No, you're not getting a discount just because.

[An Haddock]

Older woman (70's) came in earlier. She's been in a couple of times. Not very pleasant, face always looks like she just ate a lemon.

She wanted to buy a set of computer speakers for her nephew as a Christmas gift. We know the nephew - pretty cool guy. Done some work for him before.


At first I wasn't sure if they were for a laptop or a desktop so I showed her our mid-range speakers - a nice pair of white Logitechs. First thing she starts in on is the color. "Do they come in black?"

Point out the higher-end black Logitechs with a sub-woofer. She doesn't know what a sub-woofer is. I explain. Then she starts in:

EW - Entitlement whore - ew!
ME - mentally drained computer geek

EW - Is there a discount?

ME - Huh? Well, no... unless you buy them with ** Cash.

(our town "sells" money that can be used at nearly any business in town. The bonus is that for every $50 you spend, you get a free $20 coupon. So if you buy $200 in ** Cash, you basically get a free $80.)

EW - What is that?

I explain the concept of ** Cash. I already know they're long since sold out, anyway.

ME - So yeah, there's a discount if you pay for them only with ** Cash.

EW - Anything to install?

ME - No, just plug them into the wall, then plug them into the computer.

EW - Do you have to use them with this? (the sub-woofer)

ME - Ah, yeah. Or if you don't like the sub-woofer there's the other ones there.

EW - And there's no discount?

(what the fuck, lady - you haven't even been in the store in a year. Really?)

ME - Nope - as is.


Finally she gives in and buys the speakers. But man... she must have asked for a discount about three times. For what? If you came in more often and spent a little more money then yeah, maybe I'd help you out. But you come in with a generally hostile attitude and looking like the cat peed in your face, you pay regular price like everyone else.

Oh - and she questioned if she had to pay sales tax, too. Granted - for *good* *regular* customers we'll give them a break if they pay cash, but she wasn't even doing that! She was using a credit card!

[MutualAddiction]

I had no idea that sales tax could be optional...

[emax4]

Anytime someone repeatedly has asked for a discount, I have told them, "well, maybe you just can't afford (product in question), so let me show you some affordable options here..."

[aulocksmith]

I hate getting repeatedly asked if there's a discount. Once is fine, but constantly asking me is not on. I remember one job I did, where the guy decided that the work I had done was not worth the price I charge. I have no problem with that, but they're still going to pay me the going rate. This guy REALLY didn't want to. He wanted to pay me approximately 1/3 of what the rate was.

I basically told him that he pays me what was on the invoice without fuss straight away, or he could have the invoice to pay within 7 days, and I wouldn't be coming back to do any more work for him. He decided on the second option. Didn't pay me on time, so it went to small claims, where I was then entitled to add court costs to the invoice. Long story short, he continued to ignore it, and ended up paying around 5 times the original invoice cost once lawyers started getting involved.

Some people will really cut their nose off just to spite their face.

Edit: Forgot to mention, this guy decided to keep arguing with me about after being handed the invoice, and I had gotten in to my car to leave. He did the biggest no-no* ever, and actually sat down in my car and closed the door to keep arguing. I was REALLY pissed once he did that, and told him I might have relented on coming back to do more work for him, but he'd blown hi chances now. Was basically told to get the hell out of my car and not to call again unless he was paying me what he owed.

* As I have a variety of tools, plus restricted tools, in my car, OH&S rules mean that while working I can't allow anyone in to any part of the vehicle, even if it seems safe.

[HawaiianShirts]

EW - Is there a discount?
EW - And there's no discount?

Ugh. Yep; I had a few of the same when I worked electronics retail. Our store didn't have discounts except for open items and floor models. Yet I had people asking for military discounts (whether they were in the military or not seemed irrelevant), student discounts (may or may not have been students), "I'm broke" discounts, "it's snowing" discounts, and on and on.

I still say that there's nothing wrong in asking. Maybe the store has some promotion or coupon you don't know about. But you're right that being grouchy and demanding about it is not going to help much.

Edit: Forgot to mention, this guy decided to keep arguing with me about after being handed the invoice, and I had gotten in to my car to leave. He did the biggest no-no* ever, and actually sat down in my car and closed the door to keep arguing.

