Celebrating Women...for the Real World
Monday, December 05, 2005 The Squeeky Wheel

Christmas shopping tends to make me cranky. Well, not really the shopping part, but the standing in line, being pushed and stepped on, cranky sales people who tend to forget that they are supposed to be providing you a service, etc.

Friday night I took the rare opportunity of being childless and went to a few stores to see what they had. Of course, I had to just "check" the clearance rack and see if there was anything that I needed (wanted) :0)

In one particular store that shall remain nameless (it starts with Palais and ends with a word that starts with an R and sounds like foil), I was getting quite aggravated. As I browsed through the racks I would find something and get excited. The sign that drew me to that particular rack at a big red 50% sign on top. Of course in small print it says "price marked is 50% off". Some of those pesky racks had identical signs but said "price reduction to be taken at register". I was careful to make sure anything that I was really going to buy came from the latter. I even made sure that there were other articles of clothing identical to what I was buying to make sure they weren't "stuck on the same rack by mistake!"

I take everything to the cash register and watch as she rings up item #1, then item #2. Of course the register only took 30% off the marked price. I told the sales person (nicely) that both of those items were on a "50% off reduction taken at the register" rack. Her response, "They were probably put on the wrong rack." I shared with her how I made sure there were other identical items on the rack. She said, "Well, the register is only taking off 30%. But that's still a good deal!". I responded with a, "Yes, but 50% off is a better deal!". After I shared with her that the signage could represent "bait & switch" tactics as well as false advertising, I suggested that maybe a manager might be able to help. Here's the fun part- she WAS the manager! Gulp! At this point, I really didn't care how long the freakin line behind me was, I asked her to step over to the rack and read the sign to me. She agreed that I was right.

Back to the register. She scans, the register deducts 30%. She can't get it to deduct an additional 20%. She pushes buttons, pushes buttons - BINGO! It deducted 50% (off the already 30% price). I looked at her. ~Blink, blink~. She didn't say anything, I didn't say anything. I paid and left! Ugh!

Posted by Sheri & SuZan :: 3:19 PM :: 3 comments

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