r/ChoosingBeggars • u/ailill22 • Mar 22 '23
Begging time not goods SHORT
I sell sewing machines.
We have a customer that is in all the time. Asking all sorts of detailed questions. Then informs me that they’ll be taking that information to buy online for cheaper.
Ok. Not great. But fine.
Today we spent some time finding the right machine for their needs. Talking about what kinds of fabric they sew, what features and benefits they would use.
Then they let me know they’ll think on it.
Later in the day I’m teaching a class and I get a call.
They’re at another store - and they want me to listen to them list machine numbers and choose which machine they should get.
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u/Falcoreen Mar 22 '23 edited Mar 22 '23
I know of a runningshoe shop were you can book an appointment for 30 dollars where they help you try out the shoes see how well fit you and how well they fit while you run with them on a treadmill. If you then dont buy no worries you just pay 30 dollar for the appointment. If you however choose to buy you get the full 30 dollar discounted on the running shoes.
I love that policy
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u/a016202 Mar 22 '23
Exactly how it should be. I wanted carpet installed a few weeks ago. They measure for you and charge like $40 but that comes right back off when you place your order. I had no idea people tried using companies to measure out their home then take the measurements to some bargain place to buy instead. So shady.
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u/MissPicklechips Mar 22 '23
I knew a yarn shop owner who told someone to go talk to Jimmy Beans Wool for help with the sweater that they saved $1.00 on the yarn by buying it there instead of in her shop.
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
I always have time for my people. I think expertise, my services helping them fix and troubleshoot machines, classes ect are part of what they’re supporting when they shop with me instead of online.
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u/MissPicklechips Mar 22 '23
This shop owner always had time for customers too. Just no chill when it comes to people who pick up a skein of yarn and say, “Jimmy Beans has this for $1 less, I’ll order from them.”
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
Looooovvvveeee. I need to get firm! This lady is an inspiration.
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u/A-genericuser Mar 22 '23
And then when you get the response “that’s not great customer service” you say “aw hon, customers are people who buy something.”
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u/AccurateSympathy7937 Mar 22 '23
Such a blatant disregard for your business! I guess the silver lining is that at least they’re honest? I’m wondering why you haven’t blacklisted them yet? Once you flat out insult me by telling me you’re using me, I couldn’t imagine giving a second chance.
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
Interrupting my class for THAT was the last straw. I’ll answer some general questions but calling so I pick their machine for them at another store?!
I couldn’t believe it was happening.
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u/AccurateSympathy7937 Mar 22 '23 •
Right on! Tell her the new store policy is that project and equipment consulting comes with an hourly charge which will be credited towards any purchases.
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
That is a BEAUTIFUL way to put it. Dealt with this before?
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u/SnooLentils8748 Mar 22 '23
We deal with that all the time so that’s exactly what we do: if you want a consultation and do not end up purchasing, you’ll be charged for the time. We just make sure we say it upfront. People are just cheeky.
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u/AccurateSympathy7937 Mar 22 '23
YES!! But seriously, it’s hard to put dollar signs on your time, but too many people are too inconsiderate to do otherwise. And you don’t need to do it to everyone if you don’t want to. Because of course sales do come from what you’re doing. Just print up this “policy” and have it ready to display when needed;)
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u/stephenBB81 Mar 22 '23
It is VERY common in the Mechanic industry for RV's and Boats. estimations, and "just a quick look" costs money, but that money is credited off the actual purchase/work done.
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u/liefieblue Mar 22 '23
I always ask 'to which address shall I send the invoice for my time? The charge is $160 per hour excluding VAT' I am an authorised translator and people really think I work for free. 'It's only 20 pages'.
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u/GoodwitchofthePNW Mar 22 '23
Oh god, people think translation is so easy, it is NOT. I’ve occasionally translated for select things, but enough that people know I can do it effectively, and I get asked at least a couple times a year by super randos. Like, no, I don’t know you and this is a stupid project, go away.
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u/liefieblue Mar 22 '23
I know, right? I used to date a doctor (small town) and once in a restaurant, the waiter pulled his shoe and sock off and put his festering foot on our table for my date to give his opinion. I just cannot with people sometimes.
