Sexism at the LBS

[brigada]

I wasn't sure where else to post this, but I had to endure the dumbest stereotype-fuelled conversation at the LBS when trying out a new helmet yesterday.

So, I was checking out several helmets for fit when the LBS guy approached me to tell me where the mirror is "so i can check how it looks on me". I said it's okay because I'm far more interested in how it fits. He actually retorted by saying "Nah, you're a girl, it's important to look good! How can you tell if you look good if you won't check it out?". At this point, I just said that I'm not riding to show off on the trails, but it was still not enough for him! Once more he tried to insist that girls only care about the looks, and not the fit before he finally realised I did not need his "assistance".

I did not expect such an infuriating encounter at the LBS. I did manage to find a helmet, but I was quite angry when i left. Easy for me as I can hold my own and don't really need his help, but this is a popular LBS and this is how he "assists" female customers?

I find it hard to believe that the guy had any interaction with girls that exist outside of romantic comedies prior to this point. On a brighter note, I bet he's still wondering what the hell happened there :D

[Catrin]

I would consider saying something to his boss. Not only was that offensive, but it could certainly drive business away from the store.

[vhj]

Try contacting the owner and let him know your complaint. As a small business owner I would love to have customers come to me with this. This kind of sales technique is not in anyone's best interest and certainly not how I would want to have my name and store represented. Correcting this situation would be a kindness both the store owner and the sales clerk.
When in doubt kill them with kindness.
If that doesn't work, in the south we can fall back on the old saying: "Well, bless his heart!"

[Fredwina]

+1. My thought when I read this was that would have found somewhere else to buy the helmet rather than giving them my money.

[Irulan]

Was the floor guy a "kid"? I'd cut him a little slack but still might have a chat with the manager about inappropriateness. Sometimes the young guys just have to learn what is appropriate or not.

[brigada]

I wish, but he was 30 at least. I would have bought the helmet elsewhere, but this was the only decent one in my budget range out of several LBS offerings. I'm still considering e-mailing the management, but I'm not sure they'd care. Such attitude towards female riders isn't that rare here, I'm afraid. No wonder the population of serious female riders is near extinct :(

[nuliajuk]

Wow, I encountered this sort of attitude back in the late 70s-early 80s, but I'm surprised to see it still going on in 2013. Definitely contact the shop owner. Tell him/her that this attitude is turning away a potential of 50% of the population from the shop. Money talks.

[Skippyak]

IME the people who work retail don't tend to be in it for the intellectual component. The thing here is to tell the clerk that you don't want or need help to choose your helmet? The trouble with working retail as an actual life job is that this poor guy is working retail as a life job. He probably can't afford to look at the helmets himself because at my LBS helmets seem to be $100 range.

[Irulan]

Instead of emailing, why not pick up the phone and call? Find out when the manager is in and go in, in person, and talk to them I find that if you have a polite conversation (instead of being a faceless email) with a real person - if they care about thier business - they will listen. They may not change anything, but it's more effective than sending an email that may or may not get read out into the ether.

I had a similar experience not too long ago at a shop that I frequent. I was looking for flat shoes like a 5-10 and flat pedals. The just under 30- young man was pretty insistent on "why do you want to get rid of your clips". I've probably been biking since he was in kindergarten. I took the manager aside and told them that I thought it was inappropriate for this young man to say this... especially when I am a known mtb rider in the area. Being one on one with the manager (and later, the owner) made me feel listened to, and hopefully they did something about it. Way better than faceless input, I'm sure.

[nuliajuk]

Is it possible that this guy was making a clueless and clumsy attempt to flirt with you? This thread brings back memories of similarly clueless men when I was young and single. Some men just didn't get it that women's humour is different than mens and we generally don't do the sort of banter that they do between themselves. They'll make insulting remarks in what they think is a joking manner and are puzzled when we don't find it appealing or funny.

[lph]

It sounded kind of like it to me. More dumb than appealing, but still just dumb. Maybe it usually works.

I once overheard a bike shop guy selling an orange jacket to a woman because it matched the colour of the flecks of her eyes. It worked. She went out the door with a happy smile on her face and a very expensive jacket in her hand.

Recently I was looking for (yet another) wool shirt, and was scanning the shelves for a colour I liked, when a shop guy came over and said in a jokey and conspiratorial tone "to be honest, the colour doesn't matter. Wool isn't sexy! Wool is just wool!" He was Italian and maybe playing up the stereotype, but still... I smiled and told him that I wasn't buying a wool shirt because I NEEDED one. I have eight. I was buying one because I wanted a new colour, and it was in his own best interests that I find one I liked.

