A strange experience

Oh man.  That is a tough one indeed.  I'm generally the kind of person who, if I'm burned once, will drop the place like a hot rock.  They would get no further business from me.  To put it in mafia terms, they'd be dead to me.

If I had been in your shoes, I would have politely thanked them for their apology especially considering the long history you have with the place.  At the same time, they will have also seen their last dollar for me.  If they had confronted you in a more civilized tone, perhaps that would have been different.  I'm really trying to put myself in your shoes because I, too, patronize a store where I know the owner and have been going there for perhaps the past 20 years or so.

I think that if the owner wanted to make amends, she could have offered you the kit at a discounted rate as a show of her sincerity.  I appreciate it when someone apologizes to me but I'd really like to see proof of the sincerity especially seeing as how words these days can be so hollow and meaningless.  If I were the customer, I probably would not expect to pay the $25 but if the owner told me "I'll cut the price in half for you", then maybe I would feel that there's some sincerity in their offer.

All in all, I like the Doog's answer the best.  In spite of the fact that my emotions can get the best of me, I know deep down inside that the Doog's answer is the most gracious and  civilized one (at least in my opinion).  We need more of that in this day and age.

Eric

I tell people to turn the scenario around in this situation and ask how it would've play out.

-you see a $125 kit for $225.  You rush up to the counter and grab the owner by the collar and demand to know what she's trying to pull...   I suspect handcuffs would be involved next.

An OWNER assaulting an innocent customer?! I give no quarter for actions like that.  The apology and admitting the error was the right thing to do but they do not erase what happened.

I wouldn't go back in there if they gave me the deed to the place.

Find somewhere new and make new memories.  

Pawel wrote:

" I pointed out to the discount price in the show window and they sold it to me cheaper and immediately took off that discount - I believe in Germany it's law, they had to sell it at the advertised price, even if the tag was incorrect."

It makes no difference what area/region/country you live in. If it's marked at $25 then I expect to pay that price; in error or not.

Most state laws require that an item be sold, at the price marked.  I know this from experience, working in retail.  The boss told me to sell a $350 suitcase for $10.00, because it was mistakenly marked as $10.00.

Our loss.

Hello!

Years ago I had a thing in my local hobby shop, although not violent at all - I spotted the 1/24 Italeri Reefer Trailer for 40 PLN (about $10 at that time) so I asked the clerk if the price was right. He told me yes at first, but then asked his older colleague for confirmation and we heard "no way, that's 140 PLN!". I briefly regretted bringing it up, as it seemed I could have bought it for 40PLN. But then It's good to know I did the right thing being honest in the end. A few years later I wanted to buy a Tamiya RC car in Germany. In the display window it sported a hefty discount. I went in and asked to buy it. They told me they have it at a regular price. I pointed out to the discount price in the show window and they sold it to me cheaper and immediately took off that discount - I believe in Germany it's law, they had to sell it at the advertised price, even if the tag was incorrect.

Thanks for reading, have a nice day

Paweł

I sell kits on eBay all the time. If I mismark and item and someone snatches it up, oh well, too bad for me, even if it was listed as "free shipping", that's even more of an insult.

However, that being said, how long was this particular kit on the shelves? Was she ever going to get that price when you can, and I did, get the 1/72 Revell Type IVC kit off eBay for $75.95, free shipping? I feel the least she could do is offer the kit to you wholesale, especially since you are a long time customer and helped her pay her mortgage in the past.

However, I don't think you were disingenuous....but I personally would have questioned such a low price.

I disagree. Error or not, if that kit was clearly marked as $25 to begin with, then the LHS should sell it to him at that price. The least the owner should do is honor that $25 price for the embarrassment she caused by getting physical and accusing the customer of "switching" the price tag on the kit.

I'm all with the doog.

People rarely seem to apologize for anything anymore.

She's probably going bankrupt and that's never good for anyone.

No she does NOT owe you the kit at $ 25 or any other discount. The kinds of stores that offer that kind of thing do millions of dollars in volume, and whatever losses they incur from mismarking are peanuts compared to the sales they do.

And frankly, to go up there and seek to buy the thing without bringing it to her attention, no big "sale" sticker on it or anything, is a little disingenuous, IMHO.

"Strange experience" might be the understatement of the day.

Me, I'm a big softy when it comes to apologies and I suppose I might  forgive and forget. I do agree with doog about her taking the time to personally call you, and I'm sure she does feel badly.

But her behavior as described was so over the top that  looking at it as a 3rd party, I'd question why you are even considering going back. Some folks might consider assault charges I suppose.

(How's that for a wishy-washy comment???)

One way or the other, my hat is off to you for keeping your cool, brother.

OK - everyone is entitled to a bad day but to react as she did to you? That's just a bit too much and will scare customers ever to step foot into that store again.

My take... if the box was marked $25, then I expect to pay that amount - not $125. As the old saying goes, the customer is always right. I'd be hesitant of returning to that store for awhile.

Sounds to me this woman has a serious problem. Grabbed your collar and screamed at you? She should have never treated you that way. I wouldn't go back there.

I"m a firm believer in the power of a sincere apology, This seems like an real apology, and furthermore, she initiated it personally, not pawning off the duty to an employee, or chickening out by using an email or something, like some people would.. I am sure that she is mortified at her own behavior and embarrassed by her own actions.

In my opinion, it would be wrong for you to press for a discount or a price reduction. That would be "pressing your advantage" and really, that's personally unethical, in my books. If she's running a local hobby store, I"m sure that she's in some kind of financial straits one way or the other, what with the way that :LHS's are closing left and right these days, and I"m sure that she probably can't afford to give you a discount. YOu yourself said that a lot of the stock has been there for a while. She may have just balance sheets for the month, and found that she was underwater?

You know, sometimes the most stand-up thing a man can do is to graciously accept an apology, and put yourself in someone else's shoes and not judge, and not try to manipulate the situation to their own advantage. I would accept her apology, and if you could afford the model, buy it. Your actions would set an example that few bother to live up to.

You MIGHT tell her, discreetly, that you have been a loyal customer for x number of years, and would never cheat a business in such a manner, and just let her know that perhaps a better ay to have handled this would have been to look a the video first (if she indeed has it?) and then at that point decide what to do? Tell her how shocked you were at her behavior, and let her know that you understand that everyone has a bad day, but that you think she could have handled it better. Maybe she will open up about what precipitated the outburst, and you can both end the experience on a positive note.

Just my worth, but I can see where they are coming from......BUT....a long time customer?  You told her to check the video.  She could plainly READ the tag.  Being the owner of the store. Bursting into tears?!  A bad day?  Probably.  But....sorry, like I said, I can see where they are coming from in this day and age, but to treat you like that and then to add insult to injury, and not even offer you a discount of any sort?!  I too would be very hesitant to go back.  I would let them know WHY you aren't coming back, but that's just me.  So no, your hesitation is justified.

Eagle90