You mean you can't sell me the display model? That's poor customer service!

[FuzzyKitten99]

Didn't happen to me, but it did happen to my supervisor. I only saw the customer scowl and huff out of the store and I asked what all that was about.

Two women came in to look at office chairs. We have a whole display set up to where you can sit in and test them all out before you buy.

The chair they want is out of stock at our particular store

My sup told them this, and one woman got all huffy and said "Well, can't you just sell me the display model?"

My sup told her no, that we only do that if the particular model has been discontinued, and this one she wanted was extremely popular, and unlikely to be discontinued for a while. We sell out of them nearly every week. Thus the display model is unavailable for sale.

"Well that's just poor customer service, and you have lost yourself a customer!"

She huffed out of the store, before my sup could tell her the other options we offer. Even if we don't have the chair you want in stock, we can either check a nearby store (there are 3 -including ours- within 10 miles of each other) or order it for you at no extra charge, since most furniture qualifies for free shipping, and you get it at home (or place of business) w/in 3-5 biz days, sometimes less if they get it out on the stock truck in time for the regular weekly store delivery.

[friendofjimmyk]

Another SC who'll never learn that tantrums get you nowhere. If people just didn't freak out so quickly - they'd get to hear all their options, if there are any. If not, just accept that its beyond your control - but tell that to an SC!

[csever01]

Even if you had been able to sell her the display model, I'm sure she would have tried to haggle for a lower price because of everyone that has sat in it!

[FuzzyKitten99]

Even if you had been able to sell her the display model, I'm sure she would have tried to haggle for a lower price because of everyone that has sat in it!

actually, display models get 20% off the current price, even if it is a sale, so I am thinking that was her motive.

It was a Sealy Posturepedic black suede leather chair. VERY comfortable, and decently priced at $125.

[Apathy]

My store had the same policy. I was that guy getting yelled at all the time. But I was resolute; they could not have the furniture/grill because we don't sell the displays. It's company policy.

Well... unless you go yell at a manager up front; they'll circumvent me constantly by giving the people the display and make me look like a jerk.

[donruss]

See ya!

[chainedbarista]

posturepedic AND comfy? sign me up for ten!

oh well, chances are, she'd try to 'fanagle' a better deal for x absurd reason if you did have it in stock.

a loss? not by my way of thinking, really; if it means not having to deal with the hassle of some bonehead trying to wrangle a better deal because they think they're such a 'good customer,' i say good riddance to ye.

[protege]

Gotta love that "I want it now" mentality. I'd have told Veruca that I could check another store...and if she didn't that... to buzz off

I usually don't buy display models--usually they've been beat to hell by the vast unwashed masses. But, if there's nothing available...it doesn't bug me at all. Not long ago, I'd put one of my long-suffering wagons out to pasture. I found another one at a discount store, and I was curious about how much it cost. (I was hoping to get one in a box..since that would have fit better in my car's trunk, but whatever...) The shop took nearly 50% off since it was the last one and had some (minor) scratches on it.

[smileyeagle1021]

actually, display models get 20% off the current price, even if it is a sale, so I am thinking that was her motive.

It was a Sealy Posturepedic black suede leather chair. VERY comfortable, and decently priced at $125.

where do you work, I'll be there this saturday, I so need one of those chairs and only $125.
SC wasn't ready to wait for them to come back in stock... what a moron...

[Nyx]

We get this every year with our christmas trees. They always act so horribly offended when I wont give it to them.

For some reason this reminds me of when I worked at the theater, we had these pretzels on display, I don't even know if they were real pretzels or not, if they were they had been there for years. I got someone who came up and told me "I want that one right there" I just kinda stared at the pretzel/brick and said "Uhhh no you don't"

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

actually, display models get 20% off the current price, even if it is a sale, so I am thinking that was her motive.

It was a Sealy Posturepedic black suede leather chair. VERY comfortable, and decently priced at $125.

I agree. She'd then find some flaw in it and demand a bigger discount, and of course it would be "poor customer service" to deny her.

[Boochan]

We get this every year with our christmas trees. They always act so horribly offended when I wont give it to them.

I can imagine that... bbbbbut its Christmas, you ruined our christmas, oh joy.
All our christmas stuff is seasonal, so we are actually happy if people will take our display stuff so we don't have to write it off and throw it out. Main problem last year is we sold out of christmas trees and LED christmas lights about a month earlier then they predicted with our stock levels, and we got asked WHY, and why didn't we have all this stuff in stock right through to Xmas Eve. We used some Xmas Lights to light up the store and some display cabinets, and people were very angry when we refused to sell it to them.

On display stock in general, we will sell off display stock of active lines, but they can't expect a big discount. Even on large items, we will only give a $5 discount on display stock, nothing more then that. People don't get why either, most of the time a discount isn't even justified cause its just sat out for a little while, and thats it.

[Becks]

It was a Sealy Posturepedic black suede leather chair.

I want one!!!

[depechemodefan]

I remember going to *name of electronic store* to buy a computer monitor on sale. They didn't have one, but they called the store down the street (about 8 miles away) and the second store said they had some in stock. So off we go. We get there and then it's "Oh no! the computer said we had them, but there's none in the stockroom. Let's call the other store about 15 miles away...yes, they have some, yes, they checked." So off we go another store and there were no computer monitors. We pointed out we called, we were assured, they were holding one for us, but no, they just read what was on the computer. So we bugged them till they sold us the display model.

[bainsidhe]

We get this around the holidays. Customers asking why we can't sell that superawesomegottahaveitnow Halloween display. Two weeks before Halloween. And can they get a discount. Um, no and no.

First of all, a manager is the only one who will allow the sale of a seasonal display before the holiday and that's only if no more will be in stock. Or if you whine long and loud enough. That seems to work, too. Second, why the hell would we discount seasonal stuff before the holiday when people are still willing to pay full price?

Had a woman the night before Easter buy around 5 Easter baskets. As I rang each one she asked, "Are you sure that's not half price" over and over. I kept explaining that we don't mark things down until AFTER the holiday. Keep in mind that baskets lines the walls, shelves, registers, etc. Easter night I come into the store and what do I see? Not a single Easter basket to be found in the store. Yeah, we were going to discount it for you People always wait 'til the last minute, though that's a different rant right there.