Impulse Buys

Impulse buys are sometimes a good thing—it adds to the bottom line and customers might have needed the item anyway and the merchant is just "reminding" them of that. However, impulse buys are sometimes a VERY BAD THING. Perhaps it's too expensive or you haven't fully considered where you're going to put it or how you're going to maintain it.

You shouldn't just walk into an antique store and think, "WOW! I love that armoire! It's on sale for $2000 so I think I'll buy it." You get it delivered and find that while your ceilings are only 7 feet tall, the armoire is 8 feet tall. Of course you have to return it, but then get angry because the delivery fee is non-refundable and there's a 10% restocking fee. Maybe you should have thought about it and measured the armoire and ceiling first?

You shouldn't go to a computer store and buy a computer because you like the shape of the monitor. When you get it home you use it for a while and then your son comes home from university and you find that he can't play his games on it because the sound card sucks. You want to return it but it's been a few weeks and perhaps you've got a virus on it, who knows? No, there are no exceptions just for you. Some things cannot be returned.
We have a lot of impulse buys at my store. People think the return policy doesn't apply to them. Some impulse buys are good. But when it's a big or potentially life-changing purchase, THINK BEFORE BUYING.

Why are you harassing me?

Lots of times I recognize customers—sometimes it's a good feeling, but often it's a bad feeling. (Regulars who don't make waves aren't as memorable.) Saturday I recognized a customer, and while I didn't remember the specifics, it was definitely a bad feeling.

The woman attempted to return {something that isn't a normal product that if you knew what it was it would make a lot more sense} that didn't comply with our policies. When she explained the problem, I remembered the specifics of why I knew her…….she's done this before, and I said no (before). She threw a fit. I made a ONE TIME EXCEPTION, making it very clear that this was a ONE TIME THING. Well, Saturday she did the same thing again. I said no. She threw a fit. I said no and explained what she'd have to do to comply with our policies, which wouldn't be very difficult if it was legitimate. She threw a fit. I said no. She threw a fit. I said no.

"Why are you harassing me?!" she SCREAMED AT ME (after the second time of saying no, I believe).

I said nothing. Nothing I was thinking was anywhere near what wouldn't get me disciplined/fired.

She counted to ten, OUT LOUD, and then asked, again, "Why are you harassing me?"

Yeah. I'm harassing you. Sure. Who's the one yelling?! I calmly replied, "This is what you can do to comply with our policies. Otherwise, I can't do anything for you."

Now perhaps it was a mistake to make the one time exception, but Boss frequently does this and expects us to do so, at our discretion. Thing is, it's a ONE TIME thing. Not a whenever-you-feel-like-it thing. This customer is taking advantage of the store.

With a threatening tone, she demanded, "What's your corporate number?!"

I gladly gave it to her……….but not the 1-800 one. The other one. Where she'd have to pay for the call.

She huffed and puffed a little more, surprised that her demand for our corporate number didn't get her what she wanted. Finally she left.

Ten minutes later, she was back to yell some more. She accused, "That's not the right number! It's only a recording! You gave me the wrong number!"

"It's Saturday. The office is closed. You can leave a message or call them on Monday."

Not satisfied with that, she made more demands, "When will the other manager be in?"

"Monday." I said nothing more. I still seethed, still thought terrible things, still bit my tongue so hard it was practically bleeding.

She left again.

When Boss came in today I mentioned the situation to her, but apparently she didn't listen because when I stepped out to do some store errands the woman came in. And made demands. And Boss gave her what she wanted……..as a ONE TIME THING.

When I heard about it, I was livid. "Boss! How could you?! Weren't you listening?! She's done this before. She comes in and causes a childish scene and gets what she wants REPEATEDLY; she's taking advantage of the store in a big way. We're LOSING MONEY because she's our customer."

"Oh, you didn't tell me all that."

YES!!!! I did!!!! You weren't listening!!!!!!!!

Boss says the woman won't be allowed to do that again. We'll see. We have some of the classiest customers (in all economic groups); we also have THE trashiest, "get something for nothing" customers (rich and poor). Boss is entirely too lenient with customers, not wanting to cause waves. If it came down to it, I could see Boss giving in. As I said, we'll see.

