DON'T you haggle with me.

[we'vegotawinner]

i hate, HATE when people try to haggle with me at work. i work at TARGET, NOT a flea market, so work your haggling magic there and please don't use it at my store.

today, i was cashiering and a women with her two children came into my lane with school supplies, two 2-packs of boxers and two pairs of shorts.

first, she held up the two 2-packs of boxers. one was regular price and one was marked as clearance. she said, "these two packages are the same, but one is a different price." in her defense, the only difference was their color, but as many of you know, clearance prices on items are often a result of their color. i told her that fact and she said, "no, i want them for this price. they're the same so they're the same price." sorry, they're NOT. i explain it to her again, she gets frustrated and hands them both to me because she doesn't want them.

next, she holds up the shorts. again, she says they're the same and should get the one she wants (the nicer one) for the clearance price. this time, they're not even remotely similar. yes, they're basketball shorts, but they're a different style. though they're both green, they're totally different shades. i don't even know if they were the same original price. in the end she gives the pissy face and decides she doesn't want them either. what the heck?

i don't understand how people can think they can pay what they want for anything, anywhere. seriously! the price marked is what it is (especially at a corporation), unless you happen to want a damaged product and a (nice) supervisor will give you your 10% discount.

[Mike Taylor]

i don't understand how people can think they can pay what they want for anything, anywhere. seriously! the price marked is what it is (especially at a corporation), unless you happen to want a damaged product and a (nice) supervisor will give you your 10% discount.

Hell, where I work, we aren't even ALLOWED to sell the damaged merchandise. It gets destroyed or shipped back to the warehouse shortly after it's discovered.

[we'vegotawinner]

the "damage" usually results from when a shirt got dirty because some SC decided to trample it in the clearance section... that type of thing.

[Jester]

Of course, you could try the patented Jester Anti-Haggle Technique, illustrated here.

Just remember to do it with a smile. Then they can't get mad at you, right?

[Gurndigarn]

first, she held up the two 2-packs of boxers. one was regular price and one was marked as clearance. she said, "these two packages are the same, but one is a different price." in her defense, the only difference was their color, but as many of you know, clearance prices on items are often a result of their color. i told her that fact and she said, "no, i want them for this price. they're the same so they're the same price."

"No problem. This one here is listed at X.XX, and this one here at Y.YY."

X.XX < Y.YY

"They should both cost Y.YY. [Peels off markdown price tag] If they ring up incorrectly, just tell the cashier to adjust the price."

[Mark Healey]

Oh I Soooooo hate hagglers.

A standard practice in used book stores in the US is to pencil the price in the top right corner of the first page where it will show up (I imagine it is probably bottom right in the UK.). For some reason people think that the price being in pencil means that it isn't the price. We use pencil to not permanently mar the book.

I've had people try to haggle on $4.00 book.

I've had people ask for a volume discount on three books. The wierd thing is that people who fill up a box or two almost never ask for a discount which I would gladly give them.

I've had teachers ask for a discount on books that clearly aren't for their classroom. I tell them that I will if they bring in a purchase order from their school. I've never been taken up on that.

I'm saving this for the next person who doesn't take the first "No".

SC: request for discount
ME: declining
SC: further request
ME: Steps out side, examines the store front "I fail to see the source of your confusion, there is no sign that says garage sale."

I'm anxiously awaiting the first opportunity.

[Customer Beating Robot]

she said, "these two packages are the same, but one is a different price."

I would have marked the clearance item up to match the higher price of the non-clearance item. "There, now they cost the same."

[Imogene]

I've had teachers ask for a discount on books that clearly aren't for their classroom. I tell them that I will if they bring in a purchase order from their school. I've never been taken up on that.

I remember having a woman come through the Chesterfield store one late night. Picked out a pile of movies, came up to me at the register. I start ringing it through. She stops me, and says "And this is all on teacher tax exempt, right?"
I dropped the movie I had been scanning and stare. "You're kidding, right? There's no way you have some amazing lesson plan that includes: Fantastic Four, Mr and Mrs Smith, Harry Potter, and Dumbo." (reworded, cause I don't remember precisely what I said to her) "Hold on." I ran in back, got new SM to come out and take over for me. He comes out, finds out what the woman wants, then tells her he doesn't know how to do a tax exempt status order, and goes back in the back. I stand there and wait. About ten minutes later, I try to smile and make amends by saying I'll go check on him. "No, don't bother, I'll get them elsewhere." Off she huffs. I wander in back and tell SM "She's gone, don't bother calling now. Oh, wait, you weren't calling anyway, were you? You could tell she was trying to rip us off too."
"Yup."
M: "Good job, ol' bean."

[Knightmare]

Oh I Soooooo hate hagglers.
I'm saving this for the next person who doesn't take the first "No".

SC: request for discount
ME: declining
SC: further request
ME: Steps out side, examines the store front "I fail to see the source of your confusion, there is no sign that says garage sale."

I'm anxiously awaiting the first opportunity.

I got this all the time when I worked for RadioShack. Someone would try to get free stuff, discounts on A/V cables, discounts on open box displays, etc... I would look at them and say: "Sorry, I can't do that. If the name outside said Knightmare's RadioShack, I would be more than happy to help you out. But since it doesn't, and I like my job too much, I can't do that."

Most of the time, they shut up about the discount. MOST of the time.