Eddie Bauer

It having snowed last night, and I being in Vancouver without boots, and Eddie Bauer simultaneously having sent me an email about a sale including boots, I made my way to my nearest Eddie Bauer's--1150 Robson. A young woman approached as I entered. I mentioned boots. She waved me to the back of the store. I moved to the back (as others have mentioned, the store is small, so it wasn't far) expecting to find another salesclerk there, but although I thought I heard someone in the storeroom, no help appeared. The only customer in the shop, I pondered the exhibits for quite awhile without any offers of help. There were no prices on several of the items, no European sizes were visible, and though I searched the merchandise quite a little while, no salesclerk appeared. Eventually, I found the original Merchandise Tweaker at the cash desk and asked to see two boots in what I thought was my Canadian size. She disappeared and did actually return with the boots, set them on the floor, opened the boxes, set out a couple of boots. I looked at the European sizes and said I thought that probably I would need a larger size but would try these. The woman disappeared. I tried the boots and waited for her to reappear, but nope. I walked around the small shop, trying the boots, expecting some offer of help--again, nope. After about another five minutes I went in search of her. She was sorting some clothing on a rack and stood there gazing at me and refusing to approach. I said, "Can't you help with boots?" thinking that she was shirts-only or something, but she said that she was filling a rack and had to finish; it wouldn't be long. At this point I got actively irritated and said that of course I understood that filling racks took priority over serving customers, and went back to take off the boots. Someone inside the storeroom called to her and very soon she re-appeared, telling me she was all mine now or something. She said she had been giving me time to think about the boots. Still no other customer had appeared, and I can certainly see why.

I don't blame this salesclerk, it is more likely a problem with the training (if there is any) and certainly with whoever was managing that day. The feeling I got was that this wasn't really a sales location--maybe they just expect you to go in to look at the merchandise and then buy it online? Or maybe they've got so used to not having customers they resent those that do appear?

The bright side is that I didn't buy the boots I was going to buy and instead wandered up the street and found lovely Little Burgundy (1035 Robson) who had a much wider selection of waterproof boots on sale, several very pleasant and helpful salesclerks; and for the same price as what I was contemplating at EB's, I got boots I really like, ticking all the boxes, instead of just something that would do.