Throwdown!! (Kinda long, but totally fun - for ME!)

[Broomjockey]

And you have to be able to prove loss of business as a result.

No, simply loss of public opinion or standing. If you could find even one person to parrot what they'd been told, even if the person wasn't planning on being a customer, that's enough. The more people you can get, the better the damages you're looking at, but still, one's enough.

[rageaholic]

I guess you could count this as sucky competitors?

Damn, they sound like everything I hate in a business. I can't wait to hear what happens to these assholes.

[lupo pazzesco]

Round 2!!! FIGHT!!

Ok, so I didn't make it in to work today, because of my other issue with getting burned and owwieness. However, I have an awesome CW who has been keeping me abreast of the updates, and I've been exercising my evilness in absentia.

Other bookstore workers showed up, bright and early, around 10-ish in the morning, and they were bound and determined to get business! whenever a car would pull into our parking lot, apparently pushy girl would wave the sign and flag down said car while it was turning in. She'd then proceed to talk to the people, through the window even, standing close enough to the car (but not in our driveway so as not to be on our property) that the people driving couldn't go forward, for fear of running over her feet. This is according to a customer who finally made it into our store. Pushy girl was also trying to get people to park and come on the other side of the fence to get them to sell books back to her, but she was cheerfully reminded by whichever CWs were out at the time of the towing enforcements, and gee, did she forget??

Of course, we weren't going to take this sitting down. Out went two of my CWs, waving our fantabulous sign from yesterday, with oodles of free candy. Bossman also took one of my suggestions from yesterday, and took out these two, large insulated thermoses we have and filled them with hot water. A few cheap to go cups and several boxes of hot cocoa mix later, they were not so subtly rubbing it in how wonderful it is that they have these hot beverages while standing out in the cold, and isn't it great how Textbook Hell is providing for both employees and prospective customers?

My CWs tag teamed, and went out in pairs all morning, taking shifts, even bossman and bosslady went out there and took a turn! When she wasn't on shift, bosslady would walk out, stand in the middle of our parking lot and just stare at the pushy duo. No menace or anything, just contemplative stare for a few minutes, enough to make them squirm uncomfortably, and walk back inside. (That was my idea, too! I feel special they're using my suggestions!)

Pushy girl decided to up the ante, though. She started calling to customers in our store that whatever price we offered, she'd beat it, no matter what, and still proceeded to claim we weren't buying back a large quantity of books. So, when customers came in cheesed off that they'd been yelled at, we cheered them up with free popcorn, cocoa, candy, and free moneys with our games. Then, when there was one or two books we weren't buying because they were old editions, bossman truly channeled me and gave into his evil side! He told these customers to go out to that table and swear we offered $50 for it, and they wanted to see how much it would be beat by, even if it was $1!

The delicious evilness comes in several layers. Allow me to explain:

Layer 1: Other bookstore buys back books that <University> doesn't need and will never use again.
Layer 2: Customers get money, other bookstore loses money, yet still thinks they are getting one up on us.
Layer 3: Bossman had called permit inspector from yesterday, and he was on his way. So, upon arrival, what should he witness, but business transactions being conducted on residential property?



CW texted me while she was on her lunch break, and told me the inspector guy was in bossman's office again, and they were talking. She overheard a good chunk of the conversation. Apparently, other bookstore decided to close up shop...after being issued citations for conducting business without a permit at a residential location. Houston doesn't have zoning, per se, but as per the conversation yesterday, you still need a temporary permit if you're going to be conducting any kind of monetary transactions, apparently.

I giggled and told my CW: "I love it! <singing> On the first day of Christmas, inspector gave to meeee...citations for doing business illegalllyyyyyyy!!"

Don't know how much the citations were, but from what I understand, both employees got one, and bookstore owner is going to be getting one as well.

I'm just sorry I missed seeing it all first hand. Stupid shower burns...

[BeeMused]

'nuff said...

[Ironclad Alibi]

He told these customers to go out to that table and swear we offered $50 for it, and they wanted to see how much it would be beat by, even if it was $1!

I was going to suggest something like that. Any idea how many of these books the other store bought? He should have sent many people out doing that.

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

Lovely! Beautiful, wonderful, makes life worth living. ^w^

[Amina516]

This may have been the one of the greatest pwnings I have ever read. I feel the need to dance.

[rageaholic]

I giggled and told my CW: "I love it! <singing> On the first day of Christmas, inspector gave to meeee...citations for doing business illegalllyyyyyyy!!"

PWNED!!!

They really were desperate weren't they?

[EvilEmpryss]

This is classic. Bravo to you, your coworkers, and your Bossman & Bosslady for playing to win.

The only thing I would have done differently would have been to send Bosslady out with a camera of some sort. Heck, from a distance a basic cellphone (even without a camera) can be a convincing prop. People doing bad things do not like getting their pictures taken.

[lupo pazzesco]

The only thing I would have done differently would have been to send Bosslady out with a camera of some sort. Heck, from a distance a basic cellphone (even without a camera) can be a convincing prop. People doing bad things do not like getting their pictures taken.

Bossman did that yesterday morning, though, so we had all the photographic evidence we needed.

[mikoyan29]

Well hopefully the boss of those folks is man enough that he will pay their citations.

[bainsidhe]

Oh darn! It would've been an excellent chance to clean out my old school books and get megabucks for books. AND free candy!

[Kogarashi]

Awesome follow-up.

I wonder if the competitor will have the cojones to show up again despite the citations.

[lupo pazzesco]

Awesome follow-up.

I wonder if the competitor will have the cojones to show up again despite the citations.

So far, according to a CW who's at work right now (I'm not on the schedule for the next few days, due to finals), they haven't shown up. Yet. We wouldn't put it past them to try and wiggle under the citations.

part of me really really hopes they do.

[fireheart]

So far, according to a CW who's at work right now (I'm not on the schedule for the next few days, due to finals), they haven't shown up. Yet. We wouldn't put it past them to try and wiggle under the citations.

part of me really really hopes they do.

If they do.... I'm waiting.

As for the pwnage....