Dealing with the uninformed

[billfremore]

Tonight I went into a Wal-mart looking for Star Wars stuff and found the usual pegwarmers.
As I was leaving, an employee actually asked me if I was looking for anything specific.

I was shocked!

A Wal-mart employee actually showing concern about my shopping happiness?

So I figured what the hell and asked him when they were expecting new Star Wars stuff.

He smiled and replied thusly: "I'm not sure when but I know last time we got a bunch of stuff before the movie came out and I'm sure that's what happening again this time"

I bit my tongue. I thanked him politely for his help and left.

Oh, how I wanted to say to him, I know it's coming, I've known that for months, would you like me to tell you the date it would be in the stores? But I knew it would be pointless.

Maybe it's just me but I find it kinda funny when people not so informed about Star Wars try to tell me inside information.

I just love it when yesterday a woman at work said to me "Did you know there's a new Star Wars movie coming out this summer?", I replied "Really" in a slightly sarcastic tone and then proceded to point to my whiteboard over my desk which in the upper right hand corner says "56 remaining until Star Wars: Episode 2".

I appreciate that people are trying to share information that they think might interest me and I try to humour them most of the time, but sometimes it's hard for me to surpress my natural sarcasm.

"Oh there's a new Star Wars movie coming? I had no idea"

This may sound elitist of me but hey, what are you gonna do?

Anybody else feel this way?

[2-1B]

Here's one I have heard more than once:

"Star Wars? I used to have every one of those little figurines!", sometimes adding, "They're worth a lot of money now."

I don't discount the fact that many old figures are pricey on the aftermarket, but if someone had them as a kid and actually PLAYED with them, their condition is gonna be just that, played with The ones selling for huge scratch are usually the last POTF and carded figures on great condition cards.

Plus, I doubt most kids had "all" of them. No one I knew as a kid did, I'm sure some did but that must be a mistaken exaggeration by the people I've heard that from.

It's fun though, I think it's cool that coworkers, family members, and friends show a genuine interest in my passion for SW

[SithDroid]

I agree. It is almost like the people working there think that collectors don't know all the inside info. I notice this the most when I go to buy DVD's. I worked at Suncoast Video for 4 years and it always iritates me when I go to buy a DVD somewhere and the employees don't know what I'm talking about. Hello, that is your job morons. I never liked anime (except for Transformers) and I always kept up with the new Dragonball Z info for all the customers who would come in and ask about it. Just because if you are going to work somewhere, you should know as much about your product in order to help the customers.

Yesterday I went into Circuit City to buy the HBO series OZ boxed set for DVD. It was released yesterday, so the employees in the DVD section should have known this. I couldn't find any, I assumed they sold out, and an employee saw that I was looking for something and asked if he could help. I asked him if they had any of the Oz box sets left. He looked at me for a second like "What are you talking about?" Then I had to elaborate, "The HBO series OZ boxed set that came out today." Then I guess a little lightbulb went off in his head and he said ,"Oh, yeah, I think we're out." Think! You don't know. Moron. Anyway I don't shop at Circuit City normally anyway because they have high prices, but they did have the OZ box set on sale for $39.99 which was $10 less than Best Buy and anywhere else in town. Hey, to save $10 bucks I'll go there.

I know exactly what you are talking about with the whole, "Did you know there is another movie coming out this year?" comment. Like any SW fan DOESN'T know that.

[billfremore]

I guess my point was that it's kinda annoying when people don't have any clue how big a Star Wars fan you are and try to amaze you with their "inside" information.

Man, do I sound elitist!

[SithDroid]

Originally posted by Caesar
Here's one I have heard more than once:

"Star Wars? I used to have every one of those little figurines!", sometimes adding, "They're worth a lot of money now."

Plus, I doubt most kids had "all" of them. No one I knew as a kid did, I'm sure some did but that must be a mistaken exaggeration by the people I've heard that from.

It's fun though, I think it's cool that coworkers, family members, and friends show a genuine interest in my passion for SW

I've heard that one a million times also. Usually it is also followed by, "My mom sold all of them in a garage sale. I wish I had them still."

No one had all of them. I was pretty darn close. I think I'm missing about 10-15 the last time I checked.

