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I get a call from a buddy of mine that works at a game store; he says “You wanted to buy a Wii right?” I told him yes, but that I had not found one in stock. He said “give me your credit card number, I’m going to charge you $10 and put the one we have in stock on hold. Come in and pick it up today at 5:30 on the dot.” I gave him my number and told him that I would see him at 5:30. I got there at 5:25 and he gave me the story.
[queue flashback wavey lines across your screen] Some lady has been harassing him to get a Wii for the past month. She comes in once or twice a week, never on the days that they get shipments, and always late in the evening. He has explained to her that shipments come in on certain days at certain times. If she wanted to pay a $10 deposit then they would hold one for her, but otherwise it is first come first serve, and that most times they sell out the day they come in. She bitched and moaned that she was not going to pay $10, that it was stealing, and that he should just hold one for her. He pointed out that the $10 was applied to the cost of the system, that they would call her to notify her that it was in, and that they would hold it for 48 hours. If she did not claim it then they would sell it, then put one from the next shipment on hold. If she missed 3 shipments then the $10 would be mailed back to her.
Still she bitched and moaned that it was wrong of them to charge her to hold one. He pointed out that other stores required systems to be pre-paid for them to hold one, and that their $10 hold was cheap.
The night before she came into the store and he told her that a shipment was due the next morning, and that there were still some un-claimed systems on the truck. She called that morning and he told her that they have one in stock that is un-sold. She told him to hold it. He asked for the $10 payment. She said no, that she would be there at 5:30 to pick it up. He told her that without a $10 reservation that he could not hold it. She said “if you don’t hold it I’ll talk to your manager.”
He was pissed. He called me. I placed the hold. I showed up at 5:25. [queue end of flashback wavey lines across your screen]
I smiled knowingly. I took the reservation coupon that he had filled out hours before on the phone with me. I walked over close to the door of the store and perused the games for my new Wii. Sure enough, 5 minutes later a woman walked in and my buddy shot me a look. She walked up to him and demanded her Wii. I followed her to the counter and was helped by the other cashier guy. My buddy told her that they were out of Wii’s. My cashier asked what he could help me with. I said “I’m here to pick up my Wii” and handed him my reservation ticket. He produced one from under the counter.
Cahier: Here you go. What else can I get you?
Me: I…
SC: That is mine. I put one on hold.
Buddy: No, you did not. You asked me to hold one, but never paid the reservation.
SC (to me): when did you reserve that?
Me: uhh…when I called about 1ish. Can you believe they were nice enough to hold it for only $10?
SC: THAT IS MINE!!! I told him to hold it for me before you, so that is mine.
Manager: What is going on here?
Buddy: This woman called in this morning and wanted to hold one. She refused to pay the $10 reservation. In the mean time this guy reserved one and paid the fee. He is here to get it.
SC: But it is MINE!
Manager: Did you pay the $10 reservation?
SC: No. That is a rip off. You are stealing the $10.
Manager: Well, since we apply the $10 toward your purchase, you are not out anything, we just want to know that you are serious. (to me) Did you pay the $10?
Me: Yes. I don’t understand what the problem is.
Manager: You have no problem. (to cashier) ring him up. (to woman) maam, if you would like, we can reserve one for you for $10.
The SC went on to bitch and moan about what a rip off the place was.
I bought the system, Wii play, and Tiger Woods. I walked outside. I stood at the curb and pulled out my cell to call a friend and tell them the story when SC came out after me. I was afraid she was going to mug me. She walks up and says “I’ll give you $350 for the Wii.” I pulled out Wii play, and Tiger woods and held up the bag. She handed me the cash and walked away.
The story does not end there.
I walked in and was chit chatting to buddy about what happened. Cashier and manager were standing there laughing about it, and they all said that they were glad that they did not have to see her again. I said that I was glad to have the money, but wanted a Wii. Cashier piped up “I just bought mine today. If you pay the $10 for a reservation for me I will return the one I bought, un-opened, and you can buy it. I’ll make $10, you get a Wii today, and you get the rest of her cash.”
