What a great story Geena--it certainly inspired me just reading it. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, djm195--I'm glad you liked the story.
joia--I have a large collection of Native American silver jewelry.
I'll start a thread tonight or tomorrow about it.  My mother collected it and so do I.  I like vintage pieces the best, and find flea markets, antique shops and antique shows good hunting grounds.

Yes, born to be rich.  Only platinum and gold for me. LOL.  I am looking forward to seeing the native American collection.  Beautiful. 
Joia

  First, I have NEVER been totally ignored in a jewelry store until I went to T&Co. in San Francisco and they did not even look up at us.  We were there on business and we were dressed in business casual.  We had been talking about going jewelry shopping all day, so when we got back our guy friend asked us how it went.  I told him I had never felt so low or scummy in my life.  He was miffed to say the least. 

He was about 6'3" 280 lbs and played semi-professional football until he blew out his knee.  He had friends who played for the Seattle Seahawks so he knew all about the team.  He said "Come with me!"  He marched into T&Co. and said "I want to see the manager."  They brought out the manager.  He told the manager that I was his girlfriend and that he had signed with the Seattle Seahawks and that he wanted him to show me whatever I wanted to see.  HA!  It was so much fun!!!  They still were not super nice. 

Later we went down the street to a family owned business and they showed us $6,000,000 earrings because they could tell that I LOVED colored diamonds.  One earring had a pink heartshaped diamond dropped from a blue pear and the opposite on the other side. 
That was the happy ending to the story. 

Cool! Did you go to the Potomac Celt Fest this year? (I have the rams, 2 wrist, one neck torc)
Thanks for the help! Will try in the am!

Ugh, I've always been treated badly. I look very young, and I have a childish voice no matter how hard I try  I'd get ignored in the queues in McDonalds even! It's infuriating; really makes me boil with rage that people can treat others as though they're invisible.

When I got my first job in retail, I resolved that I would treat every customer as though my job depended on them-- because really, it does! A few years later, I started working in a jewelry store-- OH BOY! Jewelry sales assistants can be biiiitchy!

Some of the girls there would completely ignore customers in the store, and only serve people who looked cashed-up. I am proud to say that I greeted EVERY person who walked in our store, even if I was with somebody at the time. If you were in my store and talking to me, you were my number one customer, whether you were looking at discount $5 CZ earrings or at a $14,000 engagement ring. I don't care what you buy or don't buy, you deserve my full attention and all the respect that each and every one of us deserves as a human being.

My sales were not the best, but I'd rather get ten $100 sales from a person who appreciates being treated like a human being than a single $10,000 sale from a cashed-up snob-- and they usually were.

I have many many stories... the joys of retail xD

Me too.  Tell us!
Joia

LOL Ronda, yep that is very true!  I did reception, customer service, like the saying goes, been there, done that.  I could give seminars on the duties of both positions and the goals.  Most importantly how to treat customers.  I always got back to people.   I figure it's not all about the answer you find for them, it's if you at least call them to let them know you haven't forgotten about them.  I so wish I could work in a jewelry store.  *sigh*  My jeweler already has three girls working for him now or I would have ran the idea by him.  Maybe I could check out others.

I'm constantly ignored at stores because of age and attire.  I absolutely refuse to dress up to buy anything.  Not there to impress anyone.  Anyway, there is one store where I live that is part of a high end chain that is really the only one in my area where I can get any high quality items.  I've been shopping there since starting my professional career and would sit back and wait until I was noticed.  Anyway, one day I had had enough.  I had pleasantly waited until I eventually got service from an older saleswoman and asked about pink diamonds.  Then I got "the look".  You know - their nose crinkles, they look you over and then their eyebrows lift. The saleswoman said "I think you mean pink sapphires my dear" in a condescending way.  When I insisted I wanted a pink diamond, she said "well obviously you don't know how much they cost.  We only offer them to our exclusive clients."  I was so steaming mad.  I came back later with my entire jewellery box filled with their (now I realize) overpriced merchandise and demanded to see the manager.  I told her that if I wasn't considered exclusive enough to be offered proper service, then she could take everything back (unfortunately for them, they have a very generous return policy).  Turns out the manager is extremely nice and now they all address me by my first name and rush to serve me when I walk in.  Doesn't matter what I am wearing or what I ask. 

PS - I eventually did buy a loose orangy-pink diamond online, had it set by another jeweller and make sure each time I wear it to pop in and get the snooty old fart clean it for me. 

GO ZOEY!   I know exactly what you mean.  I have a friend whose fiance has more money than anyone I know.  He told us to go look at rings and we took a weekend off and headed to Atlanta.  We actually had to dress up the next day because no one would help us dressed in jeans and bumming around.  You never know who you are dealing with.  I am sure everyone has heard the story of the guy in Aspen who was working in a car dealership and a scraggly looking guy walked in...no one would help him so the salesman walked up to him and asked if he could help him...it was Robert Redford.   BIG MISTAKE...HUGE! (like in Pretty Woman)

  didn't hear that story but woah!

Zoey, I am applauding you here. Wedding dress shopping was fun.. .I am fat, older and a bit rough...and with a ruby...NOT ONE STORE was helpful...I kept getting sent to the Mother's section.
Until, I got the marquise and its a week before the wedding, and I needed a new tiara...boy did they fall all over themselves being helpful! My response: "Hon, I was in here 3 other times, and you couldn't bother yourself...the only reason you care is my ring is bigger." The girls turned pale, quit bugging me about "are you sure you don't need a dress or shoes or or or" and let me out in peace. Oh my dress Ebay...a silk Judd Waddel for $150 in size fatgirl made my day.