Scrubs salesman can't take me seriously

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I walked into a small uniform shop today with a couple colleagues from work to look for some new scrubs. We were all dressed business-casual, and I was wearing my hospital ID badge prominently on the front of my shirt.

The salesman (or perhaps he was even the owner) responded to my inquiry about scrubs with raised eyebrows, asking if I was just going to wear them one time. I responded that, no, I will be wearing them on a regular basis.

Later, after trying on a pair with inadequate pockets (in a dressing room fiiled with unusual religious pamphlet dispensers), I described to him the type of pockets I prefer and he said he may have some in his next shipment. I said I wasn't in a hurry, asking when they would come in so that I could see them.

He replied, "No, you really need to special order what you want for me to take you seriously."

I found this so bizarre and unexpected that I was too stunned to even ask what he meant by that. We just left, determined not to go back.

I wonder what his deal was.

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That is weird. Maybe his scrubs are so cheap, the ones he has in the shop already, that why he asked you if you were going to wear them once, is because they're made out of paper or something disposable.

lol J/K

If he expects you to "special order", then why does he even have scrubs shipped to him if he doesn't intend to sell them in his shop and prefers that people special order? That's dumb.

That's no more than a "catalog" and you can find those all over the place.

Some people like to try on scrubs for fit before they buy. I do.

I think you should work up your nerve and walk right back in there and question him about what he meant by those statements.

He won't sell anything with that kind of attitude of his business.

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Specializes in Emergency.

I would go somewhere else to get scrubs...Did he think you had some kind of wierd scrub fetish or something? If there is not another store, order online.

Amy

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I walked into a small uniform shop today with a couple colleagues from work to look for some new scrubs. We were all dressed business-casual, and I was wearing my hospital ID badge prominently on the front of my shirt.

The salesman (or perhaps he was even the owner) responded to my inquiry about scrubs with raised eyebrows, asking if I was just going to wear them one time. I responded that, no, I will be wearing them on a regular basis.

Later, after trying on a pair with inadequate pockets (in a dressing room fiiled with unusual religious pamphlet dispensers), I described to him the type of pockets I prefer and he said he may have some in his next shipment. I said I wasn't in a hurry, asking when they would come in so that I could see them.

He replied, "No, you really need to special order what you want for me to take you seriously."

I found this so bizarre and unexpected that I was too stunned to even ask what he meant by that. We just left, determined not to go back.

I wonder what his deal was.

.....and if they weren't what you wanted, he wouldn't refund your money either.

A uniform shop near here, seems to carry an avalanche of the same style in different colors. Landau pants they only carry classic and drawstring pants..neither one fits me.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Try aviator scrubs. The guys I worked with (and some ladies too) loved them: very thick sturdy material, multiple pockets of every shape and size, and fit most everyone well. Good luck.

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I don't suppose that the owner expressed himself very well, but it's probably an inventory thing for him. There are a lot of small scrub shops, and they run pretty close to the edge, profit-wise. They sell the VAST majority of their scrubs to women, because nurses are the biggest purchaser of scrubs, and nursing is overwhelmingly women.

If a woman wanted a particular kind of scrub, he might take a chance ordering them on his own, figuring that even if she didn't buy them, he'd have a pretty good chance of selling them to someone else. On the other hand, if he ordered scrubs for you to try, and then you didn't buy them, there's a pretty good chance he'd get stuck with them.

If I'm selling books, and someone says they're looking for the latest Harry Potter book, I'd be willing to order it, because even if they change their minds, SOMEONE is going to buy it. On the other hand, if someone says they're looking for "Great 16th Century Burmese Opera Houses' I'm going to want them to special order.

Sure the guy can send the scrubs back to the manufacturer if you don't buy them, but he's still out the shipping (both ways) as well as having cash tied up in the scrubs for whatever period of time.

All that being said, the guy's PR skills could definitely use some polishing.

btw, been there, done that with the whole man looking for scrubs thing. Don't count on the stores - they'll have 98% of their floor space dedicated to women's scrubs, and then one tired rack of men's scrubs. You're far better off using catalogs or the web.

I'm with you on needing pockets. Dickies makes good pants, but they can be a little pricey. On the other hand, they basically last forever, so in the end they may be pretty good cost-wise. Also there's a web site http://www.cheap-scrubs.com, that sells a pretty good nine-pocket scrub set. (Two front pockets, one back pocket, and two cargo pockets on the pants, one chest pocket, two front pockets, and a sleeve pocket for a pen on the top.)

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Specializes in Critical Care.
...They sell the VAST majority of their scrubs to women...if he ordered scrubs for you to try, and then you didn't buy them, there's a pretty good chance he'd get stuck with them...

... Also there's a web site http://www.cheap-scrubs.com, that sells a pretty good nine-pocket scrub set.

Good point about him potentially getting stuck with men's scrubs if he ordered some for me, but in this case he stated that he had a shipment on the way, and I offered to come back and look at what he was already about to receive, asking him when they would arrive. Only then did he say I need to special order for him to take me seriously. Weird.

Anyway, thanks for the scrubs source suggestions. I'll check them out!

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i currently work in surgery and am going to school for nursing. the nice thing is my scrubs are currently provided. i checked out what is offered and ran into about the same problem. i think it has to do with the female to male ratio and being “stuck” with male scrubs.

another interesting note for my area, is that if i make a $20.00 or more purchase there, i can also get a free pair of nylon hose. lol lol lol!!!!!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

another interesting note for my area, is that if i make a $20.00 or more purchase there, i can also get a free pair of nylon hose. lol lol lol!!!!!

hehe. surely you know someone you could gift those to. might get you some strange looks, though, and might take some explaining... =)

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Specializes in Licensed Practical Nurse.
i currently work in surgery and am going to school for nursing. the nice thing is my scrubs are currently provided. i checked out what is offered and ran into about the same problem. i think it has to do with the female to male ratio and being "stuck" with male scrubs.

another interesting note for my area, is that if i make a $20.00 or more purchase there, i can also get a free pair of nylon hose. lol lol lol!!!!!

lol, lol, lol, lol :lol2::roll:roll, gotta luv those nylon hose right!?, lol, this forum makes me laugh!

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I have had to "special order" scrubs, too. When it took the place over 6 weeks to get them, I decided they didn't want my business and didn't buy them. It is tough, because women have hundreds of them to choose from-we are very limited. I have quit buying from stores and now buy mine at smartscrubs.com. Check them out!

Steve

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