Do you think shop staff should be trained in what goods they sell?

I think staff should have a rudimentary knowledge of what they sell. For instance if I go in to buy a particular printer /fridge/ laptop and I ask advice I expect there to be some level of knowledge or to be referred to that brands 'champion' in store.

For books I would expect them to at least say ' it will be in our children's section if we have any . Let me come with you to look'.

I'm sure Waterstones would be chuffed to bits to hear a member of staff just directed a customer straight to another store without checking /asking someone/ using the ISBN computer.

So to answer your question OP Yes I do think so. Its what can give a shop and edge over its competition.

Yes Daphne my friend told the assistant the books were by AA Milne,

They don't need to be trained in every product on the shelf, but they do need good customer service training.

www.goodreads.com/author/list/81466.A_A_Milne

To be fair to the assistant (devil's advocate here) they are not all called Winnie the Pooh, . I am assuming the customer DID ask for books by A A Milne? (Usually in alphabetical order by author, certainly in my local Waterstones)
If she wanted picture books, maybe the Disney Store WAS the best place.

Yes they do look it up on the computer,also in music shops and in the library.
I would sometimes say," I'm sorry,I'm not sure,but I'll find a person who is"

As others say, they usually just check on the computer as to the books in stock.They would certainly have had The House At Pooh Corner and Piglet Is Entirely Surrounded By Water in stock.I think most bookshop staff would look things up for a customer, so this member of staff was being either lazy or a bit thick.

Perhaps the sales assistant was from another country where Winnie the Pooh is not so much a 'National Treasure' as she is here. (tongue in cheek emoticon)

I am very surprised. I always find Watersrones sales.people are very good. They are seem to be "bookies". I can usually have a good chat and they are very knowledgeable about children's book. ( Must have been the work experience girl or the cleaner.

not unfair at all Anniebach, I think your missing the point I was trying to make.

Every Waterstones I have visited have a computer where an assistant can look up what stock is held. So I don't think it unreasonable for a customer to expect an assistant to do just that. Also as Marmark1 said who hasn't heard of Winnie the Pooh (even me and I don't have children!)

Does EVERYONE know who wrote the Pooh books?

WHO,has never heard of Winni the Pooh??

Rather unfair, surely it isn't possible to train staff so thry know every author who has ever written a book , perhaps the assistant has never read a Pooh book and why ask fir the manager? To complain about the assistant?

Think it would be quite difficult to know the details of everything on sale although that example seems extreme.

I hope she asked to speak to the manager. Unless of course that was the manager !,,,