Art gallery salesman wrote off tattooed customer as poor. Minutes later, he watched a colleague close a $20K sale — and pocket the commission
The salesperson could not believe his eyes when the couple left with their purchase
It's 2026, and sadly, some people still judge a book by its cover. Seven years ago, a person (u/reserveholiday1312) visited an art gallery with their husband, who loved collecting such valuables. However, while they were inquiring about a particular sculpture their husband was interested in, the salesperson brushed him off, assuming he wouldn't be able to afford it. Minutes later, the couple left the gallery, and the salesperson's jaw dropped when he saw the man checking out with two expensive items while giving another sales agent a whopping commission. The post was shared on September 13, 2026, and it has received over 5,000 upvotes on Reddit.
Judged for tattoos
The author's husband found something interesting while at the art gallery, but the salesperson barely answered his questions. "The guy answered with annoyance and went to greet another couple that walked in just as my husband tried to ask another question," the author recalled. Shocked by the behavior, the author wondered whether he judged their husband because his arms were fully covered with tattoos. "This was in an affluent area, and he assumed that we couldn’t afford anything in the art gallery," the author said. Nonetheless, the couple brushed it off and went to another salesperson for help.
A $20,000 lesson in judging
Thankfully, the second salesperson was helpful. "He ended up buying 2 art pieces totaling over $20,000, giving her a nice commission," the author said. Before they left, the author saw the first salesperson eyeing them in shock. He had let his judgment cloud his perception of the couple and missed out on a high-paying customer.
On the other hand, the second salesperson got a commission for closing such an expensive deal. "The first salesperson should have been more helpful. Big mistake," the author said. Even though tattoos have been around for a long time, some people still associate them with negative stereotypes. In fact, a 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 29% of American adults with no tattoos had a negative impression of seeing someone with tattoos. The author felt their husband was judged for his tattoos instead of being treated like a normal customer.
Good service sells
On the other hand, the 2017 Customer Service Barometer from American Express, cited by Inc., found that people are willing to spend 17% more if they receive excellent customer service. This is true in the husband's case. Initially, he planned to buy only one sculpture, but because of how nice the second salesperson was, the couple ended up with two.
'Never judge a book by its cover'
Meanwhile, netizens agreed that the first salesperson got what they deserved. For instance, u/JimmyCYa commented, "So great. You should go back again just to waste the original salesperson's time and walk out without buying." Similarly, u/PracticalAndContent wrote, "I (68F) often make a small purchase first to see how I’ll be treated. Several salespeople have missed big sales because they blew the small one."
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