Department Stores: I'm Not Their Target Market

I was at The Bay on Saturday afternoon, buying a gift for somebody in the cosmetics/fragrance department, which wasn't busy since the weather was good. The ladies at the counters were on me like flies on... poop. I went in there to buy something fairly specific, but found myself in a sea of items that matched what I was intending to buy.

Clarins, Shiseido, Clinique, Elizabeth Arden, Estee Lauder, Lancome, MAC, Helen Rubinstein, Guerlain... the array of brands was dizzying, and I was pretty unfamiliar with most of them, only knowing their names but not the products.

Finally, I made a decision on two gift sets. The cashier rang up the sale and asked if I had a Bay card or rewards like HSBC HBC. I said no. She looked at me expectantly.

"Would you like to get an HSBC HBC card?" she asked.
"No thanks," I replied. "I don't shop at department stores."

She stopped, then looked at me like I'd just said I had a toad for breakfast.

"I go to department stores maybe once or twice a year," I offered. I don't know why I felt the need to say that, since what did it matter? I didn't want a card. Years ago, I procured an Eaton's card on the spot so I could get a discount at the till. That was the only thing I bought with the card, paid the bill, and never used it since... For anyone familiar with the demise of Eaton's in Vancouver, that is indeed a long time ago.

"Once or twice year?" she repeated. Her movements after those words indicated to me that she had no idea where on earth (or, at least, in Vancouver) one would shop if not at The Bay. In fact, I think it stymied her, since she said nothing after that. I felt she was either waiting for me to offer an explanation for what I do with my money, or say that I'm unemployed and have a filthy shopping habit courtesy of my Aerogold VISA.

Inexplicably, I took the bait: "I spend my money on travel..." She glanced at my clothes, with either a look of oh yes, that's obvious or where do you shop, then?

"I just returned from a trip..." I began. From that point, I think I brought her around by telling her how cheap clothes and shoes were in Spain, and how good the selection is in Europe. It's obvious I'm no fashion maven. I was also tempted to round things off by telling her how I'm an advocate of clothes recycling -- second-hand shops, consignment, Salvation Army, etc. -- but I left it at that. I was more perturbed by the fact that there are people in this world who feel that they should only buy new, trendy clothing from the likes of department stores. Department stores are generally money-sinks, if you ask me...