Unhappy Retail Sales People

What's up here?

Last spring I bought the $69 base model weed Wacker at Sears Hardware. They tried to get me to buy the extended warranty. As I walk out the old dude yells across the store "you'll be lucky if to get a year out of that".

Felt good about my purchase.

Today I buy tires for the wife's 2wd trailblazer at NTB.

Alignment? New battery? Oil change? Fuel winterizing? Fuel injection cleaning? Fuel filter? Lifetime balancing and road hazard? NO!

Am I the only guy that wants to take four rims in and tell them to put four new tires on? Who else retorques their lug nuts after leaving the tire place?

Does it always have to be an argument?

Fuel Winterizing? Does that suggest that for the duration of winter you're supposed to drop by NTB and get each new tankful winterized?

pete240z wrote: Am I the only guy that wants to take four rims in and tell them to put four new tires on?

After having to drive my own car onto their hoist because the meat-head couldn't drive a stick, then driving back to get my spline-drive adapters (still sitting on the hoist), and then discovering in the fall that the centering rings were NOT installed, I don't even want to take four rims in loose.

To avoid this, if I buy my own tire machine and balancer, how long would I have to use it before it pays for itself??

SkinnyG wrote:

pete240z wrote: Am I the only guy that wants to take four rims in and tell them to put four new tires on?

After having to drive my own car onto their hoist because the meat-head couldn't drive a stick, then driving back to get my spline-drive adapters (still sitting on the hoist), and then discovering in the fall that the centering rings were NOT installed, I don't even want to take four rims in loose. To avoid this, if I buy my own tire machine and balancer, how long would I have to use it before it pays for itself??

Depends if you buy them used. Buddy and i got 'em for $300 when DT was getting rid of their. Already paid for.

I don't know much about working retail, but my understanding is those people are more or less forced to try to upsell you on warrantees or other extras. Don't blame them, blame their management.

I am that shiny happy person that when asked "Do you ..." by a retail clerk I say no before they finish the sentence. I had a snarky vajajay of a lady at HHGregg tell me they would not allow me to return merchandise if I didn't give her all my info at purchase time. I almost hope the thing breaks so I can shove it down their throat. I know it isn't the poor bastard at the register that is to blame but a dickhead by proxy is still a dickhead.

Viva la Internet. My UPS guy never asks questions.

I love doing 100% of automotive repairs on my fleet. Then again, I hate that I am responsible for 100% of automotive repairs of my fleet.

In some circles this stuff is known as bad profit - add on fees and crap that while profitable, ultimately cost the company in terms of good will and reputation (think airlines and baggage fees). It astounds me how tolerant mass markets are of these tactics before hitting a breaking point. As far as asking for more business - can't really blame a company for that - more in line with good sales practices.

Over the years, Sears has been tagged a fair bit for deceptive practices - partly because of financial incentives to staff - perhaps why they're about to close 100ish stores.

Yep, retail sucks even more for the retail clerk. It's their job to sell you more stuff. Don't be a dick by not allowing them to speak, just say no thanks. Nothing makes me feel like killing the customer more than one who doesn't let me speak.

Said in the nicest vajayjay kind of way.

Apologies in advance to anyone in Retail.

These are mostly crappy low-paying jobs with awful hours and constant pressure to up-sell the high profit extras. The cranky old dude at Sears was probably out of line a bit, but the tire store schmuck gets canned if he doesn't try to sell all of that junk. He's doing his job.

I don't tolerate rudeness but otherwise I just smile and say 'no thanks'.

bludroptop wrote: Apologies in advance to anyone in Retail. These are mostly crappy low-paying jobs with awful hours and constant pressure to up-sell the high profit extras. The cranky old dude at Sears was probably out of line a bit, but the tire store schmuck gets canned if he doesn't try to sell all of that junk. He's doing his job. I don't tolerate rudeness but otherwise I just smile and say 'no thanks'.

This. It amazes me how people will go on and on about being polite to everyone and turn around and snap the nose off of every retail worker they see. They have a job to do. Part of that job is trying to get you to spend more money. Say no thanks and be on your merry way.

Drewsifer wrote: They have a job to do. Part of that job is trying to get you to spend more money. Say no thanks and be on your merry way.

I was fired from a Jiffy Lube in 1984 for not meeting an upsell quota. I should be sympathetic. I am not.

