ON a recent (very extravagant) shopping spree I was amazed at how the culture of the Neanderthal salesmen is still alive with women expected to have no opinion on products that aren't pink or flowery.

Having listened to my favourite cheesy CDs on the same stereo for eight years I decided it was time to upgrade.

Now I don't know a lot about music systems - as long as I can hear Steps and Darius loud and clear I'm not that interested in bass and equalisers - so for a little bit of advice I took my boyfriend along to the shops with me but there was no doubt whose hand was on the purse-strings.

After a bit of High Street window shopping a decision was made and I headed to the check-out to ask for the new stereo.

A male sales assistant came to my help and having wrestled to get the box out of the storeroom, he decided to try and sell me a few other things.

And that is when the problems started.

As the salesman started talking about the benefits of an extended warranty I obviously became invisible.

Even though he had only had a conversation with me, he decided to direct all the information about the warranty at my boyfriend.

No amount of me coughing or staring at the back of his head could persuade him to talk to me about the oh-so-technical document.

Infact I only got his attention again when my boyfriend walked away leaving the assistant with only me to talk to.

I made a pointed comment about not wanting the warranty for MY stereo but it seemed to go over his head.

He obviously thought anything as complicated as a warranty would be too much for my little female brain to deal with.

If I hadn't taken so long to choose the stereo I might have gone elsewhere but I certainly left the shop with my blood boiling.

Compared to this sexist shopping spree it was a relief when I went to look for a new car - another purchase I had put off for years.

Now if my knowledge of stereos is slim, what I know about cars is anorexic.

I knew what make I wanted (because it looked cute!) but had no idea what questions to ask or how to get a good deal so I was expecting to rely a lot more heavily on my other half when we visited a well-known garage.

But as soon as the salesman knew I was the one buying the car he almost ignored my boyfriend - he listened to his vital questions but directed the answers at me.

I felt able to ask naive questions without being patronised and left the showroom delighted with my car and the service I'd received.

I find it quite ironic that car salesmen are condemned as chauvinist stereotypes when, in my experience, it's the rest of the retail world that needs to catch up and realise women's purchasing power is truly equal to men's.

Published: 10/11/2003