03 September 2008

Shoe shopping / Remember when you could buy something at a department store?

I need a pair of shoes. Some form of pump, black, stylish. Not too hard, right?

Macy's is having a Labor Day sale. We stop in. The shoe department looks like this:


Still, a sale is a sale. I select four shoes as possibilities and try to locate a salesperson. There is one at the cash register with an endless line with which to deal. I occasionally spot another fellow doing this sort of thing:


from the back room.

Hubby: Looks like there are a lot of people waiting. Maybe if you sit down...?

I clear the considerable collection of shoe filler paper balls, used peds (ew), and other shoe-related debris from a chair and sit. I think fondly of my childhood years when you could go into any department store and find it neat, organized, clean, pleasant. Meanwhile...

Leaves fall. Snow falls. Little birds hatch. Nothing happens at Macy's.

Hubby: Maybe sitting isn't the way to go...?

I stand up and spot the prairie dog fellow and he inadvertently makes eye contact! Ha! Got him! He gives me the universal signal that he will be with me in one minute. I nod, smile.

We go gray. We develop cataracts. We consider hip replacement surgery. Nothing happens at Macy's.

I find prairie dog fellow and he sees me and gives me the same signal again.

Cities rise and fall. Oceans cover the earth. Nothing happens at Macy's.

I drop the shoes with the rest of the mess and we leave. Five minutes later we are in DSW. I buy a pair of shoes. Of course, at this point, I'm stuck wearing orthopedic support shoes but I got a really sweet pair that offsets my walker.

12 comments:

Narm said...

Are you going to get a pair of those oversized black sunglasses to put over your normal glasses?

I really think it would complete the outfit.

GreenCanary said...

That first photo killed me. Killed me dead! *laughing*

SingLikeSassy said...

One word: Zappos

Colleen said...

Shoe shopping is the bane of my existence. And the sad thing is I love shoes, but I end up getting mad and just leaving so I nevr buy any.

Reya Mellicker said...

Service is a thing of the past. I had a sad/funny experience trying to ask about cameras in a camera store recently.

It's every woman for herself here in the 21st century. Dog eat dog.

lacochran said...

Narm: Aren't they the best?! But my beaded glasses chain gets tangled up in them.

GreenCanary: :)

SingLikeSassy: Internet shoe shopping? For reals? Not for me--I gotta touch everything. Awkward but true.

C.Watson: To paraphrase Jack from Will & Grace... "Our ride is here. It looks like a huff. Let's leave in it."

Reya: Dogs are more polite.

Herb said...

Many, many years ago I supplemented my income by selling women’s shoes in a department store that is now part of the Macys empire. We worked on commission and I am quite sure they still work on commission otherwise they would have trouble finding people wiling to scale the high shelves in the back room where the shoes are kept.

During a sale your opportunities to make lots of money were only limited by your stamina and shoppers wanting to look at several similar pairs of moderately priced shoes.

Here’s the secret: stand there dangling a pair of the most expensive shoes in the department and you will quickly snag a salesperson. When the salesperson brings out your high priced Trojan shoes that is when you present him with the other shoes you are really thinking of buying.

I really should charge for this tip!

lacochran said...

Herb of DC: That is GREAT information. If I ever go into a Macy's again I'll remember that.

Anonymous said...

Macy's shoe sales are a particular version of hell that I refuse to endure. DSW - same shoes, less money; smart move.

lacochran said...

RestaurantRefugee: Thanks.

Anonymous said...

You could try online shopping at Macys to save time & money as well through online coupons.

lacochran said...

Eleni: I'm good with shoes now. Thanks for the tip, though.