour, but they do plan to buy something in the near future. They just don’t want to deal with the sales details right then. They just want general information to start off. Or they want NO information from you at that point and just want to LOOK and see what LOOKS good to them.
That’s what brochures and RV shows are for.
> [@](#):
>
> So you only want to deal with people who are willing to explain to you the kind of travel they do, how big their family is, how far they want to go, etc., in the pursuit of a possible sale - but if they want to look at the interiors and ask general questions (for whatever reason, which you cannot possibly know - maybe to buy, maybe to gawk), then, in your opinion, it’s a waste of your time and “it just ain’t happenin’.”
That’s what brochures and RV shows are for.
> [@](#):
>
> I guess I am missing something in your stance. It just doesn’t make sense to me.
I guess so, but I don’t know what to do to increase your comprehension level.
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### Author:  [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/74 "2005-05-19T19:03:39Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> You have to understand the product I’m selling. Because the windows are so high off the ground, you can’t possibly see inside the vehicles. What happens with the ‘just looking’ types is that they immediately want me to unlock a vehicle so they can look at the interior. Then the next one in line. Then ‘that cute one over there’ in the next lot, then the 200K diesel pusher at the other end of the lot. They don’t want me to tell them anything, they just want a tour. If someone just wanted to walk around the lot by themselves looking at the outsides of the vehicles, it wouldn’t be a problem. But what the vast majority want is to have a non-interactive experience with a guide. No can do.
I’d suggest, then, that your employer has a significant problem with how they display their wares. They don’t necessarily need to have every vehicle standing open, but a few in the various price ranges might be a nice start. Cameras could protect them from significant damage while people poke their heads inside. I’ve also seen them with doors open and velvet ropes reigning people to stay in the door area - so they can pop in and see the inside, but not get all up close and personal without asking.
I’ve been RV shopping with my parents many, many, many times, and we always start with a ‘just looking’ phase. We wander around looking at the ratio of new to used items, the condition of the used ones, the price ranges when they’re posted, that sort of thing. It gives us an idea of what’s on the lot, whether we’re in a place that’s way out of our league or likely to have something we might be interested in. Then, once we’ve decided if we’re comfortable, we might talk to a salesman. Or we might come back the next day. Or we might never come back because the freaking asshole salesman won’t get off our backs and leave us alone for 10 minutes while we decide what we’re doing.
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### Author:  [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/75 "2005-05-19T19:04:03Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> I was responding to another poster’s question. Of course it matters. But most people don’t seem to understand how debt and interest work. The fact is, most payment buyers will not quibble over a small increase in payment for a large ticket item. Cash buyers and difference buyers will fight over every nickel because it’s money out of pocket _today._ I don’t make this stuff up. There has been ample research on the issue.
Fair enough – if so many buyers didn’t only care about payment size, salespeople wouldn’t focus on it. Still drives me crazy, though.
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### Author:  [@I\_don\_t\_care\_about\_your\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_don_t_care_about_your_cat)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/76 "2005-05-19T20:40:46Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> **I don’t care about your cat** : I hate to be rude to a guest, but go back and actually read the damn thread. I’m tired of repeating myself.
Pet peeve: When people who start threads don’t get around to actually clarifying their point until somewhere in the middle of a 70+ post thread, then bitch you out for not reading every single post. If you had a point, you should have made it in the OP.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/77 "2005-05-19T21:11:36Z")
> [@I don't care about your cat](#):
>
> Pet peeve: When people who start threads don’t get around to actually clarifying their point until somewhere in the middle of a 70+ post thread, then bitch you out for not reading every single post. If you had a point, you should have made it in the OP.
I did. Did you read it, or just cherrypick the parts you wanted, then skip every other post and then reply? No, that’s okay, it’s a rhetorical question.
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### Author:  [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/78 "2005-05-19T21:42:23Z")
Actually, **Chefguy** , while I sympathize with your grievance now that I know what it is, I have to agree that you didn’t make the point clear in your OP. It wasn’t till post #20 that you actually explained that the motor homes are all locked, and therefore you have to dance attendance on the “just looking” customers in order to let them “just look”.
I agree that that’s annoying and perhaps a waste of a salesperson’s time, but I didn’t realize it from your OP.
I also agree with **jacquilyne** that there ought to be some kind of way to let the “just-lookers” just-look without dragging you around all over the lot as a mere key-bot.
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### Author:  [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/79 "2005-05-19T21:46:30Z")
Correction: you did mention in the OP having to “unlock” the vehicles, which does imply that they’re locked, but (never having shopped for an RV myself) it wasn’t clear to me that it’s no real use “just-looking” at the vehicles unless they’re unlocked. With most other types of vehicles, you can get quite a fair “just-look” at them even if they’re locked up.
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-just-looking-sigh/304571/80 "2005-05-19T21:52:18Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> That’s what brochures and RV shows are for.
I disagree. Certainly not for cars (I’ve never looked at RVs) I want to wander around cars without an escort, sit in them, open and close the trunk, fold the seats down, etc. I don’t want to go to a car show and a brochure doesn’t give me the hands on experience I need. And I don’t want to ask or answer questions while doing so. I’ve used car lots for this in the past, I’d expect to use an RV lot.
I understand that your lot’s set up requires that someone needs to accompany a buyer (looker?) around to unlock and lock the doors, but that’s not the shopper’s fault. For me to shop the way I prefer would require you to follow me around unlocking and locking doors. My appologies. But I would appreciate your time and effort when it came time to talk to a salesperson and get serious about a deal.
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