How do you go and buy Pony Merch in the store without everyone looking at you?

[Flitter Shy 16]

You see I've had this problem for quite a while. Being a Collector, I buy a LOT of Pony Merch. It's okay in Hottopic, because I usually meet a lot of other brony friends there, so It doesn't really matter. However at Target and Walmart and Kmart, I get the Look:

 

Especially with the little girls also buying stuff, and they're saying:

Oh Look Pinkie Pie! I love Pinkie Pie!

And they're Moms are like

Oh right, yeah she's the blue one right?

And then I say (Out of habit)

No that's Rainbow Dash, Y'know, the one with Rainbow hair?

And that's When this happens

 

 < The Mom   < The Kid          < And me...      

 

Then I run to the counter.

 

Any suggestions of how to tackle this better?

[*Rarity 123]

Keep it that way, atleast I like it when people look funny at me, kind of. Atleast if I find what I want, if the store don't have anything good, I'm just pissed when I go out. I went to a local supermarket and bought the blind bags, I was literally taking out 30 blind bags from the shelf and stook there for a good 30min and analyzed every bag (their code) and I'm sure a few people passed me with that stare "Dafuq is he doing with MLP stuff.... " and I think the cashier look at bit funny at me too, but I find that kind of fun.

 

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,437]

Yeah, I just buy what I want. If people want to look, that is their idiotic problem, not mine. My advice? Just do what you do. Simple as that. The only reason they look at you weird is because of some outdated and incredibly dumb standards set by our society. So for that, buy pony stuff, when you want, how you want, regardless of outside opinion.

[DaReaper 1,944]

I just never care and buy my pony merch with my head held high and pride, if someone dont like it I dont care and just walk past abd procede to cash out. Of coures you could always the camoflage technique and sneak up when no one expects it

Of course i'd use this pic again lol

[Lightning Strings 2]

This is a problem I've encountered, but only once because Hot Topic, the internet, and Brony conventions are the only good places for merchandise. However, when I DID stroll into a random Toys R Us one time and buy a Pinkie figure for my little cousin, both the people in the store and the clerk gave me odd looks, probably having been in the situation before. The one tactic in preventing mild public embarrassment: Ignore it. Tolerate it. You'll never see these people again and they'll forget about you and go back to their daily lives.

That's the key. Tolerate that shit.

[SveciaDash 364]

"Don't be shy, look 'em in the eye." - Iron Will

I wonder if the thoughts people have in their heads when they see someone at the MLP FiM or the ''girl section'' of the store that maybe hes just buying a present for his sister. Anyways I havent been at an actual toy store in my town YET to buy some pony merch but I sure wont be embarresed, ill wear my brony shirt when I go there

[Wubsie 1,123]

Well shit there is no private way it's a public store, people WILL see what you buy.

Just ignore them, don't care, get your shit, and walk away.

[Wayvy 34]

Usually people think that i'm looking for a present for some little girl. They actually never suspect that i'm buying it for myself But since I believe you aren't ashamed to be a brony, you shouldn't be bothered when you are buying stuff either.

[Winged Dragon of Ra 55]

If there was a store near me that sells good pony merchandise I would consider myself very lucky and not care what others say or look at me for any reason. If you want to avoid any looks from little kids then go to the store at a time when they are at school like early mornings or noon hours during the weekdays where the stores are usually empty.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

My little sister has had 9 birthdays in the past 2 months. Ughhhh.

 

I dunno, though. I've actually never really gotten suspected of buying this stuff for myself. I always make it a point to go to the old lady cashiers everytime, because they're so much nicer (I've always done that, though.) and they'll always ask me who I'm buying it for. I'm sure other bronies have had to have bought this stuff as well...I guess I just don't look the part? Meh. I get merch, who cares?

[ReverseFaller 2,483]

I used to be self conscious of going into the little girl aisle at Target to look at the pony stuff, but now I just don't care. I just walk right on in. If somebody gives me a weird look, who cares? I don't even know that person, why should I give a damn about their opinion of me, of whom they don't even know?

 

I will admit though that I highly prefer Hot Topic. It's a lot less awkward to go into Hot Topic and look at the pony stuff then it is at say Target. It's actually extremely easy, that and Hot Topic has way better pony merch than Target does. They even have the blind bag ponies...Actually I haven't bought any pony stuff at Target in months. I just get it from the Hot Topic website nowadays. Mainly because the nearest hot topic is like 45 minutes away.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Seibutsu Akuma

[KirbyFluttershy 2,523]

Well Following my Friend's Advice and what she told me: "We like what we like" (if that's what she means). Not many People notice me nor my presence when I buy some pony merch so They don't care about it and ignore what I buy. They don't find me weird or Strange person or anything like that, but I just like to buy these Pony Merch. It's mostly That I shop at Target, but yeah, People don't notice me when I buy Pony Merch. My mom knows about that I buy pony merch, but During my talk with her, I told her that Many Fans just buy Pony Merch for collection and following my Friend's advice, I had to start something small so apparently the Pony Figures, the blindbag ponies, and the plushies that I bought were a start. The pins that my Friend got me for Christmas was a gift so that's probably small to start out with. Well There was no questions asked from other people when I buy the pony merch so that's pretty much that I know about including the ignoring.

 

So All I did was grab a pony merch that I want to buy and then look for my mom and put them in the cart so pretty much simple thing for me to do.

[GlitterBloom 6]

Both my husband and I love buying the blind bags and, because the codes are online, we make a list of the ones we want and then decipher by the codes. It's the only way to save yourself from wasting a lot of money. However, the new bags don't seem to have a code on them which is discouraging. Overall, though, we never care if people give us dirty looks. Don't be ashamed of being a brony in public...it just means you're fabulous! While they are buying the latest romance novel or DVD from the discount bin, you are living in the enchanted land of Equestria with all your brony friends!