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u/GoodwitchofthePNW Mar 22 '23
Ew. I also live in a small town and have seen enough shit like this happen that I absolutely believe you, but UGH some people!
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u/CandylandCanada Mar 22 '23
"Great, then you should have no difficulty doing it yourself, or finding some putz to do it for you." Let them try then see how long it takes to translate 20 pages correctly.
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u/liefieblue Mar 22 '23
Entitled people never cease to amaze me. Every time you think you have reached the nadir, someone surprises you with being even more of an a-hole.
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u/Jerseygirl2468 Mar 22 '23
That’s perfect! Architect here. We’ve had several people ask us to design something and then if they like it they’ll hire us. Yeah right, like they’re not going to just take the design to a cheaper office or draftsperson.
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u/Brave_SoupDumpling Mar 22 '23
I worked at an engagement ring designer’s gallery and people would do this all the time at first! Spend hours trying on things, learning about stones from our staff and then would go online to find cheaper, more poorly crafted versions, then would expect us to do favors for free like create appraisals for their gems they bought other places, clean their jewelry from other stores etc. because they were “such good customers.”
My boss was scared not to do it because we had a small business and one bad review online can really hurt business. Finally the staff complained enough that she put her foot down and started charging for everything. It was by far the BEST decision; we no longer had to spend so much time catering to choosing beggars but the additional time we saved allowed us to grow the business and make even more money- we grossed our best year after that.
This is my long, drawn out way of saying, YOUR time is valuable, and do not like someone disrespect your time and the way you make your living, because there are plenty of people who will pay for your services and appreciate them.
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u/todayithinkthis Mar 22 '23
I owned a retail shop. We sold cricuts when they first came out. Provo craft promised the independent retailers that these were machines for small businesses only. So, many of us invested in a number of machines. We learned how to use them and demonstrated them to our customers. Shortly after we bought them, they started showing up in Walmart, and other discount craft stores; it was so annoying.
More annoying were the customers who would come in, let me demonstrate the machine, teach them the basics. Then they say oh, I have to think about it. They’d go to Walmart, buy a machine. A week or two later they come in my store and say I can’t get my Cricut to do X. They’d expect me to teach them how, to be customer service since I also sold Cricuts. I told them to go back to Walmart, and they’d say “but Walmart doesn’t provide any service”. I would just smile and say “that’s true”.
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u/ElectroBot Mar 22 '23
Start offering classes that are free/cheaper for confirmed purchases and full price for others.
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u/FoolishStone Mar 22 '23
This is the way.
ETA: And now I know what a cricut maker is and I want one! Are they on sale at Walmart?
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u/OldishWench Mar 22 '23
It's a cutting machine for paper, card, thin plastic and fabric, which originally only cut from cartridges which you also had to buy. But I think later versions allow you to make your own designs, like a lot of the other cutting machines available do.
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u/Isellmetal Mar 22 '23
There was a massive thread in another sub a few weeks ago where people were complaining about them. There’s apparently a number of issues with them and machine quality varies unit to unit
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
This 100% how I feel.
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u/CandylandCanada Mar 22 '23
Then act on that impulse. No one can take advantage of you unless you allow it. Even if they have the nerve to post a bad review (they will), you can counter with all of the occasions on which they have monopolized your time, and their outrageous behaviour on this occasion.
If they are like this with you then the odds are that they are like this will others. Once somebody sees a pattern to their reviews, it undercuts the value of the baseless negative ones.
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u/wardog1066 Mar 22 '23
I install security cameras for a living. 30 years I've been doing this. Had a customer call me at 11:00 p.m. and ask me to go on Ebay to look at used cameras they were considering and tell them which one they should by and how to install it. No longer a customer.
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u/cyndidee Mar 22 '23
Wait, what’s the rest of the story? Did you hang up on them? Chew them out? What happened next?
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u/1ildevil Mar 22 '23
I drove over to their house and took a crap on their porch.
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u/wardog1066 Mar 29 '23
I told him it was rude to call so late and arrogant to expect me to provide him with my expertise to pick a camera and cheap to try to avoid paying me for my experience. Then I hung up on him.
