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.Next time I buy a laptop I'll accept the extra offers.
Once they bring out the laptop to the register I'll say I change my mind on the extras and just want the laptop
It is a scam because the store won't sell the item at the listed price unless there are attachments. If the ad does not specify required attachments to make the purchase, then there is no requirement on the part of the buyer to purchase anything but the sale product.
If the store doesn't want to lose money by underpricing something, then the store shouldn't price the item for less than the store's purchase price. It's as simple as that.
To quote Cyrilix:
"One thing you can do is purposely tell them, "We are only selling this laptop as a package with x and y for a combined price of z. That is our offer." That's being honest. The customer knows that this is the "contract" of the deal, and the salesperson isn't lying. When you say "We'll list the low price of laptop, but not show the customer the hidden price of the accessories that we'll add on top of it, otherwise he won't be able to buy the laptop." there are a few things wrong with that."
A store in our region did this with a hot sale item that we weren't making any money on (and probably losing money on). They bundled accessories into a basket with the desired item. If the customer wanted the item, they had to buy the package. Their numbers were better than any other numbers in any of the 13 stores in my district, and better than all the stores in their district for that holiday sale as well (I can't remember whether it was BF or another big sale.)
Shortly after the holiday the involved managers were fired. Forcing a customer to buy a bundle when all they want is the single item a AGAINST COMPANY POLICY. I see what you're saying, and as a Best Buy employee for the last four years, I appreciate you not only defending the customer, but also defending the retailer. However, I cannot condone forced bundle selling, or telling a customer product is unavailable when it really is available.
I know it's hard to give someone a great sales pitch and really connect with them - or at least get along well with them - and then have them by nothing but the item you are losing on.
But you know what? It's in your frakking ad. Sell it. Make up for it somewhere else. Feel good about hooking your customer up with a good deal. I like to attach a lot and sell big packages. It feels good to hit a "home run." But sometimes that's all people can afford. This is more often the case in my store. People just don't have budget for it available, or don't get approved for enough financing because of bad credit. Does that make them "lesser people" than the high rollers that want everything done for them and warrantied for twenty years? Absolutely not. Thank goodness we don't work on commission. Helps us not feel so bad. And after all, best buy put the product in the ad. I'll try hard to attach, but I'm very happy to sell the naked product. And if I give that customer damned good service, he'll come back to buy more stuff later. Who knows, we might even sell something to him someday we make money on.
I guarantee if I piss him off, he'll never shop there again, unless there's another extreme sale or clearance item we lose a buttload of money on. Then he'll come buy three just to spite us! You gotta pick your battles.
Now when I try to attach, to just do my job, and the customer is rude or condescending about it - THAT pisses me off. I ring him up and point to the door.
It's a sad state we're in, where it's so cutthroat and competitive that you have to lose money on product just to get people in the door. It would be nice to have perhaps lower, but more standardized margin platforms across the market, but that would be impossible to do without putting too much control over things.
