They're serious this time.

[marty]

So I can't remember if I mentioned in an earlier thread that at my new job, the number one bad joke that people use is, "Hyuck hyuck, so I get that 50% off right?" "Haha, I get a discount yeah?"

Well last night they weren't joking.

The first was a guy that came in with his family looking for some small speakers to hook up to his portable DVD player to make the sound louder.

Me: These are the cheapest ones we have, they still work fairly well though if you're just looking for basic speakers.
SC: How much are they?
Me: 6.99 (it was around that amount)
SC: ...are they on sale?
Me: Yes.
SC: When do they go on sale more?
Me: Um...I don't know, but they're on sale now for 6.99.
SC: So you don't know when they go on sale?
Me: They already are on sale.
SC: Oh well...we may just wait then. I just bought this portable DVD player here a couple of days ago and I can't get speakers if they're not on sale.
Me: But...

He then approached ASM and had the exact same conversation.


Next guy was a traveling vendor of sorts selling jams and honey in the mall (which were kickass and I bought some, guy was a better seller than buyer I guess).

SC: So if I get two do I get a discount?
Me: I can't really do that...
SC: I can't get a discount if I buy more than one? That's what I do for my customers you know. If they buy more than one they get a lower price.
Me: We can't really do that here. It's a corporation with set prices...
SC: Well I'll get one then.
Me: Okay
SC: Sigh...give me the other one too. Even though I can't get them any cheaper.
Me:...okay

And just to note, the damn items he was buying were already on sale for half price, as clearly advertised, I don't know what else I was supposed to do.


Yesterday, I also had my first, "I'ma ignore you because you're a woman in an electronics store" guy. I asked him if he had any questions about anything, he says, "No, I think I got it," and proceeds to waltz directly up to ASM and say, "I have a question..."
As he was walking away, I said to ASM, "Good thing I don't know how to answer questions about electronics, otherwise I wouldn't be working here!"

Douchebag flushed red and made a quick escape.

[PepperElf]

That's what I do for my customers you know. If they buy more than one they get a lower price.

that's cos you're your own corporate o seller-of-honey.

[BaristaTrav]

Ugh.. Well one thing you can definitely blame is any local news channel anywhere in the U.S. It seems at least once a week they run a piece saying "how you can get discounts on anything.. just by asking!"

Funny.. cause I have worked in many environments, from phone vacation sales to food and beverage retail to regular old shopping mall retail, and I have never, ever had any manager, sucky or otherwise, that made any prices negotiable. (Except in some extreme circumstances like an item was half-destroyed or another employee had insulted or assaulted them). But aside from that, I'm not sure when the local news rooms decided that American retail = Mumbai bazaar. And of course, when us poor corporate drones say no, we're the bad guys.

"But they said on the newwwwwwwwwwsssssssssssssssssss I could get a discount!"

[tamezin]

Ugh.. Well one thing you can definitely blame is any local news channel anywhere in the U.S. It seems at least once a week they run a piece saying "how you can get discounts on anything.. just by asking!"

I don't think there is a problem with asking for a discount. I think it is how you respond when and or if you are told no. There definitely may be times when you get lucky. I think you have a better chance to get the discount if an item is getting ready to go on sale, or it has had a long shelf life. I think it also depends on what type of store you are in. With so many companies really suffering, I don't think you are going too much flexibility.

[Duncan MacLeod]

Marty,

Who is that in your avatar? Looks kinda like Jeff Hardy

[AccountingDrone]

Major suck. I never ask for a discount on anything, and I frequently get stuff [got a free set of double wide custom wooden stairs for my hot tub and they are throwing in an ozonator] and I will frequently leave positive comment cards in places that have comment cards.

You know - the whole honey vs vinegar thing ... be nice to people, get better service....

[BaristaTrav]

I don't think there is a problem with asking for a discount. I think it is how you respond when and or if you are told no. There definitely may be times when you get lucky. I think you have a better chance to get the discount if an item is getting ready to go on sale, or it has had a long shelf life. I think it also depends on what type of store you are in. With so many companies really suffering, I don't think you are going too much flexibility.