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u/Some-Selection1811 Mar 22 '23
I used to have a craft store. The only time I blew up at a customer was when she hogged one of my employees for more than an hour to discuss and demonstrate a machine, preventing them from doing any other work, then ended the session by asking "and where on-line can I buy this cheaper?"
Just thinking about it still enrages.
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u/coffeeandjesus1986 Mar 22 '23
That’s awful! I would blacklist them and not help them if you’re able to do that!
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
Going to start investigating that option. Really don’t know where to even start.
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u/deannainwa Mar 22 '23
Or charge a consultation fee? She is taking advantage of your time and knowledge, and if she never buys anything from you than she needs to pay up or go elsewhere.
Presenting her with the pricing sheet for your consultation fees and requiring a cash or debit card deposit beforehand might motivate her to "I'll take my business somewhere else!!" and never return.
I can understand wanting to be thrifty, but she can go online and research instead of coming to you.
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u/Purple_Chipmunk9364 Mar 22 '23
My SIL makes cheesecakes and I was shocked at the amount of people who tell her they are too expensive and ask for the recipe to make it themselves. Who does that??
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u/cometview Mar 22 '23
“There are lots of cheesecake recipes online or mixes at your grocery store. Feel free to pick out the one that best meets your needs.”
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u/sweetnsaltycaroline Mar 23 '23
“Sure! 8oz cream cheese, 2 cups citric acid & 16 cups pickle juice. Happy to help!”
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u/Iwilllieawake Mar 22 '23
People used to do that all the time at my old job. Like, I'm fine giving advice knowing you're going to a competitor when what you need isn't something we sell, but I'm not taking time away from actual customers if you're just being a cheapskate
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
I love helping people sew -
So if you want general sewing advice I’m in!
But the moment she called me from another store I was dumbfounded.
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u/Iwilllieawake Mar 22 '23
Oh I'm the same way. I've been doing my job for 18 years, I've got a lot of knowledge I'm totally willing to share.
But if you call from a competitor to ask if what they're trying to sell you is necessary, or you come in to get advice on your project and follow it up with "Oh, I already bought everything on Amazon, I just had no idea how to put it together!" I'm gonna tell you our hourly rate, because I'm not in the business of teaching people how to do my job.
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u/FoolishStone Mar 22 '23
If you hadn't been busy, you could have listened to the model numbers, then recommended the crappiest piece of junk they had as an "exceptional value!"
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u/Art_Vandeley_4_Pres Mar 22 '23
I’d start giving out misinformation. You never had a customer to begin with, hence you can just fuck them over regardless.
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u/sleepydaimyo Mar 22 '23
Does your store have an online store front or is it only in person? I know this is OT but sincerely I'm looking to buy a sewing machine lol.
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u/Knitting_kninja Mar 22 '23
Hahaha I'm also noting OPs profile for future reference. I already have the machine, I just don't really know how to use it 😆
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
Following the rules of the sub I can’t send you to any other site… but I MIGHT have an online presence that educates people on sewing and machines….
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u/Coffeeninja1603 Mar 22 '23
I had this last week. I make and sell men’s grooming products, beard balms etc. Guy comes in, we run through his hair type, the best products for him regarding styling, hold and scent. “Yeah thanks Mate, I’ll just order a cheap one on Amazon’
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u/scarletmagnolia Mar 23 '23
Do you have any products that help with hair loss?
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u/Coffeeninja1603 Mar 23 '23
I’m afraid not. We make things that really look after what you have but not on the medical side of things.
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u/scarletmagnolia Mar 24 '23
Thank you for responding! Best of luck with the growing your business!
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u/Creative_Ad_983 Mar 22 '23
As soon as the conversation was “I’m at another business…” I would of hung up the phone. Maybe given a few choices words before it but I certainly wouldn’t have put up with that level of idiocy and disrespect. Good luck on getting a better flow of customers.
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
I am ashamed that the total shock of the situation prevented me from hanging up.
I gaped like a fish for a while. “You’re WHAT?!”