[Koronin]

I would have been POed enough to have left without buying something at that point and told them loudly exactly why I wasn't buying anything. I might have returned at another time when that idiot wasn't working. One reason I like going to Preformance when we're in Raleigh. They are really good about asking if you need help and otherwise not bothering you. Also like my one LBS because the brothers that own it are also very good at not bothering you unless you ask for help. They make sure you know they around and can help if needed. Of course those of us who are in a lot they won't even ask us if we need help they let us ask them if there is something we are looking for and don't see, such as wide shoes for my husband (which in general do not seem to exist for cycling shoes). Although they were able to help him find a pair that actually fit ok for a wide foot that aren't specified as wide. (He is flat footed). They also carry insoles specifically for different arches for shoes in general.

[Jolt]

I'm thinking this was likely a (lame) attempt at humor rather than him seriously thinking that all "girls" care about is how the helmet looks and not how it fits. Still, probably wouldn't hurt to mention it to management if this sort of thing is a regular occurrence...not good for business and not good for encouraging more women to ride!

[TigerMom]

I wasn't sure where else to post this, but I had to endure the dumbest stereotype-fuelled conversation at the LBS when trying out a new helmet yesterday.

So, I was checking out several helmets for fit when the LBS guy approached me to tell me where the mirror is "so i can check how it looks on me". I said it's okay because I'm far more interested in how it fits. He actually retorted by saying "Nah, you're a girl, it's important to look good! How can you tell if you look good if you won't check it out?". At this point, I just said that I'm not riding to show off on the trails, but it was still not enough for him! Once more he tried to insist that girls only care about the looks, and not the fit before he finally realised I did not need his "assistance".

I did not expect such an infuriating encounter at the LBS. I did manage to find a helmet, but I was quite angry when i left. Easy for me as I can hold my own and don't really need his help, but this is a popular LBS and this is how he "assists" female customers?

I find it hard to believe that the guy had any interaction with girls that exist outside of romantic comedies prior to this point. On a brighter note, I bet he's still wondering what the hell happened there :D

For myself, I definitely care more about comfort than looks.

However, I cannot completely blame this salesperson's attitude...because the truth of the matter is that a lot of women care more about looks than comfort. Look at how many women wear painful super-high heels. I would have just been straight up with the guy and told him that "I don't care a lot about looks, but I do care a lot about how the helmets fit on me and how comfortable it is".

[ny biker]

For myself, I definitely care more about comfort than looks.

However, I cannot completely blame this salesperson's attitude...because the truth of the matter is that a lot of women care more about looks than comfort. Look at how many women wear painful super-high heels. I would have just been straight up with the guy and told him that "I don't care a lot about looks, but I do care a lot about how the helmets fit on me and how comfortable it is".

You do have a point here. I remember when I lived in NYC, I was amazed at the number of women who wore pumps in the snow.

Still, the sales person was out of line.

[lph]

Ok, I'll admit it.

When asked for advice on climbing helmets I would always say "get the one that makes you look really awesome. They're equally safe. But when you pull out the photos to brag you're going to be wearing it in every single shot, and you don't want to look dorky."

But I did say that to both men and women :D

[ridebikeme]

I would definitely VOICE your opinion to the shop owner,and like some others, wonder if this was an attempt at flirting as well. Now,that doesn't mean that I condone those actions regardless of how they were intended. But I will say this, we have the upper hand in how we deal with situations like these, and that is to voice your opinion and SPEND your money ELSEWHERE. From a shop owners perspective, the thing that truly gets through is the bottom line... and perhaps the cash register ringing a few less times will have a much larger impact!!

[ny biker]

Ok, I'll admit it.

When asked for advice on climbing helmets I would always say "get the one that makes you look really awesome. They're equally safe. But when you pull out the photos to brag you're going to be wearing it in every single shot, and you don't want to look dorky."

But I did say that to both men and women :D

I expect to look dorky in pretty much any helmet I wear.

However I do take them into the fitting room when I try them on so I can use the mirror. It's one way to know if the helmet fits well.

[Irulan]

I don't really get the vehement "take your money else where" replies. Sure the guy was out of line, but the way I see it is to go up a level (manager, owner)see how you are treated, and then decide to take your money elsewhere, or not. I get voting with the wallet, but if small business owners do not know why you are taking your money elsewhere, it kind of misses the point. If a store in consistently offensive in the treatment of customers- sure take your business elsewhere. I'm all for cutting a little slack until you find out if this is business as usual, a new guy who didn't know any better, one certain employee to avoid or.... whatever. I own a small business. I would much rather know if something is isn't right and if it's correctable, than to have customers just go away and bad mouth me.

I.