Where have all the sales people gone ?

How often do you go out to buy something and end up returning home without it ? Now I hear all the ladies going..."I ALWAYS find SOMETHING to buy ! " Thats not what I'm getting at.
Did you ever want a specific Item and end up not getting it cos you didnt have someone to push you that last millimeter ? (The millimeter between thinking "I REALLY need this" and the thought of " Can I REALLY afford this ! ")
Back home, I remember getting almost mugged as you entered a store by some young salesperson brimming with enthusiasm who would bend over backwards to help convince you that you absolutely MUST buy the item right now before their are none left in the entire world !!
Anyway, here on the Emerald Isle it seems to be different...........
You have to almost PROVE to the sales person that you have an absolute need of the item and then you almost have to offer them twice what its worth before they will get off their fat ass and serve you !!
I spent almost 2 years trying to buy a Motorbike from a dealer here.... I went in to them nearly every week and looked at the same bike and asked the twat what the price was every time...
He never once got off his ass from behind the counter or tried to engage me in conversation around biking or anything... The bike sat on his floor for the entire time and it was an expensive one ! I was always well dressed in Suit and Tie, so he could see I wasnt just another tyre-kicker.

I went on to buy the same type of Bike privately for cash. I had to get Helmets and jackets etc from another Bike shop too - which was like getting blood from a stone !

Once I had all the stuff I needed , I had to get insurance for the Bike..... Well , I only got that today after almost 3 months of begging!! The bike is a really powerful one, so it falls in a category of "Only for Experts" here in Ireland. (Seems dumb to me !)

I had to do a 3 day advanced Biking course (which I got squashed into 3 hours and passed) , and then they Quoted me insurance cover for €4000 per year (Over the phone) !!

I thought...... " F**** this for a game of skittles!!" So I marched down to the Insurance office, in my work power suit and thumped the table until an embarrassed young lady came shyly out from behind a partition like a timid mouse.... Then I proceeded to tell her exactly what I thought. I produced the results of the Advanced riders test and demanded to see the person in Charge !!
She bolted and returned with another ladywho was closer to me in age (older than 19). To cut a long story short , I walked away with a smile on my face and a sense of accomplishment !

The price I ended up paying ....? €825 per year ! (from €4000! )

I am a sales person in a way myself and just have to wonder how things ever find their way off the shelves here............