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u/Poopsie66 Mar 22 '23
I've had several customers that would do stuff like this. I tried to help one guy by not charging service time to figure out his issue. When I did, he held out a discount-house catalog and asked if this is the part he needed. I told him yes, and that I had one on my truck. He said "I'll just order this one." It was amazing to me because almost all my other customers would say "Great! Take care of it for me!" I would have charged him a quarter-hour service plus the $12 part, I charged him a full hour for the diagnosis instead.
The other customer would try to haggle on every...SINGLE...thing, even after I would tell him every time that I don't control the prices. Then he wanted me to service all seven of his units, I told him what it would be per unit but I only had parts with me for one so I'd come back another day and do the remaining six. When I came back he said the price I gave him was for all seven. Nope.
I will never do work for either of them again.
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u/Kimmalah Mar 22 '23
Based on my experiences dealing with the general public, the guy may have genuinely believed that your quoted price was for seven units, because most people are cheap and some are just that dumb. They'll hear or see a low price and it's like they don't catch anything after that.
But it's equally likely he was knowingly trying to scam you for free parts/labor so who knows?
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u/Poopsie66 Mar 23 '23
I made certain he understood. He did it to try and work a deal. He told me shit all the time about how another service guy would treat him like a king and do free service for him to get his business. I wasn't allowed to, and wouldn't if I was. He wasn't "the general public," he was a very typical type of person who has a reputation for this kind of thing. I had another customer of his "type" who every time would lie to me or my employer about my work trying to get his bill reduced.
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u/TauntaBeanie Mar 22 '23
“I’m sorry. I need to help a paying customer right now but I’ll take your number and call when I have time” and then make that call either super early or super late👹
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u/Master_Nineteenth Mar 22 '23
That'll be a $80 base fee with a $50 hourly charge rounded up to the nearest hour and a $20 convenience free.
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u/Pointy_Stix Mar 22 '23
Hell, I'm a CPA & we get people calling our office during tax season asking for help as they do their OWN returns on Turbo Tax. We politely state that we're not able to provide guidance on returns that we don't prepare.
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u/annesche Mar 22 '23
I went to school with a girl whose family owned a music store in our city. Through this my brother was acquainted with her.
Years later, when he wanted an e-piano, he went to the store, she was working there, and he got a really detailed consult, could try out all this models etc. etc.
And then he went and bought the piano online because she was not adding a piano stool like the online retailer.
I was so embarrassed and really cringed hard because of his behavior - and told him so, but he didn't understand how cringeworthy he had behaved. He only knew which model to buy because of her consult and the possibility to try out the models.
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Mar 22 '23
[deleted]
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
Other store was a big box store. Stuff on shelves. No one in the store that knows anything about them.
But they’ll often say Amazon for smaller parts.
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u/Mobile-Nature-6970 Mar 22 '23
If you're going to treat a business like a showroom, at least do your own research.
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u/Ashamed_Blackberry55 Mar 22 '23
My dad owns an automotive repair shop. He gets calls all the time of people wanting/expecting him to walk them through how to fix something themselves. It would be one thing if it was a good long-time customer that just needed a quick temporary fix, but that's not ever what it is. It's people (not customers as they've never been into his shop) fully expecting him to walk them through a complicated repair. Or just something simple, like teaching them how to read an electrical diagram over the phone.
The best is when they get mad and say he's lost their business for not helping them. Right, their business that includes spending time helping them and never getting paid.... what a shame to lose that!
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u/EezEec Mar 22 '23
I’ve been through this. Asking me to teach them how to do the things I charge for. It’s infuriating!
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u/riderofthetide Mar 22 '23
Best CB I've read.
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
Thanks! I was worried it wasn’t quite right for the thread… but i was so mad I needed to get it out somehow!
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u/DrDalekFortyTwo Mar 22 '23
That is breathtakingly rude
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
I’m ashamed to admit my brain shut down on the call. I couldn’t think of anything to say because the sheer audacity was so shocking
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u/DrDalekFortyTwo Mar 23 '23
I bet I would too. And a lot of people would! Some people are shameless in exploiting human loopholes like that. Meaning most of us would never dare behave like they do and are so taken aback when we encounter it we don't know quite what to do in the moment. Or later even really. And they know it and use it to their advantage.