[CT-1138 3,182]

I go into Target usually with the cover story that I am purchasing the my little pony merchandising for a younger relative of mine.

[Sabrinie 392]

Being a college student, I get "the look" quite a lot when I see people from school when I'm buying merch from say Walmart. I don't always get stared at, but I do sometimes. I just don't really care anymore. Sometimes when people are staring at me while I decide which piece to buy, I'll ask them if they like the show too and try to start conversation. I find that if you try to actually communicate with people, they feel bad about giving the look and will try to talk to you even if they don't like the show or have never even seen it. 

 

At work, (I work on a farm/in a market) I keep a pony on my register. Usually I put Rarity or Cadance up and a lot of little kids who come in comment on it and love them. The parents sometimes seem to be a little weirded out, but they don't usually say anything. The only time I've had a bad encounter with someone at work about ponies was when a young boy came up to me and asked who my favorite pony is. I answered him and asked if he had a favorite and we talked about the show a bit. His father then cleared his throat and told me I shouldn't encourage this type of behavior and that he's been trying to get the boy to stop watching and he would appreciate it if I stopped discussing the show. I stopped. I mean, who am I to tell anyone how to raise their own kid? They continued shopping and I drew Twilight (his favorite) on a scrap of paper I found lying around and left it on the counter for him to find. When they checked out, he smiled at me knowingly and the father was none the wiser. 

 

I probably shouldn't have given him anything, and should have just listened to what the dad wanted, but it felt right at the time. All in all, I think there's always going to be people who give you the look when you're shopping for pony things, especially if your older, but if we stick together, I hope the looks will eventually start to fade. 

[Suitaloo 743]

I only really buy pony stuff at hot topic, and even then it's not often. Mostly because it's getting to be winter and they don't have any long sleeved pony shirts, and I need money to buy the shirts. But as for buying it? I just don't insert myself in to others conversations and just buy it like I would any other shirt, because in the grand scheme of things, it's just another shirt.

[BrilliantVenture 334]

Well, I have a wife that enjoys MLP, and she goes like...everywhere with me...so I generally don't have to deal with it. 

Basically a freebie due to technicality!

[Skycoaster 698]

Well, I have two good ones for me.

 

I work electronics in a Walmart, and we have to cover the Toy Department, so that's when I check out what's new in the store. If I see something I like, I buy it on my lunch and have a Co-worker check it out on the Electronics register.

 

As for my most recent one...I went into a toys r us for the first time a few days ago. Since I'm a 2 hours from home I don't care who sees me with pony stuff. I go and grab the Shadow Bolt Rainbow Dash and check out. That's when I hear it. "That's one asome pony. I'm sure your daughter will love it."

 

I'm thinking to myself, do I look THAT old? I'm 25 and have a goatee. I think about that comment most of the day when it hitts me in the liqueur store when I don't get carded. Crap, I DO look old enough to be a dad of a 7 year old, so I'm sticking with that from now on. It's the only perk of being an older brony. Lol

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

Personally, I have found Hot Topic to be a place where no one gives a second thought to me buying "My Little Pony" merchandise.  I do feel a little awkward hanging out in the Girls' Toys section of stores like Wal-Mart.  

[K.K. Slider 391]

I've always just strolled into the girl's aisle and never had issues. After BronyCon '12, my buddy and I were in the New York City Toys R Us scoping out the blind bags, looking for specifics using codes. We helped a husband and wife out by giving them the Mane 6, so they didn't get random recolors. They didn't look at us funny. They said their daughters like to have their Barbie dolls ride the ponies around, lol. We also met four or five bronies, haha.

 

Also having worked at Toys R Us back home, I can't recall any funny looks there. One of my co-workers was even into the show! You definitely won't get looks at Hot Topic either. It isn't hard guys.

Edited November 6, 2013 by K.K. Slider

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

I refuse to lend my custom to Target or Walmart, and there are no Hot Topics on this side of the border. I usually buy my pony merchandise from the local comic stores and sellers of collectible miscellany. This us where the hidden treasures lie. I had a friend show me a couple of pony items purchased at Target, and they were disappointing, but I digress. Shopping at small, hole-in-the-wall stores that carry merchandise for bronies not only yields better quality of items, it also reduces the odds of getting "the look".

 

I wasn't buying pony merch at the time, but I was at a store waiting in line, and I just so happened to be wearing a pony shirt. An older lady saw it and said "my grand-daughter would love that shirt." That was the closest I have ever had to "the look".

[Derpaholic 1,155]

I go in, grab my stuff, go to the checkout line, pay for my stuff, pack my stuff into a plastic bag, and then leave the store. Easy.
I honestly can't at all understand what people find so overly difficult about this.
You are most likely *never* going to see any of those people ever again in your life, so why would you care what they think about you or how they look at you?

[Zygen 6,066]

Well, i'm a closet brony, so not speaking much from experience, but its probably going to be that way unless nobody happens to be there.

 

Its something out of the ordinary, so naturally people will look at you. Probably give you some looks to.

 

It just comes with the territory frankly. So you just kinda have to learn to put up with it.

[GrooveBroove 680]

I walk in and buy it.

Especially at stores like Hot Topic no one really cares.

If it's a chain like Wal-mart, again no one really cares. Usually they just assume you're buying gifts for someone.

[Lumen 106]

You could always go to the store when it's likely to be mostly empty. Perhaps in the middle of the week and in the morning when most people are at school/work.