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Oct. 11th, 2003 11:42 pmPeople were weird at work today.
We have a permanent promotion on with our old movies. Any movie (VHS or DVD) that is not a new release, or labelled as a 99ยข rental, is $2.99 for a full week. Or, you get 3 of these older movies, for 7 days, for $5.00. Couple bring up two movies. I cheerfully tell them that, with taxes, their movies will cost them $6.88, including taxes. If they pick up any other of these older movies, their rental will be $5.75.
Man: "What's the catch?"
Me: o_O
Woman: "There's always a catch."
Me: "No, honestly. It's our special deal. We want these older ones to rent, too, rather than, you know, collect dust. So we give you a deal."
Man & Woman: *eye me suspicously*
Me: "If there isn't anything you really want, I can just grab one of the ones I haven't put away yet that are up here."
Man: "*Any* other older movie?"
Me: "Yes, sir. From comedy, drama, thriller, horror, our Top 100 section, or the family section."
Man & Woman: *wander away to get something else, talking amongst themselves*
Another man brought up 3 old DVDs to rent. The computer automatically discounts the amount to bring the subtotal down to $5. Just like magic.
Me: *scanning the DVDs to put them on his membership* "All right, sir, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger and Hunt for Red October are due back by ten am next Sunday morning. Your total is five seventy-five."
Man: "What? Five seventy-five? Where did the seventy-five cents come from? The sign says five dollars!"
Me: "Taxes, sir."
Man: "Well, then, the signs are misleading! It should be five dollars even, if the sign says five dollars!"
Me: "Er. I imagine the head office merchandising department imagined that taxes were a given."
Man: "I want your head office's phone number, then! I'm going to tell them that they should specify that your advertised amounts should include taxes!"
Me: *rattles off phone number*
Man: "Hmph. I've never been to any other store that doesn't make sure to specify that their prices are with or without taxes!"
(You know, I'm almost positive that a lot of places DON'T. Fast food, for example?)
We have a limited-time offer right now, rent two new releases, your third is free. (I often do have to explain to people with a lot of these deals, the word "rent" is the equivalent to the word "buy" for retail stores.) So this guy comes up with two new releases, and I smile, and inform him of this promo. He's a fairly regular customer, I think, because he knew our prices.
Twit: "Wait. So these are eleven fourty-eight, with the taxes, right?"
Me: "That's right, sir."
Twit: "But if I pick up a third, it's still eleven fourty-eight?"
Me: "That's right, sir."
Twit: "I don't know if I can watch three movies and have them back by ten on Monday."
Me: "It's up to you, sir. I just wanted to let you know, in case there *was* another title you were looking for." *bright smile* "It's nothing extra, just another movie to watch."
Twit: "But what happens if I can't watch the third one?"
Me: "I'm sorry, sir. There'd be nothing we could do. The third movie is free, you wouldn't waste any extra money on it."
Twit: "What, do people actually take home three movies and watch them all in two nights?"
Me: "Sir, we have people take home up to five or six movies a weekend."
Twit: "Well, they should get off their lazy asses and do something!"
Me: "Probably, sir. Now, did you want to pick out a third title, or should I ring these up for you?"
Twit: "Well, now, I'll have to think about it." *wanders off, sulking*
I think it's sad when people feel the need to argue about saving money or getting free things. Do we live in such a society that we have to question this sort of thing? I mean, it's one thing to argue when you *want* something for free (even though you're often NOT entitled to it), but it's another when it's OFFERED to you. Honestly now.
We have a permanent promotion on with our old movies. Any movie (VHS or DVD) that is not a new release, or labelled as a 99ยข rental, is $2.99 for a full week. Or, you get 3 of these older movies, for 7 days, for $5.00. Couple bring up two movies. I cheerfully tell them that, with taxes, their movies will cost them $6.88, including taxes. If they pick up any other of these older movies, their rental will be $5.75.
Man: "What's the catch?"
Me: o_O
Woman: "There's always a catch."
Me: "No, honestly. It's our special deal. We want these older ones to rent, too, rather than, you know, collect dust. So we give you a deal."
Man & Woman: *eye me suspicously*
Me: "If there isn't anything you really want, I can just grab one of the ones I haven't put away yet that are up here."
Man: "*Any* other older movie?"
Me: "Yes, sir. From comedy, drama, thriller, horror, our Top 100 section, or the family section."
Man & Woman: *wander away to get something else, talking amongst themselves*
Another man brought up 3 old DVDs to rent. The computer automatically discounts the amount to bring the subtotal down to $5. Just like magic.
Me: *scanning the DVDs to put them on his membership* "All right, sir, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger and Hunt for Red October are due back by ten am next Sunday morning. Your total is five seventy-five."
Man: "What? Five seventy-five? Where did the seventy-five cents come from? The sign says five dollars!"
Me: "Taxes, sir."
Man: "Well, then, the signs are misleading! It should be five dollars even, if the sign says five dollars!"
Me: "Er. I imagine the head office merchandising department imagined that taxes were a given."
Man: "I want your head office's phone number, then! I'm going to tell them that they should specify that your advertised amounts should include taxes!"
Me: *rattles off phone number*
Man: "Hmph. I've never been to any other store that doesn't make sure to specify that their prices are with or without taxes!"
(You know, I'm almost positive that a lot of places DON'T. Fast food, for example?)
We have a limited-time offer right now, rent two new releases, your third is free. (I often do have to explain to people with a lot of these deals, the word "rent" is the equivalent to the word "buy" for retail stores.) So this guy comes up with two new releases, and I smile, and inform him of this promo. He's a fairly regular customer, I think, because he knew our prices.
Twit: "Wait. So these are eleven fourty-eight, with the taxes, right?"
Me: "That's right, sir."
Twit: "But if I pick up a third, it's still eleven fourty-eight?"
Me: "That's right, sir."
Twit: "I don't know if I can watch three movies and have them back by ten on Monday."
Me: "It's up to you, sir. I just wanted to let you know, in case there *was* another title you were looking for." *bright smile* "It's nothing extra, just another movie to watch."
Twit: "But what happens if I can't watch the third one?"
Me: "I'm sorry, sir. There'd be nothing we could do. The third movie is free, you wouldn't waste any extra money on it."
Twit: "What, do people actually take home three movies and watch them all in two nights?"
Me: "Sir, we have people take home up to five or six movies a weekend."
Twit: "Well, they should get off their lazy asses and do something!"
Me: "Probably, sir. Now, did you want to pick out a third title, or should I ring these up for you?"
Twit: "Well, now, I'll have to think about it." *wanders off, sulking*
I think it's sad when people feel the need to argue about saving money or getting free things. Do we live in such a society that we have to question this sort of thing? I mean, it's one thing to argue when you *want* something for free (even though you're often NOT entitled to it), but it's another when it's OFFERED to you. Honestly now.
