# Dear Customer, we get many customers weekly who think their situation warrents us eating $20 to $100 **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 31, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630 "2013-08-31T02:23:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/41 "2013-09-01T21:50:52Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’m going to go waaaaaaaay out on a limb and guess… it’s a pizza restaurant? Oh, so close 🙂 Its the nickname I gave my boss while he was building his 6th pizza store. He loved it and dubbed me his Pizza Minion. While I do think he would like the positive exposure I’ve given him here, I don’t feel comfortable giving out his name and/or business address. \*\*Ranger Jeff \*\*I can’t speak for **cosmosdan** but I think he was saying that when someone buys a big ticket item, they will give freebies/discounts at that purchase. You can’t go back 6 months later and demand the same freebies/discounts for a low ticket item just because you once bought something expensive. **SirGalahad** there is a big difference asking for a discount and demanding it. You are probably a nice and polite person who would ask for a discount, but when your request was refused, you would continue to be nice and polite. Its the ones who storm in demanding us to give them the store and would scream and swear at us because they were our best customer (we’ve only seen them once) and that if we don’t kiss their ass and enjoy it they will have our job. Thanks all the gods that I’m not in retail anymore. (I do still get it at adoptions at times, some people can’t seem to wrap their minds around the fact that $75 for a well socialized cat who has been fixed and tested and has had all of their shots is a real deal.) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/42 "2013-09-01T22:07:43Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Good grief, your partner was a little too uptight there. I’d love to patronize a business where the operators weren’t afraid to speak their mind. He’s a good guy, it was is Grandfather’s shop, so hard to forget the old guy and remembers when his sweet little Grandmother ran the store. Give me one more really good stupid person as justifaction and he’ll get over it. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/43 "2013-09-01T22:09:50Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > It is not a store’s responsibility to carry out a manufacturer’s warranty. I often use a credit card to buy stuff that doubles the warranty period. If I buy a TV from Best Buy, you think I can show up two years later and try to exchange it because American Express said I could? > > No, that’s what those 1-800 phone numbers are for on the warranty card. > > BTW, I’ve had warranty service that is far better than the hassle of finding an old receipt, hauling shit down to a store, and talking to a manager. One monitor I bought went on the fritz after 9 months, and the manufacturer sent a courier to my home to deliver a new monitor and pick up the old one. It was awesome. In my 3 previous jobs (retail optical, 15 years total) the manufacurer’s warranty could ONLY be carried out through the store. If someone were to call the manufacturer directly they would be politely told to go back to where the purchase was made. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/44 "2013-09-01T23:23:38Z")
A while back, we used to do a six month long intro program in our Taekwondo school. We had a couple of people who signed their kids up, then apparently ran into financial issues and couldn’t continue. Now, we are willing to work with the folks who come tell us they have to stop because of money. I’ve been known to cut the monthly rate for a while, and in a few cases, I’ve even given a couple of months for free to try and help. But when they come in at the end of the six month period and demand a refund because they didn’t like what we taught little Johnny? Nah, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/45 "2013-09-01T23:33:21Z")
> [@SirGalahad](#): > > In my best “Mom-and-Pop music store employee” imitation: “What is this ‘repeat business’ of which you speak … dude?” I can understand why you might find it a foreign concept. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/46 "2013-09-01T23:55:58Z")
Oh, lord, the Bad Customer. :rolleyes: Just can’t get enough of the ones who come in with a complaint then demand “gas money” for going to and from the store. If you’re that hard up for cash call us, our phone number and hours of business are on our business cards and your receipt. No, you won’t get phone money, either. :rolleyes: Just can’t enough of the ones who are told “your repair will be finished on Thursday” and come in one Tuesday upset that it isn’t done yet. This is especially fun when we’re having to apply something that requires two coats and a 24 hour curing period between applications, and they return after just one day. Sorry, I can’t make chemistry work faster :rolleyes: “You know, young lady, when I was your age I could get that done for 50 cents”. I’m sorry, sir, it is no longer 1952, welcome to the 21st Century. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/47 "2013-09-02T00:00:42Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > It’s amazing how people can keep screaming “I’m a good Christian” while being so un-Christian. More typical than amazing. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/48 "2013-09-02T00:12:44Z")
Guilty, usually I don’t try to bargain unless I’m at the flea market or junktiqueing. But thought I would try it at a concert, but the t shirt guy wouldn’t let me have two Gov’t Mule stickers for the price of one, even though I bought a $60 hoodie! ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/49 "2013-09-02T00:14:19Z")
