Questions in stores aspergers?

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So I am wondering have any fellow aspies had this happen where they go to a store like say a martial arts/ military store or a store that sells stuff that your interested in "special interest" stuff. You ask alot of questions but buy stuff just about every time you come in. How do the store owners handle that? What are your experiences?

Basically today I was in a army surplus store and I bought some pepper spray but I asked like how effective it is and the strength and such. Also would they recommend it. So I bought a 9 dollar can of it, the lady working the register I think was getting tired of my questions cause another dude who was buying some stuff she apologized for me when I was in the corner looking at some clothes.

I try not to ask really off the wall questions or take up to much of there time but I am also spending money at there store cause they seem to know there stuff.

Anywho whats your experiences in situations like this?

Do you know what the lady said?

If she just said, "Sorry to keep you waiting," she was just being polite to the other customer by acknowledging that he had to wait a little longer than usual.

If she said, "Sorry he was asking so many questions," and in some way laying blame on you, that is just plain rude. No store worker should ever comment about customers to other customers. Answering questions is part of her job. If she was annoyed, that's her problem and she needs to keep it to herself.

Most small store owners are happy to answer questions, especially for people who regularly make purchases. I think they would get annoyed if you *didn't* buy stuff, but just asked for information all the time (once in a while is OK.) Educated customers are better customers, and will probably become repeat customers. Store owners know this. However, regular workers might not. They are not as invested in the survival of the business as the store owners, so they may be more annoyed with the questions.

For the last 20 years, I have noticed the same kind of customer "service" worker who is really just some cash-register jockey and, when asked about a product, shrugs and mumbles "eye-duh-no...."

[Sigh] ...thanks?

So, I amn't surprised that your customer-service worker acted as she did. These days, I research a store's web site (if they even have one; most just have the "we exist!" kind of web sites), and also research the products in which I am interested. My local Army-Navy surplus store is pretty good about its web site. After my research, I takes my notes with me and usually have no other questions except size, color and quality which can only be determined in person.

In other words, be smarter than the average service worker. Hehe

nerdygirl The lady could of said something like that but it kind felt directed at me cause when I ask her a question she is kinda short one word answers and such. I kinda get the felling she doesnt like me or something.

Aspieutah lol theres a store like that they sell "fantasy" swords and such. wouldnt buy any martial arts equipment from them ever. I once asked if they had a guan dao the guy there looked at me and said I don't think so cause I have no idea what that is.For those that don't know a guan dao is a Chinese kung fu weapon.

I've never had a store that specialized in my special interest, so that has never happened.

But there was a snake exhibition once in a museum, and they sold some reptile related items, including some turtle stuff. Turtles are my special interest. I had a hard time choosing, so I stood there going through the box of turtle items. I only had so much money so it was hard to pick. The ******* behind the counter told me leave if I couldn't make up my mind. I was a paying customer. I exploded. I've had to wait lots of times in different places because the snail in front of me couldn't make up their mind, or had to pay in nothing but coins, or was too dim to understand what the post office employee said.

Maybe they shouldn't, but they do.


Yeah, service isn't something that exists here either. More often than not you can ask where something is and all you get is very general "over there". The post offices are almost gone, replaced with a system they call post in shop, which means the same dim-witted teen cashiers that sell your grocery store items, are "responsible" for services that used to be taken care of by the post office. They have little training and are very ignorant; you'd think they never even been to a post office! And of course sometimes the same impressive teens are so busy yapping with each other that they don't have the time to come to the check out counter.
Gas stations used to be places where you could get help with your car from people who knew a little about cars. Nowadays gas stations are places where they hire teens who know how to sell hot-dogs. They don't know squat about cars or the car products they sell. Some things were better some decades ago.
Service is a thing of the past, yet we are supposedly lacking the social skills for those jobs!! !? Yeah right!!

My read on the situation based on your post, seems like the lady working the register doesn't care about or know anything about the products. She was probably annoyed you were asking questions she could not answer, so tried to get some sympathy from the other customer by apologizing for you.

I'd just shrug it off and keep shopping there, but don't bother to ask her anything in the future because she is obviously unknowing.

My favourite shop is HMV, which is a shop that sells CDs and DVDs. I love going in there, although I wouldn't consider it as a special interest of mine. It's just a shop I love going into and seeing what DVDs I can pick up. I usually go for horror movies, but also I like to look at the children's and preschool section too. There's nothing wrong in that.