With Boss's approval, I won't give in to the woman's demands. If I'm not here, my two cashiers from the "throwing a fit" day know what she looks like. Boss recognizes her. The other manager knows about her and agrees completely with me that she's taking advantage of the store and should be stopped. She knows the woman's physical description, repeated problem, and story (that changes frequently). But, now the woman's gotten her way three times by throwing fits. Next time I can only imagine that the fit will be worse. I can foresee a "step out or I'll call the police" moment coming.

Leave Now!

I had to call the police today, right at the end of my shift. There was a very aggressive panhandler approaching cars and demanding money. This particular guy was in an electronic wheelchair going back and forth between several stores and restaurants. I could just see someone hitting him.......on our property.......what a mess that would be. I went out and told him he needed to leave. He responded that he was "waiting for someone." Yeah. Right.

A few minutes later a customer came in and complained about him wheeling up to the car and knocking on the door to ask for money. We tried the nice way. Now let's try another way.

I called the non-emergency number for the police department and explained the problem.....my worries about the man's safety and my customers' annoyance, safety issues, etc. The dispatcher agreed to send someone out.

Then it was time for me to leave, so like many times, I don't know how the story ended..........did he leave before the police arrived, did the police "requesting" him to leave work a little better than my request, or did they have to be more forceful?

Un Dia Sin Immigrantes

This is a belated response to the May 1 "A Day Without Immigrants" event. For those not in the USA, the day was an attempt to influence legislator's decisions regarding impending immigration law changes. It was basically a boycott in which immigrants were absent from school and work and refused to buy anything.

***I want to make sure that I'm understood. I don't have a problem with immigrants or minorities. What I do have a problem with is people who break the law to enter or stay in the country.***

The May 1 event didn't affect my store....AT ALL. Everyone came to work, we made a normal amount of money for the day, and life continued as normal. After work I accidentally ended up in the middle of a rally that drew quite a few people, but it was peaceful, with almost a party-like atmosphere.

I do not support amnesty for those here illegally. They broke the law, and should not be given the easy route to citizenship when it took many years for others to become citizens while following the law. Do we need illegals? Well, cleaning hotel rooms, picking fruit, gardening, doing heavy construction work.....not on most people's favorites list. But, perhaps paired with welfare reform, those now milking the unemployment or disability systems could take over some of the undesirable jobs.

Historically, Americans haven't handled immigration well. I was recently reading about immigration in the 1890s-1920s; many of the same issues debated in that time period are being debated now.

I know one person here illegally (most people are fairly quiet about their status). He makes more money than I do, yet doesn't pay a single cent in income taxes. However, he can't get health insurance because of his legal status. If he's sick, he uses the local emergency room or walk-in clinic. For everyday things, he pays out-of-pocket. But if he were to be seriously injured, he wouldn't be able to pay. Yet the hospital would still have to treat him, then end up charging more to everyone else, leading to an increase in insurance premiums.

Schools are already full beyond full, struggling to provide even an adequate level of education; social services are stretched thin; in many ways we're having trouble taking care of the people already here. There are legal ways to come to the USA. Certainly it's a long and complicated process, but it is possible in some cases. It's not our fault that Mexico's economy is in bad shape. They shouldn't make their poor our responsibility.

A related issue is what language the immigrants should speak. A long time ago English was chosen as our language. Ballots should NOT be printed in any other language, since English proficiency is necessary to become a citizen and only citizens can vote. With the possible exception of visa applications, government forms should NOT be printed in any other language. Hospitals and schools should NOT have to provide a translator. It's called English. If you live in the USA, LEARN IT.

(I speak, to some degree, two other languages, so I'm not the stereotypical American who can only speak English. But it's impractical to provide translations/translators in every language and if you only provide translations in some languages, then that's not equal......it becomes problematic.)

That's only a tiny bit of what's going on. The issues are complicated and will continue to be discussed both in and out of legislative chambers.

Any thoughts?

!@#$%

Does anyone else have those rich women customers who've never worked a day in their lives who come in with their doting husbands? The women take forever to pick out what they want, TOTALLY indecisive. The men don't help out AT ALL. It's all, "Whatever you want, honey," or "It doesn't matter to me." No attempts to hurry her along or make her DECIDE SOMETHING this DECADE.

Of course they came in when it was busy and people were out sick. They were nice enough, which made it even more difficult to hurry them along. I tried, "Well, I'll let you talk about it for a while." She responds, "Oh no, we've almost decided. What were the differences between {Items A, B, C, D, E, F, and G} again?" And again. And again.

!@#$%