Sales ladies trying to sell you the most expensive things in store

[Sander Martin]

Just had a baby boy a week ago and we have been doing quite alot of baby shopping past months. Why does it allways seem to me that the sales ladies in SM etc are trying to sell us foregners the most expensive items they have.

The delivery was long and our son was on oxygen for 3 days after. Fiance couldn't breast feed him so we needed a breast pump for her to pump the milk into bottles for the nurses to feed him. I went to our local SM for the pump. Asked the sales lady for a cheap pump and she shows me a 5000peso one. I tried to explain her that we only need it for a few weeks and want something cheaper. She insisted explaining how that one was the best and that i really should get it (and how it came with two "free bottles". 10minutes later i managed to find a 600peso one that works very well. Then she tried to sell me 1000peso each bottles. Told her i bought some already and they were 300 for 3. She insisted that the 1000 peso one was better. I took out the bottles i had just bought and said "my 100peso each bottles have got pictures of animals on them, but your 1000 ones dont have anything and i think mine are better". We laughed and i left.

Yesterday we went to SM again to look for a baby carrier or maybe a light weight collapsible stroller (hoping to move to Europe by summer with the family, so we cant buy bulky stuff). There were plenty of carriers starting from 800pesos, but they were really only interested in selling the most expensive 5000peso carrier. Since they were all for 3+ month olds we couldn't buy one in the end. I went to the toilet and she was looking at the cheaper strollers. When i came back, they told her right awey that maam we got a really good one here thats on sale. So we walked to see it, thinking it was same price range (she was looking at the 2-4k peso ones). The price was 17000 pesos. We said thats to much for us, but they kept insisting on the amazing -20% sale. Found a nice looking one for 8000pesos in the end and will buy it tomorrow if Robinsons or other SM doesn't have anything we like more.

 

I wonder if they get a bonus on sales? Why else would they try to sell the most expensive items they have. I dont look rich. Young guy that's usually wearing shorts and a "wife beater" sleevless shirt.

Edited April 23, 2016 by Sander Martin

[scott h]

Well Sander, I guess you have never been in retail . First rule, if a customer arrives in a Mercedes, (or in our case, is a foreigner) assume he has money and steer him to what has the highest profit margin. If he shows up in a VW bug with dented fenders, show him the cheap stuff and get him out of the store as fast as you can.

3 hours ago, Sander Martin said:

but they kept insisting

Second rule, try to overcome the customers objections three times. After the third time, sell them the cheap stuff and get them out of the store.

Just a fact of life living here, no matter how we dress, what type of car we drive, how long its been since we have shaved, they just ASSUME  we have a Mercedes in the parking lot

[mogo51]

Just now, Sander Martin said:

Just had a baby boy a week ago and we have been doing quite alot of baby shopping past months. Why does it allways seem to me that the sales ladies in SM etc are trying to sell us foregners the most expensive items they have.

The delivery was long and our son was on oxygen for 3 days after. Fiance couldn't breast feed him so we needed a breast pump for her to pump the milk into bottles for the nurses to feed him. I went to our local SM for the pump. Asked the sales lady for a cheap pump and she shows me a 5000peso one. I tried to explain her that we only need it for a few weeks and want something cheaper. She insisted explaining how that one was the best and that i really should get it (and how it came with two "free bottles". 10minutes later i managed to find a 600peso one that works very well. Then she tried to sell me 1000peso each bottles. Told her i bought some already and they were 300 for 3. She insisted that the 1000 peso one was better. I took out the bottles i had just bought and said "my 100peso each bottles have got pictures of animals on them, but your 1000 ones dont have anything and i think mine are better". We laughed and i left.

Yesterday we went to SM again to look for a baby carrier or maybe a light weight collapsible stroller (hoping to move to Europe by summer with the family, so we cant buy bulky stuff). There were plenty of carriers starting from 800pesos, but they were really only interested in selling the most expensive 5000peso carrier. Since they were all for 3+ month olds we couldn't buy one in the end. I went to the toilet and she was looking at the cheaper strollers. When i came back, they told her right awey that maam we got a really good one here thats on sale. So we walked to see it, thinking it was same price range (she was looking at the 2-4k peso ones). The price was 17000 pesos. We said thats to much for us, but they kept insisting on the amazing -20% sale. Found a nice looking one for 8000pesos in the end and will buy it tomorrow if Robinsons or other SM doesn't have anything we like more.

 

I wonder if they get a bonus on sales? Why else would they try to sell the most expensive items they have. I dont look rich. Young guy that's usually wearing shorts and a "wife beater" sleevless shirt.

I  would think that you are  right Sander that they are on commission.  Or shock horror, you are a westerner so therefore you are loaded and can buy all the expensive stuff?  Either way  it is flawed thinking but we will never change it.

As I have said, congrats and best wishes from me  and SO on you new arrival.  Glad all went well (mostly).  

HOw do rich people look Sander?haha.  I was thinking about dressing up and looking like one now and again, that is as close as I will get. Best wishes to your new family.

