The sales assistant who refused to show U.S. talkshow billionaire Oprah Winfrey a luxury handbag costing nearly £25,000 claims the superstar lied about what happened in the luxury Swiss boutique where she works.
Winfrey was in Switzerland in July when she walked into the Trois Pommes boutique in Zurich looking for a handbag to match the outfit she was going to wear to old friend Tina Turner's wedding.She claims the sales assistant refused to show her the black crocodile leather bag because - seeing a black woman - she automatically assumed she would not be able to afford it.
Now the saleslady has hit back, speaking anonymously to Sunday newspaper SonntagsBlick, she said
'I wasn't sure what I should present to her she came in on the afternoon of Saturday July 20 so I showed her some bags from the Jennifer Aniston collection.
'I explained to her the bags came in different sizes and materials, like I always do.
'She looked at a frame behind me. Far above there was the 35,000 Swiss franc crocodile leather bag.
'I simply told her that it was like the one I held in my hand, only much more expensive, and that I could show her similar bags.
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The black bag Oprah wanted to see(store owner) |
'It is absolutely not true that I declined to show her the bag on racist grounds. I even asked her if she wanted to look at the bag.
'She looked around the store again but didn't say anything else. Then she went with her companion to the lower floor. My colleague saw them to the door. They were not even in the store for five minutes.'
She emphatically denied ever saying to Winfrey: 'You don't want to see this bag. It is too expensive. You cannot afford it.'
'This is not true. This is absurd. I would never say something like that to a customer. Really never. Good manners and politeness are the Alpha and the Omega in this business.
'I don't know why she is making these accusations. She is so powerful and I am just a shop girl.
'I didn't hurt anyone. I don't know why someone as great as her must cannibalize me on TV.
'If it had all taken place as she claimed, why has she not complained the next day at the wedding of Tina Turner with Trudie Goetz, my boss? She was there also at the Turner wedding as a guest. I don't understand it.
'I spoke to Oprah Winfrey in English. My English is okay but not excellent, unfortunately.
'I didn't know who she was when she came into the store. That wouldn't have made any difference if I had.
'We work really hard to greet all the people who come into the store with the same level of respect and treat them all equally.
'If someone asks me whether he or she can see an article, I always present these. Because that person is a potential buyer. And my job is to sell it.
'I'm glad if I can sell an article. It is a reward for me, if I can sell a nice piece. This means that I'm good at my job.'
Who do we believe now?
Hmmmmn maybe her English was the problem. What would Oprah gain by lying?
ReplyDeleteI BELIEVE OPRAH OOO!RACISM EXISTS!THANK GOD ONE SENTENCE CAUGHT D FOOLISH SALES GIRL,SHE SAID OF COURSE SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHO OPRAH WAS.GBAM!TYPICAL OF A WHITE RACE TO ACT THAT WAY TO AN UNKWOWN BLACK PERSON.GUESS OPRAH JUST WANTED TO FEEL NORMAL,MANY YEARS AGO OPRAH WINFREY DOESN'T EVEN SHOP ON HER OWN.THE DESIGNERS GET WHAT SHE WANTS FOR HER!YESTERDAY SHE EVEN MADE A JOKE ABT IT COMPARING HER CASE TO JULIA ROBERTS IN PRETTY WOMAN.SHE TOLD GAIL KING HER FRIEND,THAT SHE FELT LIKE GOING BACK TO THE SHOP AND BUYING THE WHOLE SHOP.BUT FELT THE DRAMA WASN'T WORTH IT!ABEG LEAVE ALL THOSE FOLKS WITH LIGHTER SKIN O!
DeleteD̶̲̥̅̊ bag I̶̲̥̅̊s̶̲̥̅̊ №†̥ even worth ϑα̇̇̇̊τ̲̣̣̥ amount.
DeleteIt's all marketing of Opra's new movie... cheap!
DeleteI think the shop attendant is trying to defend her shop because she has done the racism to person that passes her
ReplyDeletei believe the girl, cos unlike nigerian salesgirls, the europeans take their jobs seriously and know the advantage of selling a bag that expensive, u get a cut. so, y not lets think that Oprah really didnt have much money on her or left her ATMs in the hotel room and was scared of the news going round the next day that she couldn't afford a bag? have we noticed that Oprah is becoming more white in her attitude? plssss, give the sales-gal a break
ReplyDeletePoverty has killed u. Cancer of the mind. "We no go gree" type of mentality. Under dog supporter. Extremely foolish thinking.
DeleteU r stupid. I live in France, I went to a shop and the woman used "tu" for me instead of "vous". Just because I am black. No one tutoyes a customer except to u know her. A bus driver was greeted me bonjour Madame when I entered a bus. Hen he looked up for Wat he was doing, he had to greet me again saying bonjour mademoiselle. Yet I am married, he see ring for my hand when I pay am. Today in France, it is wrong to use mademoiselle for young women, married or not, u av to address the person as madame. But once again, my colour is a problem. I can go on, with real racism encounters, but no time.
DeleteU r stupid. I live in France, I went to a shop and the woman used "tu" for me instead of "vous". Just because I am black. No one tutoyes a customer except to u know her. A bus driver was greeted me bonjour Madame when I entered a bus. Hen he looked up for Wat he was doing, he had to greet me again saying bonjour mademoiselle. Yet I am married, he see ring for my hand when I pay am. Today in France, it is wrong to use mademoiselle for young women, married or not, u av to address the person as madame. But once again, my colour is a problem. I can go on, with real racism encounters, but no time.
