I don’t get, honestly, why people expect great, or even good, service at discount-type corporate chain stores like Wal-Mart or Target or whatever. They’re cheap for a reason; they hire morons to ring stuff up and the rest is up to you, the savvy money-saving shopper.
If you wanted good service and knowledgeable sales staff you’d have gone to either a photography specialty store, or a watch-specialty store. The same people who bitch about crappy service are the ones who won’t pay for the expertise of people who know what they’re doing and therefore cost extra to employ.
And I don’t get why you couldn’t just tell the sales person, “I need XXXXX type battery. Do you have it?” If you know better than they do, speak up. I do! I’ve had to explain to salespeople that I know what I’m talking about; I went to a photo/camera store and had to insist to the salesperson that yes, I know C41 process b/w film is NOT real b/w film, but I needed it developed quickly so I was willing to compromise.
I get the “young blonde” treatment frequently from salespeople, particularly men, and I just have to set them straight. I’m not gonna cry about it; I’d rather deal with that than be as ignorant and moronic as they are.