LYS Stories - All Sides

[tamagotchi]

I think a lot of it depends on who's working there.  Some of the people at my LYS are friendly and fun, some of them are snobby.  It just depends.  I also think part of the problem is that knitting has become the new "hip" thing to do.  So now a lot of people go to buy yarn who don't even know how to knit, just because it's cool (my stepmother actually does this).  So I would imagine the LYS employees get pretty sick of that, especially if you live in a touristy area.

As for sale bins, my LYS has a great discount bin!  I always find amazing stuff there.  Don't be afraid to ask them where their sale items are.  They should understand that some of us are poor students who can't afford buying ridiculously nice yarn and/or needles.

[BlooCanoe]

Yarnsniffer... that is hilarious! I hope you said very clearly and slowly to her, "I don't need to be experienced to help you. You have 2 problems: your tension is off, and you are a twit." 

I guess the thing to keep in mind too is that you don't have to go to a LYS to get attitude: unfortunately, you can get it anywhere. There are people in clothing stores who look askance if you're over a size 10 and have the audacity to ask for something in your size. Or if you go into an sports store looking for something, and you're clearly not an olympic-level triathlete, good luck not getting patronized. However, that's a whole other discussion.  I guess my point is that snootyness isn't limited to yarn stores.

[PinkyK]

There is a line from and episode of the British comedy Absolutely Fabulous that fits this:

"You can drop the attitude you're just a girl in a shop you know...."

[have2craft]

There is a line from and episode of the British comedy Absolutely Fabulous that fits this:

"You can drop the attitude you're just a girl in a shop you know...."

  I love that!  I'll have to remember that for future reference.

[Jejune]

Also, I work at a yarn store, and have had customers judge me based on my age as well.  Once a lady came in, walked up to me (I was standing behind the counter), and said, very slowly, "I have a question that you probably can't help me with.  I need to talk to an experienced knitter."

That happened to me when I worked in an upscale toy store.  A woman wanted to use a product in a way that it wasn't intended to be used.  I tried to help her, I looked at all the package inserts, I got a second package out and looked at that, but she wasn't using it the way it was intended to be used, and there were no instructions on how to do that.  I politely told her that I could not figure out a way to do what she wanted and wished her luck.  She complained to my boss that I didn't know what to do because I "didn't have kids".  My boss explained that she had kids and also would not have known what to do (and did not point out that the woman herself had a child and didn't know what to do).  People can be truly bizarre about age related stuff.  I haven't had a lot of age-related assumptions about knitting, though, except from people hopelessly out of the loop who say, "You're all ready to be a grandma!"  Righto.  I'll let my seven year old know right away - I'm sure he's eager to catapult into parenthood since I know how to knit.   

[crnaofca]

Yes, it does, but unfortunately, the English version doesn't work yet. The German website can be found here:

www.wolle-lueschen.de

thanks, i just wanted to check what kind of yarn do german yarn shops have, i'm planning a little trip ro germany, so it's good to know:)

[emilymildew]

Okay, here I go being all crazy, but go with me here.

Instead of being silent when you get teased, or when people judge you based on your looks, why not speak up? I don't mean to be rude to people who are rude to you (because what does that accomplish? they don't think they're being rude or else they wouldn't say what they're saying, and so they aren't going to think you're doing it BACK.)

It takes guts, though. I vote for going the Miss Manners route.

Like, for example, someone says "Oh, you aren't ready to knit (some project that's hard)." You respond, "My goodness. I could have sworn that you were just asking me how you could help me spend my money here at your store. I must have heard you wrong. Now, where do you have (type of yarn)?"

Like, pretend that they couldn't POSSIBLY have been so rude.

I don't know. I see the point in not shopping someplace, but if you're going to boycott a LYS because of their staff, TELL THE OWNER. If you are young and you got age discrimination, WRITE A LETTER. Explain it plainly and without being mean.

"Dear So and so,

I recently came to your yarn store to find help with yarn I needed for a project I wanted to try. Your clerk was not helpful with the questions that I asked and in fact suggested that maybe I should not be trying such a difficult project.

I regret to inform you that I won't be patronizing your store in the future. I can buy yarn wherever I'd like in this day and age, and I look for personalized service in small yarn stores.

Regretfully,
Customer"

You know? Kill 'em with politeness.

[elijor]

I'm with emilymildew - tell someone or write a letter if you recieve bad service. Possibly the owner doesn't know and will be equally appaled. If the person helping you is the owner all the more reason for him/her to get a letter. They might not change the bad behavior but at least you gave them the opportunity. You'd probably be surprised how many of those bad clerks don't even realize how bad they sound/act.

Unfortunately poor customer service skills are a growing problem everywhere. Speak up and try to bring about change or learn to live with it.

[erincatherine]

elijor and emilymildew -- THANK YOU!  there was another topic started exactly like this one only last week and it really frusturated me.

 Whenever I complain about something/someone my mom always says to me: "be the change you wish to see in the world."  She used to say it to me all the time when I had a particularly horrid job waitressing at a high end restaurant while my boyfriend was in grad school.  Post college graduation I have had many service-industry related jobs where I was treated like I either had no education or motivation by the customer (when I have both).  It goes both ways. 

I recently moved to a new city and my first experience here with a LYS wasn't great.  On a whim, I sent them an email soon after about a obscure booklet I was looking for, and they emailed me right away, put it on hold for me even though I hadn't comitted to purchasing it and were totally on top of things when I went to pick it up days later.  All it took was a second chance. 

There was a thread posted about great yarn stores, which has a completely different -- and wonderful -- tone.  Instead of directing all of this negative energy towards knitting (which for all of us should be a fun part of our lives) either make a positive change or find a yarn store you do love. 

[rachelo]

However, if you're having a problem with the owner of the LYS on different occasions to the shop, I'm not sure writing a letter to her is going to help her change how she runs her store.