ETA: don't be ashamed I forgot to add! You sound like a good hearted person who has a ton of knowledge, likes what they do, and want to encourage others. If you were a rude person you'd have been no better than them
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u/Flat_Solution_4290 Mar 22 '23
I work at a bookstore, and whenever I DARE not to have „Kamasutra for Wagyu Kettle in south sudanese translation and its impact on the election results of the south“ on stock, but I could order it and it should be here in two days, they seem to jerk off instantly to their own comment „Oh no it‘s okay I‘ll order it on Assmazon“ Yeah I knew before that you are an asshole, there was no need to highlight that for me 👍
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u/Shippou1992 Mar 22 '23
I had similar experience.
I worked at an electronics store where knowledge about products were a priority, took training when we got new products and such.
A customer would ask me all kinds of questions about a TV or PC after which they ask if i can sell it to him as the same price as the big discount chain.
The store i worked at closed eventually as people don't give a crap about service and information they just want cheap.
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u/Kimmalah Mar 22 '23
They do care about service and information, but they just care about cheap more. These types are the exact same people who will go to large chain stores and rage about how nobody has intricate knowledge of whatever item they're looking for.
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u/mangage Mar 22 '23
Just be straight up with the customer. Literally tell them you want their business and would love to assist assuming they are buying from you, but you have no interest in helping them buy from the competition. Explain you can tell they’d have value in extended help after purchase and worth a tiny bit extra than shopping online. They’ll either buy from you or leave.
Dont dance around it or play coy, you’re wasting your own time and inviting repeat offenders. Just be direct and professional about it. At this point you don’t have a customer to lose but you have one to gain
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u/iif-then Mar 23 '23
Glass Guy here, (Think the windows in your house). We constantly have customers come by to have their houses measured for new windows or replacements. They will have our guys go out and measure the house, look through catalogs, and have us design very custom configurations. A few weeks later, we will follow up with them and they will let us know that their local Home Depot or Lowes also sells these windows! Fantastic! and at a better cost than we can, but we just need to explain to the clerk desperately trying to design a window how to enter it on their system!
Thankfully, the manufacturer of the windows sells "standard" windows in bulk to the big box and can do some custom sizes, but they don't have access to the vast amount of options we have. We may not be able to compete with a standard white window in your common apartment complex, but if you want a window that has special glass, opens in a unique way, or is truly custom windows they have to come to a real window specialist.
We have had people trot in with a quote from Home Depot and slap it down asking for us to beat them, they just want a couple of tweaks to the sizing and then they balk at the price difference.
Now we just mark them in our system as shoppers, not buyers, and treat them as such. Ill still sell them products, but there is an added PITA fee.
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u/Areebob Mar 22 '23
I work in a little computer shop, and I get this crap ALL THE TIME. I've had multiple people come in, ask a bunch of questions about gaming hardware, and then say they'll think about it. I'm betting they take their new knowledge and go buy elsewhere. Some people start writing stuff down, and at that point I stop talking. A couple of them have actually called me and asked me for help with what they're looking at over at Best Buy. They both had the nerve to complain when I wouldn't help them.
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u/karenosmile Mar 22 '23
Take comfort in the fact that they will meet their karma when they cannot figure our something and call you for help, or they need a service call on priority.
Do consider really high service rates for them. You know, an amount that will make you happy to serve them.
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u/cheesevulture Mar 22 '23
Gah, that's so fucking rude. My brother owns a snowboard shop and people pull this shit all the time. He's a nice guy who's passionate about his products so he spends hours with people. Then they say they'll "think about it" and you know they're straight onto Google.
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u/Small-Teaching1607 Mar 22 '23
Maybe you can charge for consulting fees with a voucher to reuse the fees for purchasing a machine in your place. Say $30 (or whatever is the norm around your area) for an hour consult which can be used to offset purchasing a machine or fabric or tools in your place. Of course if it’s very basic stuff (like 5 mins and less) that’s fine but if it dwells into territory like what kind of fabric they normally sew, etc then charge them for it.
I’ve personally paid a machine repair guy a fee to teach me how to use a second hand machine I bought and repaired. He was very detailed and I thought it was money well spent!
