Article Lead Image

Photo via hand_/Reddit

These shopping baskets tell salespeople if you need help—or if not

Just swerve, salespeeps.

 

Samantha Grasso

IRL

Posted on Dec 10, 2016   Updated on May 25, 2021, 10:06 am CDT

An innovation to get all those salespeople to leave you the hell alone while you’re shopping has finally arrived.

On Thursday, a Reddit user shared a photo of a shopping basket rack inside an Innisfree, a Korean beauty store located throughout Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan. 

The basket with the green sign indicates the shopper doesn’t need assistance, while the orange sign indicates the shopper may.

View post on imgur.com

Other Redditors speculated that makeup shops like Innisfree with limited staff can be difficult for introverts, and that the thorough customer service in Korea, while extremely helpful if you’re actually looking to shop, can be bothersome if you’re just browsing.

“There are three salespeople for every customer, hovering around following you all around the store even if you tell them you’re fine,” one user commented. “So it’s really cool to see some innovation.”

Most people regardless of anxiety level would probably be completely on board with having the ability to just peruse the aisles without getting accosted by an Eager Edgar. Not that there’s anything wrong with a customer service employee being helpful and doing his or her job, but sometimes shopping alone is the only opportunity to get a little peace and quiet throughout the week.

But of course, these baskets don’t exist in a vacuum. So, what happens if they run out of green or orange baskets? Do I have to carry the other color? And what if I suddenly have a question while in possession of a green basket? What if I choose not to carry around a basket at all?

This solution to shopping anxiety has somehow inadvertently opened a derivative Pandora’s box. Regardless, I too will opt for the “fuck off” basket, all day, everyday. 

Share this article
*First Published: Dec 10, 2016, 6:22 pm CST