Model shop of the year... NOT!

[tigrazor]

Just came back from the funeral of my grandpa and on the trip home something very strange happened. Just a few km away from my sisters home, theres a bigger city  where I usually drive through quite quickly on my way to her, but today I was a bit in a bad mood and thought to myself:

"Well... on the other side of the town theres a mall, and if I remember that right (havent been there for 5 years or so), theres a toy shop too. MAYBE they have model kits. Lets see!"

I have to say that I had to do often with people living in this town when my mother lived nearby a few years ago. Of course there are a few exceptions, but a lot of people living there really can be called narrow minded and strange (thats not only my personal thinking - collegues @ work living nearby tell the very same). Okay then, I dont really care - its about finding some models in this shop! And so the story began...



L = Lucas
S = Shop owner
C = Collector

 

Lil Lucas walks in, having big eyes because of the real good choice of model kits they have - Zvezda figures, Dragon Gen2 figures and a Jagdpanzer III with ALL goodies for 40 bucks. Just imagine buying all extras seperately... YAY!!! One little important detail: a lot of boxes were already open - and of course Im asking for opening them if they would have been sealed. Here in this case, the packages have been opened months ago (the tapes were dry as a Martini - if you know what I mean). Package damages included.

L: "Hello!"

S: cellphone on her ears, really doesnt care about the "hello!"

L: (thinking) "Well, shes busy. Because of X-Mas and stuff. What do they have here?! Oooohhhh... aaaah... WOW!!! COOL!!!!!!!" etc.

S: Comes back, taking a look at me with evil eyes. Turns her head and walks straight to the front desk, where the female collector sits around, staring at her cellphone. She tells her the following:

"Take care of this customer! He opened all the boxes!!!

L: (thinking): "WHAT THE??? Oh really? Did I? Wasnt that someone before? Well... Okay, that tank kit looks really nice and the figures too, gonna buy them now."

Arrived at the front desk, the shop owner emphasizes that "...it was ME who opened all the boxes!"

L: "Yes Mam, I opened them. Again - they had been open before. Id like to buy these."

C: (still staring at her cellphone) "Really?

L: "Hmmm, If I think twice - I dont. I leave them here, thanks anyways."

S: Yeah, bye."

L: (couldnt resist): "Thank you for the service, Ill recommend you!"

S: "P... OFF!"



Was that creepy or what???

[Leon]

Holy crap!!!!!! Talk about bad business and a bad attitude.That takes the cake.

[tigrazor]

Really, I am modelling for ages now and been in a lot of shops. That "open box" thing is difficult and I understand every shop owner who takes care about the kits (or any ware) he/she is selling. But for me as a customer two things happened here that are absolutely a no-go (same story in my job, btw):

-The "hello" was totally ignored.

>>Because she was having a call, I cant expect that she is ending the call immediately. A small nod or something would have been totally okay.

-and - even worse - a total ASSUMPTION.

>It was really me who opened the boxes before? Pictures or it didnt happen, Ma'am!


After all it was a funny episode. It swept me off my feet at first sight, just because I NEVER EVER had this before, but then I thought:

"Well... lets take a resumee: its a big village, the people there are known to be strange, and they even can afford to annoy 70-bucks-customers. The shop really runs well then, if they can afford THIS!"

[dierk]

And there was me thinking 'The League of Gentlemen' was a comedy show - turns out it was a documentary:

[kaytermarram]

Wow, strange! What town was it btw? Arround Leipzig, maybe Bitterfeld or Halle? I know the landscape, there are lots of "Redneck towns" but what happened to you is deffinitly strange. And one reason for the shop dying in this field today... I for myself am only buying at Internet shops and had NEVER any problem, all transactions were smooth (hell I even got some discounts here and there because I was a new client), got welcome mails, cataloges for free etc. OK, it would be better to have a cool shop around here, but I am happy the way I get my stuff together. Thanks for sharing, Lucas!

Frank

[tigrazor]

Its the city of Grimma, about ca. 40 km south of Leipzig. A beautiful town itself, but well... strange people sometimes. On the other hand, idiots can be found everywhere.

Looking back today, I find it quite funny now - and someone else will get my hard earned money then. For example my favourite shop in Chemnitz Im talking about from time to time. The trip there is longer (ca. 100 km from here). But everytime I go there, I really are welcome and can ask whatever I like. I NEVER had any issues there (same for the internet shops you mentioned).

And from time to time, even a model swap is possible - just gave the rest of the Mk. 22 Spitfire to my club collegues because I only need her tail for the vignette. Spare parts for them, more space in the man cave for me.

And so... Everyone is happy.

[tigrazor]

Oh well. I love happy ends.

2nd try and it was all fine. This time it was customer service at its very best - no irony here. Very friendly shop assistant, good talk and the tank has a new home!

[Tobi]

 I remember something similar from a comic shop in Munich near the "Stachus", back in the days before online shopping became popular.

There was a figure that had caught my eye. I knew the series it belonged to, because I had purchased a similar one in Hamburg some months before, and I knew the price.
So I asked how much is it? When the shop owner told me, I objected this deems too high to me, I payed only two thirds for a similar one not long ago and it wasn't a bargain (in fact later I found out I did already pay 50% too much back in Hamburg, but again, this was in the early internet days and hard to get stuff).
He answered that he doesn't care and no one would force me to buy it.
I said: "Thankfully not, but I will recommend you!" 

These things happen Lucas, glad you had a happy end and sorry about your Grandpa!

If the world wasn't crammed with so many a-holes, it would be a brighter place...