A Tale of 4-Tecs and Webkinz...

[Swordsman422]

The problem with working at a hobby store that we get a lot of very persistant kids coming in and calling searching for an item that is unreleased or just something we don't yet have. So when it was announced on the corporate site that the various franchise stores would be carrying Webkinz, the phone-calls began to roll in.

It's been 6 months. No webkinz yet (and thank God). But every day since the ad went live on the website, I've had to field the same call from the same little girl about them. It universally goes something like this...

Me: Thank you for calling Hobbytown, this is Swordsman, How can I help you?
girl: Yes, do you have webkinz?
Me: No webkinz yet.
girl: do you know when they'll come in?
Me: no.
girl: Okay, thanks.

Not unreasonable. Except it happens EVERY DAMN DAY. I finally memorized the number on caller ID so that when it shows up, the conversation goes more like this.

Me: Thank you for calling Hobbytown. No we do not have Webkinz yet and I do not know when they will arrive, have a nice day.
girl: um, okay, thanks anyway.

But still. Every. Damn. Day.

And then there was today. A young man came in right at opening time asking for the Nitro 4-Tec by Traxxas. For those not in the know, this R/C car can make 70 miles per hour without modification. As speed, it is nigh unsteerable and when car meets curb, curb wins to the tune of one $400 car destroyed. Not one you'd want a beginner to have.

Well, we don't have it in stock. I tell him we've been out for a day or so and should have one come in later today with the shipments or tomorrow.

Fast forward to noon.

Me: Thank you for calling Hobbytown, this is Swordsman, How can I help you?
boy: yeah, did you get your 4-tec yet?
Me: No. It didn't come today. Maybe tomorrow.
boy: Will you get another shipment in today? I really want this car.
Me: No. Both FedEx and UPS have made their stops. We didn't get any.
boy: okay.

Fast forward to an hour and a half ago...

Me: Thank you for calling Hobbytown, this is Swordsman, How can I help you?
boy: Yeah, I called earlier about the 4-Tec, do you have any yet.
Me: I told you our shipments have been delivered and...
boy: So you finally got some?
Me: No, we di...
boy: because some jerk over there told me you didn't have any
Me: *steams* that was me and we don't have any 4-Tecs. Try again tomorrow.
boy: fine.

Fast forward to forty minutes ago...

Me: Thank you for calling Hobbytown, this is Swordsman, How can I help you?
boy: Can I speak to the R/C guy?
Me: sure. *transferes the call*

And I hear poor Kevin: This is Kevin, how can I help you?... No, we don't have any Nitro 4-Tecs. We didn't get any in our shipments today... probably tomorrow... okay, have a nice day.

And to fifteen minutes ago...

Me: Thank you for calling Hobbytown, this is Swordsman, How can I help you?
boy: Yeah. did you get any 4-Tecs yet?
Me: It's been less than an hour since you called here. The answer is NO, we do not have any 4-Tecs in stock. NO we are not recieving any more shipments in today. We. Will. Have. Some. To. Mo. Rrow.
boy: so when will you have more?
Me: Have a nice day *click*

If it was my choice, I wouldn't sell him an R/C car that could go 70 miles an hour. He'd take his own or some-one else's foot off with it! Either that or he'd total it against a curb and want us to fix it!

Sheesh. Two more days of this crap until the weekend! Shoot me now.

[Soulstealer]

If it was me I'd stuff the RC up his ass when it comes in. I'm sure at 70 mph it'll be fun.

[digilight]

I would make him sign a waiver stating that he is aware that slamming his pricey toy into a curb or other hard object at a retarded rate of speed will not entitle him to any type of comped replacement. There is no warrenty implied or otherwise for operator ignorance.

He sounds like the type of dillknocker that would try and bring a box of smashed car bits in for a refund.

[Sliceanddice]

If it was me I'd stuff the RC up his ass when it comes in. I'm sure at 70 mph it'll be fun.

..... i think there are people who would pay good money for that....

[Skandranon]

Less than an hour between calls? Sheesh, I don't even check my email at that rate, even if I'm expecting an important one.

