The evils of the interweb

[DesignFox]

This is for all us salespeople, small time business workers or just anyone who knows what its like to hear the words... "I can get it cheaper online!" OR "I can get it cheaper at Wal-mart!"

I hate these people. I really do. It's wrong. But I can't help it.

I work primarily on commission. So, I sell you a nice phone...you get a pretty feature added to your account...you pick up a nice headset or accessory...I make money. Yay!

The people I can't stand... "I could get that phone FREE online! Why is it XX.XX here!?" (they try to bargain with you, they storm out... NOW- if the rate plan is higher than the basic plan...it's a NEW activation- or they want some nice expensive features and they're going to KEEP THEM for 6 months...we've been known to lower the prices) In cell phones- we make the money on the activation. If the activation is not through us, we make nothing. Also, when a person gets that nice phone for a low low price...we have to be careful not to lose money. We pay more for that phone than customers do in store. We make it up in the commission.

So, needless to say. Online, there are no salespeople to pay. They have THOUSANDS of phones tucked away in a warehouse. Someone shoves it in a box and sends it to you. They don't do a damn thing. You do all the work through the website picking a plan and features. Hell, they don't even fully activate it. Guess what? There's a slick piece of paper with instructions on it. With a nice 800 number to call. Which sends you to nice customer service people...who are PAID to plug the right numbers in the computer and make the phone work.

Alas...what do these nimrods do? Do they call the nice 800 number plastered all over the paper that comes in that perfect box? Do they call the nice customer service people who are paid a buttload more money than I am to help them set up their phone and get their account working? NO. They come to me. They don't buy a damn thing from me. Ever. And complain about the prices. But then expect ME to use my TIME and lose SALES to set up their damn phone...show them how to use it...etc.

I hate it. If you buy your phone online...call the damn number. Or at the least, sign up for your features in store...or buy your accessories there. Your salesperson will appreciate it.

I treat my customers like gold, and I do try to help people with simple problems...but I get very annoyed at the constant bargain hunters who only waste my time, buy things online and then force me to set it up for them...and they never buy anything through me. Never. Not even a damn car charger....


Anyone else frustrated by this?

[skeptic53]

Farmer goes in to his local merchant and wants to buy a shovel. Merchant says "It's $20 plus tax". Farmer pulls out a mail-order catalog and shows him the price "These folks sell it for $15".
Merchant says, "OK. $18.20"
"Why not $15?"
"The catalog charges $3.20 shipping"
"OK, fair enough". Farmer forks over $18.20.
Merchant wraps shovel and puts it on shelf.
"What are you doing?"
"Come back in 6-8 weeks and you can have it".

[BookstoreEscapee]

Luckily I did not work on commission so it really mattered not to me one way or the other if they went online.

Them: I can get it for less online.
Me: OK

[GingerBiscuit]

Oh, god, I hate that,
I have been known to respond with 'and online they don't have to pay a sales assistamt like me, they don't have to pay for the training so I can let you know what all these products are good for, They don't have to pay for the physical shop. ' Politelty, of course.

[powerboy]

DesignFox, I agree with you on that. Us small business employees, get the short end of the stick. luckily at my job, I am not commission, but I still do feel your pain. No one cares about the mom and pop shops anymore, as long as they can get it on the internet. Yes it does suck. i am not saying to be rude or anything. It is just, that I hate those people also. I prefer going to the small shops, when I can get what I need or want from them.

[earl colby pottinger]

Simple answer

When a customer walks in with a problem with their new unit, someone has to pay.

If the unit is under warranty from the manufacturer, and the manufacturer will pay for the repairs - no problem.

If the unit was bought from us and it's serial number is in the database - no problem.

If neither of the above apply but you agree to our service rate - again no problem.

But -- Don't lie, don't claim you got it from us if you did not - that is why we have a database.

Don't claim it is brand new if it is not - that is why the manufacturer has a database.

Don't be surprised that the manufacturer does not honour warranty on items made for the Japanese/Mexican market in Canada. There is a reason you got it so cheap online.

Don't complain to me the manual has no English pages. There is a reason you got it so cheap online.

Don't complain to me how bad the online store help line is. I told you I have learnt my job over decades, that makes me very good at what I do. If you don't want to pay, expect no help.

[Catwoman2965]

DesignFox, I agree with you on that. Us small business employees, get the short end of the stick. luckily at my job, I am not commission, but I still do feel your pain. No one cares about the mom and pop shops anymore, as long as they can get it on the internet. Yes it does suck. i am not saying to be rude or anything. It is just, that I hate those people also. I prefer going to the small shops, when I can get what I need or want from them.

