Why teach your kids this?

[Goddess of Retail]

Backstory: I work at a privately-owned hobby/gaming store. Because our store IS the corporation, we are sometimes able to swing a little with the prices of the things we sell, so long as it's not brand-new videogames/systems. (Markup is 5%, if that.) So if someone wants a game thats $20, but they only have $16 on them, we can make it work if they're nice about it. Also, this is only once in a while which 1 particular lady doesn't seem to understand.

C: Coworker
M: Manager Extraodinaire=Me!
SL: Sucky Lady
SLK: Sucky Lady's Kid

Sucky Lady 1

C is ringing up customers, and I'm putting together a candy order. Everything is going well till she gets to this cute red-headed 8(?) year-old. He has 3 PS2 games, each priced at about $10. Mom is staying nearby, so I think "Aww, little guy's first purchase by himself". How wrong I was.

C: (gets discs) Ok! Got your games for you, bud. Your total is $32.43.

SLK: Alright, thanks! (Goes to hand C his $40)

SL: No, honey! That's wrong! You forgot to ask again! (She says this really sweetly, so I'm thinking he's supposed to ask about a pre-order or something.)

SLK: Oh, right! (turns back to C) Is this the best you can do on these?

C: Well, ummm. They are pretty good RPG games, and they just got traded in earlier today, so I might be able to take $1 off each one? It would save you $3. How's that, bud?

SLK: OK! I've been looking for these for a while, anyway! (goes to hand money, mom comes up to counter & C alters prices)

SL: Excuse me? (to C) I've been listening to your conversation with my son, & think you're trying to rip him off.

(At this point, I put down my ordering pad & get ready to step in if C needs it.)

C: Sorry, ma'am, I'm not sure what you mean. How am I ripping him off?

SL: (uber-sweetly) Well, I'm trying to teach my son to be a more alert shopper. A lot of stores like this think they can charge NORMAL prices for things, but we BOTH know that's not true, right? I mean, your overhead isn't the same as Wal-Mart or Gamestop, so you CAN'T charge the same as a large corporation! So, while giving a $3 discount might be fine for some uneducated shoppers, I KNOW you can take at least $4 off EACH game.

C: Sorry, but no I can't. If I do any larger than a 10% discount, I need an override from a manager. Like I told your son, though,these games he picked have literally have only been on our shelves for about 3 hours. I can ask, but I don't think we'd be willing to sell them so cheaply so soon...

SL: (nastily) Then I suggest you get a manager.

C: M? Are you still over there?

M: *sigh* (I come around from the other counter) Yes, C. How can I help you?

SL: You're the manager? You look barely older than this one! (cocks her head at C)

M: Actually, ma'am, C is older than me, and I'm 24. I've worked here for the past 5 years, and I am the manager on duty. What can I do for you?

SL: ...Your employee refuses to give me more than the smallest discount! I work hard for my money, and I KNOW you can do a better price for my son! It's not like you guys are a real business, so you should be happy with whatever sales you can make in this economy! I DEMAND that you give me a better discount on these games, or I'll take my money elsewhere!

M: I assure you we are a real business, ma'am. Our store has been around for 18 years, and we have employees and bills just like any other. Now, I believe I can give you a $2 discount per game, but like C said, these are popular games, & they've just come in. I'm afraid I can't do any better than that.

SL: WHAT?! This is how I get treated by shopping locally?! How am I supposed to teach my child how to get the best deal on everything when you won't give it? If someone asks for a discount, you HAVE to give it to them since you're a small store! Profits don't matter as much to stores like you, you can get small business loans all the time! It's all the LARGE stores who are going bankrupt who REALLY need to charge these prices!

M: (angry now) Just because we are a small store, does NOT mean we don't have employees to pay! Loans need to be paid back, and with interest. I know times are hard, but if you truly can't afford to let your son buy 3 $10 games, why don't you put them on layaway, or have him get just 1 or 2? I'll even still honor the $2 I offered to take off each one, if you'd like.

SL: (glaring) Are you saying I'm poor? I'll have you know my husband has a VERY well-paying job! I could probably buy EVERY game in this store if I wanted to, but I guess I'll go spend my money someplace where me & my son are APPRECIATED! Someplace where they CARE about what customers think! Like Wal-Mart!

M: Please, go right ahead ma'am. (I send C on her break & start to put the discs back)

SL: What are you doing?! I didn't say to put those back! My son wants those!

At this point son is looking at the terrain we use for Warhammer, & not even paying attention. H, (a regular customer) comes up to get rung out.

M: Sorry, ma'am, but I thought you said you were going to Wal-Mart now?
(To H) Hey man, what can I get you?

H: I'll get these 6 paints, and can I pick up my preorder too?

M: Sure! (get large order) Wow, these are some great tanks, huh? I see you're playing with Space Marines again...your total is $257.83.

H: (loudly, winking at me) Yeah, I know I've had to save up for it, but it was worth it! I especially like the 10% discount I got for preordering the new tanks, AND your awesome rewards system.

