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My store sells a small number of converter boxes, with shelf space for only two or three. Suffice to say, they sell out rather quickly every time a delivery comes in. People come in all the time with their government coupons seeking the boxes, but they are always in short supply, which is why my heart sunk when I read the new sale today...
The boxes were marked down to forty dollars, and with the forty dollar coupon, that would make them free. We had no converter boxes in stock. Mother of God.
You can all guess what happened next. Large numbers of people with the coupons, verbally abusing me and my coworkers for the shortage. My store is getting a large shipment of them tomorrow, but that was hardly an acceptable explanation; everyone here knows that, right?
Among the more "fun" encounters today:
I had to explain, to one individual on the phone, that the coupon would make it free. I did this not once, not twice, but thrice before the mathematically-challenged consumer grasped the concept.
I had a woman march right in the door and up to my register all but waving her coupon demanding to know where to get the box. There was no attempt to find it in the aisles, and she became even more aggressive when I explained that there were none, and I could not guarantee that there would be more coming in during the week.
Numerous generic, "You have it in the ad, why don't you have it?" ensued, all aggravating but not of any particular note.
I doubt that the majority of people seeking the boxes understand that if they have cable, they have no need of the boxes; this is based on the sheer volume of people seeking the boxes. I dread the days after the changeover, when the returns will come flooding in, sans receipts, and the madness will begin regarding the coupon use. Prepare for that scam, folks - you all know it will be coming.
The boxes were marked down to forty dollars, and with the forty dollar coupon, that would make them free. We had no converter boxes in stock. Mother of God.
You can all guess what happened next. Large numbers of people with the coupons, verbally abusing me and my coworkers for the shortage. My store is getting a large shipment of them tomorrow, but that was hardly an acceptable explanation; everyone here knows that, right?
Among the more "fun" encounters today:
I had to explain, to one individual on the phone, that the coupon would make it free. I did this not once, not twice, but thrice before the mathematically-challenged consumer grasped the concept.
I had a woman march right in the door and up to my register all but waving her coupon demanding to know where to get the box. There was no attempt to find it in the aisles, and she became even more aggressive when I explained that there were none, and I could not guarantee that there would be more coming in during the week.
Numerous generic, "You have it in the ad, why don't you have it?" ensued, all aggravating but not of any particular note.
I doubt that the majority of people seeking the boxes understand that if they have cable, they have no need of the boxes; this is based on the sheer volume of people seeking the boxes. I dread the days after the changeover, when the returns will come flooding in, sans receipts, and the madness will begin regarding the coupon use. Prepare for that scam, folks - you all know it will be coming.
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