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So how do you think it goes when people try to bargain?
Lets find out
FYI: I'd like to say that I'm an excellent sales associate. Most of the time I'm very reasonable, and if I have leeway, I will bust my ass with my bosses to make deals for a customer and make them happy. The key word is "REASONABLE"
NO FREE SERVICE PLAN!
Pulled away from a customer by one of my trainees, I was informed of a customer who wanted to bargain. Somewhat with a sinking feeling I told the customer I would be with them in a moment and went to haggle. In this case it was a gentleman standing in front of the most expensive laptop I have, and it's already been marked down because I'm selling the display. Now he didn't speak English well and it's harder to type in broken English so I'm just going to convey his intent.
C: I want to buy this computer.
M: Ok, well it's eighteen hundred dollars down from twenty four hundred, but you are buying my display.
C: I know. Can I get free service plan?
M: Excuse me?
C: Its a display, I want a free service plan. Give me that and I'll buy.
(Now while I appreciate the fact he recognizes he needs one, I wouldn't do that for the Lord Jesus Christ and neither would my company. The service plan is four hundred fifty dollars on this laptop )
M: I'm afraid I can't do that. It does come with a two hundred dollar gift card that you can use on the service plan if you like.
C: If I buy a display computer, I should get a free service plan. Isn't that a law? I don't know what's wrong with it.
(So now he's a lawyer. Great)
M: No, that's why there's a manufacturer warranty. You still get that even though it's a display, but we're not giving you a free service plan.
C: But I'm buying the display.
M: Which is why I've knocked it down seven hundred dollars to start with and I'm giving you a gift card for two hundred more.
C: But Circuit City has it new in box for two thousand.
M: Well they still have stock on it. I had it new in box for two thousand too when it first went clearance, but I sold out. Now all I have is the display for seventeen hundred. Plus a two hundred dollar gift card. So basically I'm giving it to you five hundred dollars less than them.
C: But I want a free service plan!
M: And that's not going to happen. If I did that, they'd fire me.
C: What about your manager? Can he do it?
M: No, and he wouldn't do it either.
C: But I want this one because it's cheaper!
M: Then buy it. But I'm not going to give you a free service plan. Either buy the display (which doesn't have a scratch anywhere on it) for seventeen or drive down to Circuit City and get a new one for two thousand.
C: That's not right. If you sell a display, you should give a free service plan.
M: Yeah, well, I'm not going to.
What Country am I in?
It's getting close to closing time and I'm finishing up some last minute things when a group of Russian men come in with five minutes to close. What is it with customers and knowing that I'm about to leave on time for once? I'll admit I'm a little irritated by this. Also, I'm kind of translating because they don't speak English well either.
M: Excuse me, can I help you?
C: No, no, just looking.
M: Well our registers shut down in ten minutes, so if you have something to purchase...
C: Oh, well, I want this laptop *points at a laptop*
(I want to go home. I hit all my budgets for the day, one naked laptop is no big deal to me and I have to close the department by myself which is a pain in the ass, that's why I started early. I get him to the register and I can finish and go home)
M: I'll go check stock on it for you. One moment.
(What a shock, out of stock on it because it was on sale and this is the last night.)
M: Well I don't have any more in stock...neither does anywhere else in Washington... (not that it matters because now we ARE closed)
C: That's ok. I'll buy this one.
M: I can't sell you that one.
C: Why not?
M: Because it's not a clearance item. (I show him a tag for one) Unless it's my last one, I can't sell my display.
C: But it is your last one and I want to buy it.
M: I'll be getting more shipments of them. When it's clearance, it's been discontinued and I won't be. In this case since I'll be getting more, I have to have a display. (That is actually a law in Washington and you can get in trouble for it.)
C: When will you get more?
M: Could be next week, but it won't be on sale. This is the last night.
(This debate goes on for ten more minutes.)
C: I don't understand. In Russia, when you sell out they sell display at a nice discount.
M: (fed up, but keeping in mind I still want to have a job tomorrow) Ok, but in America, when I sell out, I have laws that either allow me to sell or not sell a display. In this case I can't.
C: Well that's not good business. Russia is much better. *turns and walks out*
And honestly, these aren't the worst. It's always people in Armani suits and Rolex watches who bitch about the price of a thirty dollar cable. Or printer cartridges.
C: I can get this on the Internet for ten bucks!
M: Well, I can't compete with that! *shrugs*
They always look astounded I'm not begging for their business. Look, just because you don't want to pay that, somebody will. And I make the same either way.
