How to deal with my Krazy Kustomer

In My Humble Opinion
1

As I’ve mentioned, I make beaded jewelry and sell it at outdoor summer music festivals, along with loose tops that I make out of fringed rayon sarongs. Last Saturday was our local folk society’s annual festival, which I always sell at because it’s usually my biggest day and a lot of fun to boot.

The only trouble is that I have this crazy woman who just loves my stuff and is always a big pain in the ass. I think she is either just besieged by some type of shopping mania or off her meds.

[ul]
[li]She stands around in my booth telling people how wonderful Scarlett’s stuff is and they should buy lots of it and she has a whole bunch and Scarlett is just SO talented and . . . not in the way that you would want someone to compliment you, but in an annoying, creepy way. [/li][li]She thinks that if she buys two things, she’s entitled to a bulk discount. She is always asking for a deal. Plus she thinks that because she is doing me a “favor” by telling everyone how great I am, I should give her a break. Um no. I am not Wal-Mart.[/li][li]The first time she bought one of my tops, I let her wear it over where her husband was sitting, so she could show it to him. (They’re large, and I encourage people to slip them on over their clothes so they can see themselves in my mirror and decide if they like it.) Mistake. She has now interpreted this to mean that she is welcome to try on several tops a year and walk around in them. And I found out from the other jewelry vendors that she tried this on them with jewelry too: “Can I wear this around while I think about it?”[/li][li]She has no self-control when choosing her purchases. Prime example: A few years ago she flitted around my booth grabbing this and that and making a big pile of things she wanted. This didn’t raise a red flag to me then, because I hadn’t yet caught on to her, but I did know that she usually made a big purchase. Finally she finished and asked me to total her up. It was nearly $200 and she went into shock. I held up the two most expensive necklaces I had for sale, which she had apparently chosen without looking at the clearly marked price, and told her that these two alone were $45 apiece. (Most of my items are $10 to $20.) “Oh, well I didn’t know THAT! I’ll have to put those back!” :rolleyes:[/li][li]This year she asked me to hold two tops for her, which I was willing to do (for her as well as other customers), and she did come back and pay for them. But she wanted to know if anyone had asked about wanting either of them, because she would “always be willing to work something out with them.” In other words, maybe trying to dodge out of the purchase. (Although she hasn’t reneged on a purchase yet, she is a big part of the reason that I added “All Sales Final” to my signage this year.)[/li][li]One year she asked if she could try on a pair of earrings (as in, put the hooks in her ears). I told her no, it was a violation of health codes, but she was welcome to hold the earring card up next to her ear in front of the mirror to see how they looked. :rolleyes:[/li][/ul]

This year was the last straw. I was busy with another customer and was unable to stop her from putting a barrette in her hair! I only found out when she came up to me asking for a hand mirror so she could see how it looked. I told her I didn’t have one, but it was unnecessary, as she had just bought that item. Her face fell and I explained that a barrette is a personal item, and I could not sell it to another person once it had been in her hair. I did tell her that since it came out of my “buy one, get one free” bin, that she could choose another item for the same price or less. She declined. Later, she came to make her final purchase, I reminded her about the barrette. She made as if she wanted to get out of buying it, and I reminded her that once it had been in her hair, I could not sell it to anyone else; it was a violation of health codes. (All of this in front of several other customers who happened to be standing there; I don’t know if they were listening.) She said, “What if I buy this scarf [$20]?” and said something about “calculating” the total (again, hinting for a discount). I said, “Well, the scarf is $20 and the barrette is $10, so that would be $30.” Again with the sad face: “Well, I already spent $70 with you!” (on the tops, again hinting for a discount) I said, Yes, you already paid me for those, so we’re all square. This would be the total for these two items." “Oh, well, then I guess I can’t get the scarf.” (puts it back) “OK, then, it will just be $10 for the barrette.” More sad face. “Well, then I guess I will pick out my free item from the bin.” I said, “Yes, you certainly can do that.” She grudgingly paid me the $10, but although she didn’t say anything, her disappointment was clear.

Jiminy cricket, since when do you have to “try on” a barrette to decide if you like it? This was not some goofy design, just your standard French barrette with some beads knotted onto it.

Between her shenanigans with me and what I heard from the other vendors (asking to buy a $13 necklace and a $38 one for $40 – WTF?), I have absolutely had it with her, and next year is by God going to be different! But I’m not sure how to go about it.