Long story short, I walked away with a Wii and $90.
It was a good day.
[queue flashback wavey lines across your screen] Some lady has been harassing him to get a Wii for the past month. She comes in once or twice a week, never on the days that they get shipments, and always late in the evening. He has explained to her that shipments come in on certain days at certain times. If she wanted to pay a $10 deposit then they would hold one for her, but otherwise it is first come first serve, and that most times they sell out the day they come in. She bitched and moaned that she was not going to pay $10, that it was stealing, and that he should just hold one for her. He pointed out that the $10 was applied to the cost of the system, that they would call her to notify her that it was in, and that they would hold it for 48 hours. If she did not claim it then they would sell it, then put one from the next shipment on hold. If she missed 3 shipments then the $10 would be mailed back to her.
Still she bitched and moaned that it was wrong of them to charge her to hold one. He pointed out that other stores required systems to be pre-paid for them to hold one, and that their $10 hold was cheap.
The night before she came into the store and he told her that a shipment was due the next morning, and that there were still some un-claimed systems on the truck. She called that morning and he told her that they have one in stock that is un-sold. She told him to hold it. He asked for the $10 payment. She said no, that she would be there at 5:30 to pick it up. He told her that without a $10 reservation that he could not hold it. She said “if you don’t hold it I’ll talk to your manager.”
He was pissed. He called me. I placed the hold. I showed up at 5:25. [queue end of flashback wavey lines across your screen]
I smiled knowingly. I took the reservation coupon that he had filled out hours before on the phone with me. I walked over close to the door of the store and perused the games for my new Wii. Sure enough, 5 minutes later a woman walked in and my buddy shot me a look. She walked up to him and demanded her Wii. I followed her to the counter and was helped by the other cashier guy. My buddy told her that they were out of Wii’s. My cashier asked what he could help me with. I said “I’m here to pick up my Wii” and handed him my reservation ticket. He produced one from under the counter.
Cahier: Here you go. What else can I get you?
Me: I…
SC: That is mine. I put one on hold.
Buddy: No, you did not. You asked me to hold one, but never paid the reservation.
SC (to me): when did you reserve that?
Me: uhh…when I called about 1ish. Can you believe they were nice enough to hold it for only $10?
SC: THAT IS MINE!!! I told him to hold it for me before you, so that is mine.
Manager: What is going on here?
Buddy: This woman called in this morning and wanted to hold one. She refused to pay the $10 reservation. In the mean time this guy reserved one and paid the fee. He is here to get it.
SC: But it is MINE!
Manager: Did you pay the $10 reservation?
SC: No. That is a rip off. You are stealing the $10.
Manager: Well, since we apply the $10 toward your purchase, you are not out anything, we just want to know that you are serious. (to me) Did you pay the $10?
Me: Yes. I don’t understand what the problem is.
Manager: You have no problem. (to cashier) ring him up. (to woman) maam, if you would like, we can reserve one for you for $10.
The SC went on to bitch and moan about what a rip off the place was.
I bought the system, Wii play, and Tiger Woods. I walked outside. I stood at the curb and pulled out my cell to call a friend and tell them the story when SC came out after me. I was afraid she was going to mug me. She walks up and says “I’ll give you $350 for the Wii.” I pulled out Wii play, and Tiger woods and held up the bag. She handed me the cash and walked away.
The story does not end there.
I walked in and was chit chatting to buddy about what happened. Cashier and manager were standing there laughing about it, and they all said that they were glad that they did not have to see her again. I said that I was glad to have the money, but wanted a Wii. Cashier piped up “I just bought mine today. If you pay the $10 for a reservation for me I will return the one I bought, un-opened, and you can buy it. I’ll make $10, you get a Wii today, and you get the rest of her cash.”
Long story short, I walked away with a Wii and $90.
It was a good day.
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