My wife, teenage daughter, and I visited Zara on a Saturday evening around 7:40 PM. While my wife…read moreand daughter were enjoying shopping, trying on clothes, and selecting items, I was tired and decided to sit on a sofa located in the middle of the store. I spent about 30 minutes there quietly using my phone while they continued shopping.
At approximately 8:20 PM, a security guard approached me and told me that the store would be closing in 10 minutes. Naturally, I understood that to mean the store was closing at 8:30 PM. Wanting to make sure my family had enough time to complete their purchases, I called my wife and told her to wrap things up, pay for the items, and meet me outside. I then left the store and waited for them outside.
However, because of the long checkout line, my wife and daughter were still inside around 8:40 PM. While waiting, I noticed that customers were continuing to enter the store and that the same security guard was not stopping them. That's when I realized the store was actually scheduled to close at 9:00 PM on Saturdays, not 8:30 PM.
Confused, I approached the security guard and asked, "Didn't you tell me 20 minutes ago that the store was closing in 10 minutes?" I was genuinely trying to understand the situation. Rather than providing an explanation, he repeatedly said, "Excuse me."
Not understanding what he meant, I responded, "Yes?" expecting him to answer my question. Instead, he replied that when he says "excuse me," it means I should get out of his way so he can continue doing his job.
At that point, the issue became much bigger than a misunderstanding about store hours. First, I was given inaccurate information that caused me to leave the store unnecessarily. Then, when I politely asked for clarification, I was met with a dismissive and rude attitude.
What makes this even more frustrating is that if the security guard felt I had been sitting in the store too long, he could have simply approached me and politely explained that seating was intended for customers actively shopping, or asked me to wait outside. I would have gladly complied. I am a respectful person and would have had no issue with a reasonable request.
Instead, I was misled about the store closing time and then treated disrespectfully when I sought clarification. My wife and daughter eventually came out excited about all the items they had purchased, but after what had happened, I told them we would be returning everything and taking our business elsewhere.
This interaction turned what should have been a pleasant family shopping trip into one of the worst retail experiences I have had. Zara should ensure that employees and contracted security personnel provide accurate information to customers and treat them with professionalism and respect.