The items I sell at this fair are relatively inexpensive, and I do like for people to be able to see and touch them directly, without having things under glass. Everyone else understands the customs of shopping: Don’t ask me to hold things for you unless you intend to buy them, don’t try on earrings and barrettes, and just basically don’t abuse the goodwill of the vendor! I don’t want to punish my good customers (which is everyone else) by making them leave a deposit to hold things or not letting them try on the tops (which for new customers is a big part of making the sale), and I don’t want to make a big investment in enclosed displays just because of this one kook.

Do I really need to take this woman aside and explain that there are new rules just for her? I am always very busy helping other people and I am sick of having to babysit this person and keep an eye on her like a child. So far the best idea I’ve come up with is this: Next year, when she shows up (and she will), I greet her and tell her I’d like to talk to her, ask Mr. S to mind the store, and take her out back. Explain that I just want her to know that I have some new policies this year: (1) Items may not leave the booth unless they are paid for. She has bought enough of my tops that she knows how they fit, and she doesn’t need to walk around in them. (I wish I could think of a way to bar JUST HER from trying them on!) (2) Remind her that she may not “try on” earrings or hair items. (3) Holding items – ??? I am glad to hold things for other people, and no one else has abused this – they always come back and buy them. I hate to single one person out and say I won’t hold things for her. But when they’re off my displays, no one else can buy them. She didn’t flake out on the tops I held for her this year, but I am thinking of the $45 necklaces that were in “her” pile for a good hour.

Any other ideas? Retail people, I’m sure you’ve run into this. Have you ever had to make special rules for one customer? If so, how did it work out?

I know part of this will involve growing a pair and dealing with her head-on, but at the same time I really don’t want to piss her off so much that she goes around bad-mouthing me at this small festival with many repeat attendees. (I do have other repeat customers, but it just seems that this person is in everyone’s face!) A part of me hopes that this year’s incident made an impression on her, but the realist in me doubts it. And perhaps confonting her will make her realize that her shopping privileges are in jeopardy. I really think that she does not like the idea of being on my bad side.

(Dammit, I just want to sell jewelry, not play “good cop, bad cop”!)

2

I seriously doubt there is any health regulation preventing someone from trying on a barette (or earrings, for that matter).

However, you are perfectly in your rights to take her aside and explain that her behavior is unacceptable and lay down some rules. If someone’s handling security, find a way to call them over and escort her away if she breaks them. You’ll lose her for a customer, of course, but I doubt that bothers you. And I’d guess that if she behaves that way around you, most people know she isn’t someone to be believed once she starts complaining.

3

I’ve been looking, but so far have found nothing official online. I have, however, found cosmetology regs about not sharing combs and other equipment between customers, and official sources (other state health departments, CDC, etc.) advising against sharing pierced earrings to avoid transmission of infectious nasties like HIV, hep B and C, and other treats. It seems a natural extension that selling “used” earrings and hair items would be a no-no, as well as just plain setting off my “ick” alarm. (I am not a queasy person, and I can wear any old metal in my ears, but I still would sanitize earrings that have been in someone else’s ears before wearing them.)

I have e-mailed the county health department to ask if they can provide me a cite. (I was absolutely clear with them that I don’t allow it, and I just want legal backup if there is any.)

I wish! This is a pretty small event, so we’re on our own as far as dealing with her. And I don’t really want to get all badass on her, but just find a way to get her to calm the hell down.

4

About the health regulations, **Scarlett ** is spot on, at least in my State. It’s all about communicable diseases. The last thing you want is to buy an earring that had been worn by someone with an infection or pick up lice from a used comb. How’d you like to buy a pair of undies that someone with crabs had tried on first?

5

Same in Wisconsin and Oregon.

6

I wouldn’t. But unless things have changed recently, there is no law prohibiting returning underwear (any more than there is one prohibiting returning bathing suits). A store can make that a policy, of course, but there are no laws making it illegal. Stores usually claim there is some sort of health code regulation, and most people believe it, but if you note they’ll never cite any particular law.

The New York State Health Department website, just as an example, makes no mention of earrings at all, nor “underwear sales,” nor “barettes,” nor “bathing suit,” nor “merchandise returns.” It is not something the Health Department regulates.

7

Further research: The Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services makes no mention of “earrings” or “Merchandise returns” on its pages. “Bathing suits” only shows a warning about bacteria that might be picked up by a bathing suit if you swim in an infested stream.

The Oregon Department of Human Services, Public Health has no mention of “merchandise returns,” and the mention of “earrings” only indicates that they can spread Hepatitis, but not anything about retail returns. There is no mention of "bathing suits, " except for this one, a part of the law regulating public swimming pools:

Note that Oregon thus specifically allows bathing suits to be furnished to pool patrons and reused. If it were illegal to return bathing suits, would it be illegal to rent them out like this?

