The Things Customers Do

[eric42434224 1]

I dont see what she did wrong. She didnt use you to size skates and then go online....she merely asked if you could match the price of a competitor. Just being a good consumer. You did what was right for the customer, and saved her money. Sounds like a great transaction where everybody benefits. That sounds like a success story instead of a horror story. Well done.

Edited October 22, 2008 by eric42434224

[Miike 1]

Except he did size the kid.. the kid was set on 1500s size 7, but when they decided to size him after about 25 minutes of trying stuff on they found him to be size 5.. That looks to be using them to size then go online to buy.

I think it's been mentioned though that alot of LHS won't match online prices, because they buy stuff cheaper then a LHS would.

[eric42434224 1]

My point was that she didnt get sized under false pretenses, and was open to look at other options. she was up front with her intentions and asked for a price match up front. Cant fault a customer like that. Unless she was a total wench, I dont see what she did wrong, and it seems the LHS worker handled it very very well.

Edited October 22, 2008 by eric42434224

[DarkStar50 679]

I'm sorry but once I hear the words internet and price match, I know nothing good is going to come of this. She obviously does not want to pay for the service of fitting. All she is concerned about is price.

[eric42434224 1]

I'm sorry but once I hear the words internet and price match, I know nothing good is going to come of this. She obviously does not want to pay for the service of fitting. All she is concerned about is price.

Price and Internet are here to stay, and if the customer is up front about it then I see absolutely nothing wrong. Price is #1 with consumers, and was #1 for centuries before the internet and Hockey itself. Why is that so hard to understand? If you cant match the price, she is gone and didnt take any of your time. If she wants a fitting and knows you cant match the price, then we have a problem. From his story, I see nothing wrong at all. JMHO so I will bow out now. :)

Edited October 22, 2008 by eric42434224

[DarkStar50 679]

eric,

I would love to watch you work in a LHS or rink pro shop on a busy Saturday from 9 to 6.

Then we can talk! :lol:

Just having fun with you. It is the spirit of the board.

[Griff 2]

She wanted me to match price on a pair of 1500's, I said I would just to get them out the door but aside from the size being wrong the shape of the kids foot was not a good fit for synergy skates, kid had barney rubble feet and I told her as much as soon as the kid took off his shoes.

[eric42434224 1]

eric,

I would love to watch you work in a LHS or rink pro shop on a busy Saturday from 9 to 6.

Then we can talk! :lol:

Just having fun with you. It is the spirit of the board.

I totally didnt take any offense. And I used to work in the resttaurant business for years...just like any retail sales, you end up hating 95% of customers for any and all reasons, real and valid, or not. I feel you there.

She wanted me to match price on a pair of 1500's, I said I would just to get them out the door but aside from the size being wrong the shape of the kids foot was not a good fit for synergy skates, kid had barney rubble feet and I told her as much as soon as the kid took off his shoes.

you did what was right...kudos to you.

[DarkStar50 679]

Wow, if you did food service biz, I can't hold a candle to you!

[eric42434224 1]

Wow, if you did food service biz, I can't hold a candle to you!

Not only food service, but food service in Boca Raton Florida, the holy land for demanding and cheap Jewish retirees.

They would order water with 5 lemon wedges and equal, and make their own lemonade to avoid buying one. Ugh. So glad I dont do that anymore.

Hey...I see I have a warning 20%....????? what'd I do????? nevermind...saw it when I clicked....selling in main forum....sorry!!!!!!!!

Edited October 22, 2008 by eric42434224

[jimmy 194]

There is justice in this world. Did you know that lemon wedges are infested with bacteria. Yup, I watched some investigative show that illustrated that lemon wedges were nasty! :P

[Chadd 916]

I'm sorry but once I hear the words internet and price match, I know nothing good is going to come of this. She obviously does not want to pay for the service of fitting. All she is concerned about is price.

Price and Internet are here to stay, and if the customer is up front about it then I see absolutely nothing wrong. Price is #1 with consumers, and was #1 for centuries before the internet and Hockey itself. Why is that so hard to understand? If you cant match the price, she is gone and didnt take any of your time. If she wants a fitting and knows you cant match the price, then we have a problem. From his story, I see nothing wrong at all. JMHO so I will bow out now. :)

[RadioGaGa 162]

There is justice in this world. Did you know that lemon wedges are infested with bacteria. Yup, I watched some investigative show that illustrated that lemon wedges were nasty! :P

Don't even get me started on the bowl of mints on the counter as you leave a restaurant.

[LkptTiger 1]

LKpt- what pair was he looking at? Surely not One90, XXXX, 9k or something like that :lol:

He had a pair of Mission 100s in his hand, but he looked like he was giving the Graf G700s a once-over, too.

We see this quite a bit during tourneys. At least this guy was honest and ask to borrow a pair. Most would scam you, purchase a pair then try to return them after they used them and also lie that they didn't use them.

I'm not entirely sure this guy was "intelligent" enough to come-up with a scheme like that. If he had though of it, I'm sure he would have tried it...normally, I'm willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt, but not after the way he tried talking to me.

[AHF 1]

Regarding returns/exchanges, the one thing to keep in mind is the tags...you take the tags off you can't return it. It's that simple.

There is absolutely no reason to take the tags off an item, unless you were to wear the piece of equipment to a practice/game. If I'm to sell something and the customer is not sure if it's the right size (ie: dad picking up shin pads while his son is not in the store), I will warn them that they can return/exchange it as long as you leave the tags on. Take 'em off, too friggin' bad.

