GMA Reporter teaches people how to haggle...

[KiaKat]

And causes more havoc for us, the poor sales associates who have to deal with all the resulting people who think they can demand a deal on all their purchases.

She just said she was persistent for THIRTY minutes to get her deals, including asking other clerks when one said no, and asking the manager if all the clerks said no.

I also heard the dreaded words 'Well, I guess you don't want my business today...'

Gah! *hides* What a miserable segment! I knew there was a reason I tend to avoid watching morning shows.

[jedifarfy]

I was so going to post this too. I have the link!

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5481885&page=1

I was yelling at the tv, I was so mad. This is not a flea market. If you can't afford it, you can't buy it. Simple. Demanding a discount or you'll leave (like you said) is immature.

"Awww, you don't have the money for that last book? Can't afford 10 shirts, only 7? Sorry! "

JF

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I also heard the dreaded words 'Well, I guess you don't want my business today...'

"I guess not. You gonna buy that or not? You're not? Okay. Bye now."

If you want to haggle, I only haggle in one direction--up.

I also motion that GMA twatmuffin be stripped of her high-falutin' media job and be chained to a cash register and have to deal with other shoppers taking her "advice", just like the rest of us have to.

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

Ah, so "scientific."

How about the next time she goes to the stores, or the times after that?

Thinking economically, we've spent 30 minutes of time on a 10 percent savings on something you may or may not need. Next time, when you don't get your precious 10 percent by making yourself the ass of the world, how much time are you going to waste?

Knowing nothing about economics, I suppose she wouldn't count her time shopping (and driving) as worth any money. But anyone (reasonable) out in the real world knows that your time, and your reputation as a customer are worth a lot more than she gives credit!

I should also add for clarification, that I mean to say that the employees may not be so ready to hand over a discount the next time, and certainly, after a couple of times, they may be ready to stand up for themselves.

Also, a store experience is worth dollars as well, if you believe marketers and Target execs. Isn't it? Is this kind of experience, deteriorating by magnitudes every time you enter a store to do your haggling (complaining) worth anything?

[CorDarei]

some places you haggle, some you don't. the stores she mention aren't typical of haggling....


but i don't see why some of you are flying off the deep end.

Retail stores aren't flea markets and I respect that.
...
Instead of pulling the demanding bully act, always be reasonable with your requests.

*edit to add quote*

[FenigDurak]

-=sigh=- We can't do anything to stop these media outlets from putting out these stories. The economy is bad right now. People are having a hard time stretching the dollar the same distance. These kind of "stories" are in demand at the moment.

We can at least be glad that she said she asked "...politely, with confidence..."

[LibraryLady]

I saw that segment and immediately thought of CS.

C'mon woman, you're supposed to be a Consumer advocate! Get real! The first item she tried to get a discount on was a multi-pack of men's underwear?

There are plenty of good quality brands available for very reasonable prices. The value of my time is more important to me than a half hour spent haggling over the price of a $15 pack of tighty-whiteys.

I much prefer the current series of ads for a chain of office supply stores. For those who haven't seen them the traditional ads feature a big, red 'Easy Button'. If the prices are too high, the shopper in the ads presses the 'Easy Button' and asks, "How much is it now?" Of course, the savings are substantial in this particular store.

The current series of ads features shoppers checking out at luxury boutiques. The Shop Assistant announces the total. The shopper presses the big, red 'Easy Button' and avidly asks, "How much is it now?" As could be expected, the Shop takes on a WTF look and says, "That doesn't work here. It only works at [office supply chain]".

Perfect!

.

[bainsidhe]

Anybody take a look at the commentary to the article? I was surprised just how many people objected to the article. You know, I want discounts too, but I'm not going to lie or waste my time to save a paltry couple dollars. Much of the commentary showed the perspective of employees and small business owners. Many people called out for an article from the business's point of view, so I'm going to sit here and hold my breathe

[Peppergirl]

some places you haggle, some you don't. the stores she mention aren't typical of haggling....


but i don't see why some of you are flying off the deep end.

Funny I dont see anyone flying off the deep end. Instead I see several retail workers of whom this idiotic article would impact, objecting to the segment.

Flying off the deep end? Hardly.

[Hyndis]

Retail peons do not have the authority to change prices. If I were to change prices on things just because a customer demanded it, I'd be out of a job sooooo fast.

Only managers have this authority, and getting to a manager in this means you're going to make a peon miserable, which of course gives them absolutely no incentive to be helpful to you ever again. First off, asking the impossible is a bad start. Then holding up the lines trying to make the impossible happen is further suckiness. Then getting the manager involved who may or may not have a spine. If he has no spine, then thats even more suckiness, since the peon in question has basically been made a fool of. If the manager does have a spine, then its just been a giant waste of time for everyone involved, including the people in line behind the wanna-be haggler.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

C'mon woman, you're supposed to be a Consumer advocate! Get real! The first item she tried to get a discount on was a multi-pack of men's underwear?

There are plenty of good quality brands available for very reasonable prices. The value of my time is more important to me than a half hour spent haggling over the price of a $15 pack of tighty-whiteys.

Trying to haggle down the price of underwear=epic fail.

Geez, if $15 for a pack of undies is too expensive for you, go to Wally World or to a store like mine, where we have big displayers full of undergarments in the apparel department.

Seriously, you would not believe the amount of underwear we have in my store right now. I guess it shows clean underwear [I]is[I] that important.

And if we're still to expensive, buy your undies at Goodwill or something.

[Becks]

buy your undies at Goodwill or something.

At the Goodwill I worked at, we didn't sell underwear.

Wanna guess why?



Come on, guess.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

At the Goodwill I worked at, we didn't sell underwear.

Wanna guess why?



Come on, guess.

Yeah, I was being facetious.

Does this one involve lots and lots of ?

[Rapscallion]

At the Goodwill I worked at, we didn't sell underwear.

Wanna guess why?



Come on, guess.

I bet you had them donated, though. I remember you saying you'd had sex toys donated.

Rapscallion

[Peppergirl]

I bet you had them donated, though. I remember you saying you'd had sex toys donated.

Rapscallion

Raps,

On behalf of me and my attempted breakfast, thanks.