I don't think it's a recommendation problem. He doesn't want to find products that he naturally likes. He wants someone to take a product that isn't exciting in itself and weave a compelling story around it: what the product means and what the product says about a person who appreciates it. He wants to feel like a connoisseur without being able to recognize quality himself. He wants a salesman to teach him how to appreciate the product and, at the same time, convince him that his appreciation makes him a more sophisticated person.
