I turned down a sale today...

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

and it felt good!

I was filling truck today when I got flagged down for help in furniture by some woman.

Customer: (looking at a TV stand on clearance in the center aisle) If I want to buy this TV stand, what do I do?

Me: (picks up the signholder and notices a pull tag in it, indicating we have one boxed unit of that TV stand in stock yet) Okay, you take this tag up to the cashier, and they'll call somebody to deliver it to you.

Customer: So I don't just take this display one?

Me: No, we still have one boxed unit in the back, so you would be getting that one.

Customer: Oh no, no, I want this one!

Me: I'm sorry, but our policy is not to sell furniture displays until the display is all that's left in a particular item.

Customer: But I'm not really mechanically-inclined, and this is for my handicapped parents. They need a TV stand and won't be able to put this one together.

Me: Again I apologize, but I cannot sell you this display until the boxed one is sold first.

Customer: Isn't there a manager you could call over so I can ask them about this?

Me: I'm sorry, they will tell you the same thing. They always enforce this policy (turn and walk away)

Customer: You're turning down a sale?

Me: (continues to walk away)

Seriously lady, your piddly $40 sale isn't worth the payroll we'd have to blow to assemble that boxed unit still in the back, because if we sold you the display corporate wouldn't allow us to just toss that TV on the floor still in its box. Fuck, we have a clearance kitchen pantry still in the back needing to be assembled for sale. And since I'm not on commission, watch me not care.

So now that the jury is in, let's review the charges and hear the verdicts:

• Playing the "handicapped card" to skirt store policy--GUILTY
• Asking for a manager because you were told something you didn't like to hear--GUILTY
• Saying I'm "turning down a sale" and thinking I give an airborne fornication--GUILTY

I sentence the defendant to 20 years chained to a cash register at the local Wally World alongside the other local failures of humanity who work there. Case closed.

*bang bang bang*

[gijoecam]

Here's an idea:

"Sorry, m'am, but we can't sell you the display if we have a new unit in the back. However, for an additional fee, we'd be happy to pay someone to assemble the new one for you and load it into your trunk."

If the customer is willing to bear the fee of assembling the unit, why not make the sale? Seems like the logical response would be to work with the customer to make the customer happy, move a unit off the shelves, and NOT cost the company money for labor. If the customer was willing to cover the cost of assembly, why not?

But that's just me...

-Joe

[Broomjockey]

Because it could take 20 minutes or more to assemble the thing, assuming they have the space. And most stores don't staff to be able to just randomly pick off employees for that long.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Here's an idea:

"Sorry, m'am, but we can't sell you the display if we have a new unit in the back. However, for an additional fee, we'd be happy to pay someone to assemble the new one for you and load it into your trunk."

If the customer is willing to bear the fee of assembling the unit, why not make the sale? Seems like the logical response would be to work with the customer to make the customer happy, move a unit off the shelves, and NOT cost the company money for labor. If the customer was willing to cover the cost of assembly, why not?

But that's just me...

-Joe

That isn't an option at my store. Especially not on a truck day.

Furniture assembly isn't even a service we offer and I don't know how the extra fee would be entered into the cash register.

It might be a service people would go for if we offered it, but corporate isn't too big on spending money to make money.

[FredKlein]

Because it could take 20 minutes or more to assemble the thing, assuming they have the space. And most stores don't staff to be able to just randomly pick off employees for that long.

I think the implication was that the employee would charge the customer a few bucks, and then assemble it on their break/lunch. Heck, $10 for 20 minutes work is probably more then they make working for the store.

[Evil Queen]

And it has to be a 24 Hour wal-mart!

[taxguykarl]

One of my CW's sent one away last season. This ditz contradicted herself about her 'home based business' 4 times by my count and fed us some other blatant BS (e.g. the big chain where she did her return last year could not retrieve it b/c it was out-of-state...yeah right).

CW told her to come back with her last year's return.

Ditz has yet to be seen or heard from again. Just as well no amount of money is worth an IRS supeona.

[Broomjockey]

I think the implication was that the employee would charge the customer a few bucks, and then assemble it on their break/lunch. Heck, $10 for 20 minutes work is probably more then they make working for the store.

Then it's an even worse idea. Most peope I know wouldn't give up their break for $10 or $20. And breaks are usually 15, which probably wouldn't give enough time to do it.

Then there's the iffy "working off the clock" area if they do it during lunch.

[FredKlein]

Then it's an even worse idea. Most peope I know wouldn't give up their break for $10 or $20. .

Well, if they used their 30 minute lunch to assemble it, and charged $20, that's $40 an hour! Far more than most retail workers make.

Then there's the iffy "working off the clock" area if they do it during lunch.

I would think it would be okay if they made it clear (to anyone who cared ask) that they are working (on their own time) directly for the customer, and not the store. Or do it after they punch out for the day.::

[Fandangoose]

• Saying I'm "turning down a sale" and thinking I give an airborne fornication--GUILTY

[Sliceanddice]

"well im sure you know a neighborhood boy who needs an extra 30 bucks

[Broomjockey]

Well, if they used their 30 minute lunch to assemble it, and charged $20, that's $40 an hour! Far more than most retail workers make.

Yeah, more than they make, but that means you're going without food for however long your shift is, and no break. Again, I don't know many people who are going to go for that, simply for $20. And what are the odds of someone having a break available just in time for the customer to put it together? Is the customer really going to wait around until then? What if it's later in the day? You do it once, they come back another day, are they going to demand it again? What if you're not there that time? Are they going to demand one of your co-workers does it? What if you end up not putting it together properly? Will the store have to replace it? Will the store decide to hold you responsible for the problem? It's a TV stand in this case, what if it collapses? The customer could come after you for whatever damage has happened.

I would think it would be okay if they made it clear (to anyone who cared ask) that they are working (on their own time) directly for the customer, and not the store. Or do it after they punch out for the day.::

Yeah, but if you're still in uniform, people who just walk by and see it are going to assume. Again, after you punch out, is the customer going to wait? It sounds all well and good "Hey! $20 for 30 minutes work!" But between the inherent suckiness of customers who are already demanding an unavailable service, people being in a hurry, etc etc, it just won't work. Unless you can set up a stand outside the store saying "Will assemble furniture $20". Then it could work.

[PepperElf]

Because it could take 20 minutes or more to assemble the thing, assuming they have the space. And most stores don't staff to be able to just randomly pick off employees for that long.

That's when you jack the fee up to something horrendous like $100.
$200 if they want it assembled AND delivered
(or higher if you're feeling super evil)

[One-Fang]

Never ever, under any circumstances, assemble something for the customer.

Whatever they do to it afterwards, if it breaks, they will blame you. Now you have a lawsuit on your hands, and quite possibly would get fired.

Our K-Mart furniture area has little business cards holders dotted about with cards for a local who's set himself up in the "assemble it for you" business. Obviously K-Mart endorses him, but by it being a totally separate business, they are not at all responsible for his actions. If a customer said something like the above, they'd just hand her a card and say "call this guy".

Don't know if he makes enough money off it really ... hope he's got some other line of work.

[saint]

airborne fornication

I snorted. I had to think about it for a minute.