This nonreturnabilty of personal items is an urban legend. If someone can cite an actual regulation, feel free.

8

OK. Presumably I will soon have an answer from the county health department on whether this is actually on the books (and I suspect that they will back up Reality Chuck’s cites).

While I appreciate everyone’s input, I am not looking for an answer to the General Question, “Is it against health codes to allow customers to try on pierced earrings and barrettes?” Whether it is or not, I am NOT going to allow people to try on earrings and hair items. That is not going to change.

I’m really more interested in Humble Opinions (hence my choice of forum) on the interpersonal aspects of how to dissuade this person from engaging in her kooky behavior. Does anyone have any experience in dealing in this type of customer? How did you handle it? Do you have any suggestions about choice of phrasing or from what angle to approach the issue? What do you think of the idea of establishing special rules for one person?

As RealityChuck surmised, I don’t really care if I lose this person as a customer; she is more trouble than she is worth, and I have plenty of other “fans.” I just want to get her to quit annoying me and not alienate other customers at the same time.

9

Your idea seems reasonable - lay down some ground-rules for her. They don’t even have to apply to all the customers, do they? It’s your shop, you make the rules however you want. If she can’t be a reasonable customer after that, ban her from the shop.
IMHO, of course. I just get annoyed when stores tolerate asshole customers and make it worse for the rest of us. In this case, this woman has screwed your other customers by removing articles from display (putting stuff in “her pile”) and possibly making your booth an uncomfortable place to shop (“Scarlett is so cool! Scarlett is so talented!”). I’d be shopping somewhere else, honestly.

10

[ot] In Florida, by state law all bathing suit sales are final. [/ot]

I think the way you’re already planning to handle it is your best possible option - to be polite but firm. That will probably get rid of her without you having to worry too much about it, in a stomping-off-in-a-huff sort of way. If there are many regulars and her behavior seems pretty consistent in an awful way, then any complaints of hers to others will be met with a roll of the eyes, I’m sure. You shouldn’t have to punish other customers at a little craft fair for the unrelenting obnoxiousness of one.

11

Presumably, Chuck, rental bathing suits are disinfected between rentals, which isn’t really an option for a store. That’s really neither here nor there, though.

You might consider a big sign that says “All Prices Non-negotiable” or “I’m Sorry, We Do Not Haggle” or something to try and cut down on the hinting for discounts. (It would also discourage new would-be hagglers and discount-hinters.) A sign about not trying on earrings and barrets for health reasons wouldn’t be a bad idea, either. It would serve as a reminder without having to single her out specifically, and would probably go over better than, “Hey, beeyotch, remember our conversation last year–no trying on the earrings and hair stuff, you skank.” Besides, it would give you the “I’m sorry, our policy is clearly posted” out if she persists. You might also consider telling her that due to issues that occurred this year, you’ve instituted a new hold policy: you can only hold things for 20 minutes before they’ll be returned to the display. It wouldn’t be necessary to put everyone’s stuff back out after 20 minutes, just hers. It wouldn’t eliminate all the problem, and she’d most likely whine about it, but it would at least minimize the time she could keep your stuff away from the other customers.

12

You’re right, I could add verbiage to my signs. That’s a good idea and I will probably do so as a CYA measure. However, I’ve learned that unlike me, people don’t read signs. I am forever telling people that yes, I take checks and no, I don’t take plastic and please make out your check to [name] and yes, sales tax is included, even though there is a sign right in front of them that says just that.

Re discounts. People seem to have trouble with “the price is the price.” I have shot myself in the foot a little bit by occasionally offering a discount: 10% off for musicians or staff members, for example. Or one year I gave people (including this person :smack: ) 10% off a total purchase of $100 or more. I am consistent with this throughout one event, but a discount that I offered one year may not be offered the next. I also usually have certain items priced down; this year it was the “Bargain Bin” with “buy one, get one free,” the “Grab Bags” of old beads I want to get rid of for a dollar per bag, and a few tops priced at cost because they haven’t sold for a few years and I’m sick of looking at them. I direct bargain hunters to these areas. But no (as I told another lady on Saturday), just because this top is $10 does not mean that you can have this other one for $10. I just lost a sale, you say? No I didn’t, because I would not have sold it to you for that price.

Oh, how I wish I could say this! The thing I’m afraid of is that I’m not good with verbal confrontations. I’m fairly certain that no matter what words I think I’m going to say, this is the tone that’s going to come out.

