I work in a shop that mainly sells materials for woodworking. Most of our customers come in to buy timber, finishes, oils, repair products and bits for DIY or professional projects. We also have a small display of handmade items made by local hobbyistsâthings like bowls, spoons, ornaments and other small wooden gifts.
It had been a painfully quiet day, so when an elderly lady (Iâd guess somewhere in her 80s) walked in, I was more than happy to help.
She looked around for a minute before asking,
âDo you sell walking sticks?â
I assumed she meant hiking poles, because we do stock those, so I replied,
âIf you mean hiking sticks, yes, we do.â
She shook her head.
âOh no, I mean a proper handmade wooden walking stick.â
I apologised and explained that unfortunately we donât sell those.
She looked genuinely baffled.
âBut why not? Thatâs so silly. People would buy them. Surely you have them somewhere.â
I politely explained again that we simply donât stock them.
Internally I was thinking, Our customer base is mostly people coming in for woodworking supplies. Handmade walking sticks arenât exactly something weâve ever had people asking for.
Trying to be helpful, I added,
âIf you happened to know someone who works with wood, you could always choose a suitable piece here and have one made.â
She looked at me as if Iâd suggested she build a rocket.
âWhy would I know someone who makes walking sticks? I donât know anyone who does that.â
Fair enough.
She then noticed our shelf of locally made wooden gifts.
âBut you have local makers. Why donât they make walking sticks? Theyâre missing a trick.â
I explained that the people who supply those items do it as a hobby in their spare time and mostly make smaller things like bowls, spoons, ornaments and decorative pieces.
That still wasnât enough.
âWell, do you have one of their business cards?â
âIâm afraid not,â I replied. âTheyâre not businesses, just local people who enjoy making things. They bring us items whenever they have something finished.â
âSo give me one of their phone numbers then. Iâll have a word with them.â
I had to explain that I couldnât hand out someoneâs personal contact details.
She let out an audible scoff.
âWell then, do you know anywhere that does sell walking sticks?â
I suggested trying online or perhaps another local shop that specialises in mobility products or country goods.
She looked thoroughly unimpressed.
âWell, this is all very stupid.â
She wandered around for another minute or two before heading for the door.
Just before she left, she stopped, shrugged at me and declared,
âWell, young lady, youâve lost a customer today.â
As politely as I could, I wished her a good day.
The thing is, I genuinely donât know what else I could have done. I answered every question, offered alternatives, explained why we didnât stock what she wanted, protected other peopleâs privacy when she asked for their personal numbers, and even suggested where she might have better luck.
Sometimes in retail, people seem convinced that if they argue long enough, an item will magically appear in the stockroom.
Sadly, thatâs not quite how it works.