The black friday violence continues today

[TwixVoy]

So today at work a middle aged guy goes over to one of our 16 year old cashiers with a black friday ad and one of the items from it. Starts demanding that she honor the prices. She calls me over to her check out lane as the closest manager to her.

Guy was EXTREMELY hostile from the second I arrived. Wanted the black friday prices honored. Told him they were for a limited time and I can't. Started personally attacking both of us, and then went so far to say "You ARE going to give me this price or I'm going to fu** you both up". Fortunately our asset protection guy was close by and escorted him out.

I tell you people are getting completely nuts recently.

[maxsolomon]

1. in times of stress, we regress

my shrink taught me that!

[glowing]

2. That's what happens when society begins breaking down.

[Taverner]

4. Um no, this is what happens when people are assholes

Society is in no way "breaking down" much to your chagrin...

Society is here to stay, so YOU better make the best of it!

[readmoreoften]

7. The fact that society is "here to stay" doesn't obviate the reality that breakdown is occurring.

Luckily, much to your chagrin, better people are organizing to rebuild after the inevitable break down.

[Taverner]

15. Nothing is going to break down despite your Red Dawn fantasies

Things just change...the Yen may outvalue the Dollar...America might become a Spanish Speaking Nation...

Even if all of the banks fail, that doesn't destroy society - it merely changes and evolves from that point

It amazes me how many people buy this apocalypse fantasy...as if its some kind of goal or something

[glowing]

11. Perhaps this gentleman is more of an asshole than most..

If he wasn't and was just poor and trying to get an item, then he'd go with out knowing how dissapointed someone in the family would be. But because he is an asshole, he challenged the system and made it a priority to degrade the "service" side of the transaction. I work in the service industry, and the idea that the customer is always right is the worst, fucked up notion that was ever invented.. I'm assuming some really rich assholes who wanted their whims carried out no matter what coined this term.. I would never assume to go into a Dr.s office or a school or whatever and tell them they don't know how to do their jobs, they are stupid, that I'm right and they have to kiss my ass, and that they I'm going to get them fired.

I know it sucks to be in an industry that sets service workers up like slaves. Its not right and its not fair. But if the guy had the funds to pay full price, he probably would have just paid the price and tried to hit on your 16 yr old salesperson (if that salesperson was a woman).

[Obamanaut]

13. I have worked a bit in retail sales, and had several complaints

made against me. When people are complete assholes I believe they have a right to know, and it was my responsibility to tell them. The customer is not always right. Interestingly, I was never fired. From one company I received several letters from the home office (including loss prevention) congratulating me on my outstanding service - I had more positive feedback from customers than negative.

[Orrex]

3. Next time he shows up, tell him outright that you're sorry he has a small penis

What a fuck-head. Hell, I can find a Sears catalog from 1908; does that mean that I can demand a tractor with plow for $18?


I'm sorry that you had to deal with that jerk, but I'm glad that someone was on hand to remove him.

[TrogL]

5. Gee we call them "security guards"

...and they're there primarily to protect the staff, not the merchandise.

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. Amazing how the holiday spirit overwhelms some shoppers

Good thing he wasn't buying a pick-axe.

[flvegan]

8. Merry Christmas!

[lapfog_1]

9. Is it within your power to do a deal?

Given the state of the economy, belligerent attitude not withstanding, it might have been a wise decision to honor the pricing.

Not that the guy has a "right to expect that" nor should he get special consideration because he was an asshole to the clerk and to you. But, otoh, he had money to spend. And, apparently, your store isn't going to lose money on the price he was willing to pay.

I ran my own retail place for a brief period... and on some extremely slow days I would make deals at the end of the day just to have a little bit of profit to show for the effort, figuring that if I sold something for $5 over what I knew my cost was (these were $30 and $40 asking price items, costing me $12 or $15 from a wholesale outlet) at least I was getting $5 x number of items for my time. Having $100 for the day sure beats having $10... not to mention that someone walking by, seeing a customer buy an item, causes them to want whatever is being sold. Whenever I could, I would try to encourage the appearance of a "rush" because I knew on those days I would clear $500 to $1000, even if I was taking a "loss" on the first few buyers (I would make sure to drag out the sale of the loss leader items, pretending to have to get a "new one" from the back and so forth, just to generate the look of being really busy).

Given the state of things right now, I would think that retailers would want to move inventory more than make margin.

[TwixVoy]

10. No not within my power

against corporate policy. No one at any level of management at the store level can honor black friday prices... doing so would be breaking policy.

[lapfog_1]

12. Kinda shortsighted from management.

One of the things we have lost as a society is the ability to bargain.

We think nothing of driving a hard deal with the house that we buy, or a car... or even a TV.

But walk into a big box retailer and try to bargain over a lawn chair or new grill or even a new blanket and people think you are crazy. But the rest of the "capitalist" world isn't like that. Only the corporatist US.

Sigh.

[pacalo]

14. I've seen this type of thing myself. People go nuts over coupons.

And some expect something for practically nothing.

I've seen that when a good quality item is reduced drastically, like a pair of $90 pants to $16.99, some will go to the counter & try to bargain a lower price, only shaking their head when refused & not purchasing the pants.

I've escorted a woman to the wardrobe room with a just-in item, a pair of nice pants, only to have her come out complaining that a belt loop was torn (it was obviously snipped with a pair of scissors), then asking if she could have a discount on them.

And brazen shoplifters -- I could write a book.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

16. Maybe the guy was always an asshole

I'd make a note of his face, what car he was driving, plate......he could be a recurring problem.