Yea, but the problem is that these news shows infer that this is the norm, and prices are ALWAYS negotiable. Therefore, when told "no," they take it personally, and much suckiness ensues, with us poor retial drones bearing the brunt of the aggravation and stupidity.

Marty,

Who is that in your avatar? Looks kinda like Jeff Hardy

Gotta be Bruce McCullough, from the Kids in the Hall.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

Marty,

Who is that in your avatar? Looks kinda like Jeff Hardy

Yeah... kinda like a younger Jeff Hardy or Bruce (The Kids In The Hall) McCulloch with long hair...

[HawaiianShirts]

Yesterday, I also had my first, "I'ma ignore you because you're a woman in an electronics store" guy. I asked him if he had any questions about anything, he says, "No, I think I got it," and proceeds to waltz directly up to ASM and say, "I have a question..."
As he was walking away, I said to ASM, "Good thing I don't know how to answer questions about electronics, otherwise I wouldn't be working here!"

Douchebag flushed red and made a quick escape.

That's awesome! I'd say I hope he learns his lesson from that, but I've been too jaded by only four years in retail. I know he won't learn a thing, though he might get an idea about complaining to corporate about being embarrassed by a lowly hourly employee and demanding gift cards as compensation.

I don't think there is a problem with asking for a discount. I think it is how you respond when and or if you are told no.

Bingo. Asking is fair. Complaining about not getting one's way is not.

I've asked for discounts before when buying big-ticket items or when I felt I had a legitimate complaint. Sometimes I got them; sometimes I didn't. Never was I a jerk about it.

When I first started at Major Electronics Retailer and had customers ask me for discounts, I would try management's suggestion and try to point out what a great deal they were already getting in the hopes that they'd see the value and agree that a discount was not necessary. It never worked, and most customers saw right through it. Management, of course, never tried it themselves, but they were sure it was a great idea for us.

When I got so frustrated with that approach that I felt ready to blow up at the next customer who asked, I decided to just tell them the truth. "You want a discount on the computer? Sorry, I can't do that. Why? Because the markup on computers is too small. When we sell a computer that is not on sale, the store makes about five bucks, and that's before paying for the building, utilities, or employees. Now if you were asking about cables or ink or blank discs or car audio equipment, then we might have some room to move on the price." With one very whiny exception, it worked every time, and managers never reprimanded me for it either.

[Imogene]

You know - the whole honey vs vinegar thing ...

Except... it's not true. put out a bowl of honey and a bowl of vinegar, you'll get more flies around the vinegar.

[marty]

It's Bruce. Or rather, Grivo...pre-Happiness Pie.

Sure, I might ask for a discount at a locally owned store, though personally I think it would make me look like an ass (that's just my opinion, in my mind, what sign says is what sign means, price on product=price of product)--someone else may know of some sort of tactful way of asking for one, but I sure as hell can't think of it. Maybe it's because I live in a town where about 85% of the stores here are locally owned with the exception of the mall, the walmart, and the grocery stores, and I've never seen crap like that going on. Really, just give them the money, if you don't have it, don't buy it. I've heard people ask and I've heard snarky replies of, "No." unless the discount was already advertised. And with the vendor guy, that discount he was talking about that he gave his customers? Advertised on his booth. It's not like he pulled it out of his ass or anything, like he was expecting me to do.

It's been really getting on my fucking nerves, because after that night it just got worse. Now I get one at least once an hour that isn't joking anymore. This is a corporation, and not a big-store corporation at that. It's my friggin' job here. With everyone bitching about the economy, you'd think they'd catch on that doing stuff that would make a store lose money when it's scrapping by as it is means they get rid of what is making the store lose money.

But then again, SCs don't have logic.

/rant

[chainedbarista]

i agree; i can feel due to the recession, but really, just because you're short on cash doesn't mean you're entitled to a discount, period.

you have two options: buy it now or wait and buy it when you have the money, but with sc's...

[AriRashkae]

Except... it's not true. put out a bowl of honey and a bowl of vinegar, you'll get more flies around the vinegar.

Apple Cider vinegar (or red wine) + a few drops of dish soap = instant fruit fly death trap.