...I would.
For two days now I've been dealing with this infuriating SC.
Yesterday he came in and wanted to do a price match on an HP laptop. He had a flyer for Circuit City showing it $120 cheaper than us. Needless to say, he wanted NOTHING with the computer (I only mention that because it added to the frustration. I do not wish to spark another argument about who benefits from attaching other items to a sale). By some miracle, CC was actually advertising the same model number that we carried (typically, each major retailer receives a slightly different version of the laptop with a unique model number, thus precluding any price matching). After clearing it with Professor X, I called CC to verify that they had it in stock.
SC: Why do you have to call them?
Me: As a matter of policy, we can't price match unless the Circuit City closest to us has the item in stock, and I need to verify that by phone.
SC (already getting snarky with me): Well I'm sure that if it's not in stock at the CC next door, then their store in (City 30 minutes away) has it.
Me: It has to be the closest store, sir.
SC: What's the point of that?!
Me: The point is that we offer the price-match so you'll buy it here instead of there. If they don't have it, then you can't, so there's no incentive for us to match the price.
(Yes, I told him that).
So I got on the phone. Unfortunately, our list of competitor's phone numbers was lost during the remodel, so I resorted to calling the 800-number in the flyer. They were perfectly willing to check stock at the local store, it just took them a minute to punch up that information.
In the meantime, I see the SC hovering next to me, on his iPhone, calling the store directly. Just as the guy from the 800-number is getting back to me, the SC interrupts.
SC: They have it in stock.
First of all, don't interrupt me while I'm on the phone. Second, I can't take your word for it; you have every reason to lie to me, I'm sure.
I gestured for him to wait so I could hear the guy on the phone. He said they were in stock at the local store. I thanked him and hung up.
Me: OK sir, they have it in stock, so I can do the price match for you.
SC: Did you call them or did you call the 800-number?
Me: I called the 800 number.
SC: Why didn't you call the store directly.
Me: Because I didn't have their phone number handy.
SC: Well you could have gone online for it, or asked me (waves iPhone at me, as if I knew ahead of time that he had one).
Me:Regardless, sir, they have it in stock, and I've gotten approval from my manager, so we're going to do the price match for you.
SC: I just don't understand why you didn't call them directly.
Seriously, WTF. I am GIVING YOU WHAT YOU WANT!!!! Why the HELL are you continuing to argue with me about this??!?!
Me: I used the number I had available to me, sir. In any case, they do have it in stock, so will will to the price-match. Is there anything else you need?
SC: Calling the 800-number wasted time.
OH MY GOD. If I could have stopped the sale and thrown him out of the store right then, I would have. Instead, I ignored that and waved Professor X over so he could key in his authorization code for the Price-Match.
Then the SC threw down $450 worth of corporate gift cards and cash cards. Cash cards are similar to gift cards, but are only issued when someone returns something for store credit. Corporate gift cards are issued only when someone orders gift cards in bulk (25 cards or more, on which they get a small 5% discount), or as an "apology" for a complaint.
I HATE it when people come in and purchase high-ticket items in part or in whole with large amounts of gift cards or store credit, because it SCREAMS one of three things.
1) They are a thief. A common tactic is to steal something from one store and return it at another without a receipt for store credit. Eventually they build up enough credit to get themselves a free SLR camera or a laptop.
2) They complain up the ass until corporate gives them enough for them to get a steal on a laptop (and how much you wanna bet that the complaints are bogus?)
3) They are taking advantage of the gift card bulk discount just to get free money to use in the store. Strictly speaking that's not wrong, but it goes against the purpose of the discount, and is extremely irritating because we have to ring in a zillion gift cards.
At any rate, he paid for the computer and left. I thought that would be the end of it, but I was wrong.
For two days now I've been dealing with this infuriating SC.
Yesterday he came in and wanted to do a price match on an HP laptop. He had a flyer for Circuit City showing it $120 cheaper than us. Needless to say, he wanted NOTHING with the computer (I only mention that because it added to the frustration. I do not wish to spark another argument about who benefits from attaching other items to a sale). By some miracle, CC was actually advertising the same model number that we carried (typically, each major retailer receives a slightly different version of the laptop with a unique model number, thus precluding any price matching). After clearing it with Professor X, I called CC to verify that they had it in stock.
SC: Why do you have to call them?
Me: As a matter of policy, we can't price match unless the Circuit City closest to us has the item in stock, and I need to verify that by phone.
SC (already getting snarky with me): Well I'm sure that if it's not in stock at the CC next door, then their store in (City 30 minutes away) has it.
Me: It has to be the closest store, sir.
SC: What's the point of that?!
Me: The point is that we offer the price-match so you'll buy it here instead of there. If they don't have it, then you can't, so there's no incentive for us to match the price.
(Yes, I told him that).
So I got on the phone. Unfortunately, our list of competitor's phone numbers was lost during the remodel, so I resorted to calling the 800-number in the flyer. They were perfectly willing to check stock at the local store, it just took them a minute to punch up that information.
In the meantime, I see the SC hovering next to me, on his iPhone, calling the store directly. Just as the guy from the 800-number is getting back to me, the SC interrupts.
SC: They have it in stock.
First of all, don't interrupt me while I'm on the phone. Second, I can't take your word for it; you have every reason to lie to me, I'm sure.
I gestured for him to wait so I could hear the guy on the phone. He said they were in stock at the local store. I thanked him and hung up.
Me: OK sir, they have it in stock, so I can do the price match for you.
SC: Did you call them or did you call the 800-number?
Me: I called the 800 number.
SC: Why didn't you call the store directly.
Me: Because I didn't have their phone number handy.
SC: Well you could have gone online for it, or asked me (waves iPhone at me, as if I knew ahead of time that he had one).
Me:Regardless, sir, they have it in stock, and I've gotten approval from my manager, so we're going to do the price match for you.
SC: I just don't understand why you didn't call them directly.
Seriously, WTF. I am GIVING YOU WHAT YOU WANT!!!! Why the HELL are you continuing to argue with me about this??!?!
Me: I used the number I had available to me, sir. In any case, they do have it in stock, so will will to the price-match. Is there anything else you need?
SC: Calling the 800-number wasted time.
OH MY GOD. If I could have stopped the sale and thrown him out of the store right then, I would have. Instead, I ignored that and waved Professor X over so he could key in his authorization code for the Price-Match.
Then the SC threw down $450 worth of corporate gift cards and cash cards. Cash cards are similar to gift cards, but are only issued when someone returns something for store credit. Corporate gift cards are issued only when someone orders gift cards in bulk (25 cards or more, on which they get a small 5% discount), or as an "apology" for a complaint.
I HATE it when people come in and purchase high-ticket items in part or in whole with large amounts of gift cards or store credit, because it SCREAMS one of three things.
1) They are a thief. A common tactic is to steal something from one store and return it at another without a receipt for store credit. Eventually they build up enough credit to get themselves a free SLR camera or a laptop.
2) They complain up the ass until corporate gives them enough for them to get a steal on a laptop (and how much you wanna bet that the complaints are bogus?)
3) They are taking advantage of the gift card bulk discount just to get free money to use in the store. Strictly speaking that's not wrong, but it goes against the purpose of the discount, and is extremely irritating because we have to ring in a zillion gift cards.
At any rate, he paid for the computer and left. I thought that would be the end of it, but I was wrong.
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