Dear Incoming New Student....

[lupo pazzesco]

Hi! First and foremost, welcome to <small, private university>! So glad you're going to be joining the student population this fall semester. However, allow me to clear up a few things, right off the bat, so we don't get off on the wrong foot, mk?

When you come in and say "I have my fall schedule, can you tell me what books I need?", realize I'll be more than happy to help you. I'll even ask what information you'd like, title, author, pricing, etc.

Your next words should never ever be "Oh, just the ISBN numbers, so I can find them somewhere else!"

...

See, that's what stemmed the following conversation between us, just in case you aren't clear, let me recap. Raise your hand when you understand what's wrong with this, please?

Me: Ma'am, I'm sorry, I can't give those out.
You: why?
Me: you've just told me you have no intention of shopping at our store. What I CAN do is refer you to our company website, <site>, because you can search by university name, then course listing and get that information for yourself.
You: Oh, well...can you just give me all the book information except the numbers?
Me: No, ma'am. Again, with all due respect, you're asking me to do the work for you to shop elsewhere. It's a business thing. That information, I'll gladly provide, but to paying customers, it's essentially like going to a restaurant and saying "give me all of your famous recipes, I want to cook them at home rather than pay to eat here"


Oh dear. That's a blank look of sheer confusion...I seem to have snapped something in your poor brain by saying you have to actually do the legwork yourself, rather than just reap the benefits of me getting all the information for you to just push a few keys on the keyboard...

Nevermind, just...go online, mk? Yes, yes, correct, you've just mumbled the correct website I just gave you two seconds ago. Have fun, and good luck with that. toodles!!


Oh, and FYI, that muttered comment about how rude I am to customers on your way out? Do me a favor, in your online quest, buy a dictionary and look up what customer means, because I assure you, you aren't one of MY customers. I do hope you follow through with your little promise to complain. See, after you left, I went to tell Bossman about you. He was floored.

He said at least other people have the common sense and good graces not to tell us they're going to go elsewhere, and they buy SOMETHING like a drink or tshirt. I got told "Good job. We don't want people walking over us, when we have actual paying guests to tend to!"

[thansal]

/facepalm

The worst of those I got when working at RS was "The guy over at <big box electronic store> said that you would teach me how to use it", after asking where he bought said item as RS had never sold it...

[PepperElf]

Oh, and FYI, that muttered comment about how rude I am to customers on your way out?

I'd love to see that guy complain and get told "You never intended to buy anything. Therefore you were never a customer."


I mean I'll confess that I use check the ISBNs to window shop. But I did my own research first. And often ended up buying from the school anyway cos I procrastinated for too long and ... o gee look it's the first week of school, better get that book.

[thehuckster]

it's essentially like going to a restaurant and saying "give me all of your famous recipes, I want to cook them at home rather than pay to eat here"


Oh dear. That's a blank look of sheer confusion.

I wonder if the confusion was she didn't see the connection between your restaurant analogy and what she was doing or it was because she actually does this at restaurants all the time.

[PatchO'Black]

Yep, this sort of thing is becoming all too common. A customer comes into a brick and mortar store, spends time looking at demos and asking an employee there questions and getting information, then buys it someplace else. When asked why they didn't go there to begin with, typically the answer is (a) they don't provide the level of service as the store that actually helped them, or (b) it is an on-line shop, so they couldn't actually demo the product, much less talk to someone one-on-one about it. What they don't get is that, by buying the product elsewhere, soon the store that is providing the level of service they want will be no longer there. You want that extra convenience? Got to pay for it, folks!

[Enjis]

I used to sell plants and flowers in a big-name dept. store. I got calls all the time from folks who wanted advice on how to take care of their rubber plant or azalea.

Me: "Did you not ask the salesperson when you bought the plant for the proper care of it?"
SC: "Oh, no, I got it at (fill in name of cheap-ass grocery/drug store) because your prices are too high. They don't have anyone who knows anything about the care of plants working there!"
Me: "Yes, that's why we charge more for our products...we pay for someone knowledgeable to run the plant dept., so they can help you take care of your new plant!"

"Oh...but, can't you tell me how to take care of this anyways....?"

[Kanalah]

Ayup.

Got this at the toy store all the freaking time. Same people over and over. Spend hours in the store, ask hundreds of questions.

Worst part was - they were my grandparent's friends. People who know me, and who I treated with respect.

My grandmother was so pleased that I was helping her friends figure out what to buy so they knew what to get at the big box stores.

I still get a little bit of that with the quilts at shows, but I'm happy to tell them which books/patterns and where I buy fabric. Because seeing how much fabric costs, coupled with the fact that I've been making quilts for over ten years now - yeah good luck on your first try.