"And that's when I punched him, officer."

Actually, after yelling at him several times to get out, I might have just decided to drive away to wherever I felt like going next and dragged him along. I'd be sure to turn the radio to whatever talk station went against his political views.

[notalwaysright]

Some of the "reasons" I've been asked for discounts:

-the wait
-small amount of lint (I take it off with tape, now what?)
-not the exact color/print they wanted
-sale was "confusing"
-couldn't use coupon
-they had to drive far
-the quality of the fabric (then buy something better)
-didn't understand what by-the-yard meant

I feel like the store offers tons of ways to get discounts, so this is baffling to me. They have student, teacher, military, VIP (reseller, member of a professional sewing or crafting organization, or an interior design professional) and non-profit discount cards. Not to mention other total purchase coupons. And like I say all the time, if they have a problem with any of this tell corporate.

[Mytical]

I had no idea that sales tax could be optional...

Sales tax is not optional, however, the store can pay the sales tax without passing it on to the consumer if they really want.

[Kanalah]

I get asked for random discounts all the time. People just don't understand how much time and talent goes into making a quilt.

"Yeah sure lady, I'd sell you a blue ribbon winning quilt, that's been appraised at $6,000, that I have priced at $750 for $20." Suuure.

Had a lady tell me that she'd rather pay $90 for a marked at $250 2nd place winner. I told her "Ma'am, $90 wouldn't even cover the cost of the fabric I used."

[emax4]

That's always a great time to ask where they get their fuel/petrol at, assuming they get a discount there too.

[MadMike]

Some of the "reasons" I've been asked for discounts:

The best reason I got was because the guy "didn't feel like paying that much." Hey, at least he was honest. And to his credit, he was polite, and asked for a manager instead of expecting me to do it myself somehow. I'm guessing he didn't get his discount, because shortly after that, I walked past the office, and heard the manager talking about the guy.

[XCashier]

-sale was "confusing"

Translation: "I can't be bothered to properly read the sign, so I'm going to throw a snit-fit in the hopes that you'll give me the price anyway!"

I feel like the store offers tons of ways to get discounts, so this is baffling to me....And like I say all the time, if they have a problem with any of this tell corporate.

Yeah, but contacting corporate takes work! They have to go onto that Big Scary Internet-thingy, find our oh-so-difficult address (storename.com), go through the sheer drudgery of looking up the information, then actually write a letter and, horror of horrors, mail it in! It's so much easier to bully the front-line employee who has no say in the matter at all, then they can feel like they've Stuck It To Da Man™!

[taxguykarl]

Some of the "reasons" I've been asked for discounts:

-the wait

I did that for a custy once--it was April 15th and our printer crapped out. I ran to another tax office owned by the same franchise owner and got us back in business. The manager agreed to knock 10% off her fee. No she wasn't sucky to our pleasant surprise.

[Catwoman2965]

I still say that there's nothing wrong in asking. Maybe the store has some promotion or coupon you don't know about. But you're right that being grouchy and demanding about it is not going to help much.


But to me, there's a difference between asking if there are any promos or discounts you might not know about, and could take advantage of, vs. simply asking for a discount because you don't want to pay the price, or some other reason.

I get that a lot in my store, esp when we have sales. The signs will say, and they've gotten better "UP TO x percent off markdowns" which means some, but not all markdowns are at that discount. So some, but not all items, may be that percent off. Some may be less. Yet I am consistently asked "what's x percent off?" since they take that to mean its an ADDITIONAL x percent off the marked down price. Nope. sorry,

[IvorTangrean]

THIS, this has become one of my pet peeves.

I work in a region that has a lot of cultural diversity, but lots of those cultures EXPECT you to haggle over price so they don't take kindly to me just shooting them down over "Can I get a deal?"

I even had a guy come up to me once and say "I used to work for {store} and know that you can give me 10% off. Do it for me." Now I do have and can use that power AT MY DISCRETION not because some guy who knows our policy demands it.

[Argabarga]

Well Sir, unlike you, I work at {store} NOW, and you won't be getting it.