THE other day, as I was looking through the racks in one of my favourite stores, I overheard an argument between a retail assistant and a customer.

From what I gathered, the customer had bought a dress in a size too small for her, and wanted a refund for the item. The assistant explained that the store does not do refunds but the customer could exchange her item for something else.

When she heard this, the customer began raising her voice and threatening to sue the retail assistant, the manager, and the store.

I believe in consumers’ rights, but what struck me most about the incident was how the customer had no qualms about raising a stink and creating a scene in a public place over a small matter.

It’s easy enough to complain about the rude and indifferent sales people we encounter, but perhaps we should also evaluate how we treat them.

Maybe if we do our part in being respectful and considerate shoppers, we’ll be rewarded with good service when we go shopping.

Being good shoppers

➤ The retail assistant is not your slave, and they’re human too, so treat them with respect. Don’t yell at them if they can’t a) find what you want immediately, b) if the store is out of the size/colour you requested, or c) if the queue is super long and there is only one cashier.

A good retail assistant will always call up other outlets to check if they have stock for the item you want.

➤ Do not bring food or drinks into the store that could damage the items on sale or force some poor assistant to clean up after you (dripping smoothies, french fries on the floor etc).

➤ Don’t hold up the queue with your indecisiveness. I’ve seen shoppers who plonk their items on the cashier counter and then run off to grab a few more things, making everyone else in the queue wait.

➤ When trying on clothes, try not to dump them on the floor — that’s what hooks and poufs are for. Think about it, the dress you might want to buy, could have been trampled on just minutes earlier by someone else.

➤ If you can’t get the zip up, or the hook clasped, always ask for help; an assistant will gladly step in. Don’t wait until you tear or break something before getting assistance.

If you are unable to zip up something while trying on clothes at a shop, get an assistant to help out. It's also not cool to try on something that you know is too small for you, lest you want to recreate this hilarious scene from White Chicks!

➤ Be mindful of your children/younger siblings/cousins. Don’t expect the assistant to babysit for you.

➤ If it’s almost closing time, be considerate. Don’t continue to browse, or rush into the changing room with an armful of clothes to try even as the shutters are being lowered. At 10pm, the retail assistants would have been on their feet all day long, and they wouldn’t appreciate you prolonging their working hours.

If you can’t make up your mind, come back tomorrow.

➤ You can expect to get discounts on ”last” items and items with flaws on them in Western countries, but in Malaysia this isn’t common practice. If there is a tear in the seam, or a missing button, the shop owners will usually repair it for you. Just enquire nicely.

➤ Most stores have a no-return policy. Before you purchase an item, check it thoroughly for flaws, and make sure you have the right size before handing over your cash.

Often, there is a three-day, and sometimes two-week, grace period to return items, as long as the price tag is intact and you have the receipt, but you won’t get your money back.

You will usually be asked to get another item from the store which is of the same or lower value than the original item.