The one I loved (for certain twisted values of ‘love’) the most; “I bought (tech product) a year and a half ago and no one told me you would be coming out with a new model! I demand that you take back mine and give me the new model for free!” Sure Lady, because no one ever puts out a new model of any tech product, and we’d be happy to take back the one you’ve beat the shit out of for a year and half and give you a new one for free! :rolleyes: One of the easiest to say NO to, because NO ONE is going to over-ride you on that one. Even the most weaselly manager/customer relations person isn’t going to want to explain that one to their boss. I also loved the revolving warranty ones. Buy product X. Replace at the end of warranty. Call back at the end of THAT item’s warranty and demand replacement on specious non-reproduce-able grounds. Repeat endlessly. If called out on it, demand COMPENSATION for all the bad products you’ve had, even though it has been years since the original warranty expired. I was pretty good at documenting these and getting the majority of them denied. Oh yeah, the “Gas Money”. That and “pay me for my time to deal with this”. FUCK NO. The only reason it’s taking up hours of your time is that you’re not following instructions or you’re refusing to take no for an answer. I always used Car or Doctor analogies. “Does your car dealership pay you for the time you wait for your car to be repaired? No? Neither do we.” “Does your Doctor pay you for the time you spend waiting for your appointment? No? Well we don’t pay you for the time you spent on hold.” And the big one; “I dropped Item X down the stairs, through a meat grinder and into a toilet! What a piece of shit, it broke all over the place and doesn’t work anymore! I demand you replace it under warranty!” Well sir, if you buy a car, drive it off the lot and smash into a tree, is that covered under your car warranty? If you take it back to the dealership and demand a new car, what do you think they’ll say? Second part also used for when they demand a completely new (usually updated model) instead of accepting the repair of their item. Your car dealership repairs your car. It doesn’t give you a new one. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/50 "2013-09-02T00:23:00Z")
Yep, “being a good Christian,” is one of those descriptors that are almost certainly not true if you loudly proclaim it to people… ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/51 "2013-09-02T00:26:57Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Depends on the item, but almost always not less than a year. This is for non-consumable items, where the problem is with the item, not the way it was used. For example, if I buy a fridge from you and it stops working in 6 months, you are responsible for the refund or replacement, and then you may, if you wish, claim the replacement or refund you are due from the manufacturer. Who may then, if they wish and are entitled to, claim from _their_ suppliers if they are at fault, and so on. > > If it happens to go to court, a “reasonable time” has sometimes been considered to be several years, depending on the item. Basically, if the item fails before it could reasonably be expected to with normal use, it was not fit for sale in the first place. > > Depends if that’s what caused the failure. This may, of course, not be immediately obvious, and the retailer would have to decide. If the customer disagrees, they may take it to court - usually a small claims court, which are set up so an individual can get the case heard very cheaply or for free. > > I used to work for a wholesalers, and we would take the items back from the shops, credit them, and then claim from the manufacturers. I now work for a manufacturing company, and I do know that when consumers return stuff to us it actually complicates things, because we don’t have a direct contract with them… Very interesting. Of course you’d expect a refrigerator to hold up better than other items. Normally here the manufacturer offers a warranty and on some items, like refrigerators, certain parts have longer warranties than other parts.On small electronincs the warranty can be 90 days, and on some items they warranty the parts, but not the labor to fix it{which gets expensive} I like you method better because it seems more customer friendly. Here some companies make the warranty so much hassle that it’s discouraging to the customer to even attempt to get their item fixed. The warranty is usually repair or replace at the manufacturer’s discretion, and the customer pays to ship it to the repair center if there is not a local one. That said, with companies that we buy tens of thousands from every year we can usually swap it out for the customer and they will credit us our purchase price. The other issue I wonder about is customer honesty. Sadly too many customer will lie to return something and too many customers in the US try to use the return policy as a rent for free function. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/52 "2013-09-02T00:33:13Z")
Here’s another one, I didn’t have a price marked on a handmade piece that obviously goes for about $200 surrounded by similar items that I just finished explaining how we make them. The guy two weeks ago says oh I guess this one’s free? Before I even thought about it I snapped; “That’s a stupid thing to say, actually it’s insulting.” Something about his tone of voice ticked me off. I’m a fan of snark and wise-assery, but do it well I say. You sir, chose poorly and I called him out on it. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/53 "2013-09-02T00:36:19Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > You’ll probably hate me for this, but when I buy a new guitar, I expect a free set of strings and a half dozen or so Fender mediums. not al t all. We routinely give striings and picks away with a guitar purchase. a $5 set of strings a $2 worth of picks is a reasonable request. You’d be surprised how many people want a freee $30 gig bag with their $100 Fender Squier. I have no problem at all with friendly negotiations. Sometimes when customers have been very nice to deal with I give them something they didn’t even ask for, like strings or picks or a basic strap. However when someone negotiates a lower price of the instrument, and THEN wants us to throw things in as well, that’s different. It;s usually either or. Do you want a couple of freebies, or a lower price, not both. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/54 "2013-09-02T00:43:01Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > None of the above were customers we wanted to keep, so I would always refer them to the competition. If only more business took this to heart. If you reward bad behavior you only get more bad behavior. > [@Mr.Goob](#): > > “I reserve the right to refuse service to stupid people.” I love it. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/55 "2013-09-02T01:15:35Z")