:smack: Thanks for reminding me of this tactic – I actually read about it once. Here’s hoping I don’t hear, “But you held HER stuff longer than 20 minutes!” :rolleyes:

13

Yep. I used to work at a woman’s clothing store for some years. One woman kept buying things and bringing them back, claiming that she’d changed her mind. After discovering one item had been stained with menstrual fluid, my manager told the customer that from that time forward, all of her sales were final. The customer got quite huffy, said that it was a woman’s privilege to change her mind, and threatened to never set foot in our store again. My manager told her that she could change her mind all she wanted to, but that she was costing the store more in lost permanent sales than she was worth. The woman DID continue to shop at our store, but she bought far fewer things. In the long run, I think that we actually made more money from her this way, because she had been in the habit of buying $500 at a time, but then returning about $450 a month or two later. Of course, the clothes were “stale” in fashion then, so we had to mark them down and take a loss, where we might have sold them at full price had they been in stock.

I’ve known customers like this. They think that they’re doing you a great favor by shopping with you, and expect you to show your appreciation, dammit, by giving them a discount or other special privileges. This woman will continue to press you for discounts and holds and whatever other privileges and favors she thinks she can squeeze out of you.

Since this woman is a problem to other vendors at this fair, can you get together and ban her from the whole event? If everyone is having to babysit her and watch her this closely, everyone might be losing sales…or losing merchandise to shoplifters.

The way I understand the health regulations, returning swimsuits and underwear and other personal items IS allowed, however, the store cannot resell such items, and thus most will not allow returns. If a store accepts the return of such an item, it is doing so only for customer goodwill.

14

“Menstrual fluid”? Eww ick.

Not really . . . the main event is the music festival, and vendors are secondary. For several years I was the only jeweler, but this year there were three of us: one was my friend’s daughter and her cousin (first-time vendors), and the other was a person returning for her second year. The second-year person didn’t have any trouble with her directly, but did observe her antics with the girls. (I don’t mind the “competition” because everyone’s work is different. Plus it’s fun to talk to other jewelry people.) I don’t think Crazy Lady spent much time with the other vendors (about seven or eight of them). She’s all about the pretty shiny stuff.

So far shoplifting has not been a problem here (at least for me); the festival has $10 admission (12 and under free) and is held in a smallish fenced-in park. I do watch kids and teenagers closely, but there aren’t that many of them. Those that do come tend to pay attention to the music.

But the threat of shoplifting is one of many reasons why I don’t do open street “craft” fairs or anything sponsored by a beer company. Those events don’t attract the kind of “customer” I’m interested in.

15

That’s when you say “I don’t recall hiring you to mind my store.”

16

Scarlett67, I’m sorry to say I don’t have any suggestions for you. What I have is a question…

Do you have a website???

17

Nope. I do have the domain name and an associated e-mail address (to look all professional-like on my biz cards), but that’s it. This is a VERY part-time thing for me – I do only the same two festivals a year for sure, and pick up one to three more as the mood strikes. We’re about to switch our focus to making our own beads, though, so that will change the type of shows we shoot for. I’ll probably always do these two music festivals, though, because they’re easy and fun and the organizers are great to deal with.

Someday I might set up a Web site, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon.

18

You’re already doing the most important thing - you’re enforcing the rules, regardless of what a “good customer” she is. By not haggling with her when she wants you to and not letting her get away with trying on barettes and earrings without paying, you’re letting her know she can’t push you. I’d second the previous suggestion of posting signs that read “Do NOT try on barettes and earrings” and keeping items on hold for twenty minutes, rather than making special rules for her. Making her follow the existing rules could lose you her business fast enough; her sort really do expect super-special treatment, and tend to get irate when they don’t receive it.

Hijack on the earring issue - I work at a consignment shop, and we do sell earrings, some of which have probably been worn already. We sterilize everything before it goes out on the shelves. We also spray disinfectant in our shoes, just like the bowling alley. Better safe than sued.

19

I make custom crocheted shawls and ponchos, and I get these type of customers all the time. They think they’re doing me a favor by ordering 5 items, so they should get a discount. But I still have to make 5 items! I used to sell them on ebay. The winner would get THAT item, made to their specifications. I had people winning kid’s ponchos, then wanting them made in adult sizes! :rolleyes:

20

I just finished watch the Simpsons, so here goes…

Get a 12" x 12" piece of white wood. Paint the words “BANNED FOR LIFE” in block letters at the top. Populate it with pictures of heinous people (Martha Stewart, Ken Lay, William Shatner). When she annoys you next, snap her picture and stick it to the board.