Much ado about 2 stinkin dollars!

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

So to set this one up, we were running a sale on certain used games at the games store. One particularly good deal was a title discounted from $49.99 to $29.99. Now we also offer a discount card that gives you 10% off used games. Therefore if you bought the marked down game you'd get $3 off. Understand?

Good. This idiot didn't...

SC: That price is wrong!
Me: It is? (I double check the box sticker vs. what rang up). Everything looks okay from what I see. $29.99 for the game minus $3 for your 10% discount plus tax.
SC: The discount is wrong. It should be $5.
Me: But the game is only $29.99.
SC: No, it's 49.99 ON SALE (his emphasis) for $29.99. The discount card gives me a discount off the retail price. The retail price is 49.99. I should get $5 off.
Me: Actually sir, the retail price is whatever price we happen to be selling the item at today and your discount is based on that. You don't get more based on the original price.
SC: You weren't very good at math in school were you?
(ironic sidenote: my highest grades in high school were in math classes)
Me: Excuse me?
SC: Well you're obviously not very good at math, if you were you'd understand how this is supposed to work.
Me: (grrr..) Okay let me explain this to you sir. (I grab the game box) This game used to be priced at $49.99 (points to sticker) and if you had bought it at that price you'd get %10 off or $5. HOWEVER, the game is now priced at $29.99 (points to sale sticker) and so you get $3 off for the same 10%.
SC: Ok, let me explain this to you, MORON. The card gets me 10% off the retail price. the RETAIL price. Not the sale price, the RETAIL price. Therefore regardless of what your sale sticker says, I should get $5 off this game.
Me: I'm sorry it doesn't work that way.
SC: Yes it does.
Me: Not it doesn't.
SC: Yes it does! Give me my $2 off!
Me: I can't do that.
SC: Then get me a manager or someone who can.

So I call over assistant manager D who explains everything to the SC again, getting absolutely nowhere. Sadly, D eventually gives in and discounts the game $2 more just to get rid of the guy. He told me he hated having to do it, but $2 was hardly enough worth fighting over any longer. He did explain to the SC clearly how the card is actually supposed to work and warned him that from now on he'd only get the 10% off of the current sale price.

[sms001]

And even if (Dog Forbid!) the SC was right, and you WEREN'T "good at math" that would have nothing to do with it. The quibble here is what the word retail means. I'd say it differentiates what level of the market the transaction takes place; opposing wholesale, bulk, barter, etc. The retail price IS 29.99. So you were right and he was wrong twice.
Sorry D caved. We all know that next time it will be: "They gave me the discount off the original price last time!!!"

[MelodiousBubbles]

"Actually, sir, I have a learning disability, but I thank you so much for bringing it up and calling me a moron. You can go now."

That should have been your response. I'm a jerk, so it would have been mine. It might teach him not to jump straight to insults in case one day he does happen to say something like that to someone with an actual disability. People should think before they say things, but if they did, this site wouldn't exist

[thehuckster]

A quick google search defines "retail price" very vaguely. There is the MSRP (Manufacturer suggested retail price), which is probably what the SC was referring to, but just retail price is simply defined as "the price a store charges to its customers for a good or service."

Whether that's the price before or after a discount or sale is up to interpretation, and is not worth quibbling over.

If the coupon had said 5% off MSRP, then the customer would have been unarguably correct, but even then it's silly to argue over $2. The customer simply has a chip on his shoulder and demands to be right all the time, and will insult and demean whoever disagrees with him.

[Hanzoku]

Too bad you couldn't simply refuse service. It's much nicer to say 'Well, the price doesn't matter, since there's no game for you.'

[Pixilated]

*snip*
Sorry D caved. We all know that next time it will be: "They gave me the discount off the original price last time!!!"

Yeah, I hate it when those who can, cave like that, because all they've done is reinforce SC's behaviour that getting nasty and insulting reaps rewards. I've seen a few posts here from (I'm guessing) individually owned stores in which the owner simply tells the offender to leave. It's a real shame that isn't used more often.

[Merriweather]

"I Want My Two Dollars!!!"

Free cookies for the movie name.

[Lurking Sockpuppet]

"I Want My Two Dollars!!!"

Free cookies for the movie name.

Better off Dead

I want my Cookies!!!

[Merriweather]

Better off Dead

I want my Cookies!!!

Oh good, someone else does remember that movie. My hubby is always yelling that when anything comes up to $2

Chocolate or peanut butter chip? I'll email those right off

[Peppergirl]

. He did explain to the SC clearly how the card is actually supposed to work and warned him that from now on he'd only get the 10% off of the current sale price.

No he wont. By giving in to the guy once, he's got license to pull this same crap over and over again, and also apparently to call staff derogatory names to get his way.

HATE spineless managers. Yes, it was only 2.00 and wasn't worth the fight right then, but I shudder to think how many more times he's going to pull this and get away with it, simply because your manager caved once.

to you CC. I hate that he called you a moron. He clearly was the one with the issues.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

No he wont. By giving in to the guy once, he's got license to pull this same crap over and over again, and also apparently to call staff derogatory names to get his way.

HATE spineless managers. Yes, it was only 2.00 and wasn't worth the fight right then, but I shudder to think how many more times he's going to pull this and get away with it, simply because your manager caved once.

to you CC. I hate that he called you a moron. He clearly was the one with the issues.

You know I've been doing customer service so long the nasty names bounce off me like bullets off Superman.

The call center job helped a lot with that. I got called all kinds of nasty (and racist)
things but I learned not to take it personally because usually the SC's gripe is with the company and not me, so it wouldn't matter who was on the receiving end. Had it been a CW dealing with that guy, that person would have been accused of having poor math skills too.

[Peppergirl]

You know I've been doing customer service so long the nasty names bounce off me like bullets off Superman.

The call center job helped a lot with that. I got called all kinds of nasty (and racist)
things but I learned not to take it personally because usually the SC's gripe is with the company and not me, so it wouldn't matter who was on the receiving end. Had it been a CW dealing with that guy, that person would have been accused of having poor math skills too.

That's very true, but it's the principle of the issue, ya know? Name calling is just soooo low class and disrespectful.

I consider myself lucky I have a boss that usually backs us up to the hilt and wouldn't stand for any of us getting name called. That seems to be unusual nowadays.

I also am in a position (as a supervisor) to stand up for my staff when they are treated badly by customers. I had one last week refer to one of my agents as incompetent and the other as 'a little boy'. I advised her in no uncertain terms that it was unacceptable to speak to them that way, and that if she needed help the rest of the evening she was to ask only for me. I guess I'm pretty lucky to work for a company that even ALLOWS me to stand up for my people, ya know?

Anyway - sorry for the minor threadjack...but I'm STILL not happy about you being called a moron no matter what you say!

[Grape The Cat]

I would have given him the $5 dollars off and then charged him. $44.99 for the game. Hey , if he wanted the larger discount he could pay the larger price. I don't think the SC misunderstood the percentages at all he just wanted to save more money and was willing to be a total dink about it.

Unfortunately even when a manager doesn't cave and stands by their employees a SC will just write to corporate and corporate will send them a bunch of coupons and shit to keep them as a customer.

[Kogarashi]

"I Want My Two Dollars!!!"

Better off Dead

I want my Cookies!!!

Dangit! Beat me to the punch!

[Redbeard]

Oh good, someone else does remember that movie. My hubby is always yelling that when anything comes up to $2

Chocolate or peanut butter chip? I'll email those right off

"Damn shame when folks be throwin' away a perfectly good white boy like that"