 

[Queenie O.]

1 hour ago, mogo51 said:

I  would think that you are  right Sander that they are on commission.  Or shock horror, you are a westerner so therefore you are loaded and can buy all the expensive stuff?  Either way  it is flawed thinking but we will never change it.

As far as I know sales clerks here in the Philippines get no commissions. I asked some sales people once, as they were being so energetic and helpful if they were getting a commission, and they said that they did not. They were surprised that sales people in the US were able to get them often.

I think that scott h. is right in saying that when sales people see foreigners that look prosperous, they just assume that you would demand the best quality albeit the most expensive items that they had to offer.

It probably looks good to their supervisor too, if you spend extra on the higher end items, but they get no financial credit for the items. In the past, I've even slipped a small tip to sales people that really went the extra mile for me, because I know that they are paid so little for the cheerful work that they do.

 

[mogo51]

2 hours ago, scott h said:

Well Sander, I guess you have never been in retail . First rule, if a customer arrives in a Mercedes, (or in our case, is a foreigner) assume he has money and steer him to what has the highest profit margin. If he shows up in a VW bug with dented fenders, show him the cheap stuff and get him out of the store as fast as you can.

Second rule, try to overcome the customers objections three times. After the third time, sell them the cheap stuff and get them out of the store.

Just a fact of life living here, no matter how we dress, what type of car we drive, how long its been since we have shaved, they just ASSUME  we have a Mercedes in the parking lot

I have got my Merc on the shelf in the lounge room does that count?

[Dave Hounddriver]

6 hours ago, Sander Martin said:

I wonder if they get a bonus on sales?

Yes, in a way.  I don't think it is an actual 'commission' on the sale but the boss will often give incentives like bonuses to the most productive sales people.  Or it could be a more practical incentive like who gets the overtime and who gets to keep their job beyond the 6 month contract.

You will notice the ones on some sort of bonus as they insist on taking your purchase to the cashier and scribbling their name on a bit of paper that they then give to the cashier.

[Sander Martin]

7 hours ago, scott h said:

Well Sander, I guess you have never been in retail . First rule, if a customer arrives in a Mercedes, (or in our case, is a foreigner) assume he has money and steer him to what has the highest profit margin. If he shows up in a VW bug with dented fenders, show him the cheap stuff and get him out of the store as fast as you can.

Second rule, try to overcome the customers objections three times. After the third time, sell them the cheap stuff and get them out of the store.

Just a fact of life living here, no matter how we dress, what type of car we drive, how long its been since we have shaved, they just ASSUME  we have a Mercedes in the parking lot

Your right I haven't worked in retail. Just I haven't noticed similar sales tactics in any of the country's i have lived and worked in (couple European, Aus and nz), well not atleast in a simple department store. 

Im used to them just showing where things are and if you ask for recommendations, then they usually follow up with a "whats your price range mate". They dont try to sell you the most expensive thing if you looking for a cheap item (they don't recommend you a 17k stroller, when your wife was looking at the 4k range ones).

Oh well different culture.

Funny thing is that right after posting this my electric toothbrush broke. Went to SM this morning and the lady showed me the mid range 1200peso one right awey (didnt even offer the nice expensive boxed ones). Best thing was that there was a silent -50% discount, as they only wanted 600 in the cashier (now thats cheap for a Braun brush!!) - not something you see often here in The Phillipines.

[Sander Martin]

4 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

 

You will notice the ones on some sort of bonus as they insist on taking your purchase to the cashier and scribbling their name on a bit of paper that they then give to the cashier.

Only seen that happen couple times here. In Thailand they write down who sold what into their book at their stall before they give you the item to go to the cashier.

[frosty (chris)]

1 hour ago, Sander Martin said:

Your right I haven't worked in retail. Just I haven't noticed similar sales tactics in any of the country's i have lived and worked in (couple European, Aus and nz), well not atleast in a simple department store. 

 

 

I would be surprised if you could find any one to help you in Aus, I remember when I lived there you would be lucky to see any floor staff. I always find the staff here rather good, always helpful

Maybe the young lady just thought you were single and gwapo and decided to chat you up but you put her off when you started asking for baby things

Maybe I just look cheap and ugly and they don't bother trying to up sell me.

Edited April 24, 2016 by frosty (chris)
forgot to add

[Sander Martin]

28 minutes ago, frosty (chris) said:

I would be surprised if you could find any one to help you in Aus, I remember when I lived there you would be lucky to see any floor staff. I always find the staff here rather good, always helpful

Maybe the young lady just thought you were single and gwapo and decided to chat you up but you put her off when you started asking for baby things

Maybe I just look cheap and ugly and they don't bother trying to up sell me.

Haha. Your right on the ammount of staff. Prob 10-20times more than any similar store in Europe/Aus. Its awesome if you want help, but kinda annoying when your just walking around browsing. As soon as you look at somethig for more than 2 seconds they come running "hello sir can i help you". Its hard for a cold European that loves hes personal space. Different cultures:).