Lost Count Of The Attempts At Discount

As a manager, I regularly price-check other charity shops nearby, and I know that our prices are the lowest in the area. Still, we regularly get asked to give discounts, especially if someone thinks an item is faulty.

The cashier calls me to the till to deal with a customer demanding a discount on an item that’s already reduced in our sale.

Customer: “This cardigan has a massive hole in it.”

Me: “I’m sorry, we’ll remove it and send it off for recycling.”

Customer: “No, I want to buy it.”

Me: “Okay, well, it’s on sale, so it’s only £2.49.”

This is for a brand that would have cost upwards of £40 new.

Customer: “Aren’t you going to give me a discount?”

Me: *Showing the tag* “It’s already been reduced.”

I look at the “massive hole.” It’s a small split in the seam that would take less than five minutes to repair.

Customer: “But that’s so expensive, and it needs repairing.”

Me: “It’s already been reduced, and I know from checking that even at our full price, it would still be cheaper than any other charity shop in the area. The repair is a five-minute sewing job that I would do myself if I had the right thread in the stockroom.”

Customer: “Well, I can’t sew. I’ll have to send it to my mother down south to have it repaired, so I think it should be discounted.”

Me: “It already is discounted. Our branch is the cheapest charity shop in the area, and to buy this brand at this price is an absolute steal. [Charity] has set prices and that is the absolute lowest price I can sell that item for.”

The customer spends a good couple of minutes grumbling about how much effort it’s going to be to repair this tiny split seam.

Customer: “What will happen if I don’t buy it? Will it be destroyed?”

Me: “It will go to our recycling centre, where it will probably be repaired and sold in our online shop, and they can get a much higher price than we’re selling it for.”

Customer: “And you can’t discount it?”

Me: *Starting to lose patience* “It’s already discounted. That is the lowest price it will be for it to be worth selling in our shop.”

Customer: “You don’t have to be rude about it!”

Me: “Telling you I won’t discount an already discounted item isn’t rude. Honestly, I’m getting frustrated because you keep asking me for a discount when I’ve already said no.”

Customer: *Thinks for a moment* “Well, I suppose I’ll have to buy it at that price, although it’s going to be such an effort getting it to my mother to repair it.”

Me: “Okay, we’ll ring this up for you.”

I rang up the sale, desperate to get this customer out of the shop before I said something I shouldn’t. She left, talking to herself about how lucky she was to find that particular brand at such a low price, as I wondered if we’d actually had the same conversation.