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BOGO Fun (long but worth it)
Devoted lurker, first time poster! I'm a sales associate at a women's plus-size clothing store. Beyond my five years in retail I have also worked for several non-profit orgs, and will have plenty of stories about them.
Since ours is a specialty store we don't have nearly as many horror stories as some of you (poor guys!) but we get our fair share of crazy. This story happened a while ago and despite sharing it with several friends and coworkers, I still can't figure out whether or not it was a failed scam.
Here's some background: Our clothes start at size 14 but since our bras start at 36D and 38C, lots of thin but busty women come here for our very well-made, reasonably priced bras. The mall's "regular" size lingerie and bra store often refers people to us if they are too large for their bras.
The regular "sale" for bras is Buy One, Get One 50% off. Our customers understand and accept this and we have no problems. (I say "sale" because it's not really a sale; the "discount" is factored in to the price.)
Twice a year we have a big, clearout sale where bras are Buy Two, Get Two Free. Again, our customers handle this perfectly well.
This time, though, the company did a Buy One, Get One Free sale - the exact same discount as above, you just don't have to buy as many items. Naturally, this concept was far beyond many customers' abilities.
Cast of Characters:
Me:
SC: customer I've never seen before, too skinny to wear our clothes
SCD: SC's daughter, age 14-15, busty enough to wear our bras
MOD: pushover assistant manager
Me: Hello! Did you find what you were looking for.
SC: <grunt> *sets single bra on my counter*
Me: Our bras are Buy One, Get One Free right now. Would you like to get another one?
SC: <grunt> No.
SCD: *blank stare*
Okay. No big deal. First time customers often just want to try our merchandise and don't want to commit to buying multiples, even if they are free. And, of course, monosyllabic responses are always appreciated.
Me: *completes transaction* Okay, that will be $xx.xx.
SC: No, it's supposed to be free.
SCD: *blank stare*
Now, I wasn't a retail novice when this occurred, but I guess I still possessed some naive idealism because my mental scammer alarm did not immediately go off.
Me: Oh, did you have a coupon or a customer service voucher?
SC: No. The sign says we get one free.
Me: *Heart sinking to my shoes, knowing this isn't going to be an easy one.* Well, yes, the sale is Buy One, Get One Free. You get a second bra free when you buy the first one.
SC: The sign says Buy One, Get One Free. I'm buying this and it should be free.
SCD: *blank stare*
Oh, come on. You're really trying this?
Me: You have to get two bras total to get the discount, one you pay for and another one you get free. The BOGO sale implies that you will have two items.
SC: That's not what the sign says.
Me: Actually, it does. *Grabs a nearby sign.* See? It's in smaller letters but it does say, "Second item of lesser or equal value."
SC: That's too small. You can barely read it.
SCD: *blank stare*
SC has a point. The larger signs have the terms in clear, readable print but on the shelf signs by the bras themselves the terms are hard to read. Nevertheless, since they are spelled out elsewhere there's nothing I can do.
Foolishly, I try to appeal to reason.
Me: Ma'am, we cannot just give a bra away for free, especially since you aren't buying anything else. We would go out of business.
SC: I don't care. I want this bra for free.
SCD: *blank stare*
Me: *gives up* Okay, let me get my manager.
I really didn't want to turn her over to the manager. The MOD was a very nice person and fun to work with but she was notorious for giving in to ridiculous customer demands. I explain the situation and walk away from the registers to straighten some folded sweaters. Since our store is small, I could still hear everything they said.
MOD: *explains the whole, second item ≤ value thing, we can't just give stuff away, etc.*
SC: *catbuttface*
SCD: *blank stare*
MOD: *tries again*
SC: *catbuttface*
SCD: *blank stare*
MOD: *getting frustrated* Okay, ma'am, I can't just give you a free bra but here's what I'll do: since the signs are hard to read, if you buy this bra, I'll throw in another for free.
I froze. Not only was MOD standing up to a customer but she was also mocking them by "offering" the deal available to every other customer! Surely SC would go nuts! I inched closer, not wanting to miss a word.
SC: *bitchface* Fine. We'll take this in black.
SCD: *blank stare*
MOD: Okay, I'll be right back. *goes off to find the bra in black*
Naturally I figured that, like a smart scammer, she knew when to cut her losses. However, as I head up front to great a new customer I hear...
SC: *to daughter* See, you've got to watch them or they'll cheat you.