DeleteI have had this happen to me many times, the sales girl looks at you and decides that you cannot afford it and does not want to be bothered to take the bag down knowing that she will have to put it back and it is an inconvenience. I always buy whatever it is and never say anything but because of this next time I will say something to the person or manager.
Deletesame thing, its happens to me also almost everytime I travel. a salesgirl sees you, sees your colour and sizes you up. then gives you attitude and veiled polite degradratory remarks. so I believe her.
DeleteWho no go no go know ... #sayNoToRACISm
ReplyDeleteOprah is just acting like a spoilt rich bitch. That girl wouldn't have said that to her. If she did, probably coz Oprah was rude to her
ReplyDeleteGeezzz how come wenevr u open ur stinkn mouth craps pour outta dm... bitch plz close it... spoilt rich bitch???? u r just too dumb...
Delete'I explained to her the bags came in different sizes and materials, like I always do.
ReplyDelete'She looked at a frame behind me. Far above there was the 35,000 Swiss franc crocodile leather bag.
'I simply told her that it was like the one I held in my hand, only much more expensive, and that I could show her similar bags'...She just admitted Oprah wasn't lying. Her last statement confirms it. Oprah only help express what she was saying better.#BS#
god bless u better person, unlike dat mumu 18:02, d mumu dosen't realise dat dis is d tech generation, dat all dese big people would not lie, cos d truth would alwayz come out, and its small minded people like him dat would do such, cos dey have dis false sense of security.
Deleteexactly....she indirectly told oprah that the bag she held was less expensive..so incase she wanted to buy it...thinking she had no money...
Delete@ anonymous 18:02, can't u read? Oprah said d gal refused her to see it, not cos sha did not have ATM, but because she was black, black people cannot afford it, cos blacks are poor, mumu read tinz well b4 commentin rubbish, besides d store gal is just tryin to give excuses to save her job, she has been doing it to normal black people now sha don do am to BIG black person, fowl yansh don open, good for her
ReplyDeleteWait that tachere black bag for 35,000 pounds? Na madness be that
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of Oprah, don't be deceived by what comes out of these people. Racism in their DNA. Just read again, her last statement.
ReplyDeleteI thnk Oprah mis-understood wat the girl said. Or mayb as a human dt she is she decided to put spice to it a lil. Buh aniwys like G said I dnt see myslf buyn dt bag @ al
ReplyDeletePoor rats, G and Patty. You can't afford the bag simple
Deletepatty, when u are in oprahs leaugue, not only would u see yourself buyin it, u would also see yourself carrying it about too
DeleteIts obvious she doesn't like d bag abg liv her jor
DeleteMe I nor go boast , I sure can't afford d bag presentli, buh I swear down u can't afford half of d tins I hav ryt now nd evn wen I can afford dt amount for a bag, I sure won't buy dat 1.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOkay....On another note, I don't believe that's the bag Oprah wanted to buy. She's going to a wedding and she wants to buy that black bag? For a wedding? No. Can't be. That doesn't even make sense.
ReplyDeleteYou would be surprised that most of the most expensive clothes, shoes and bags are the most ugliest ..its just the name of the designer that is hyping it all up.
Deletemumu, can u eva tell wats in d mind of a woman?
DeleteWorefa....dey shuld settle it amongst themselves
ReplyDeleteImagine you are the Parent/Guardian or a friend to this person and he/she brings home this kinda result........what would you do?
http://yomiafolabi.blogspot.com/2013/08/photo-of-day_12.html#.Ugk8Cawl874
She said 'I simply told her that it was like the one I held in my hand, only much more expensive, and that I could show her similar bags." Why didn't she show her the bag. The bag in her hand was not the same as the one Oprah wanted and she should have shown her if she hadn't made the assumption that she cannot afford it because she is black. I think this Sales Assistant has become emboldened because her employer is supporting her. May be they are enjoying the pubicity and want to keep it going because I suspect it is driving traffic to the shop.
ReplyDeleteLet's assume the girl didn't say Oprah couldn't afford it. Would Oprah have bought the bag? My guess is NO. Oprah was just trying to save face
ReplyDeleteOprah is a LAIR.SHE WANTS PUBLICITY FOR HER NEW MOVIE.SO SHE NEEDS TO BE INTHE NEWS.RUBBISH
ReplyDeleteI experienced racism in Dubai. A salesgirl gave me my purchases with her left hand and also handed me my change with her left hand. I was informed by a friend that it was wrong. So I went back, picked something else and gave it to her with my left hand. She asked me to place it on d counter-top, which I did. I then deliberately gave her my cash with the left hand and she asked me to put it on d counter again. I refused, she turned all red as she accepted my cash with her left hand and gave me my goods with her left hand and I collected it with my left hand.
ReplyDeleteShe was fuming! And She was so red. I think she eyed me as I left.
Mine happen in Nigeria, my sister and I asked a girl at the Jewelry store in shop rite mall if we could see a bracelet, she simply told us 'you can't afford it' in a very rude degrading manner. We were so shocked we started laughing, my sister showed her ring and said which is a big diamond rock would buy three of the bracelet after she insisted she told us the price.
ReplyDeleteNigeria has the worst customer service ever, they are rude, obnoxious and utterly unprofessional.
Now back to the matter, I love Oprah, but I think she went into the store with an attitude that everyone should know who she is and was shocked when the girl didn't recognize hence she felt the girl was rude in her delivery of service. I could be wrong thou.
But my days NIgerians need to train more on customer service, I tire to dey get angry for shops. Hana on top my money.