[fireheart]

Now, I've been known to do just what the person above did, except not as blatant. I will window-shop and try and get the best price, BUT, the way I do it is this:

-I find out whatever item I want/need. I don't buy clothing online due to the fact that sizes can vary between manufacturers.
-I will then use the net to look up as much as I can about the product. That includes prices, product reviews, information I should be aware of about said product (i.e. product recalls) and so on.
-Following that, I then begin my little window-shopping expedition. I will then write down the prices in each store I couldn't find online before I return to the one that can offer me the BEST deal (which does not always mean price, for instance, if I return to the cheaper store and find that the item in question is still there, but there's a huge-ass queue or the only item left is damaged in some way (i.e. missing parts), then I will go to the next-cheapest store)

[Lyse]

I paid a good 15-20 bucks more for my latest ereader (last had an unfortunate meeting with my foot) because of this. Narrowed it down to a few models, found a store locally that carried those models and then went there. I was able to hold them, fiddle with them and ask the poor sales guy stupid questions - and then leave with it immediately. Well worth it, in my opinion.

[Slave to the Phone]

I paid a good 15-20 bucks more for my latest ereader (last had an unfortunate meeting with my foot) because of this. Narrowed it down to a few models, found a store locally that carried those models and then went there. I was able to hold them, fiddle with them and ask the poor sales guy stupid questions - and then leave with it immediately. Well worth it, in my opinion.

This is my plan for tomorrow night. I broke my kitchen faucet. (don't ask) I've looked online and think I can replace it myself. After work tomorrow, I'm going to go to my favorite hardware store and buy everything I need to replace it. I know I could get the faucet cheaper at the big box stores, but I'm willing to pay extra because I know that the person I ask will tell me everything I need to know. I think its worth the extra money to keep those sort of places open.

[Seraph]

Lupo, stop breaking the young, nubile minds! That's our future, right there!....

....oh, suddenly I'm depressed now. :|

[Android Kaeli]

This is my plan for tomorrow night. I broke my kitchen faucet. (don't ask) I've looked online and think I can replace it myself. After work tomorrow, I'm going to go to my favorite hardware store and buy everything I need to replace it. I know I could get the faucet cheaper at the big box stores, but I'm willing to pay extra because I know that the person I ask will tell me everything I need to know. I think its worth the extra money to keep those sort of places open.

Kitchen faucets aren't really hard to replace, neither is some parts of the toilets -- this is coming from experiance in both places. As long as you read the instructions and stuff, you should be fine.

If you're going to price-match, please don't say that you are -- at least try to look mildly interested in the item. Even if you just 'go home and think it over', don't use the words 'I'm price-matching' 'cause use retail peons won't be as helpful as before.

[lupo pazzesco]

Seraph, I don't do it on PURPOSE!!

Also, had another one!! Older student, as in MUCH older. nontraditional transfer student, looks to be in his 50s-60s. Came in twice today, asking about books for classes he was going to attempt to register for. He claimed he had financial aid to cover them, so I explained the financial aid voucher process, the books, buying vs. renting, etc, etc. Spent a good 45 minutes with him each time, walking him through how it works on this particular campus. The second time he leaves, He thanks me.

Fifteen minutes later. FIFTEEN. I get a phone call. It's this guy, asking if i was the big girl who sat at the desk the whole time. (holy fucking gods, REALLY?? My workstation is at the reg counter, yes, but ya know what? I get shit done AND I help people...Urg!!)

Anyways, I said Yes, I was the person who helped him, and the following conversation occurs:

Him: yeah, i was asking about books for these 2 classes?
Me: Yes, sir, I remember you, how can I help you?
Him: You forgot to give me the ISBN numbers!! I need them to get them online
Me: (Financial aid my...ugh...) <Gives him the spiel about not providing that information, etc, etc, go to website!>
Him: But...you forgot them.
Me: No sir, I didn't. WE don't provide that in store, it's information you can find for yourself easily, using the sources I've already mentioned.
Him: But you never told me the website!
Me: ...check the pink post it note...
Him: ...OH!! Ok, thanks, I guess.



It has only just begun, I'm sure...

[Greenday]

We had to bookstores for my college. One owned by the school, one, literally across the street from Main Hall. When you registered for classes, each class would list books you'd need. After that, I'd just go to both bookstores and write down the prices from both places. And that was if I couldn't find the book online (because why should I pay $200 at the bookstore when I can buy the same book new for $30 online).

[Slave to the Phone]

Kitchen faucets aren't really hard to replace, neither is some parts of the toilets -- this is coming from experiance in both places. As long as you read the instructions and stuff, you should be fine.

Thank you for the encouragement, I'm a plumbing virgin. The guy at the hardware store took a lot of time to tell me what I would need and how to do it. I bought everything he suggested. Its easy enough to return the unused stuff and I'd rather not be in the middle of the job and find out that I have to drive 30 miles to buy a $2.00 part.

He also gave me his cell number and told me to call him if something goes wrong. No way would I get that level of service at a bigbox store. I do plan on writing a nice letter about him to corp. If I manage to flood my kitchen, it won't be his fault!

If you're going to price-match, please don't say that you are -- at least try to look mildly interested in the item. Even if you just 'go home and think it over', don't use the words 'I'm price-matching' 'cause use retail peons won't be as helpful as before.

When I'm price matching, I don't bother the retail peons. I just find what I'm looking for, write the price down and move on.