Janeology, wow, you should take your post above and make it in to a little web site. Seriously, you put so much work in to it, and it's such a good description of a certain point of view, I'd hate to think only a few of us here will read it.

I've been too long winded already, so I'll make a desperate attempt at conciseness here..

When you are the shopper are you seeking the experience of
being sold, or the experience of being informed?

Everything you said above is an excellent summary of sales strategy. But is that what you want as a shopper, to be sold, however cleverly and subtle etc the process may be executed?

Imagine the entire concept of selling goes out the window and everywhere you go former sales people are now rechanneling their impressive energies towards informing you. Not persuading, just making whatever information you seek readily available.

As a shopper, how would you emotionally react to this development?

Phil