Price Protected Means Just That!

[MiddleofNowhere]

Howdy, all! Thought I'd share a little gem with you that happened awhile ago. BG: One of the things I'm pretty good at selling is 'high end' sunglasses, especially the ones with the big 'O' on the side. But, the thing is, big 'O' company Does. Not. Put. Their. Sunglasses. On. Sale.

Me: Sunglass Sellin' Goddess
SC: Sucky Customer

Me: Sees customer peering intently into locked big 'O' case. "Hello, I see you're checking out big 'O' sunglasses. What pair would you like to try on?" I get my key out, start opening case.
SC: "What's your best price on 'blah' style of big 'O' sunglasses?"
Me: Picks up pair customer looking at. "Well, this 'blah' style with the Black frame and Black polarized lenses is $xxx."
SC: "I didn't ask what the price was on the tag, I asked what your best price was."
Me: ..."Um, sir, the prices are set by big 'O' company. I can't do any discounts. We can look at some of the same 'blah' style without polarized lenses. Those will be a lower price."
SC: "You know, I can get these down at *other Sunglass retailer* for cheaper."
Me: "Really? Because everything big 'O' does is price protected. We, nor any other retailer can sell this product for less than big 'O' MSRP. But, tell you what, let me call my buddies down at *other Sunglass retailer* and verify their price for you, because we do price match." (knowing FULL WELL that their price is the same as ours)
SC: Ummmm.... *fidgets* "Well, how do I know these are real big 'O' sunglasses?"
Me: (mind you we have entire shop in our store of several high end brands, all behind locked cases with said high end brands POP/Advertising everywhere)
Me: "Because you're not buying them out of the back of a truck at a flea market"
SC: *meekly* "YeahI'lltakethese."

SC wouldn't make eye contact with me the rest of the time I got the sunglass case, had him inspect the lenses again and walked him to the register.

Asshat.

[ReadyToRetire]

Oh, a customer pwnage story. I love those.

We should have a section for these.

[Kusanagi]

I had a few pairs of those fake Oakleys. We used to call them Joke-leys.

The same thing happened to me when I was selling mattreses. TempurPedic is the same way with their products - they're price protected and anyone who sells below that price better have a darned good reason why they did, or else the company will pull their contract with the seller.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

SC: Ummmm.... *fidgets* "Well, how do I know these are real big 'O' sunglasses?"
Me: (mind you we have entire shop in our store of several high end brands, all behind locked cases with said high end brands POP/Advertising everywhere)
Me: "Because you're not buying them out of the back of a truck at a flea market"

Or from some guy with a suitcase on a street corner.

When my high school band went on a spring trip to New York City, the fake-Oakley sunglasses sellers were about the first locals we ran into.

And students were buying them en masse.

[AdminAssistant]

I got a pair of "O" sunglasses in high school - I think they were a birthday present or somesuch. But now I wear real glasses, so I can't wear sunglasses anymore.

[Pagan]

Well, howdy yourself, amigo/a!

One of the things I'm pretty good at selling is 'high end' sunglasses, especially the ones with the big 'O' on the side.

I know your talking about sunglasses, but all I can think of are tires!

I got a pair of "O" sunglasses in high school - I think they were a birthday present or somesuch. But now I wear real glasses, so I can't wear sunglasses anymore.

Same here! I loved mine. I had a pair of frogskins - matte black with purple iridium lenses. *Goes to the Oakley website* Oooooh, they still make them! Frogskins, but not the colour combo I had.

But I am pretty enamoured of my Transitions lenses.

[MadMike]

I know your talking about sunglasses, but all I can think of are tires!

Funny, when someone mentions "big O", my mind goes straight to the gutter.

[Imogene]

"big O"

Big O is also an anime, and the anime geek I took over for at the Chesterfield had a running gag that Big O can solve anything.
"Big O saves the city! Big O flushes the toilet! Big O stomps out cancer! Big O..." and so on.

[Pagan]

Funny, when someone mentions "big O", my mind goes straight to the gutter.

Yeah, that too. I was trying to ignore that part of my brain for once!

[smileyeagle1021]

Funny, when someone mentions "big O", my mind goes straight to the gutter.

am I the only one who was thinking of overstock.com...?

(then again that is mainly because they have a call center in Salt Lake and they are always advertising come work for the O )

[Soulstealer]

You can still wear sunglasses if you need glasses. There's contacts, prescription sunglasses, laser eye surgery, glasses that tint in bright light and those clip on thingies.

[AdminAssistant]

You can still wear sunglasses if you need glasses. There's contacts, prescription sunglasses, laser eye surgery, glasses that tint in bright light and those clip on thingies.

Heh, that made me think of the guy in that Cosby show spinoff....my memory is failing me.

Yeah, those things cost extra money - so I'll just go sans-shades for now. If I'm in the car and the sun is OMGinmyeyes, I'll take off my glasses, put on my sunglasses (I still keep those Oakleys around) and just hope there's not a sign I need to read.

[KabeRinnaul]

Big O is also an anime, and the anime geek I took over for at the Chesterfield had a running gag that Big O can solve anything.
"Big O saves the city! Big O flushes the toilet! Big O stomps out cancer! Big O..." and so on.

I thought of the anime first, too. Even though I only saw about a dozen episodes, and haven't seen it in ages. The name just sticks out.

[mattm04]

Or from some guy with a suitcase on a street corner.

When my high school band went on a spring trip to New York City, the fake-Oakley sunglasses sellers were about the first locals we ran into.

And students were buying them en masse.

Hey, I got myself a Rolex when my school went the the UN. Only like $10.

[JustADude]

I got a pair of "O" sunglasses in high school - I think they were a birthday present or somesuch. But now I wear real glasses, so I can't wear sunglasses anymore.

I've worn glasses since before I was old enough to even know what Oakley's were, and I go every time I see another style I would kill to be able to wear.