I miss the mom and pop shops; the town i grew up in used to have a really nice downtown, nice stores, uniquie merchandise, etc., but as rents have risen, they've all been taken over by the mall stores...i hate it.

But there are still a few left; i still get my glasses at the place i have since i was a kid, and yes, they charge more, but i get better service. I can go in anytime and they will tighten/adjust them for me free of charge, and since my prescription is complicated, i know they'll be done right, and if i have any problems, i can go back, and know they'll be taken care of. They will also sometimes give me a discount, since i'm a regular customer....

[Shabo]

I actually had a really nice sales rep for my cell phone carrier tell me that the charger I wanted to buy from him was half the price at the local wal-mart. Now I'm not crazy about buying things from wal-mart, but at half the cost? All I can say is that if I ever need anything else for my phone, I'll head back to that guy since he was so honest with me. He could have kept his mouth shut, but didn't, and I am ever so glad he didn't.

[protege]

I bet hobby shop owners just *love* people who buy stuff online...and then come in and bitch when it doesn't work

As such, I try not to do that--I'd rather get my locomotives and kits from someone who actually knows their products, and if necessary, how to fix them. Occasionally though, they'll be out of something, so I have to get it online. They'll still fix it though...since I do most of my business with them. I don't like to make it a habit though.

Somewhat along those lines....

When I bought my new car, I wanted the stereo swapped out of my old one. It was a nice Pioneer unit, and since I still had the original Mazda radio...they agreed to do it for me. Imagine my surprise when I went down there to collect it, and didn't get charged for it. The plan was, that instead of paying the dealership $65, they'd take it to Circuit City up the street, and charge me $25 for the swap. I was still surprised when i wasn't charged for it. All they asked is that I refer people to them...which I was planning to do anyway. Gotta love it when your father has bought about 6 cars from them, knows the sales manager, and he wants to "hook you up." Would I do business with them again? Abso-freaking-lutely

[justZu]

but I get very annoyed at the constant bargain hunters who only waste my time, buy things online and then force me to set it up for them...and they never buy anything through me. Never. Not even a damn car charger....

Do you have to set it up for them? Could you say "Sorry, I only do setup for my actual customers"? Or better yet...
"Too bad, so sad...you're on your own. Come back when you're ready to spend some money"
That would be very satisfying, I think.

[Andara Bledin]

I'm an online shopper. I don't need instant gratification of having my purchases in hand right this second. I understand how to research what I'm going to buy, how good the company I'm buying it from is, and what it'll take to get things working if it's some sort of device.

However, I won't go into a store and demand help if I'm not actually interested in buying something from that store. That's just cheap and rude.

^-.-^

[DesignFox]

Do you have to set it up for them? Could you say "Sorry, I only do setup for my actual customers"? Or better yet...
"Too bad, so sad...you're on your own. Come back when you're ready to spend some money"
That would be very satisfying, I think.

My boyfriend had some excellent responses similar to those...but this is why he wouldn't last a day in retail...he wouldn't think it...he'd say it!

I guess there isn't any reason that I couldn't get away with it...but...I don't like to be rude. Even if the person deserves it. I always just keep hoping that by some crazy chance the word on the street will be that I'm the best in town and their friends will come in and buy stuff.... but it's a slim hope at best (it DOES occasionally happen, though and those people I don't mind!). Plus, you always have this dual purpose working in an agent store. You to some degree represent the primary phone company- so you have to be professional or else that customer associates you with that company...which, while they don't directly pay you, you do sell their product and if they lose customers, you do. At the same time, you have to serve your owner's best interests...which is if they aren't buying from us, we aren't making money...get them out quick so you can help the person that WILL spend money! Rough road we travel. Very frustrating.

I have wanted to tell people to f- off and go call the number listed on their instructions, though.

[auntiem]

I get this all day every day. I used to be nice about it, but now if someone calls to ask about baggage/customs/visa etc. info I just ask them their last name and if I don't have the reservation I just tell them to call where they got the ticket for the info. This is also why I'm so glad when someone calls after buying a ticket online that they want to change or fix that I can just say "sorry, only the issuing agency can touch that ticket".

[k386trl]

I worked for a Verizo authorized retailer and one of the features of buying a phone from us was free tech support and we would deal with customer service for you if you bought from us. When someone came in looking for help and they weren't one of our customers, they were told we charged If they complained the owner told them it's a service I offer to customers, you are not my customer you are Verizons customer . We actually had a lot of great customers who saw the benefit in the extra money for support, and the people who didn't like it weren't going to buy from us anyways so it was a win-win.