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u/Sushitenderbite Mar 22 '23
Did you know that the Talmud prohibits asking a shopkeeper the price of an item that you have no intention of buying. You are stealing his mind, by making him think he has a customer.
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u/Ecstatic-Musician-67 Mar 22 '23
I would have said something along the lines of:
I can’t not assists you and I would appreciate leaving this line open for our paying customers ONLY. Thank you and have a great day.
*really emphasis that only
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u/bowmyr Mar 22 '23
This is so disrespectful.... I'm sad because of it.
Bought all my machines at a local store. I think for some machines I even paid a bit more than the online price. You'll get great service and that's worth more than the 'discount' online.
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u/ReedRidge Mar 22 '23
Nope, they would never walk in my store again and I would block their phone number.
You are spending too much time on trash, leave it on the curb.
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u/jackxiv Mar 22 '23
I own a guitar store. I deal with this kind of thing all the time. Plus, people who make you think they are interested in buying something, but just talk your ear off for 3 hours about Eddie Van Halen or how the Tube Screamer is better than the Klon and so forth...
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u/ColumbusMark Mar 22 '23
This happens A LOT, especially now in the internet era. It’s put a lot of electronics brick-and-mortars out of business (ie, Circuit City).
The running joke is that Best Buy is simply the Amazon showroom. And for just the reasons you pointed out in your own experience.
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u/GymyHendrix Mar 22 '23
It is going to be super sad when no brick and mortal exists anymore and it is a sad spiral. I try to buy thing in town, I drive around half the day. The people in town do not have it, so I end up buying it from Amazon. If the store is ordering it online anyway, then I have to pick it up a 10 cord just cost me 3 hours and 10 bucks worth of gas.
I try very hard to support local still but it often bites me in the keister.
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u/rsg1234 Mar 22 '23
I was getting speakers installed in my car several years ago. A father and son came into the shop and asked a bunch of questions about the kid’s car audio installation. The owner of the shop was cordial but immediately complained to me when they left about how they expect free advice about their DIY project without ever buying anything. I get it—no one should expect to use someone’s time for free.
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u/DoNotWeepAtMyGrave Mar 22 '23
Are they a customer if they don’t buy anything?
“I’m sorry, I can only accommodate paying customers.”
**If they still don’t buy anything ban them from your store. It’s not like you’re losing a sale…
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u/slothscantswim Mar 22 '23
Ah yes, time thieves, they’re the worst. I would politely ask that this customer not return to your store, or at the very least politely ignore them.
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u/RHOrpie Mar 22 '23
I once got one of these Indian call centre scam calls. When I informed him his website looked nothing like my ISP, he put me through to this guy who started asking me how to improve it!
The audacity!
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u/chantellelace83 Mar 22 '23
I'm an optician with an independent eye doctor, and this happens EVERY DAY. Come in, spend time fitting the perfect eyewear, explaining WHY it's perfect and what makes it fit properly... then 1 month later, doing a new frame adjustment for an online purchase. It is INCREDIBLE how people don't value opticians time or experience.
Side note, we now charge for said service since everyone in the office has 10 yrs+ experience in fitting eyewear (among other things) and we offer little extras with the charge.
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u/GoodwitchofthePNW Mar 22 '23
FWIW- I’ve gotten glasses online as back-ups or sunglasses etc, and they NEVER fit/work as well as when I get them from my opticians. Partially because I have bad astigmatism, but also apparently because I don’t bring ones I bought online into the brick and mortar opticians (like this whole thread is a revelation to me, I would literally never think to do most of these things). How is that not a simple, “I’m sorry, we can’t handle eyewear that we can’t guarantee.”? And also, where do these people get off?
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u/canibeyouwhenigrowup Mar 22 '23
I have been wearing glasses almost all my life, I don't know a thing about fitting them and want to be able to try on frames. I have never bought glasses online and likely never will.
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u/powdered_donuts2019 Mar 22 '23
Should have said: call me back in 10 minutes. Then called the store, told em what’s up, agree to sell the person the most expensive one and you get a cut.
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u/donottouchme666 Mar 22 '23
Please tell me that you told them to fuck off, or at least told them to fuck off in a way that won’t get you fired. This is maddening. God people are ridiculous.
