Yarn Sale Survival Techniques

The LYS where I work PT had day 1 of its two day "Christmas in July" sale.  Here are some survival techniques for you, the customer, to come out with what you want and so the LYS staff will want to see you at their door again.

PLEASE

• DO plan ahead.  The people who come in with lists make my day.  They know what they want, how many yards at what gauge, and what size needles.  I love these folks.
• If the store generously will allow you to place items on hold a day or two ahead of the sale and then come in and buy it at the sale price, take advantage of that offer.  It also means that you, the customer, can waltz in, and waltz out with less stress.  Not every yarn store allows this, so if they don't, don't push it.  Just go through the store making your lists for targeted shopping on sale day.
• If you're in the store the day before the sale and you want the sale price, you may ask, but if you live less than 40-50 miles away, don't push it.  You may whine about how far you drive, but odds are that some of the employees drive that far, and often people drive from hundreds of miles away for good sales.
• DO verify the store hours, especially on sale day.  If you come in 10 minutes before closing on sale day, you're facing a staff that is tired, hungry, and ready to go home.  If you're making a quick pickup, that's one thing.  But we probably don't have the energy to plan out a major (or minor) project at that point in the day.  We're not robots, yanno.  We're knitting enablers, and even enablers get tired and hungry.

PLEASE

• DON'T stalk.  If you see a staff member going to a back room and you HAVE to ask her/him a question, please be patient.  That staff member may be making a quick phone call or answering a call, answering a more important call of nature, or trying to stuff food in his/her face so they can let someone else have a lunch break and have a few minutes off of the floor.  They'll probably be back in 5-10 minutes and wasn't there more yarn, needles, books, patterns to paw through anyway?
• DON'T come to the LYS on sale day (especially if you KNOW it's sale day) and ask for knitting help (unless it's really quiet) or to have your yarn purchases wound.  If customers leave their purchases to be wound, we'll get to it after the sale -- or at least at our LYS.
• DON'T come to the LYS on sale day totally clueless.  If it's quiet, we can give you our undivided attention.  But if it's busy and you don't have much of an idea of what you want, we won't be able to give you the attention you need.  You're better off coming a few days before to plan your project and purchases accordingly.
• Please DON'T bring your children to the LYS on sale day and then let them wander around while you fondle yarn.  This scenario frightens me, nay, terrifies me.  Why?  Because

1. we often have customers come in that we don't know and have never seen before (and who may snatch your beloved little one away -- and we may not know which child is yours vs. theirs!)
2. we have sharp objects (scissors, needles) and pointy objects (display hooks, pegboard displays, sharp corners) all around that will hurt your beloved little one quite easily
3. we are not there to babysit while you fondle yarn.  we just can't guarantee that your child won't snip through an $85 skein of yarn (this has happened) or leave sticky fingers all over very expensive cashmere or other yarn (which has also happened). 

• However, the parent who keeps her/his child/ren close to her/him is welcome.  That parent has usually followed the DOs above, though.

And if you really love your LYS staff, bring them treats on sale day!  One of our beloved customers brought in homemade mini cupcakes which were wonderful energy boosters.  Even beer (for post-sale) or diet Cokes are greatly appreciated.  It's not required of course, but it does endear one! 

We all love a good sale, and I love working on sale day when things go well.  It's not just about things going well for me as a worker, it about our customers having the best experience at our store -- and if customers are not prepared on sale day, then they can't have the best experience possible in that often crazed, charged up, hectic environment!

And if you, dear reader, have a suggestion or even a rant about what's said above, hey, let me know!  As long as the rant isn't nasty, personal, and disgusting of course.