Taking A Hardline On The Hardback
(A lady approaches the counter with several items.)
Me: “How are you today?”
Customer: “Doing fine, thanks”
Me: “So you found everything okay?”
(Ignoring my question, she looks at who appears to be her mother and says:)
Customer: “I am not buying that blanket. If you want it you can buy it.”
Customer’s Mom: “Okay. That’s fine, I guess.”
(As I finish ringing up everything else, I get to the books and notice they are hardbacks which are $3, so I ring them up accordingly.)
Customer: *noticing the price of the books* “Wait, the sign says children’s books are 50 cents.”
Me: “Oh, I am sorry; let me fix that for you.”
(I pull the books back out and double-check what kind of books they are.)
Me: “Ma’am, unfortunately, these are not children’s books. They are hardbacks and are $3.”
Customer: *visibly getting angry* “They were in the children’s section, so they are 50 cents.”
(A line is forming.)
Me: “I can double-check with the manager if you would like, but these books are moved around frequently in that section.”
(I walk over to the manager with the books and tell her the situation.)
Me: “The customer is saying these two ‘adult’ books are for her child and therefore 50 cents.”
Manager: *seeing the mostly nude woman on the front in a seductive outfit* “This is a thrift store. Just because she ‘found’ those books in the children’s section, it doesn’t make them so. If she really fusses about it, say you can give them to her for the paperback price, but certainly, these should not be for a child.”
(I walk back over to the customer.)
Me: “The manager said these are indeed not children’s books.”
(As the customer is about to reach mental breakdown status:)
Me: “But I can give them to you for the paperback price if that would help this one time.”
Customer: “Fine! I can’t believe you act this way.”
(After she leaves, the customer behind her asks what happened and compliment me on handling the situation nicely and I tell her what happened.)
New Customer: *jokingly and laughing* “Yeah! And I found these jeans in the Tt-shirt section. Can I have them for a dollar? …Who gives their child Fifty Shades Of Grey?!”
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Question of the Week
Tell us your story about a customer who couldn't understand the most simple concept.
