All Those Hidden Charges

[jjllbb]

Our company also has a website. Our website sometimes offers sales and prices that our stores never match for many reasons, the most obvious of which being that once you add on the crazy cost of shipping (which is, disgustingly, often up to 25-50% of the stuff you're buying) the item pretty much costs the same as it does in store if not more.

Tons of people get angry about this and i have no comment on the policy's fairness one way or the other but this lady was making a scene.

She was one of those mothers who was pointing to the kid and told me i was ruining his day/birthday/holiday/LIFE and how could i live with myself.

I offered her the only thing i could which was 10% off for "guest satisfaction" but she decided she'd rather yell at me.

I explained to her that the website can charge outrageous shipping costs which is why they can provide better sales and that when you buy things from a store the cost of shipping is smaller per item and included in the overall price she went nuts.

"You mean when we buy something in here," she waved her arms wildly behind her toward the shelves of merchandise "we're paying SHIPPING????????!!!!???"

I had one of those long pause WTF moments.

"We'll yes, the product has to be shipped to the store location. But since our shipments come regularly and are in bulk the cost is minimal."

"THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! YOU CHARGE US FOR SHIPPING!!???"

--and she stormed off.

Good thing I didn't tell her about all those other hidden costs like the costs for materials or assembly.

[dalesys]

...Good thing I didn't tell her about all those other hidden costs like the costs for materials or assembly.

Let alone payroll!

[seigus]

I love how fragile SCs lives are, that they can be ruined so easily and by so little.

[Fufu487]

Umm, aside from all the other minimal charges added to products to offset the costs, does she realize that the purpose of owning a business is to make profit?? LOL what a numbskull

[sms001]

, does she realize that the purpose of owning a business is to make profit?? LOL what a numbskull

In wonderful magical SC land, every store is a cornucopia of EVERY product, including competitors and non-related items that flow from the mystical In-the-back by way of the carefree and subservient Employees just for the pleasure of being possessed by them, regardless of the cost to the store.

[ditchdj]

BTW Did anyone pick up on how it's ALL the cashier's fault. The cashier ruined her son's life because the cashier sets the prices and controls literally EVERY aspect of the company, from speed of service, items available, to hours of operation to how many rings orbit Saturn. All that, even though the cashier is just plain lazy, incompetent and stupid. How can they do so much at one time with such (supposedly) little brainpower???

[Ringtail Z28]

BTW Did anyone pick up on how it's ALL the cashier's fault.

You mean it isn't always the cashier's fault?

[bainsidhe]

Good thing your store doesn't need to pay rent/taxes/payroll/electric/etc.

[BookstoreEscapee]

to how many rings orbit Saturn. All that, even though the cashier is just plain lazy, incompetent and stupid.

Saturn has too many. I expect you to take one away and give it to Pluto. And reinstate Pluto's status as a planet, too!

[Dips]

"THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! YOU CHARGE US FOR SHIPPING!!???"

Good thing I didn't tell her about all those other hidden costs like the costs for materials or assembly.

"Why yes, ma'am. That and, among other things, my wages are factored into the price. I don't stand here and tell people like you "no" for free, you know."

[Fufu487]

Saturn has too many. I expect you to take one away and give it to Pluto. And reinstate Pluto's status as a planet, too!

Ditto on reinstating Plutos status. What, the little guys not good enough anymore??

[Fiyero]

I don't think people expect businesses to make a profit. I used to work at an estate agent and the contract renewal fee was about £50. It was obvious that all we physically did was print out a standard form with the details changed and have the relevant people sign it so the material costs were very low but it was a service and we had to be paid and hopefully make a profit. People were shocked at this charge sometimes and I had to find eloquent ways of saying "we ain't a charity lady".

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I love how fragile SCs lives are, that they can be ruined so easily and by so little.

I wonder if she had that bad a meltdown when she learned the truth about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. . .

[stucksb]

This may not be true everywhere, but I got no formal education on how business worked and how prices were set, etc., until I was hired into a retail business and was taught these little details.

Hell, in my daughter's previous school they even pulled all business math lessons and focused purely on academic math. At least that means she gets to learn about overhead and cost of goods/materials and profit.