Complaint Review: P & P Small Engines Des Moines IA

Prior to buying a new lawn mower in May 2013, I did quite a bit of internet research to decide on a brand and model to buy.  I decided on a specific Cadet mower and went to P & P because they specialize in Cadets.  Their service/sales counter is just inside the door, and I stopped there just after I entered the store.  There were two or three customers already there, and someone was helping them.  About one or two minutes after I entered the store, a man came in and stood behind me.  A salesman, who had been busy behind the counter but didn't have a customer, asked what I needed.  I told him what mower I wanted to look at, and the man behind me also said he wanted to see that mower, so the salesman took us over to the mower.  For the next 10 to 15 minutes, unless I asked the salesman a question, he directed all of his talk and info about the mower towards the male customer.  After about 15 minutes, and the different questions that the man and I were asking, the salesman finally started to realize we weren't together, and he asked if we were together.  I said "No."  When we both had asked all the questions we had, the man thanked the salesman and left.  I was fully ready to buy the mower and followed the salesman over to the counter.  But he just totally quit helping me.  He went behind the counter and started helping another man who came in.  I continued to stand there for about 5 minutes only two to three feet from the counter, but he wouldn't even look at me.  The other salesman was still busy with customers (also male), and he didn't look at me either.  I was the only female in the store.  Considering I'm in my 50's and was dressed in a decent manner, I think they could have assumed I'm employed and live in a house if I'm interested in a lawn mower.  I think they also could have assumed that a woman is fully capable of purchasing and using a lawn mower.  After the salesman directed all of his conversation towards a male customer, made the assumption we were together, and then dismissed me after the male customer left, I left with the impression that he has an extremely chauvinistic attitude.  The salesman was possibly in his 50's too.  Since they are the only Cadet dealers, I decided to buy a different brand of mower because I certainly wasn't going to give them my business.  I ended up going to Acme Tools and bought a Toro Personal Pace Recycler, with which I'm very happy.  But even more importantly, the salesman at Acme treated me like an intelligent individual, not like someone who wouldn't know anything because I'm a woman.