We Can’t Flip-Flop On The Price

I work at a discount retail store that puts its own store-branded tags on merchandise that we use instead of the manufacturer’s tags. The only way to look up merchandise in my store is through our own store-branded tags.

I’m working on the register, and a lady comes up to checkout and immediately places a pair of high-end athletic men’s flip-flops.

Customer: “Price check.”

There isn’t a store-branded tag, but luckily at this store, the prices are written on the bottom of the shoes. I flip them over, and there’s a 35 written on the bottom; we round up a penny when we write on the bottom, so the actual price is $34.99.

Me: “Okay, so the price for these is going to be $34.99.”

Customer: “What? How do you know that?”

Me: “We write the prices of our shoes on the bottoms in case the tag gets ripped off.”

Customer: “Oh, well the tag said $35, and I thought that just couldn’t be the price, so I ripped the tag off! And look, this tag here—” *pointing to manufacturer’s tag* “—says it’s $21!”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we only go by the [Store Name] tags. These will be $34.99; would you like them today?”

The lady ended up not buying the flip flops and went on a rant about how the price shouldn’t be higher than what “I can get at the mall” and “that’s expensive for this store.”

I can understand that $35 is a bit much for some flip-flops, but I don’t make the prices lady, I can only follow them. I eventually had to interrupt her rant with:

Me: “Have a good day, ma’am!”

I had to call the next customer because she wouldn’t leave and was holding up the line!