Nov 2, 2006

poo poo on Nike town

As much as I respect Nike for promoting programs that encourage women to run.. atleast in SF and NY, and putting together one of the top fundraisers for Leukemia & Lymphoma (the Nike Women's marathoon) I really really can't stand Niketown - Nike's so called "shopping headquarters" located in Union Square. It's over commercialized, the help is 'in your face' about everything and they seem a bit brainwashed. Take my last experience as an example. I walk in with my newly acquired Ipod Nano, hoping to purchase the Ipod + Nike SportKit. This guy, let's call him Peter, walks over and offers to help.

Hi, do you need help with the Sport Kit? Hmm.. Peter seems nice enough..

No, I don't think so. I know that I want one, and I've tried it before.

He proceeds to look at my shoes.

You know, the Sport Kit only works with Nike shoes. Have you been fitted?

Ummm... no.. You don't need Nikes to use the Sport Kit

Oh but you do. You see, the shoe has been configured with this super advanced pocket to fit the ipod sensor.

Ummm.. you can just go down to the Apple store to buy a shoe lace attachment for the ipod sensor. It works pretty well actually.

No, you can't do that. See, look at the pocket. It will give you an accurate feedback. He then pulls out the shoe to show me the 'super advanced' pocket.

Ummm.. i know the sensor fits on other shoes.

Okay, it does. Finally he gives in, but he's still determined to get me to try on a pair of shoes. At that point, I'm not really in the mood to continue the conversation.

I lash back with I hate Nikes. They mangle my feet.

He looks me over as if to say, well you're just not good enough. So you probably wear Asics or New Balances eh?

New Balances actually.

Figures. And rolls his eyes.

As I'm turning to the register, he reaches over and puts one of his stickers on the Sport Kit, to get credit for selling it to me. Then he winks. Now that I think about it, I should've pulled the sticker off and stepped on it. Heh.

I've heard a couple other things about Nike... I wanted to sign up to be a pacer for their Wednesday and Saturday group runs. I figured I could lead the 10 to 10.5 minute groups on the 6 to 10 mile runs. It would help my attendance atleast. But K told me that all the pacers are forced to run in Nike's.. even if they don't really fit your feet right. One of the pacers this past summer ended up in PT because the Nike's mangled her feet. She had to stop running for 3 months.

I should've gone to the Apple store to get the SportKit.

1 comment:

Holly Golightly said...

man, that sounds like one of the most annoying salesperson experiences EVER. you totally should've ripped that sticker off and shove it up his nose.