That Solution Is Certainly Novel
Customer: “Hey! That book was supposed to be $3!”
I look at the sticker on the book.
Me: “This sticker says $3 off, ma’am, not that the book is $3.”
Customer: “That’s misleading! The sticker just says $3, so that’s confusing to customers!”
Me: “Ma’am, the sticker clearly says ‘$3 off’. If you no longer want the book, I can—”
Customer: “I want the book, but I want it for $3!”
Me: “Ma’am, you’re still getting the book for $6, which is quite cheap for a newly released hardback.”
Customer: “I don’t care! I want it for $3!”
Me: “Ma’am, the book is already discounted. I can’t knock off another $3.”
Customer: “This is unacceptable! What if this were your money, eh? You’d care then!”
Me: “Ma’am, I wouldn’t care enough to argue over $3.”
Customer: “What would you do then, eh? Eh?!”
Me: “I’d go ‘whoopsie‘ at my mistake and not take it out on the nice checkout clerk.”
Customer: “I don’t believe you! I think you’d care if it was your $3.”
I fish out three dollar bills from my wallet and hand them out to her.
Customer: “What are you doing?”
Me: “This is my $3. I am offering them to you to make you take the book and go away. I am literally paying $3 to end this conversation.”
Customer: “Well… now you’re making me sound ridiculous!”
Not so ridiculous that she snatched the $3 from my hand and still left with the book.
I told my boss what happened, and he gave me $3 from his own wallet and warned me that next time offering a customer money to go away was a big no-no, but still found it hilarious.