> [@SirGalahad](#): > > OK, that’s a problem how? The return customer asks for discount and you say, “No discount”. > > Are you objecting that the customer has the temerity to ask, or that some of them get angry when you won’t comply? Because I can see anger being a problem, but I can’t see asking for a discount being a problem. MAinly it’s the act of them being annoyed or pissed when they don’t get the discount they feel entitled to. That said, I expect reasonably intelligent adults to understand the difference between a major purchase and a minor one, and not expect their one time major purchase to warrant discounts forever on minor purchases as well. For example; A customer buys several dozen of a unit that is already on sale and negotiates an even lower price. No problem. Two weeks later he vcomes back with a friend to buy 2 more and wants the same deal. Sorry friend, your purchase two weeks ago didn’t earn that price forever. If you buy several dozen today as well, then you can get the same deal. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/56 "2013-09-02T01:27:12Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > 😕 But I thought that while the markup on equipment is 50% the markup on cables and shit (technical A/V term for what is called in the catalog “accessories”) is 75% to 95% because that’s where the profit is and you can toss him a pretty big bone and still come out ahead. Sure, but you don’t want to set the prescedent that a customer gets a discount for every purchase because they made one major one that one time. Why should anyone expect a discount for spending $20. ---
**Author:** ![SirGalahad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@SirGalahad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirGalahad)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/57 "2013-09-02T01:30:07Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > MAinly it’s the act of them being annoyed or pissed when they don’t get the discount they feel entitled to. That said, I expect reasonably intelligent adults to understand the difference between a major purchase and a minor one, and not expect their one time major purchase to warrant discounts forever on minor purchases as well. > > For example; A customer buys several dozen of a unit that is already on sale and negotiates an even lower price. No problem. Two weeks later he vcomes back with a friend to buy 2 more and wants the same deal. Sorry friend, your purchase two weeks ago didn’t earn that price forever. If you buy several dozen today as well, then you can get the same deal. Yeah, I kind of got that already, didn’t mean to be rhetorical … thanks for the reply. My friends who either collect vintage instruments, or own high end music stores deal with jerks all the time … they call them customers. I guess if you put up a sign and advertise products and service, the stupid and grumpy will eventually find you. There was a guy in Las Vegas named Ed Roman who had a novel approach to customer service … if you wanted to get into his high end guitar store, you usually had to have an appointment. Even then, unless you were rich or famous, he and his staff would preemptively insult and demean you, unless they happened to be in a rare good mood. Sort of the “French Restaurant” version of a music store. I believe he passed away recently. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/58 "2013-09-02T01:36:37Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Yes, and I do. > > If I’m sold something damaged or defective right out of the box (an unusual circumstance, sure) I can and have obtained replacements or refunds from the retail store. It’s store policy (at least in the bigger places where I shop). > > Now, I can understand some retailers preferring to have the customers deal with the manufacturer instead. But that’s an excellent way to ensure unhappy customers and loss of repeat business. If you’re going to jump in at least know what you’re talking about and get the details right. Who the hell said anything about “right out of the box”? ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/59 "2013-09-02T01:45:51Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Wow, that’s very cool of them to0 be looking out for employees. I imagine they were irrate when they got the freebies one time and couldn’t get them again. > > One of the problems we notice is that when you accomadate people once they then expect that same accomidation every time. They buy a $1000 PA and get a discount. Then they come back to buy $20 worth of cables and expect a discount. Sorry, you didn’t earn a permenent discount status with that purchase. Customer: “I plan on purchasing 10 items, will I receive a discount?”\* Me: “Uhh, no.” \*I work at Dollar Tree ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/60 "2013-09-02T01:59:48Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Oh, so close 🙂 > > (I do still get it at adoptions at times, some people can’t seem to wrap their minds around the fact that $75 for a well socialized cat who has been fixed and tested and has had all of their shots is a real deal.) Your intuition is right on the money. For a couple of years I worked at a discount store. Literally EVERYTHING in the store was below standard retail prices. One day a customer looked at an item abd commented, “boy that’s to expensive” “Do you know what that costs at regular retail outlets?” I asked. “No” “Then how do you know it’s to expensive?” The thing is some folks will negotiate in a friendly fair way. Others make it way to personal and need to “win” and get pissy if they don’t feel they are winning. We had something marked “Final close out price” and a customer asked, “what’s the best deal you can give me?” "Well, it’s the final close out price, so the the price on the sign that says Final, is the lowest price. “Well I never pay the marked price” Really?, then I guess you’re not buying that item" [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630.md?page=4)