Sell to me!

I have decided that I like to be "sold to". Not that I want some hard pressure salesperson forcing me to buy something, lining me out with facts that I would need a manual to know if they are true. But, I do want the salesperson to act like they care that they are selling me the right product. Case in point, I just stopped into the local beauty supply store to buy some hair color. The sales associate approached me and asked if I needed help. Nah, just getting the regular. Where others might have walked away, she asked if I needed conditioner. (Smart cookie, she surmised that from my positioning in front of the coloring.) Well, let's see, I am female, I strip all the natural goodness out of my hair every six weeks-sure I could use conditioner. Then, instead of shoving me off on the latest and greatest "up-sell" item. She showed me three or four products and told me the pro's and con's to each. She personally had tried them all, of course I believed her. She even suggested I try a sample first. Then, she analyzed the color I was buying and gave me her two cents to try a different shade. Now, I was already buying color...so she didn't need to interact on that decision. I almost felt like I was shopping with a friend. She was no longer the salesperson. My new friend had me spend about $40 more than I had planned. Yep, I like to be sold to.