# Cheapskate customers... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 1, 2011, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763 "2011-02-01T07:42:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/21 "2011-02-01T15:24:28Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I totally feel for the guy. I went to a furniture store to buy a dining room set, and then I found out I could get a whole shitload of lumber for a _lot_ less. Boy, did I feel ripped off! > > Wanker. Are you serious? Lumber is too expensive. Next time, check out the price of some saplings. They’re a fraction of the price of lumber. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/22 "2011-02-01T15:54:30Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > He writes me a check for the full amount ($1427.38). You still accept checks?:eek: A coupla years ago I realized that the number of NSF checks that were never made good and got turfed to a collection agency was unacceptable. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/23 "2011-02-01T15:58:16Z")
> [@YoSaffBridge](#): > > Are you serious? Lumber is too expensive. Next time, check out the price of some saplings. They’re a fraction of the price of lumber. You can get a whole bunch of seeds for the price of one sapling. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Jay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b77776/32.png) [@The\_Jay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Jay)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/24 "2011-02-01T16:02:46Z")
Why even bother with a customer like that? I have been in a very similar position with a customer that thought they knew better, and I told them to do what they wanted. I sat on the stock they ordered and I didn’t have to jump through any hoops. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/25 "2011-02-01T16:27:50Z")
You should see what people charge for a toaster. And I have this perfectly good heating element already! Ripoff artists. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/26 "2011-02-01T16:44:02Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > You should see what people charge for a toaster. And I have this perfectly good heating element already! Ripoff artists. I have this halogen heater, that heats my room… turn it flat and I can toast on it as well… and it makes a nice light as well… really cosy ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/27 "2011-02-01T16:44:52Z")
What do you mean I need to put bread in it? The toaster should come with toast. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Presidente](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@El\_Presidente](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Presidente)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/28 "2011-02-01T16:52:26Z")
Good Lord people are such assholes. Everyone wants something for nothing. And no one is allowed to make a profit. My company re-sells this one accessory item to our dealers, one of which is an 800 pound gorilla national account. This one dealer’s branches found the same accessory for basically what we pay for it available online direct from the manufacturer and called me on the carpet for it, ie your ripping me off, your charging my 20% more for this item than what my contractor can pay for on the Internet direct. I explained that the manufacturer is from the West Coast, we are on the East Coast, and that if his customer needed that item in say, 1-2 days, they would have to pay $500-600 shipping for it (which is clearly on the website as you try and place an order). If the customer could wait 2 weeks, the freight would be something like $5.00, and yes, it would actually make sense for you or him to order it from the website, and I don’t have a problem with you doing that. But guess what? 99 times out of 100 the customer needs the item within . . 1-2 days, not two weeks. And better yet? Because we buy in bulk and get a special discount, we have it in stock, 10 miles away, for a slightly higher price! So, your still better off buying from us. Nonetheless, every year, this same idiot from this one dealer location brings this up to his corporate office, who then throws their weight around and demands answers, we offer the same explanation each year, and then the issue goes away for another 12 months. Just out of curiosity Drach, what do you mean by “gaming machine”. Why would this customer come to you for this as opposed to say, a big box store? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/29 "2011-02-01T17:02:50Z")
A gaming machine is put together for having all the stuff that let’s you experience the best a game allows. Geo verses Porsche. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/30 "2011-02-01T17:23:21Z")
Big box stores don’t sell mid-priced “gaming” PCs. They’ll sell cheapass desktops suitable for basic use but aren’t even upgradable. They’ll also have midrange PCs that are OK at gaming but not stellar; you might be able to upgrade them with a few components but not without paying a lot. Then they’ll have various top-end PCs, including some “gaming” PCs, but they command a hefty premium. ETA: For example Best Buy sells Alienware branded gaming computers, but they cost $2000 (US). They some some $1000 mid-range PCs with pretty good gaming capabilities, and a whole bunch of cheaper PCs that will not be any good at gaming. Basically the cheap ones will lack a good graphics card, and have no slot or spare power supply capacity to upgrade. A custom “gaming” PC like the one Drachillix assembles is probably some happy medium of top notch gaming performance at a more moderate price. Various outfits online will sell equivalent pre-assembled “gaming” PCs for somewhat less, but they can’t offer local support. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/31 "2011-02-01T17:24:37Z")
What a little prick. Who even does that? If he felt the price was too high he should have done his homework before hand and decided he was better off buidling one himself. Drach could have then said “here’s my price” and the guy could have either took it or left it. No sweat off Drach’s back. You don’t come back after wasting someone’s time and the product is in transit to begin an attempt to negotiate. Douche! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/32 "2011-02-01T17:37:52Z")
Good, fast, cheap. Pick any two. Maybe customers need to start remembering this. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/33 "2011-02-01T17:39:01Z")
What the hell would a cheap + fast computer be? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/34 "2011-02-01T17:40:19Z")
> [@Palooka](#): > > What the hell would a cheap + fast computer be? Stolen ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/35 "2011-02-01T17:50:03Z")
> [@Palooka](#): > > What the hell would a cheap + fast computer be? Fast as in get it now. Use the cheapest parts on hand and throw them in the box, no burn in test or any QA and out the door. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/36 "2011-02-01T17:56:39Z")
Did you asks him if he made it to his WOW guild meeting? ---
**Author:** ![Waxwinged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@Waxwinged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waxwinged)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/37 "2011-02-01T17:58:48Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > You can get a whole bunch of seeds for the price of one sapling. Psh. You can get seeds free at the local park. Amateurs. Moral of the story? Computers should be free. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/38 "2011-02-01T18:03:30Z")
> [@YoSaffBridge](#): > > Are you serious? Lumber is too expensive. Next time, check out the price of some saplings. They’re a fraction of the price of lumber. Great user name! > [@runner pat](#): > > You can get a whole bunch of seeds for the price of one sapling. Screw that. You can go out into the woods at the right time of year and get your own seeds for FREE!! Take that, Rooms To Go! ETA: Damn you, **Waxwing!** ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/39 "2011-02-01T18:06:19Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > Great user name! > > Screw that. You can go out into the woods at the right time of year and get your own seeds for FREE!! Take that, Rooms To Go! > > ETA: Damn you, **Waxwing!** Cool, can you do me a favor and grow those trees, cut them down, create the lumber and build me a house and…you know that should all be free of course, including the labor. ---
**Author:** ![Waxwinged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@Waxwinged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waxwinged)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763/40 "2011-02-01T18:12:51Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > ETA: Damn you, **Waxwing!** _Does the victory dance over winning the cheapskate debate_. > [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Cool, can you do me a favor and grow those trees, cut them down, create the lumber and build me a house and…you know that should all be free of course, including the labor. Fine, but you’ll have to house & feed, as well as provide adequate healthcare for me while the trees grow. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheapskate-customers/569763.md?page=3)