Since ours is a specialty store we don't have nearly as many horror stories as some of you (poor guys!) but we get our fair share of crazy. This story happened a while ago and despite sharing it with several friends and coworkers, I still can't figure out whether or not it was a failed scam.
Here's some background: Our clothes start at size 14 but since our bras start at 36D and 38C, lots of thin but busty women come here for our very well-made, reasonably priced bras. The mall's "regular" size lingerie and bra store often refers people to us if they are too large for their bras.
The regular "sale" for bras is Buy One, Get One 50% off. Our customers understand and accept this and we have no problems. (I say "sale" because it's not really a sale; the "discount" is factored in to the price.)
Twice a year we have a big, clearout sale where bras are Buy Two, Get Two Free. Again, our customers handle this perfectly well.
This time, though, the company did a Buy One, Get One Free sale - the exact same discount as above, you just don't have to buy as many items. Naturally, this concept was far beyond many customers' abilities.
Cast of Characters:
Me:
SC: customer I've never seen before, too skinny to wear our clothes
SCD: SC's daughter, age 14-15, busty enough to wear our bras
MOD: pushover assistant manager
Me: Hello! Did you find what you were looking for.
SC: <grunt> *sets single bra on my counter*
Me: Our bras are Buy One, Get One Free right now. Would you like to get another one?
SC: <grunt> No.
SCD: *blank stare*
Okay. No big deal. First time customers often just want to try our merchandise and don't want to commit to buying multiples, even if they are free. And, of course, monosyllabic responses are always appreciated.
Me: *completes transaction* Okay, that will be $xx.xx.
SC: No, it's supposed to be free.
SCD: *blank stare*
Now, I wasn't a retail novice when this occurred, but I guess I still possessed some naive idealism because my mental scammer alarm did not immediately go off.
Me: Oh, did you have a coupon or a customer service voucher?
SC: No. The sign says we get one free.
Me: *Heart sinking to my shoes, knowing this isn't going to be an easy one.* Well, yes, the sale is Buy One, Get One Free. You get a second bra free when you buy the first one.
SC: The sign says Buy One, Get One Free. I'm buying this and it should be free.
SCD: *blank stare*
Oh, come on. You're really trying this?
Me: You have to get two bras total to get the discount, one you pay for and another one you get free. The BOGO sale implies that you will have two items.
SC: That's not what the sign says.
Me: Actually, it does. *Grabs a nearby sign.* See? It's in smaller letters but it does say, "Second item of lesser or equal value."
SC: That's too small. You can barely read it.
SCD: *blank stare*
SC has a point. The larger signs have the terms in clear, readable print but on the shelf signs by the bras themselves the terms are hard to read. Nevertheless, since they are spelled out elsewhere there's nothing I can do.
Foolishly, I try to appeal to reason.
Me: Ma'am, we cannot just give a bra away for free, especially since you aren't buying anything else. We would go out of business.
SC: I don't care. I want this bra for free.
SCD: *blank stare*
Me: *gives up* Okay, let me get my manager.
I really didn't want to turn her over to the manager. The MOD was a very nice person and fun to work with but she was notorious for giving in to ridiculous customer demands. I explain the situation and walk away from the registers to straighten some folded sweaters. Since our store is small, I could still hear everything they said.
MOD: *explains the whole, second item ≤ value thing, we can't just give stuff away, etc.*
SC: *catbuttface*
SCD: *blank stare*
MOD: *tries again*
SC: *catbuttface*
SCD: *blank stare*
MOD: *getting frustrated* Okay, ma'am, I can't just give you a free bra but here's what I'll do: since the signs are hard to read, if you buy this bra, I'll throw in another for free.
I froze. Not only was MOD standing up to a customer but she was also mocking them by "offering" the deal available to every other customer! Surely SC would go nuts! I inched closer, not wanting to miss a word.
SC: *bitchface* Fine. We'll take this in black.
SCD: *blank stare*
MOD: Okay, I'll be right back. *goes off to find the bra in black*
Naturally I figured that, like a smart scammer, she knew when to cut her losses. However, as I head up front to great a new customer I hear...
SC: *to daughter* See, you've got to watch them or they'll cheat you.
) SC gets all huffy and gripes that she's never had this problem with a BOGO sale before and "I shop here all the time." (Oh, please. We have customers who spend $500 each week. We see you maybe five times per year.) Anyway, FAM points out that KAM rang up her sale as SC requested and SC signed off on the unusual terms. SC is totally pissed and gathers her bags to storm out.
to 
!
on hand for everyone, as well as 
if yer of age.
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