Dishonesty and Fighting Back
December 19, 2007 by kate baggott
Filed under Finances, Mental Health
It was the kind of thing I’d heard about from British friends living here in Germany, but I had never experienced it myself.
Yesterday, while trying to replace my broken winter boots with two children in tow, at the Neu Isenburg Zentrum, a saleswoman at the shoe store removed the sales tag when she went to get me the second part of the pair and tried to charge me full price. As if I were a) blind b) stupid c) foreign (well, OK, I’ll work on my accent) and d) so unlucky that I found the only pair of boots in the entire store that weren’t on sale (actually, I am very lucky).
I fought her on it, told her what I had seen and got the boots for the original price because there were other customers listening. Unfortunately I really needed the boots, so I couldn’t just walk away. Plus, the audacious dishonesty shocked me and that kind of thing does need confronting. Having it happen in front of my children was even worse because it is supposed to be a happy time of year.
I know salespeople are busy, stressed out and don’t earn much money, but that pretty much describes my life too. Getting an extra 20, 40 or 65 EUR out of someone wouldn’t improve anything so I cannot understand the motivation.
Is this kind of thing uncommon or more common during the Christmas shopping season?
Well that just sucks. Does she work on commission? That’s the only think I can think of. But gosh if it was an honest mistake I don’t think she would have “fought” you on it. But it sounds like she did.
Good for you for standing up for yourself!
She might work on commission.
You know, this morning, I remembered a scene from Clueless where a saleswoman tries to rip Emme off and it made me laugh.
And feel a lot better.