[DCott 0]

if im buying new skates in my LHS, and the employee knows what hes talking about, and cooperates, listens to what i need from a skate, bakes them sharpens them etc, I often leave a 5 to 10 dollar tip for him, even if he says its not necesary, I know that some people will be going in the store after me, and will be one of the retards that you guys have talked about, just try to make their day a little bit easier.

is it a common thing to tip an LHS employee? I recently went to an LHS, and bought goalie skates and pads, and my brother was with me and bought pants. The employee was very helpful and when I told him I needed some new foam padding for my old mask, he threw it in for free (either because he is a good guy, or because we dropped over a grand on there, but they don't work on commission), and he knew the pads I was looking at were going on sale soon and offered to give me the future sale price that day. Looking back I wish I had given him a tip for his troubles.

[adam14 182]

no its not common, but i do appreciate the help some of them give me, spending at least 45 minutes of their time trying to make me happy, so i repay them for their service.. it helps in the long run, been going to the same shop for years, and now they throw in the odd role of tape and laces, free sharpenings etc.

[Chadd 916]

Other stuff split off

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...=42799&st=0

[AnthonyJTa 0]

Last week this mom and her kid come into the store asking about skates and if we'll price match, I tell her that depends and that I'll do the best I can. Her kid is set on Synergy 1500's in a size 7, one look at the kid and you just know that those skates would be huge on him. I tell her that just to make sure lets go ahead and size him up for shits and giggles. After about 25 min and half a dozen pair of skates we're all settled on V08's in a size 5, we get up to the register, I've already told her we're going to sharpen them and that we will bake them after he skates because of course jr. is on the ice in 20 mins. Just as I ring them up she pulls the chute and asks if she can buy them online for less. First off I've already saved her $100 over the "bargin" skates she was going to buy on the internet, now her kid has skates that fit. I'm so fed up that I say to hell with it and look the skates up on hockeygiant, they're $20 cheaper there and I had to explain to the woman that after she paid me to sharpen them and bake them the internet skates would be more expensive.

Makes me like my good customers just a little bit more each time something like this happens.

Let alone the fact that Junior would have ordered skates 2 sizes too big online... I can't imagine coming in looking for size 7, and ending up in a 5....he totally jumped from men's sizing to boy's, no? +1 more for the Griff.

I read some of these stories, and I shake my head... I walk into an 'Unnamed chain store in New England', and it's a 1:10 chance I get someone who 1) Knows what's up, or 2) Gives a crap. For what it's worth- I'd truly appreciate the type of service guys like Griff, LkptTiger, Darkstar, and most of you shop workers posting would offer.....

Edited October 25, 2008 by AnthonyJTa

[eric42434224 1]

There is justice in this world. Did you know that lemon wedges are infested with bacteria. Yup, I watched some investigative show that illustrated that lemon wedges were nasty! :P

I dont think there is much of anything that isnt full of bacteria.

[DarkStar50 679]

As a sharpener, especially hockey skates. We have put ultra smelly skates in plastic bags, tied up the bag, and taken them out of the service room, down the hall to the stick room.

"You put your foot in that?"

[Zamboni 6]

Had a customer come in this weekend, who's son had forgot his helmet at home. She walked over to my helmets, and asked if she could borrow one for a game, and then bring it back. I just sort of chuckled, and said no ma'am, thats not how it works. I cant sell a helmet after it has been used. She clearly didnt get this concept, and stormed out of the shop without saying another word.

If you read through this thread, there are many stories just like this. It happens very often. My question is, why? Are people really that fucking retarded? In what world would that be an ok practice?

Might not be as enjoyable as borrowing new XXXX elbow pads from the Pro Shop but most rinks have a well stocked lost & found. Its actually amazing what people don't come back for-my son wore Liza's almost new helmet to his teamates delight at a 3x3 game last summer-pink lettered with Girlz Power sticker.

There are left right singles of gloves, knee & elbows at Oshawa rink near us, saved many a kids bacon. Coaches baords, pylons-you name it.

Send the parents trying to use your store as a library to the lost & found.

[eric42434224 1]

Very good point. I went to open hockey and realized I lost a glove (supreme 30, so no biggie...just an excuse to get better ones:) ), so I went to the front office and asked for a glove. They came right out with one. It was horrible, broken down and smelly.....but I played that night thanks to it.

[Monty22 833]

A few years ago I was helping a buddy out filling a few shifts at a rink shop he had just begun to manage. I was training one of the younger guys who would be working the bulk of the hours when a woman came in with a handful of used, tattered laces. She said she was displeased with the quality, and wanted a refund. I asked if she had a receipt and she said no. I then pointed out that we only stocked A&R replacement laces in yellow , black and white , not the gray laces that looked to have come off of a Koho skate. Because she was such a nut job I told her there was nothing I could do without a receipt, and advised to to return to the place she actually bought them, or suck it up and buy $2.50 replacements. She didn't respond and just stood in the shop until we closed. She didn't look like she was going to leave until I shut off the lights. I asked her to please shop elsewhere in the future.

[TBLfan 25]

As a sharpener, especially hockey skates. We have put ultra smelly skates in plastic bags, tied up the bag, and taken them out of the service room, down the hall to the stick room.

"You put your foot in that?"

haha, remember the dead mouse story?