Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Don't do onto others

This afternoon I stopped by Christian-based community resale shop (cough, Sunshine Resale Shop). I've had good luck there before, finding vintage sewing supplies, $1 rack/basically unsellable items I would buy for the buttons, etc. It's win-win for both of us, usually.

Today I found a short-sleeved black sequined top, which had appliques of quarter-sized red and green sequined flowers and a rhinestone sewed to the center throughout. It was missing several of the rhinestones, some of the flowers were de-sequining, and overall not in top-notch condition. I thought I could "deconstruct" it for something else, doing us both a favor - money for their programs and shiny sparkly things for me. But---I couldn't find a price tag! Major sin #1 at that place. There are signs all over saying they will not sell items without price tags. I was thinking $5-$10 would be a fair price for both of us, and maybe the tag was stuck inside the sleeve hem, but deep down in, I didn't have a good feeling it was. Here's what happened --

Me: Does this have a tag tucked inside? I didn't see one.
SRS: No. (And they take it way and put it on the hook for the back room, along with other poor tagless, unsold items)
Me: Can you call me when you do price it? I like this top!
SRS: No! We don't do that.
Me: But I really would like to buy it, this would be so cool for my daughter. I'm a regular donor and customer, please?
SRS: No
Me: Could you go back and check if someone back there could price it while I wait? (There were two ladies behind the counter)
SRS: I don't think so.
Me: Please? (this is getting pathetic)
SRS: OK, maybe someone is back there, I don't know. (wait...wait...wait - she comes back in about 5 minutes)
SRS: $20
Me: $20?! OK, so would that be $10, because Wednesdays are 1/2 off clothing days, right? (Thinking good grief, this wouldn't be priced $40 any other day?!)
SRS: No, $20 It's a BOE-tique item!
Me: I don't want it at that price, no thanks.
Another customer guy leaving at the same time in the parking lot who watched the whole thing: I really thought they would work with you.
Me: Me, too. Their pricers can sometimes be greedy. They could have had $10 and instead got zilch.

If you are willing to part with $20, it's probably still there and will be for a long time. . .

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