I usually don't tell people at work that I like SW unless I know they are into it too. My family seems to be cool with it and my friends as well. I think that there are a lot of people out there that are "closet" SW fans and don't want people to know, so you never know who is a fan or not.

[Wolfwood319]

I very rarely ask questions in that type of situation because usually if I don't know the answer, I know they won't know.

Every once in a great while, I'll tell somebody I collect star wars, or something, and they'll give me the 'ol "I used to get those when I was a kid," but I usually just leave it alone. I humor them for a bit until the discussion ends.

I know most people aren't serious Star Wars collectors and don't know hardly anything about them nowadays, but I don't hold it against them. Most people aren't SW fans, and I know that. I don't let it affect my view of them.

[TeeEye7]

SithDroid is my hero!

And I mean that in all sincerity!

Imagine! Someone who cares about their job and is ACTUALLY concerned with customer service! If human cloning ever becomes legalized, my vote is to borrow some DNA from SithDroid and require the business world to use it!

Customer service hardly exists any more. I'm impressed to see such a cool attitude, SithDroid

There's nothing worse than going to some store where some mouth-breathing lop doesn't know the first thing about what he's paid for, or know anything about the products they carry. It's sad when you know more than they.

Lack of customer service has killed KMart. Others aren't far behind IMO. SithDroid could become an over night millionaire holding seminars and being a motivational speaker for employees for the likes of Target, Wal-Mart, etc.

SithDroid=

[LTBasker]

I've dealt with too many of these people... and the funniest part was that I was about 13-14 while these were adults...

Actually, technically back then it would've been impossible for any regular toy buyer to have had ALL the vintage figures mainly because of the Vlix, Yakface and Blue Snaggletooth situation.

Not long ago someone I used to talk to alot but don't anymore (they actually stopped talking to me) was saying they had contacts at LucasFilm and could get me the first Episode II trailer (this was much before "Breathing" came out) and they kept saying they were gonna send it to me but wouldn't, and guess what it turned out to be when they finally decided they were gonna send it to me - The first E2 fan made trailer from TF.N.

One time I even corrected this guy when I was about....I dunno, not even a teen when he was shopping with his wife or girlfriend and they were looking at SW figures, he kept saying the Boushh Leia WASN'T Leia.



All this you have read is true, the names were not mentioned to protect the dumbfounded. :happy:

[Fulit]

I used to have this friend that got into collecting because I did. What really annoyed me with him was, when something new was slated for release, and I would tell him about it, if it wasn't a core character, he'd be like, "Who is he?, What movie is he in?"....etc. that always bothered me because it's like if you don't know, why do you care? And if some rescuplt was coming out, like if I said to him, "theres a new Vader rescuplt out this August" and I'd send him a picture of it, he replies, "That looks gay" or some equally stupid statement. But then he'd always go out and buy it!

[JetsAndHeels]

Hey Billfremore,
I know exactly what you mean. Let me tell you about my experience with an acquaintance (sp?) of mine.
He was a friend of mine when I was attending community college, and we were in a rather large circle of friends. He was a Star Trek fan, and he wore his Star Trek shirts and watched all the shows on TV every week. He used to give me grief and say things like "Boba Fett is just some lame character Lucas created to make more money", or "whats the deal with Star Wars anyway?"
He acted like SW was inferior to what he liked, and always made these little comments to me.
Well in April of 99 he changed his whole outlook on it. He went with me to TRU the night the EP1 toys came out and bought just about as many as I did. I still have no idea where this all came from.
From then on he would call me and say "Hey lets go watch Star Wars again", or "lets go looking for figures." He even tried to compete with me and tell me he had the figures I didnt.
Then in April of 2000 just before the video of TPM came out, he came to my workplace (by the way I managed a video store) and had to "inform me" that TPM would be available on video April 4.
HELLO!! I am not only a SW fan and collector, but I manage a video store!! Get with the program!!
So anyway after that I didnt see him much after that. Not until about 2 weeks ago, and he immediately came up to me and said "Are you ready to do it all again?" Of course I knew what he meant. I am going to make myself scarce on 4/23 so he doesnt come looking for me to go shopping. I will be gone all that day so I dont have to deal with that.
Well thats my story.
What do you think?