wow, this got long...
Jun. 2nd, 2009 08:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gnutmegSo last night at work, I had a rather skeezy guy try to sell me a still-in-wrapper TV season (we buy used products at our store, in case you didn't know). At first he seemed a little dismayed that I could only offer him $13 (we offer 1/5th of the new price) he tried to talk me up to $20 and asked me why it was. After I explained that unless he had a receipt proving he'd bought it with us in the last month, all I could do is a used buy for it, since we could only buy new product from our authorized dealers.
Finally the guy agrees to it, until I mention that I need to see photo I.D. to complete the sale (this is required by law, so far as I know) and then he was like "oh. you know, I left it at home." and took off. He didn't come back for the rest of the shift. idk if he'll be back in today, but I'm glad I won't have to deal with him.
I also had some guy freak out at me for not being able to find the DVD he wanted in our computer system, when it's clearly NOT AVAILABLE DOMESTICALLY. (He even knew it was an item from England but he claimed his friend had picked one up off our shelf recently for half the price I can get it in for.) He ended up being "you go find it. I will call you back and you let me know" if he hadn't have hung up on me, I'd have found it less than 5 minutes later, but whatevs. I copied the info for him and when he did call back, let him know the disc he wanted was $40. He said he'd think about it.
And there was this other lady, who comes in once every few months. She always calls ahead when she plans to come (and I was unfortunate enough to get her yesterday) and asks us to "set aside any ghost/haunted house type movies" for her. Okay? One? We have HUNDREDS of horror/thriller titles. Both new and used. Two? No idea what kind she likes or has already. So I told her I couldn't really do that because she wasn't asking for an exact DVD. And then she asked me what our prices are like, even though I know she's been to our store many times. She always leaves our horror section in a bloody mess. Again, so glad I'm not gonna be in today when she comes in.
And one of our regular crazies called in. He was looking for ANOTHER copy of ELO's Discovery. He literally just bought one like a month ago, but has decided he wants the paper case/a second copy. The paper case one is a Japanese import that's like $50. This is a man who has schizophrenia and has admitted to us he's in some amount of debt. (From what I understand, his brother gives him a regular allowance to pay for his life. An inheritance from their parents.) Tara talked him out of it. For the second time. Dan had talked him out of it last week. I always feel so bad because I feel like our store is taking advantage of him.
On the other hand, when he actually comes into the store he drives me nuts because he NEVER LEAVES. He'll also just come right behind our desk to look at the items he has on hold, without even asking first. (generally, customers behind our desk is a huge no-no) And he throws terrifying tantrums if you should ever make the mistake of taking any of his items off hold, even if he put them there a YEAR ago. At least he's on his meds again.
Oh, and Mr. H called, surprisingly only twice, to make sure that his hold box really was empty. He calls 2-6 times a day. He comes in as soon as he has more than 3 items in his box. None of our staff like him because he is creepy and hits on the younger ones. (He has to be 60+) He claims his foot is in a bad way and they're going to cut it off, yet he still regularly makes his way in to see us. Always our location, probably because we've mostly got girls working.
What's truly sad, is yesterday was pretty quiet for our crazies. And the only management suck we got (for a change) was finding out that they won't be getting a new keyholder to replace me (I think Mike is trying to believe I'll be back in September. I'm hoping not to be.) so Tara and Tiff might be stretched a little thin this summer. D: Doesn't help with Tiff being in and out of the hospital so much.
Oh. And they're still freaking out over the discount used clearance they told us to do. (These are all items we've had for 3+ year or have multiple copies of that have been sitting around for years. They're reduced to $1-3 dollars.) The only reason these are selling now is because of the price. We've been asked to go through and raise some of the prices (which we have) or take out some of the titles we feel could sell on their own. (Uh. None? That's why they're ON this sale?) Still accounting is freaking out because they "might be losing money". Okay? Dudes? You were losing money while they were sitting on the shelves doing shit all. Now? Now you're getting a little for them, even if it isn't as much as we paid for them. I would think that would be preferred? I know if -I- owned a store, I'd rather get rid of dead product for a small amount than have it just take up space.
Finally the guy agrees to it, until I mention that I need to see photo I.D. to complete the sale (this is required by law, so far as I know) and then he was like "oh. you know, I left it at home." and took off. He didn't come back for the rest of the shift. idk if he'll be back in today, but I'm glad I won't have to deal with him.
I also had some guy freak out at me for not being able to find the DVD he wanted in our computer system, when it's clearly NOT AVAILABLE DOMESTICALLY. (He even knew it was an item from England but he claimed his friend had picked one up off our shelf recently for half the price I can get it in for.) He ended up being "you go find it. I will call you back and you let me know" if he hadn't have hung up on me, I'd have found it less than 5 minutes later, but whatevs. I copied the info for him and when he did call back, let him know the disc he wanted was $40. He said he'd think about it.
