Subject:
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Re: Ames 75% Star Wars LEGO
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.market.theory
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Date:
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Fri, 2 Jun 2000 01:29:20 GMT
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Viewed:
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746 times
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John Robert Blaze Kanehl wrote:
> I had an interesting encounter with a local store here that involved 2
> managers, customer service, a cashier, and their theft/loss prevention team...
>
> I purchased a couple each of the A-B-X-Y WINGS and a few small sets
> (basically filling their dinky little shopping cart)
>
> I came prepared w/ the Ames advertisement and the mind set that "hey, the
> advert says ALL Star Wars"
>
> I checked w/ a customer service person who told me that ALL means ALL, so
> the Lego woldn't be a problem. (this woman promptly disappeared, never to
> be seen again)
> So I did my shopping and went to the checkout
> The cashier was nervous and turned away while using the phone to explain the
> situation...like I'm getting ready rob the place at gunpoint. Some unseen
> voice ordered her to send the line of people behind me to another
> registerand keep me there.
>
> 10 minutes later a manager appears and says that the sale doesn't include
> Lego, only figures or discontinued/damaged stuff. I politely said that the
> picture couldn't represent all items for sale under the SW name (as a matter
> of fact, this Ames didn't have ANY of the pictured SW items). I pointed to
> 3 boxes at random w/ big honking SW logos on all sides...This manager said I
> would have to go to Customer Service and wait for THE MANAGER.
>
> THE MANAGER appeared w/ a large gentleman (with handcuffs and a radio BTW)
> and asked me what the problem was...I had no problem, I just wanted the sale
> price. THE MANAGER asked me to step off to the side "if I was going to
> fight about it" Through out this whole ordeal I did nothing bt smile and be
> polite. THE MANAGER then said that "she will probably lose her job"...At
> this point I had a pang of guilt, but pressed on...
>
> The Loss prevention guy (the one w/ the handcuffs and radio) asked for my
> name address and phone#...and asked for a copy of the receipt after I
> purchased...
>
> My items were bagged poorly and thrown into my cart...I was then Followed
> and watched by the LP guy as I went to my Honda and loaded up the
> trunk...like I was a shoplifter...
>
> I was made to feel like a criminal and given the Mother of all retail guilt
> trips by THE MANAGER..."do you think what you are doing is right?" and
> "someone will probably lose their job"...which is garbage...Hey I lost my
> job and no at Ames cared what happened to me.
>
> Bottom line I got my SW sets as 75% off, but it took over an hour and
> literally attracted the attenton of EVERYONE entering the store for 45
> minutes. This involved the time of 4+ employees for over an hour...given
> the energy expended, they waisted more $ in giving me a hard time than they
> would have made selling these sets at the sale price...
Wow...that is a terrible experience. I feel pretty lucky. I've visted 5 Ames
stores so far with plans to visit another tomorrow. Two of the stores had almost
nothing - mainly Flash Speeders and the $6 sets - so I didn't even ask (the Ames
stores at Robinson Town Center, Robinson Twp., PA, and Village Square, Bethel
Park, PA). At one Ames (Library Road, Bethel Park, PA if you're interested), I
took the 7-10 sets I wanted to buy and asked the cashier at customer service to
confirm they were 75% off. Some of them came up as the normal price, but she
called someone else and was given the go-ahead to give me the discount. Their SW
Lego was not kept separately from the other Lego, and they had signs advertising
the sale right by the SW Lego. I visited this store again the next day (today)
and got my sets at 75% off, with a comment from the clerk about how great the
price was, and how she also took advantage of it.
Another Ames store I visited (Washington Pike, Carnegie, PA) gave me the discount
when I asked for it. None of the items came up on sale, but the customer service
person (she may have been some kind of manager) gladly gave me the discount and
also remarked that the price was excellent.
The final Ames store I visited (Rt. 22, Monroeville, PA) only had a few items. I
didn't really want them all that badly, but I decided since I drove all the way
out there I ought to at least ask. They did have a couple of B-Wings. However,
the woman at customer service immediately said absolutely not and made it clear
that there would be no negotiation (someone asked before I did and presumably was
in a more combative mood).
Having heard what people have written about complaining to the web site and
individual store managers, I gave some thought to doing something along those
lines, but there really was almost nothing there and it seems like too much
trouble.
I can see how someone MIGHT get fired over something like this, but I don't
imagine that a mistake like this would be very big in terms of actual $ lost.
Every single one of the Ames stores I have visited has had a small Lego section
anyhow. They probably will lost money on every SW Lego set, but they probably
also are losing money on the other SW stuff and so the loss on the Lego would be
small in comparison.
I'm curious to hear anyone else's experience - it appears that you need at least a
little chutzpah to get the discount. Seems strange, because I would think stores
would actually want your business (I don't think there are many people who went to
Ames JUST for SW Lego, outside of Lugnet of course).
Toki
PS - Most of you will read the locations of these Ames stores and think something
like, "yeah, whatever", but I thought I'd throw them in for the benefit of any PGH
area Lugneters or any visitors to the area. The Robinson Ames is close to the
airport, maybe some Lugnet power buyer like Larry P. got there before I did :-).
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Ames 75% Star Wars LEGO
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| I've had pretty good luck here in my area. I've pretty much cleaned out my local Ames with no trouble (except for Technic and a very few of the System sets); the first time I went in the cashier rang the stuff up and took the 75% off. Apparently (...) (24 years ago, 2-Jun-00, to lugnet.market.theory)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Ames 75% Star Wars LEGO
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| (...) Greetings neigbor, I live a few hours north of you near Syracuse NY...No signs up here, but I think one Ames pulled alot of the Lego SW stock... So I e-mailed (...) Wow! I am amazed...I had a hard enough time with TRU and KB returning e-mail (...) (24 years ago, 1-Jun-00, to lugnet.market.shopping, lugnet.market.theory)
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