Sale Fail, Part 3

(I work in a popular toy store chain, and some of our most popular items are big-ticket items such as bikes, motorized vehicles for younger kids, etc. This particular man wants a Hummer for his son. He calls our store and says that our website is offering it for a lower price, so we tell him that we can price-match it when he comes in to purchase it with no problem. He finally shows up about half an hour before we’re supposed to close. He and his wife approach my register with a jug of bubble bath and the ticket for the Hummer. I ring both up, and the Hummer scans as $449.99 automatically, which is what the online price was.)

Me: “Oh, it looks like it’s actually on sale for that price! We won’t have to price-match it after all.”

Customer: “Oh, great! Also, we have this 20% off coupon.”

Me: “Okay, sure. That makes your total out to be [total]. They’ll be right around with the Hummer.”

Customer: “Thanks! Wait. Did it take the 20% off?”

Me: “It said it went through. Can I see your receipt?”

(It has taken the 20% off of the bubble bath.)

Customer: “Well, that’s stupid. Why didn’t it take it off the Hummer? 20% off $449 would be much better.”

Me: “I agree, sir, but unfortunately the Hummer is on sale, so the 20% off doesn’t apply.”

Customer: “The coupon said 20% off regular-priced and sale items!”

(I take the coupon back out of my drawer and examine it with them. I’m right.)

Customer: “Oh, well…”

Me: “The only thing I could try would be to ring the Hummer up separately, and see if it pushes through.”

Customer: “Okay, try that.”

(I do.)

Me: “Oh. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s going to work. At least it was on sale, right?”

Customer: “It wasn’t on sale. You said you price-matched it.”

Me: “Yeah, that’s what we thought we’d have to do. But it’s actually on sale in-store right now. That’s why the coupon didn’t work.”

Customer: “The 20% off would be a better sale than $50 off.”

Me: “I agree, sir, but I’m afraid I can’t change that right now. You could wait until it goes off sale and try again then.”

Customer: “Can you just take it off sale right now?”

(My manager ended up coming up to see what was taking me so long with this customer’s transaction, so he explained his side to her, and she ended up telling him the same things I told him. And no, I’m afraid I cannot just take things “off sale.”)

Related:
Sail Fail, Part 2
Sale Fail