Lets find out
FYI: I'd like to say that I'm an excellent sales associate. Most of the time I'm very reasonable, and if I have leeway, I will bust my ass with my bosses to make deals for a customer and make them happy. The key word is "REASONABLE"
NO FREE SERVICE PLAN!
Pulled away from a customer by one of my trainees, I was informed of a customer who wanted to bargain. Somewhat with a sinking feeling I told the customer I would be with them in a moment and went to haggle. In this case it was a gentleman standing in front of the most expensive laptop I have, and it's already been marked down because I'm selling the display. Now he didn't speak English well and it's harder to type in broken English so I'm just going to convey his intent.
C: I want to buy this computer.
M: Ok, well it's eighteen hundred dollars down from twenty four hundred, but you are buying my display.
C: I know. Can I get free service plan?
M: Excuse me?
C: Its a display, I want a free service plan. Give me that and I'll buy.
(Now while I appreciate the fact he recognizes he needs one, I wouldn't do that for the Lord Jesus Christ and neither would my company. The service plan is four hundred fifty dollars on this laptop )
M: I'm afraid I can't do that. It does come with a two hundred dollar gift card that you can use on the service plan if you like.
C: If I buy a display computer, I should get a free service plan. Isn't that a law? I don't know what's wrong with it.
(So now he's a lawyer. Great)
M: No, that's why there's a manufacturer warranty. You still get that even though it's a display, but we're not giving you a free service plan.
C: But I'm buying the display.
M: Which is why I've knocked it down seven hundred dollars to start with and I'm giving you a gift card for two hundred more.
C: But Circuit City has it new in box for two thousand.
M: Well they still have stock on it. I had it new in box for two thousand too when it first went clearance, but I sold out. Now all I have is the display for seventeen hundred. Plus a two hundred dollar gift card. So basically I'm giving it to you five hundred dollars less than them.
C: But I want a free service plan!
M: And that's not going to happen. If I did that, they'd fire me.
C: What about your manager? Can he do it?
M: No, and he wouldn't do it either.
C: But I want this one because it's cheaper!
M: Then buy it. But I'm not going to give you a free service plan. Either buy the display (which doesn't have a scratch anywhere on it) for seventeen or drive down to Circuit City and get a new one for two thousand.
C: That's not right. If you sell a display, you should give a free service plan.
M: Yeah, well, I'm not going to.
What Country am I in?
It's getting close to closing time and I'm finishing up some last minute things when a group of Russian men come in with five minutes to close. What is it with customers and knowing that I'm about to leave on time for once? I'll admit I'm a little irritated by this. Also, I'm kind of translating because they don't speak English well either.
M: Excuse me, can I help you?
C: No, no, just looking.
M: Well our registers shut down in ten minutes, so if you have something to purchase...
C: Oh, well, I want this laptop *points at a laptop*
(I want to go home. I hit all my budgets for the day, one naked laptop is no big deal to me and I have to close the department by myself which is a pain in the ass, that's why I started early. I get him to the register and I can finish and go home)
M: I'll go check stock on it for you. One moment.
(What a shock, out of stock on it because it was on sale and this is the last night.)
M: Well I don't have any more in stock...neither does anywhere else in Washington... (not that it matters because now we ARE closed)
C: That's ok. I'll buy this one.
M: I can't sell you that one.
C: Why not?
M: Because it's not a clearance item. (I show him a tag for one) Unless it's my last one, I can't sell my display.
C: But it is your last one and I want to buy it.
M: I'll be getting more shipments of them. When it's clearance, it's been discontinued and I won't be. In this case since I'll be getting more, I have to have a display. (That is actually a law in Washington and you can get in trouble for it.)
C: When will you get more?
M: Could be next week, but it won't be on sale. This is the last night.
(This debate goes on for ten more minutes.)
C: I don't understand. In Russia, when you sell out they sell display at a nice discount.
M: (fed up, but keeping in mind I still want to have a job tomorrow) Ok, but in America, when I sell out, I have laws that either allow me to sell or not sell a display. In this case I can't.
C: Well that's not good business. Russia is much better. *turns and walks out*
And honestly, these aren't the worst. It's always people in Armani suits and Rolex watches who bitch about the price of a thirty dollar cable. Or printer cartridges.
C: I can get this on the Internet for ten bucks!
M: Well, I can't compete with that! *shrugs*
They always look astounded I'm not begging for their business. Look, just because you don't want to pay that, somebody will. And I make the same either way.