Not sure how to respond to this woman

[BusyBee]

Jester, I'd normally fully agree with you and want to, well, be confrontational about it - even though I too am usually non-confrontational
I am going the hide-the-bottle-and-respond-if-she-asks-about-it route on this one because Fenig had said that she (he? =x) had mentioned the woman to one of her managers one night - and that he had simply said that it happens all the time at the other store. Which to me seems to indicate he wouldn't want Fenig confronting the customer about it.
If management will let Fenig bring it up with the woman, I am all for telling her flat-out that she can't do that anymore, unless maybe she actually buys *something*. It just seemed to me that if the manager lets it happen "continually" at the other store, it's not likely they'll support this choice of action.

Also, as far as I'm concerned... She's taking product, and not giving anything to anyone in return for it. Stealing. Being unfriendly on top is just extra annoyance.

[Rapscallion]

The breadshop two doors from our place when I was in retail had samples on their counter regularly. One of the managers went off to work in one of the city centre shops for a day and came back shaken. She saw so much product going out of the door in the mouths of people who had only come in for samples it was untrue.

Rapscallion

[FenigDurak]

(May the gods help customers if and when I ever own my own bar.)

Need a Coyote Ugly style tendress? I'm a little rusty, but I pick up old skills quickly!


Update: I've hidden the sample bottles for two days straight now and she hasn't been in! It's like she has a radar for the stuff! I'll keep at it until the end of the week and if she still doesn't come in, I'll suggest keeping a bottle at her desk next time she comes in.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Jester, I totally agree, hiding it for a few days doesn't really solve the problem. I'd still hide it just to see if she said anything. Out of curiosity more than anything else...

Freemage- the difference between sitting and reading at the bookstore and what this woman is doing is that, as long as you don't damage the books and return them to their proper place, you aren't actually costing the store money. And as a former bookstore employee, I can tell you that if you clean up after yourself and don't make extra work for the employees, most of us wouldn't care if you sat there all day. I saw plenty of regulars who didn't buy much but they didn't make our jobs harder either, so they didn't bother me. This woman is costing someone money (whether the store or the manufacturer of the lotion, if they are the ones that supply the tester)...one dollop at a time

[FenigDurak]

There are days I love having two bosses! Though it makes me feel like the little kid who asks Mommy, gets a no and then asks Daddy and gets a yes.

I mentioned this to the actual owner (C owns the store, but my branch is managed by J, C's husband) and she asked me what I wanted to do. I mentioned taking the sample bottle down for a day or two and when the woman comes in again, to cheerfully mention "This lotion is so wonderful right after the shower! Especially if I've used the soap that goes with it!" So I have an OK from the owner and a "It happens all the time" from her husband. lol

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I too would hide the tester bottle, but for an extended period of time, to see if the nurse keeps coming and looking for it. After a couple of weeks or so without her showing up, put it back.

If the nurse then comes back and starts helping herself again, I'd get rid of the tester permanently.

It would suck for those people who do come in with the intention to buy and would like to try the lotion before they buy, but them's the breaks. The few mess it up for the many.

[myswtghst]

If you do pull it for a while, and then put it back out and she resumes, I'd just put the tester behind the counter, and put up a little sign by the lotion for sale that says samples are available, but due to a problem with people taking advantage of the free samples, the bottle is kept behind the counter.

[LemonZest]

It's not like the store's paying for it -- testers are supplied by the manufacturer/distributor...

Actually, not in all cases. We often put out a tester and it is NOT supplied by the mfg./distributor, it comes out of our inventory for 'store use'. If they try it once and like it, they are meant to purchase, not keep dropping in and 'testing' again and again (and we have a few ladies who abuse the testers and yes, we will sometimes pull the testers for 'sanitizing' when gross offenders are in the store).

But getting PO-ed that she samples the tester on a daily basis -- who cares?

I do. It has a direct effect on our profits, and the only other way to circumvent this is to raise prices, which hurts our GOOD customers, the ones that don't abuse the 'testers'.

LZ (works part time in a Mom&Pop pharmacy as well as does all the books).

[Ackee]

erm

I have seen people open bottles of product when the tester was empty or missing, proclaiming loudly, " There should be tester bottle here!"

I think the best thing is to get one of those aggressive "tester" paid-on-commission-only girls to keep the bottle.

[Becks]

It's called Goat's Milk Lotion from a brand in Vermont called Canus. Here, have a link. The original formula that she likes so much is $8.50 a bottle, but it's a big dang bottle and the stuff is as thick as that Norwegian Formula stuff that comes in the tiny bottles. So it's a LOT OF LOTION.

We have a new formula that has marigold oil in it and it comes with a pump (rather than a shampoo style flip lid) and is $11.25.

Ooooooh, I totally want some!!!!!!!!!

Let's hope she gets a clue and stops her perma-sampling. Holy orange. ( ) That's too rude for words.

[greensinestro]

Sounds like theft to me. She probably does that in other stores and samples the perfumes, lipstick, what have you. And, later on in the day, is probably one of those who goes to the grocery store and has a hefty helping of the samples, or samples a few of the produce items.

[Broomjockey]

Anyone else wonder if it would be possible to make a decent suppliment to your income to try and mooch as many free samples as possible?

Too bad I'm too lazy to try it out, I'll just work for my money.

[FenigDurak]

OMG! This woman snuck in today while I was ringing up another customer. She sauntered over to the lotion like she owend the place, pumped a couple of times, stood there while she rubbed it into her arms and then sauntered back out again! I'm actually livid about this right now. I dunno if it's a combination of being over tired, a looming premier date and the costumes aren't done, and the fact that finals are three weeks away or what.

So when the bottles were gone, she was a no show. Now that they're back, she's back to her old tricks. Damnit.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Then I think the tester needs to go...permanently.

Like I said, it sucks for those people who actually have an intention to purchase that lotion, but what are supposed to do? Keep using up your stock and eat the cost so this bag can come in and get her daily lotion fix?

[myswtghst]

...put the tester behind the counter, and put up a little sign by the lotion for sale that says samples are available, but due to a problem with people taking advantage of the free samples, the bottle is kept behind the counter.

I still vote for my idea. Take down the tester, and put up a note that "Due to excessive abuse of the tester" you'll have to ask the clerk for a sample.