- A few weeks back, I went with my younger sister to the movies. As we're waiting for our tickets, having a conversation, a man approaches us, butting into the conversation with the usual spiel. The entire time, the guy ignores me, assuming the young girl will be a better customer, up until she says she has no money. Then he turns on me. First calls me her mother, then calls me her girlfriend, before proceeding to, as far as I can tell, guilt-trip me into buying "my girl" some perfume. Before saying something about how I shouldn't be cheap in front of her. Basically, the whole routine skeeves me, and gives me the creepy used car salesman vibe. That, and the whole 'your girl' thing just bothers me in general,but its more of a personal matter, so I won't dedicate a paragraph to the subject. So, how do you top dissuading potential customers by calling them old and poor? You ask them, "Don't you want to smell nice?" (as if I smell gross, thanks) and spray something that smells like dish soap on their arm! God, the stuff smelled terrible, and I sneezed all the way into the theater.
- I was working, inside my store, in my department, in uniform, very obviously working when another man casually approaches the counter. At first, I assume he's a customer, but as his conversation becomes more casual, I assume he's a vendor, one of the bank's newer employees off-duty, or a member of Loss Prevention. That is, until he whips out that little sheet and starts up on the 70% off counterfeit perfumes spiel. While I'm working, really? Normally, when people try selling shit/milking for donations in the store, they lie low and avoid the employees up until a customer complains about them but this guy went right up to me, while I was obviously busy.
Even if their merchandise were legitimate, I doubt their tactics would win me over. I'm perfectly content with paying more for high-quality produce from people who are a little less audacious and creepy.