I really do like the idea of signs. I used to have more, on the order of “Please ask for assistance” and “Children: Please do not touch” (an attempt to ward off the 6-year-old boys who come in and methodically touch each and every item with their questionable hands, and are not likely to buy ; when their parents showed up, it gave me something to point to). But I also recognize my anal-retentive tendencies and realize that signs everywhere telling customers to KEEP OFF might be a tad, well, off-putting. It’s hard to strike a balance.
Yeah, I was kind of thinking that. Then again, her attention span seems pretty short, and I suspect that next year we’ll be back to square one.
That’s just the thing – I don’t want to bother with that. Last year I had some experimental rings I had made, and tossed them on a plate for $2. Mr. S told me after the show that once when I was gone from the booth to go pee or something, he saw a girl trying them on – her TOES. Ick ick ick! I am still in awe that he didn’t say ANYTHING to her. Let me just say that they were QUITE CLEARLY not toe rings! Besides the gross factor, she bent them all out of shape. I just threw them out. :mad:
A customer asks you to hold something without paying for it? I would never expect a vendor to do that. Sometimes I don’t want to carry a purchase around, especially if it’s breakable, but in that case I pay for it and ask them to keep it behind the counter for me. Your customer isn’t “krazy”, she’s rude, wanting you to keep part of your stock off the market like that.
My opinion on the matter is that you should stop bending the rules for her, but not bar her from anything that other customers are allowed to do.
So she can no long walk around in tops before buying them or demand discounts. You just need to say “no” and keep saying no.
Likewise I think you did the right thing with the barrette and the earrings.
On the other hand I think it would be unfair to refuse holding items for her if she has not yet really let you down in that department. This is part of the risk of holding items. If you are not willing to take that risk IMO you should not do it for anyone.
I also so feel that in a free country there sadly isn’t much you can do to stop her hanging around your stall being creepy. The only thing I can think of is giving her as little attention as you possibly can. Being a musician of the traditional variety myself I would guess that she is just as much of a pest in sessions and concerts and that most people know her by now and just think " :rolleyes: ". Her presence would be unlikely to stop me buying nice tops and jewelry.
What I’m basically saying is that you need to establish rules that are in your opinion fair and then stick with them. If you do want to do favours to nice people do it really realy quietly.
Hope that didn’t sound too patronising. I do symphatise, I have met “this woman” often and in multiple incarnations. Good luck.
But that’s just it – she has, with the two $45 necklaces. They were off my displays for something like an hour, and then (because she hadn’t looked at the price) she decided not to buy them. And with the tops, while she hasn’t reneged on one of those yet, she’s done a switcho-changeo with other customers (“Well, if you like this one that I bought, then you take it, and I’ll take this other one instead,” to which they agree – IOW, the other person buys the one Crazy Woman “really wants,” and then they swap; not a rip-off really, but still goofing around).
So I’ve had one performance of this trick, and hints that she may try it again. I really like the idea of a time limit.
99% of the time, it’s because they need to run back to their seat or car or husband to get their wallet. And no one else has ever abused this. I may start mentioning a time limit, though, and extend it at will for people I trust.
For what it’s worth, this is pretty darned common in a traditional store, too. It was common enough in the dress shop I used to work in that the owner had a pretty strict rule about it, she said that we could hold merchandise until the end of the following business day. However, Scarlett67 can’t afford to hold items for very long at a fair, particularly if this woman has reneged on buying a couple of fairlly expensive items. Scarlett67 might very well have sold those two necklaces to someone who actually wanted them during the hour that they were not displayed for sale. I get the impression that this fair is a very short time period…perhaps it’s a week long, perhaps it’s only over the weekend (half of Friday until Sunday evening is common for this sort of thing) and maybe it’s only a one day event. In any case, Scarlett67 can’t afford to pull merchandise off of display unless she’s SURE it’s gonna be bought.
By wearing tops (or jewelry) around “while she thinks about it”, she’s getting the benefit of being seen in a new, pretty item, while not necessarily paying for it. I’d suggest allowing her to try stuff (but not earrings or barrettes) on at your table, but don’t let her walk around in it. Same goes for every customer, not just her. Some people just like playing dressup, and don’t actually want to buy stuff.
Crack down on her this year, yes. She’s going to keep pushing the limits.
Yup, one day. The other one I always do (next month) is two days. I don’t think it’s ever come up, but I can’t imagine holding anything longer than until the end of the day. And that’s going to get shorter.
I run my own retail business, and I have had to deal with a couple of overly enthusiastic “customers”. After their behavior started getting worse and worse by degrees, I had to end up barring a couple of them. One of them took it very poorly and told me that he would tell everyone what an asshole I was. Fortunately, he’s such a jerk that a bad word from him is some of the best advertising I can get.
Scarlett - Like I said, it was continuing the hijack. I was addressing the basic idea of whether or not used earrings should be sold or not. It’s your right to tell people not to try on the earrings; sterilizing is kind of a hassle. I do it because I’m prepared for it because I work in resale; you shouldn’t have to.
Incidentally, I think your Krazy Kustomer krossed the lake and made her way to Michigan, because she was in my store today. I’m not too annoyed in general when people want to try the earrings on, but I’d prefer it if they asked me first.
Well, I can’t really add much to the good advice you’re already getting, but I did want to toss out a phrase that might be useful when she tries to wheedle you again:
“Are you trying to take advantage of my good nature?” Said in a kind of playful tone, it can still get the point across. At the very least, it can distract her a bit. You could keep up with it when you need it later, too. When she comes around again, give a dubious look and say, “Are you sure you’re not trying to take advantage of me?”
; when their parents showed up, it gave me something to point to). But I also recognize my anal-retentive tendencies and realize that signs everywhere telling customers to KEEP OFF might be a tad, well, off-putting. It’s hard to strike a balance.