I always get a funny picture in my head, imagining a SC's life. This one, I imagine him sitting at home, in his big chair, in a wifebeater, beer in hand. "Nothin' on tv," he grumbles. "Just some stupid hoity toity art movie bs. This sucks. I got nothin' to do. Nothin' at all, because tv is my life. Hey, how long ago did I call that store? Ten minutes? An hour? A year? I dunno, my sense of time has been stripped by too much tv. Guess I'll call again to double check. They're a big company, they do stuffs fast, so they gotta have cars in by now."

Alternatively, I see a 13 year old hyped on energy drinks and high off the fumes of too much Axe, drooling and bouncing in his seat as he mentally devours a picture of said car, posted on his favorite forum. He twitches from sheer desire to send a powerful piece of machinery screaming down a road at 70 mph, and in this frantic state, fifteen minutes is a lifetime, during which surely that darn store might've gotten another beautiful expensive crotch rocket in for him to buy and destroy in a mighty explosion worthy of a B grade action flick.

[Imogene]

I was told by my boss that we don't answer the store phone before the store opens, because, sure as shit, it'll be a customer calling to ask if we got any Wii's in. Anything important, there will be a call to my cell phone if it's before store hours.

[Swordsman422]

Alternatively, I see a 13 year old hyped on energy drinks and high off the fumes of too much Axe, drooling and bouncing in his seat as he mentally devours a picture of said car, posted on his favorite forum. He twitches from sheer desire to send a powerful piece of machinery screaming down a road at 70 mph, and in this frantic state, fifteen minutes is a lifetime, during which surely that darn store might've gotten another beautiful expensive crotch rocket in for him to buy and destroy in a mighty explosion worthy of a B grade action flick.

Bingo...

And Juwl, we also get pre-op hours calls for Wii's. Which we don't sell.

[Princess-Snake]

The RC story reminds me of a customer I had a few days ago. This guy wanted a certain brand of juice, but we were out. There was plenty of other juices to choose from, but he wanted only this brand of juice. So he asks me when we're getting more.

Me: Obvious
SC: Impatient juice boy

SC: So, when are you getting more?
Me: We should have some tomorrow.
SC: Ok.

20 minutes later.

SC: Got any more juice?
Me: It'll be here tomorrow.
SC: Alright.

35 minutes later.

SC: Ya'll got anymore juice yet.
Me: It will be here tomorrow, sir.
SC: Fine.

10 minutes later.

SC: I've been waiting here all day! Now where's my goddamn juice?!
Me: (By now, I've had it with him. Normally, people wouldn't be able to get away with this, but I had a real cool manager and knew he would understand. So I started singing.) The juice will come. Tomorrow! Bet you bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be juice!
SC: Are you being smart with me?! Tell me when my juice is coming.
Me (still singing) Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow! You're only a day away!
SC: Where's your manager?!

Manager sees this whole shenanigan taking place and is giving me the "Dear god, what the hell kind of psycho freaky thing are you doing now?" look. He gives this look to me everyday 'cause I do freaky things everyday. So he comes over.

SC: This girl must have escaped from an asylum or something! I keep asking her about my juice and she's singing like that damn orphan about Tomorrow!
Manager: Well, don't you think she's trying to make a point? Like maybe you're juice is coming tomorrow?

SC huffs and puffs and stomps out of the store.

Manager: He has a point you know. Sometimes I wonder if you did escape from an asylum.
Me: You know, straight jackets are more comfy than they look.
Manager:

p.s. I was just kidding.

[click--it]

haha I have a old DuraTrex, and a newer Jato. Next time he calls tell him you have one in, but someone is looking at it right now

Or you could get his number and call him when it comes in if you are




This is slightly off topic, What do you charge (fair price) to tune say a Jato? Mine is 95% tunned it just needs fine tuning.

[protege]

Not all of us hobby shop patrons are assholes

Although, I did get to see some kid whine that Tamiya's new Ferrari Enzo kit wasn't in stock yet, and how he had to buy the "sucky" Revell version. Never mind that the Tamiya kit was like $50 when released, and the Revell one was about $35 cheaper. Detail isn't as great, but the expensive kits are *exactly* the ones you *don't* give the kiddies

[cinema guy]

The juice will come. Tomorrow! Bet you bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be juice!
SC: Are you being smart with me?! Tell me when my juice is coming.
Me (still singing) Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow! You're only a day away!
SC: Where's your manager?!

(and roll)