Buying Etiquette for the Price Shoppers

[drcollie]

There was a big flare-up recently for my store with Hancock and Moore caused by a client who made poor choices in their buying experience. This person, whom apparently has an order in with me at this time, caused a dealer in Washington State to go ballistic and light up the phones through Hancock and Moore management. I have several Washington State orders at this time, so not sure who it may be - but if you recognize who you are then I would appreciate your terminating the order with The Keeping Room and going back to your original dealer. You will get a full deposit refund.

Here's what i was told:

This H&M consumer went to a store in their home state of Washington and spent the better part of two full days shopping with them, and had their in-store decorator even made a trip to their home to help them in their choices. Then, once they had their selections they went price shopping and wound up at The Keeping Room, printed out the quote and asked that local dealer to match it. The Dealer declined, but took out their anger on H&M Management. And my store gets the reputation now as a sale-stealer and if this sort of thing continues to occur, my dealership is in jeopardy.

So let's talk about this.

* If you use the resources of that local store to do your shopping, and especially if you tie up their personnel, you owe them the sale. Nothing is free in this world and if you take store personnel's time for several hours, then you are denying them those hours to make an income. If you have to have the lowest price, then do your price shopping first - before you take up anyone's time. Then decide who is going to get your business and use their resources from that point on.

* What do you think happens when you present a printed out lower price quote from another dealer to the one you have been shopping? The management freaks out is what happens. Why should they inventory a manufacturer's product and invest in the line when they lose the sale to an out-of-area dealer who sells cheaper? Manufacturer's know this as well, and their solution is to revoke the dealership of repeat offenders. And it happens very quickly, with one phone call.

* I have lower overhead than any other dealer in the USA. Why? I have no employees but myself, I own the building and trucks I have in service. Zero Debt service, I have no loans. That allows me to sell at aggressive price points, but I can easily change that as well. As I told Hancock and Moore this week, "You need me to raise my prices, tell me how much and I'll comply" Simple as that. I am not out to steal sales, nor cause conflict. I prefer NOT to take your order if you are going to act like a horse's ass with a price quote and wave it in front of another dealer who is just trying to make a living. I prefer to earn my sales through knowledge and service, not because of pricing.

* As I write this I am considering raising my price margins not to make more money, but to prevent this kind of incident recurring. I am also considering suspending written quotes so there is nothing to print out. That means only verbal price quotes over the phone which is a headache for everyone and is a lot more work as there is no record of prior communication.

Perhaps people simply don't care as long as they get what they want. I get that. But there's the thing - you are going to ruin it for a lot of other people. Have some diplomacy and some discretion when you do your shopping. Be discrete. It's important. Reputation is more important to me than making money - I am not a sale stealer and really don't want that moniker attached to The Keeping Room.

Duane Collie