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For Easter, we have panettone-like cakes called colombe (the only difference I can tell is the shape; colombe are supposed to be shaped like doves). Lots of yummy kinds. Most of the colombe we have are large (1 pound or more), but we did get three cases of smaller "gift-sized" plain colombe which we only had two single ones of at the time this happened (as I'm typing this we've probably sold out).
I'm culling the dead/restocking chocolate bunnies on one of the colombe displays and a lady starts molesting one of the larger (expensive) pistachio ones and making noises "Oh I wish these came in smaller sizes. Why don't they have any smaller ones?"...she hasn't noticed me and I'm trying to not let her. Eventually she spots me just as I'm trying to escape with bunny bodies, boxes and packing material (read: arms full and I don't want to try to put anything down) and shoves the colombe in my face "I want this in a smaller size! Do you have any small ones?"
I indicate one of the small "gift sized" plain colombe with a free finger. "This is the only small one we have."
SC peers at the gift-sized one, then at the pistachio one, back at the small one, then at me like both the cakes and I were scraped off her shoe. Then in that condescending tone I hate (and bonus 'pity' expression): "These are not the same product, dear."
Me:
"The only small one we have is plain, and it's right here. See the word 'colombe' on both tags? These are both colombe, so they are in fact the same product. Just a different producer."
SC: "But I want this (pistachio) in that size."
Me: "The only small one we have is plain. If you want it you better be quick, we only have two of them in stock. We sell pistachio cream over there, so you can make your own pistachio one."
[that's actually a good idea, cut the colombe and fill it like a layer cake. I may try that]
SC: "It's not the same product."
I just ignore her and walk away as this can only go to a very annoying place. Yes, the packaging is different; yes, it's a different 'flavor'. But it's the SAME GENERAL ITEM.
As everything is imported from Italy, the way we get the cakes is that each store gets a certain allotment for the season and no more...so how many "do you have this in smaller size" questions do we think I'm going to get? Funny, this sort of thing never happened with the panettone...
I'm culling the dead/restocking chocolate bunnies on one of the colombe displays and a lady starts molesting one of the larger (expensive) pistachio ones and making noises "Oh I wish these came in smaller sizes. Why don't they have any smaller ones?"...she hasn't noticed me and I'm trying to not let her. Eventually she spots me just as I'm trying to escape with bunny bodies, boxes and packing material (read: arms full and I don't want to try to put anything down) and shoves the colombe in my face "I want this in a smaller size! Do you have any small ones?"
I indicate one of the small "gift sized" plain colombe with a free finger. "This is the only small one we have."
SC peers at the gift-sized one, then at the pistachio one, back at the small one, then at me like both the cakes and I were scraped off her shoe. Then in that condescending tone I hate (and bonus 'pity' expression): "These are not the same product, dear."
Me:
"The only small one we have is plain, and it's right here. See the word 'colombe' on both tags? These are both colombe, so they are in fact the same product. Just a different producer."SC: "But I want this (pistachio) in that size."
Me: "The only small one we have is plain. If you want it you better be quick, we only have two of them in stock. We sell pistachio cream over there, so you can make your own pistachio one."
[that's actually a good idea, cut the colombe and fill it like a layer cake. I may try that]
SC: "It's not the same product."
I just ignore her and walk away as this can only go to a very annoying place. Yes, the packaging is different; yes, it's a different 'flavor'. But it's the SAME GENERAL ITEM.
As everything is imported from Italy, the way we get the cakes is that each store gets a certain allotment for the season and no more...so how many "do you have this in smaller size" questions do we think I'm going to get? Funny, this sort of thing never happened with the panettone...
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