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u/Rude-Habit8023 Mar 23 '23
It’s very hard when knowledge is what you sell. I’m a lawyer and had to start charging $100 for a one hour consult- applied to retainer if you hire me. Otherwise I was solving problems for free. My hourly rate is $300/hr so still a deal.
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u/1972USAGuy54872 Mar 23 '23
Even if this person was friend or family I would not put up with that! Wasting your time & expertise while planning the whole time to buy elsewhere because it is “cheaper” What an ass she is! I tell people like this that my time & advice is for paying customers only. Being that I do this for a living rather than a hobby I am certain you will understand. Whether they do or not, it ends there unless they quickly “backpedal” & decide to buy from me instead
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u/Dudeiii42 Mar 22 '23
Tell them you only give your expertise to YOUR customers, and this person has never been your customer
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u/catsareniceDEATH Mar 22 '23
"Hello again, pain in the arse not-customer. Absolutely the fuck not. Now put the other shop assistant on....Do not help them with anything."
🙀😹
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u/Kimmalah Mar 22 '23
I used to work in a vision center and this was becoming an issue with some customers. They would be trying to order glasses from somewhere cheap online, but in order to have glasses you can actually stand wearing, you need an accurate PD measurement (basically the distance between your pupils). We had the tools and expertise to measure PDs no problem, so you would get people coming in wanting their measurement taken so they could get glasses from Zenni or wherever for cheap. I know it was becoming kind of a debate about whether we should charge for that or just refuse to take measurements for people not ordering through us.
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u/dontpanda Mar 24 '23
I would gladly pay for a service like this. I think you should charge for it.
I sometimes get my glasses adjusted at a local place, and they charge for that, as I didn't buy them there. I'm always happy to pay. Their time is worth something.
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u/TYdays Mar 23 '23
Real simple, just state “If you don’t want to buy my product, then you certainly do need my expertise’”…..
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u/Blanik_Pilot Mar 22 '23
I’d just tell them look, if you want our assistance we’d love to set you up with the machine, equipment and information you need. Otherwise the store of purchase will have to give you this info. We can’t speak to other companies products for liability reasons
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u/VioletBlades Mar 22 '23
Sure! Just make them pay you a consulting fee! I’m sorry, it sounds like this person is taking advantage of you.
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u/roger_ramjett Mar 22 '23
Tell them that they need the most expensive machine that the other store sells.
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u/dcaponegro Mar 22 '23
Do they purchase other items from your store? If not, just let them know you don't want them as a customer anymore.
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u/GymyHendrix Mar 22 '23
People like this are the worst. It shows a huge character flaw and you just know they are going through life exploiting people.
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u/Agitated-Fig-2343 Mar 22 '23
I am a dispatcher for a plumbing company. I take all the calls that come in.
Once in a while, i get a doofus who will phone And then want me to explain to him or her how to fix their plumbing problem ! Uhhh NO ! My usual line is excuse me but I am not 1 800 plumber ! Do you want me to send you a plumber ? Also, a favorite of mine is go watch YouTube and when it fails call me and I will be happy send a plumber to fix whatever is leaking !
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u/code_delmonte Mar 22 '23
They called you to give them SME knowledge to make a purchase with another vendor. That's like me being at BK and calling McDonalds to help me place my order.
They can eat a DIQUÉ then Touch grass
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u/ItsJoeMomma Mar 22 '23
I hate people like this. I run an automotive shop and people often want you to diagnose the problem their car is having so they can take it somewhere else to be worked on for cheaper, or have their shade tree mechanic cousin work on it.
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u/MattyLePew Mar 22 '23
Difference being, in the majority of cases (in my experience), the customer pays for any diagnosis work.
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u/patentmom Mar 22 '23
They might buy from your store, then return it soon after one they find it cheaper elsewhere. You can avoid this by charging a restocking fee (15%?), which I personally hate, or offer to price-match.
