Experience in a Thrift Store

[Lynn]

Hello

I find many of my crystals and crystal jewelry in a local thrift store. I was looking in the display case the other night and waiting my turn. It seems now you have to pay direct for what you want in the case due to theft. So I was waiting to see some items that this other person wanted to put on hold. They were told that is not done....pay and then continue to shop. So he was like "I hope they are still there when I come back" looking right at me......

Then he hovered around when my turn came to look at items. I respected that one he really wanted stayed there (as I too wanted it) . He then takes a look at a pendulum I wanted, telling me not to waste my money on it, as its "plastic" not real. It was $40 so its so not plastic, and its on a silver chain. I know my stones, its a Jasper a rare one. So worth the money I paid and more.

He then goes I hope you dont want what I want from there....almost threatening me. My husband was sitting on a chair we wanted behind me just fuming but letting me deal with the dude. I told him that I knew my stuff and that was that. Then LOL I took the other crystal that he looked at and said it was "too expensive" and it so was not......he did not know his stuff.

He was so negative and aggressive, so I feel that the pendulum turned off all energy to him when he asked to hold it. It so did not like him when I asked it that. It was quite amazing really how dead it went.

The clerk apologized for him rudeness and said thank you for me being patient and polite with him. I was like its OK 20 years in retail you "see it all" and she agreed that I do know my stuff. I buy a lot there.

Has anyone else ever been in a shop where there is another hovering over you looking at what you want.....like a competition is on ???? I feel he did not right off see what I did and wanted it for himself.

Lynn

[SaturninePluto]

Hi.

I have not been shopping for crystals in quite a while. I currently can not afford it, and it is incredibly hard for me to find crystals around the area I am in in Maine. It would be probably be much better to travel to Northern Maine for me.

Currently I am shopping where I can afford supplies, I really wanted to respond to your point about fellow shoppers, and your experience with the level of aggression and rudeness you were shown.

I have never been shown that level of aggression when looking at things, I have been shown it in other ways when shopping. I walk into a store at times, and all I have to do is walk in and will be met by the good old evil eye- dirty negative, mean looks. I am more prone to be shown that type of aggression.

I am a very shy, un-confrontational person for the most part. I do not know I would have handled it as well as you did. The moment the guy would have said I want this and that while I would be looking, I would probably feel an incredible amount of resentment, look a bit and I would end up just walking off to another section of the store. I usually concede and let others have what ever the heck it is they want so badly as to belittle another like that.

No item is more important to me, than the ability to shop in peace and quiet. I am not always able to concentrate at the store, and to have someone agitate the hell out of me while I am looking at something, I am more the type to turn and look them dead on like "What the hell is wrong with you"? with obvious irritation, not say anything to them, and simply walk off and look elsewhere.

If it is something specific like a certain crystal or pendulum... I really love online shopping.
No hassle. Can see how many in stock. Isn't anybody next to me irritating me over how they really like it. No store clerk with the inquisitive look and the roll eye to deal with. Ah yes peace and quiet.

I am sorry about the experience you had Lynn. And very glad you didn't take the guys belligerent junk like I would have.

It is great you stood up for yourself.

Blessings.

[Crystal canuck]

Every day I see things that never cease to surprise me, in the case of rudeness that is. It's not just the younger generation either. I think it has to do with the internet and social media and all that stuff. People feel like they can comment on anything, even things like peoples looks and baldness etc...

I see it every day, people almost getting in fights over a line up for a coffee, or I've even seen people threaten bodily harm if someone won't give them a cigarette.

Sometimes I understand where Hermits and social outcasts are coming from ! I like that you stand up for yourself, but personally I am learning it's better to ignore, because I have almost gotten beat up/fighting over standing up for myself. People are much more willing to fight a 40 year old male, if I was older, or a woman I could probably get away with more.

That reminds me of another thing, when I wear a suit and tie, I get way more threats and hassle than if I wore ripped jeans and a leather jacket. People seem to think if I am dressed nicely they can approach me with threats and demands, maybe they think a well dressed man won't fight back, I'm not sure. I am talking about homeless people/crackheads/riff raff.

interesting thread

[Lynn]

Hello

In the same thrift store last night having a gaze in the case. All the items there are donated so they sort and price things and some land in the case.

Last night I got a nice piece of Green Ocean Jasper in the raw form wrapped in silver banding. The young girl at the cash said that "we me and my husband ) always find the coolest things there. Her manager was there and she asked how I new what it was and so much about it. To her it was nice bling bling as she put it.

I know my crystals well and I know that if they come to me they stay with me. I like how other's hover around at times that know us going in there to "see" what we are looking at. When all they have to do is "ask" me to explain things to them.

Never discount the thrift stores you never know what you might find in them.....I found a very rare Star Trek Plate for $7.99 that is worth well over $500 US.

Lynn

[moonincancer]

Dear Lynn
Sorry to hear about your experience with the rude person. I have come across people who want the things we want sometimes but it is usually a funny situation and both can see the humour. Its never happened in a crystal store but I have had people ask me about them when I was holding something and I have shared. Yes I agree that crystals that are meant for us come to us so there is really no point competing with anyone:)
Enjoy the jasper!