So a Spokane woman went to a local store, looking to buy a small household appliance.

She found an empty display box with all the necessary info. She presented the box to a clerk.

The clerk, a reasonably cheerful young woman, started talking into the com system attached to her blouse. You know the kind I'm talking about. You used to see them in movies. A Secret Service agent would cock his head downward and say "Eagle is on the move."

A little time went by and another clerk emerged with the wrong item. After a brief discussion, the second clerk disappeared.

A little while later, the original clerk heard from the second clerk over the com system.

She turned to the shopper. "I think we might be out," she said.

The shopper politely informed her that she had checked online before coming to the store and learned that were three in stock.

This prompted more discussion over the com system.

Eventually the second clerk emerged again, this time with the correct item.

The shopper made the purchase. But if she hadn't had a better grasp of the store's inventory than the clerks, that could not have happened.

Is that nuts or what?

Maybe what we need are fewer fancy headsets and clip-on microphones and more people who actually know what they are doing.

But I guess stores would have to pay those people something, and that might not fit the current business model.

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