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u/knoxvilleNellie Mar 22 '23
I frequent a pond/ aquarium store. I had been researching a new pump and filter combo for my newly expanded pond. I asked them about different pumps, etc, then when I was doing further research on pumps ( water lift, gpa, etc) I found one at at online store. I went back to the pond store knowing which model I wanted, and their price was about $200 more expensive. I was willing to pay a bit more than internet because they were local, etc, so I asked them if they could give me some sort of discount t since I did find it substantially less somewhere else. Their response was “ Nope, take it or leave it”. I bought it online. While I still buy my plants and fish food there, their inflexible attitude cost them the sale. If the6 had offered me even $50 discount, I would have bought it there. So am I a CB?
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u/cometview Mar 23 '23
Just from your description, I’d give you a pass. You’re a past and continuing paying customer, so have paid for some reasonable consultation. Also, when you found your ideal model, you went back to the shop first with legitimate intent to buy from them even if there was a small premium. My one suggestion would be to describe the price difference as a percentage rather than dollar amount. If it was a 20% premium ($1200 vs $1000 online) maybe you buy from the shop for service and convenience. But if it was a 50% premium ($600 vs $400 online) then almost anyone would buy online, even the shopkeeper’s mom.
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u/atorifan Mar 22 '23
So I've been guilty of this in my own way. Had I understood that I would be paying one time, that the 5 or 10$ increase was not recurring, perhaps I'd made better choices. But I didn't manage money well. Paying anything more than minimum was a real hardship. I know others struggle harder. I speak for me.
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u/badmanveach Mar 22 '23
How is anyone here a choosing beggar?
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u/AbiesOk4806 Mar 22 '23
How are they not????
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u/badmanveach Mar 22 '23
A choosing beggar is one who begs for something because they're desperate, then rejects a seemingly suitable offer for not being good enough. This guy is just asking for advice to make a purchase. Granted, he's being pretty rude about it, but that does not meet the definition of a choosing beggar. Most posts in this forum are not actually choosing beggars, just people complaining about people asking for stuff or making shitty business propositions.
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u/Bunlarden Mar 22 '23
Genuinely why would you keep supplying them with information if they told you straight up what they were doing?
You made yourself look like a bitch who everyone can walkover. As horrible as it sounds you enabled him by letting them abuse this all the time
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u/ailill22 Mar 22 '23
In this industry it’s very relationship based. People will come talk with you, sit with you many times over long periods before deciding to make a purchase (not sure why this is. Perhaps establishing your knowledge?)
I’ve spent months educating and just chatting with people before they decided to pull the trigger on one of our nicer machines.
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u/GymyHendrix Mar 22 '23
Yes, I get it. I am a videographer and all the time people want to do it themselves and want to know which camera to buy. That kind of thing. I usually help them because I know they are going to find out how tricky it is and hire me anyway. It might take 6 months but they will come around eventually.
You never know who will turn into a customer and that is where we are caught in giving advice.
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u/WolfRelic121 Mar 22 '23
A lot of industry is based on relationships with clients. I work in the agriculture industry and it is incredibly common place for agronomists to provide free field consults and jn house diagnostics for potential customers. All because you want them to hopefully pick you based off of the rapport you have built
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u/Bunlarden Mar 22 '23
Yes but if someone straight up said to your your craft is worthless im going to go and use the information and time you gave me to go haggle and get it cheaper somewhere else fuck you. Youd be fine with that it just seems like you want to enable people to just fuck you around no?
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u/WolfRelic121 Mar 22 '23
That's not what anyone is saying. No one is saying that they're fine with being used at all. I am getting the impression that you haven't worked in a position where you have to deal with customers. Am I happy to be fucked around with by a customer? Absolutely not, especially for high dollar purchases. However you can't preemptively assume that they won't buy based off of a single interaction. This customer in question is a dick and I would have no problem telling them to take a hike.
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u/Bunlarden Mar 23 '23
I work with customers everyday technically in a different way as they don't actually buy stuff from me, but if I was in that position I would have no problem with telling someone to leave after straight up saying what they said and offer no more support. Thats just opening up the doors to abuse. If a customer come to me with an issue and they are being arsey I just let the stew and put them to the bottom of my list of problems. No one should take shit
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u/yrnkween Mar 22 '23
Sure, if you start paying for my expertise.