And there was this other lady, who comes in once every few months. She always calls ahead when she plans to come (and I was unfortunate enough to get her yesterday) and asks us to "set aside any ghost/haunted house type movies" for her. Okay? One? We have HUNDREDS of horror/thriller titles. Both new and used. Two? No idea what kind she likes or has already. So I told her I couldn't really do that because she wasn't asking for an exact DVD. And then she asked me what our prices are like, even though I know she's been to our store many times. She always leaves our horror section in a bloody mess. Again, so glad I'm not gonna be in today when she comes in.
And one of our regular crazies called in. He was looking for ANOTHER copy of ELO's Discovery. He literally just bought one like a month ago, but has decided he wants the paper case/a second copy. The paper case one is a Japanese import that's like $50. This is a man who has schizophrenia and has admitted to us he's in some amount of debt. (From what I understand, his brother gives him a regular allowance to pay for his life. An inheritance from their parents.) Tara talked him out of it. For the second time. Dan had talked him out of it last week. I always feel so bad because I feel like our store is taking advantage of him.
On the other hand, when he actually comes into the store he drives me nuts because he NEVER LEAVES. He'll also just come right behind our desk to look at the items he has on hold, without even asking first. (generally, customers behind our desk is a huge no-no) And he throws terrifying tantrums if you should ever make the mistake of taking any of his items off hold, even if he put them there a YEAR ago. At least he's on his meds again.
Oh, and Mr. H called, surprisingly only twice, to make sure that his hold box really was empty. He calls 2-6 times a day. He comes in as soon as he has more than 3 items in his box. None of our staff like him because he is creepy and hits on the younger ones. (He has to be 60+) He claims his foot is in a bad way and they're going to cut it off, yet he still regularly makes his way in to see us. Always our location, probably because we've mostly got girls working.
What's truly sad, is yesterday was pretty quiet for our crazies. And the only management suck we got (for a change) was finding out that they won't be getting a new keyholder to replace me (I think Mike is trying to believe I'll be back in September. I'm hoping not to be.) so Tara and Tiff might be stretched a little thin this summer. D: Doesn't help with Tiff being in and out of the hospital so much.
Oh. And they're still freaking out over the discount used clearance they told us to do. (These are all items we've had for 3+ year or have multiple copies of that have been sitting around for years. They're reduced to $1-3 dollars.) The only reason these are selling now is because of the price. We've been asked to go through and raise some of the prices (which we have) or take out some of the titles we feel could sell on their own. (Uh. None? That's why they're ON this sale?) Still accounting is freaking out because they "might be losing money". Okay? Dudes? You were losing money while they were sitting on the shelves doing shit all. Now? Now you're getting a little for them, even if it isn't as much as we paid for them. I would think that would be preferred? I know if -I- owned a store, I'd rather get rid of dead product for a small amount than have it just take up space.
no subject
on 2009-06-02 01:37 pm (UTC)Thanks for reminding of awful that place can be. I was starting to only remember the good parts. :P
no subject
on 2009-06-02 02:07 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2009-06-02 02:13 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2009-06-02 04:40 pm (UTC)Write a book about this shit. No seriously, you're a good writer already, some of these stories sound particularly noteworthy/amusing/things that anyone can relate to in retail. I think that it would probably sell.
And hey, it'd be a way to profit from all this...
no subject
on 2009-06-02 05:15 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2009-06-02 07:23 pm (UTC)Man I love crazies stories.
When I worked at Sanrio we got one guy, a notable rapper, come in and offer to have both of us in his new Music Video. We said no thanks and he screamed at us about how famous he was before tipping us $100 and walking off.
Lots of guys came in to hit on us. At the Hello Kitty store.
At Aki, we had one homeless woman take a sponge bath in our bathroom.
Another homeless man would come in with his social security once a month and spend 40 dollars exactly on sushi. He said his name was Bill Clinton and, shockingly, he did speak rudimentarily in like 9 languages. O_o;
We have the bug-eyed guy who's really nice but creeped out our one waitress who has a bad attitude and he comes in and gets drunk and we take him out the back door at least 3 times a week.
The news anchor from channel 6 comes in, drinks 4 grey goose martinis (glasses of pure vodka) and stumbles out drunk. Once he fell asleep on our bar. When he's awake he complains constantly about working in the entertainment industry.
This one white woman has a MAJOR thing for black men and sits at our bar and hits on every single black man who comes in. Talk about desperate.;;
Another guy is a player and we have to always act like it's the first time he's been there when he brings a new date in. 8)
We get a lot of hot tranny messes, too. Bad weaves, skimpy clothing, high on Ecstasy... one had jeans on but had cut up one leg to make it hotpants on one side and was wearing white fishnets under them and clear light up hooker pumps. And a tube top. :|
I love working.
no subject
on 2009-06-02 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2009-06-03 08:42 am (UTC)