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Salespeople aren't the only ones who aren't happy with the status quo — consumers are also dissatisfied with salespeople, according to the second annual Retail Customer Dissatisfaction Study by the Baker Retail Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and The Verde Group consulting firm. In a survey of 1,000 American consumers this March, 33 percent reported that they couldn't find a salesperson to help them on their most recent shopping trip, and 6 percent of consumers said they wouldn't return to the store because of it. A further 25 percent were ignored by salespeople, and 3 percent said they'd avoid the store because of it in future.

Bad salespeople certainly aren't the only pet peeve consumers have about retail, but the survey found that customers are more forgiving of lack of parking or products. Being ignored was the customer gripe most likely to be shared with others. Last year's study found that one in three dissatisfied customers tells others about a problem encountered at a store, and those people tell an average of four others. Half of all shoppers have chosen not to visit a particular store because of someone else's bad experiences.

Older shoppers reported fewer problems; shoppers 18 to 29 years old reported being ignored most often. They also complain more frequently about disorganized stores and employees' lack of product knowledge. Unfortunately for independents, the survey also found that in spite of some complaints about missing staff, mass merchandisers like Target generates the highest level of repeat patronage and consumer recommendations to others.