I can't do it. I can't. I've tried. I avoid spending my money at places that do that sort of thing whenever possible. I buy everything online or at a mom 'n pop where they don't have "policy" when I can to avoid the issue. When I am forced to do business with them - like last minute xmas shopping when everyone is already irritated - I will usually politely decline but any balking at my refusal to share/provide/up-buy is getting hammered. Apologies in advance if you try a second approach after I refuse to give you my zip code.

you want fries with that ?

Whenever I need a "hardware" type item, I go to a mom n' pop place called McDonalds Hardware in Ft. Lauderdale. Almost always have what I want, and a clerk will walk me right to it. If they don't have what I want (has only happened twice) I get profuse apologies. Are they a bit higher than HD or Lowes? Yeah, but we are treated so well there, with no upsell BS, that I find it well worth while. They have mastered customer satisfaction, and I really doubt if they realize it. I needed 2 feet of 16ga wire. Something like 50 cents. I was taken care of like I was spending 250.00. I'll go back.

WHAT IS YOUR ZIP CODE?!?!?111 I totally understand and a pushy salesperson does not get my sympathy.

Like G-P-S, I try to patronize businesses that fall into the category of "mom and pop" as often as possible. The tire store I use rarely tries to upsell me, but occasionally they will point out that I might want to get something looked at...they don't even always get my business off it. Case in point? A badly damaged exhaust pipe that I had been putting off fixing they showed me was really a small break that while it wasn't life-threatening, could easily be fixed at any muffler shop.

On sort of the other hand, when I buy books and mags the store ALWAYS tries to get me to buy their discount card. They make a point to tell me that if I had it "today" my total purchase would have been reduced by $XX dollars. Yesterday, I finally gave in because they started carrying CAR, and they took out the chairs in the magazine section so kids didn't "hog" the aisles around the desireable mags.

When stores change policies and/or their selections to what I really want, I think I should "reward" them with my business.

You are often asked your zipcode so store management can determine if other stores near you might get your business. As in, you drove XXXX miles, just to shop here at Umpteesquat Drugs? Maybe we need another store with so many folks coming here from that area, or maybe we need to re-locate this one.

when I'm asked that I usually say 09501.... ( apo ny, ny) yeah I'm sometimes an shiny happy person

Address?

1060 West Addison, Chicago, IL 60613

As for weed wacker and the old guy at Sears, I probably would have walked right back to the counter and returned it with a comment about getting one that will last a year from a competitor's store.

Uh, that's 1060 W. Addison - Wrigley Field

EastCoastMojo wrote: Uh, that's 1060 W. Addison - Wrigley Field

D'oh! Stupid fat fingers. Fixed now.

My girlfriend was getting me a watch for Christmas. Which means that I was picking it out and doing everything, but she was there and it was her money. We were about to buy one--I liked it, good watch, more or less what I wanted. But I could not stand the salesman. By the time checkout had arrived, I was ready to just leave, but figured that we were almost done with him. He asked about the extended warranty, I said no.
He said "are you sure, if it breaks, there are no question's asked"
I said "So are you telling me it is going to break within a year?"
He: "Well, it could. Just last week, someone came in with it where the movement had stopped working"
Me: "Well, you know what, I'll just go across the hall to Kay. They sell Bulova, I trust those watches for more than a year."
I yank the credit card from him as he is about to swipe it, and we leave to go to Kay.

I've had so many good experiences with returns with nice retail salespeople that I try to make it a point to listen politely, then either accept or decline politely.

I'm not out to make anyone hate their life just because they have an annoying, unjustly pressure-filled job.

Y'all are probably the types that think the old adage, "The customer is always right." gives you the right to act like a douchenozzle and treat a cashier/clerk/salesperson like dog E36 M3.

My wife has to deal with Richard Craniums on a daily basis. It sucks.

I'm always polite to clerks and waiters, and I'll be the first to tell you that the customer isn't always right.

When I ran a kitchen in a late night delivery place, I used to refuse to deliver to chronic problem customers. I'd even go as far as to send them to the competition because I knew that: 1. there were only two places to order wings and pizza in the city at 3:30 AM and get them delivered 2. The competition would loose money trying to deliver to them. 3. The owner would back me up.

Oddly enough, 3-4 of those problem customers became regular pick up customers at 3:30 in the morning shortly after that. I guess the other place quickly decided not to put up with their crap, either.