That confrontational shopper

A couple times a year I get someone shopping for furniture that rolls in my showroom ready to do battle with me over price. They literally square off and challenge me and I'm never really expecting that because that's not how I roll. I don't even know these people!

Couple of days ago a man called up and wanted to know if I had a Hancock and Moore Berwind Office chair in stock and I did. I told him the price over the phone, too $ 2,299 as a floor model market special on it (Markle leather, GR 4). I am probably the only dealer on the East Coast to have one in stock, it would be December for delivery on an ordered one. He comes in, try's it out and then says to me "I'll write you a check for two thousand dollars for it out the door, that's all I'm going to pay"

OK. "Well, with 6% Virginia Sales Tax the total is $ 2,436.94, not $ 2,000.00, I don't negotiate prices like a car dealer might."

He then said he can buy the exact same chair for $ 2,000 delivered to his home from an out of state dealer whom he would not disclose. but "he shopped around after getting my price". Well, I happen to have a wholesale price book at my desk and am pretty darn sure he's not getting that deal unless that other dealer is willing to make 5% after delivery costs. Could he have just made up that number? I think he did.

Then he wanted me to "eat" the sales tax. Ummmm....no, that's illegal. The State of Virginia gets paid on in-store sales so that's not even up for discussion. He continued to want to argue with me about pricing and I'm not going to do that, so after another minute I simply excused myself and wished him good luck with his deal. i have plenty or orders to take care of on my desk and am not going to waste my time and sanity on people who want to play games. I don't need the sale that badly, I'm a laid-back guy. My customers become my friends, they are not "marks" to be made and I'm not the big bad retailer.

Prices are fair - so just move along if you don't agree with them and good luck to you.

My goodness! Thank God you only get that type of behavior a couple of times a year. Unfortunately, some people are always in "I Declare War" mode, battling to get their way in every situation.

Yesterday I get a call from Sklp, my Hancock and Moore Sales Rep and we discuss a lot of things. Near the end of the conversation he said "I got a call from a dealer (name withheld) who was all upset because a client came into his store and told him that "Duane at The Keeping Room would sell him a pair of 4716 Sundance sofas in Portfolio Claret at $ 3,000 each, will he match or beat that price?" So the dealer wigged out and got on the phone to complain/inquire/panic. <rolling eyes>

Skip told him "No, he didn't. That's below dealer cost, why would he do that?" The dealer freaked out and actually believed that person enough to make a phone call about it.

It was just another person lying to another dealer to try to find the bottom price and willing to degrade himself in order to do so. Why do people do that? Is the game of getting the lowest possible price worth lying to a merchant who is just trying to make a living? To make something up like that and use my name in the conversation is not cool. In fact, I find it despicable. If that's the kind of person you might be I want you to stay out of my store. I won't play those games and you are not welcome at The Keeping Room. To those people that do such things.... GROW UP and stop trying to deceive people. If you can't afford to pay a fair price, then go to a store that carries something within your budget.

I'm surprised another dealer would believe a customer's claim of a competitor selling an item below cost. I bet $3000 is well below cost for such a large sofa in a class 2 leather.

Happens all the time. I get that at least once a month, so do other dealers. It's pretty easy to dismiss those quickly if you know your product line.

What a jackass using your name like that. I don't agree with lying either but they could have at least just said "another dealer..." instead of mentioning you specifically and putting you in an adversarial position.