Abercrombie feels the sting of bad customer service

The "Amazing Service Guy" doesn't understand how A&F markets itself. When I taught, I had a student who worked at an A&F store for a couple weeks. He quit because he kept getting in trouble for being too friendly and talking to customers.

The people in the store aren't there to help customers. They are there for two things. Mundanely, they neaten up the store to meet the exacting vision of the maniacal CEO. More importantly, they serve as aloof aspirational models for customers.

Point being, this is a company that markets itself as the cool kid who doesn't really want to hang out with you. You're just not good enough. You then buy the merchandise in hopes that some of that snobby elite coolness will be bestowed upon you.

It doesn't surprise me that they'd be hostile to one of their customers. That's their shtick, man.

Actually I do understand why they do what they do.And I think your description is dead-on. I just think it's a crappy strategy.