M: (finish transaction) Yeah, that's right! Since you bought $200 of stuff, you now have 2 coupons, and are well on your way to a 3rd!

H: (still loudly) Thanks, M! I'll go look around some more! (goes back to paints)

SL: (has collected son, & glares at me from door)

M: Have a good day!

SL: Hmph! Geeks! (leaves)

H: (comes back up with more paints) Hmph! Bitch!

And everyone laughed and proceeded to have more fun than most mortals can handle...all at a normal price.

[wagegoth]

So many levels of fail there. I feel very sorry for her son; he seems like a nice kid, but she's well on her way to warping him into an EW.

I hate those "consumer experts" that advise people to do this kind of thing. Absolutely ridiculous.

[Grape The Cat]

Sad part is the kid lost out on some games 'cause his mom was a complete and utter b-tch. As an ex WM worker I can tell you that she can't dicker AT ALL at WM, of course she'll probably have some snotty speech ready for the poor associates who have to deal with her. The kid seemed polite. though, maybe he gets it from his dad. Oh and to

[Zellie Crescent]

I used to deal with people like her when I sold video games down in Englishtown, I just hope to god this kid doesn't listen to his mom.

[chainedbarista]

Profits don't matter as much to stores like you, you can get small business loans all the time! It's all the LARGE stores who are going bankrupt who REALLY need to charge these prices!

*head spins from this high level bit of stupidity* wow, she has that backwards and then some; the large stores are in trouble due to greed and overcharging (among other issues), while the small, independant stores are expected to keep up with them.

teaching her son to be an 'alert' shopper should mean researching for the best price, not trying to haggle at the till.

h is awesome and if you were nearby, i'd shop your store, without haggling.

[emax4]

Uh man! I'd get fired for saying some of the responses that immediately came to mind.. If she has enough money to buy everything, she could certainly afford to buy the games w/o the discount. And while she's teaching him "valuable" shopping tips, she should reinstate to him that he can't get everything he wants in life, which is far more important than leaning how to haggle.

It was funny how she thinks that Wal Mart cares about their customers (cares enough not to give them discounts). Kudos for standing up to her, and even more for continuing to be nice and offer the discount in spite of the kids Mom. You showed more class (and patience) than the Mom has.

[siead_lietrathua]

I used to deal with people like her when I sold video games down in Englishtown, I just hope to god this kid doesn't listen to his mom.

wouldnt worry to much about it, since he jsut say "her way" fail. hard.

[MoonCat]

Oh lord. "Have to"? "I demand"? Etc. etc....blah blah blah bullshit....

I can't even count how many times she was wrong. Yow. You should get a prize for keeping your cool with this EW.

[Miss Maple Leaf]

Some people are just rude, obnoxious morons aren't they? I just hope her kid has enough sense not to turn out like her.

I'm wondering though, since the kid didn't get to buy the games because of his bitchy mother, did anybody else come in and buy them for full price?

[Goddess of Retail]

Thanks for the welcome Grape the Cat!

I only manage to keep my cool with people like this because when they leave my OTHER customers make fun of them. It gets me through the day

And yes, Miss Maple Leaf, someone came in a bit later & bought 2 of the 3. Can't blame them; Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 1 & 2 for the PS2 rock OUT LOUD.

[bhskittykatt]

I feel bad for the kid. He seems so nice now. I fear what will happen if that harpy succeeds in corrupting him.

Way to totally stand your ground and tell that EW off. H is awesome, too.

[underemployeed]

I guess it never hurts to ask for a discount when your buying several items. At the same time, one shouldn't be upset when the discount is not given. I guess it really depends on where you are, most small specialty stores do have a higher markup, but with that markup comes knowledge that is often lacking from BigBox stores, which also deal in significantly higher volumes that manage better discounts, considering walmart goes. "Find a way to sell us X number of units at normal price Y-5 if you want to do business" and when someone is placing an order for 1 million units you don't need to make as much per unit as selling to a company that will only sell 10 units.

I love that you had a customer have no problem spending $200 in front of this woman, that was trying to get money off of games that managed to sell for the sticker price mere hours later. Its not like the games were on the shelf for the past 6 month gathering dust.

[Stryker One]

You guys obviously don't watch enough Pawn Stars. When that woman got bitchy, why not just say, "the price is now $12.00 each"?

[Mr Hero]

You know what the best part is? Just as the SC was going on about how your store doesn't care about customers, in comes one of your regulars, which you seem to have a friendly relationship with. Perfect timing on H's part.

I'm curious, but what was this popular game the son wanted to buy?

[protege]

Now that's a special kind of fucked-up logic right there

Seriously, I'd *rather* do business with local hobby shops. Especially a certain one across town They know what I'm interested in, and because they're usually willing to let me have the long-out-of-production crap that nobody wants...for much less than I'd find them on Ebay...I don't bother trying to haggle. My feeling is, if I piss them off, it'll be a cold day in hell before I find another 1980s Skyline, Bluebird, Ford Sierra (perfect donor for a Merkur!), etc.