Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 9

(There is a beach volleyball tournament going on this weekend. My store manager is running a tent there and giving away coupons. Each person is really only supposed to have one of two: the one for 20% off for being at the tournament, or the other for 25% off, specifically for fitness trainers. There are two ladies in the store shopping together.)

Customer #1: “Hi, I got these coupons over at the tournament and I’d love to use both of them.”

Me: “Oh, okay! Huh, I thought my manager told me she was only handing out one kind. Are you a fitness trainer?

Customer #1: “Well, no… but I got them both.”

(I’m not sure if she lied to our manager, since it says right on the coupon, in large print, “For Fitness Trainers,” or if our manager was just feeling generous. It may be the latter, and none of us feel like arguing, since it is a laidback day, so I apply them both.)

Me: “Okay, here is your total, with both coupons applied.”

Customer #2: “Oh, wow! Look at that discount!” *to her friend* “You should definitely get that vest you wanted.”

Customer #1: “Yeah!

(She goes over to get a 30%-off vest she has had an eye on and adds it to the total. Since I’ve already applied the codes for the coupons, it takes the additional discounts off of the coat.)

Me: “Okay, this is your new total.”

Customer #2: *furrows her brow* “Huh, that still seems pretty expensive… and this is before the coupons for the jacket, right?”

Me: “Oh, no, the coupons are already added.”

(I show them on the screen what the new price of the jacket is.)

Customer #1: “No, that doesn’t seem right… This jacket was 30% off, right?”

Me: “Yes. It’s normally $100, then the 30% off makes it $70. With these additional coupons, the jacket goes down to $42, which is more than half off the original price.”

Customer #2: “But it should have taken off more than that. I don’t think you rang it right.”

Me: “Well, how about I take the coupons off, and then add them after I ring the jacket, to show you how much it takes off?”

Customer #2: “That’s a good idea.”

(I take off the coupon codes and ring the jacket again.)

Me: “Okay, this is the price it normally is, without the coupons: $70.”

([Customer #1 and #2] both nod in agreement.)

Me: “Okay, so, now I’m taking off the 25% coupon first. The jacket goes down to $52.50.”

Customer #2: “Okay.”

Me: “Now, I add the 20%-off coupon, which makes it go down to $42, like before.”

Customer #1: *sigh* “Well, that still doesn’t make sense. The jacket should have been 45% off with those coupons.”

(This happens quite often. Customers don’t realize that an additional percent off does not add onto the already marked percentage; it applies to the discounted price of the item. Isn’t math fun?)

Me: “Well, not exactly. It takes the 25% off of the $70 dollars, which makes it $52.50. Then, I take the 20% off of the $52.50, which makes it $42.”

([Customer #2] seems to get it, but her friend still looks lost, so she turns to her friend.)

Customer #2: “Y’know, that is still a pretty good price.”

Customer #1: “Yeah, I guess, but I’m still not willing to pay $42 for a vest. Never mind; just take it off.”

Me: *sigh* “All right, then. Sorry it doesn’t work out for you.”

(I take the jacket off and finish the transaction, thanking them for coming in and sending them on their way. The assistant manager, who has been watching the transaction from behind the counter, finally groans in annoyance.)

Manager: “Jeez, did they want us to give the jacket away?”

Related:
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 8
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 7
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 6