Up-selling / pestering you to buy things you didn't ask for

[threebikesmcginty]

When it happens to me I always turn it round and ask them if I can sell them something I have on my person. After a couple of times they tend to remember you and stop asking.

Well yes, who'd want to buy a catapult, some bubblegum, a protractor, liquorice, stubby pencil, elastic bands and 7p?

 

[MarkF]

You should remain polite, that person serving you will be forced to upsell, may well be periodically monitored to ensure they are doing so, and will definitely have their sales appraised regularly and have to answer to some tosspot if targets are not met. What a life!

 

[Sara_H]

When I was a student I worked at Burger King. Their slogan at the time was " you want it your way- you got it".
After the completion of every order (in which we were obliged to offer Large fries? Onion rings etc) we were supposed to gleefully infor the customer "You got it". After a few weeks our manager had to admit that whilst this slogan may have sounded fab done in an american cheerleader style, it didn't spond so good coming out of the mouths of surly sheffield teenagers. So he told us not to bother!

 

[ThinAir]

I used to have to upsell things when I worked at Argos.

The best response I ever got, was when I was offering some sort of three year warranty to an old timer who had been in to buy a kettle, the conversation went something like this

Me: Good Morning, Sir! *Taps Vigorously on keyboard". Thats the Ray Mears Outdoor electric Kettle ?
Man: Yes, thats right.
Me: Would you like to extend the warranty on that for three years, at a cost of just £20? (The bloody thing probably only cost a tenner)
Man: No thanks, son! When you get to my age, you daren't even buy a long playing record!

What a guy!

Seriously though, we used to get hammered for not offering stuff... the til even prompted it; when the famed mystery shopper came in, you could spot them a mile off... they were the only person who came in every six months to buy an expensive camera, so that you would have to sell them batteries, film (yes, it was a while ago), cases, extended warranty and then explain various exemptions.

I guess that it does irritate me sometimes (especially at WH Smiths.... I've just bought Mens Health, Muscle and Fitness Magazine and/or Men's Fitness... Guess what?! I probably don't want to buy chocolate and soft drinks!), but I also understand that people are under a ton of pressure to sell things....

Now if the bank started to do it "Would you like to withdraw an extra £200 today and only have 25% of that amount taken form your balance, then we might be talking!

 

[Beebo]

When I was a student I worked at Burger King. Their slogan at the time was " you want it your way- you got it".
After the completion of every order (in which we were obliged to offer Large fries? Onion rings etc) we were supposed to gleefully infor the customer "You got it". After a few weeks our manager had to admit that whilst this slogan may have sounded fab done in an american cheerleader style, it didn't spond so good coming out of the mouths of surly sheffield teenagers. So he told us not to bother!

I recall Jack Dee doing a sketch in the 90's about the "You've Got It" phase in Burger King, and the fact that invariably, when you looked in the bag, you didnt actually have what you ordered! A bit like MathewT and his hotdog pizza.

 

[green1]

Well yes, who'd want to buy a catapult, some bubblegum, a protractor, liquorice, stubby pencil, elastic bands and 7p?

What sort of mental image of you got of me?

 

[Tanis8472]

Having just started working in a shop, i now see why that happens. The till systems are set up to make you ask these questions.
They also pop up with special offers of things like buy one get one free which needs to be offered.

I've always been polite to staff even though it annoyed me a bit. Like others have said, they are just doing their job.

 

[ThinAir]

I recall Jack Dee doing a sketch in the 90's about the "You've Got It" phase in Burger King, and the fact that invariably, when you looked in the bag, you didnt actually have what you ordered! A bit like MathewT and his hotdog pizza.

I dont got it.... and you're getting a letter and my head-cam video of said experience....

 

[smokeysmoo]

As others have said it's endemic nowadays and seemingly across all business types, but retail is obviously the most in your face.

I too just politely decline as I've been on the other side too.

I've just left a parts position at a volume main dealer site, and we actually had a list of associated products, (slightly differs to direct upselling IMO, but the end aim is the same), on the wall for each adviser to see.

So if you price up a radiator you could be expected to be offered anti-freeze, order an oil filter, "do you need any oil?", brake pads, "we've got an offer on brake cleaner/fluid" etc, etc, etc.

It has it's place, but in general I've always had the impression people think you're simply trying to pump them for more cash, well you are aren't you, but people don't want to feel that's what's happening.

Slightly OT, but the one that grinds my gears these days is in the supermarket, "Do you want any help with your packing?", and they're not even trying to sell me more of anything. They're just trying to reinforce a positive customer experience, but it really makes my teeth itch

I'm still polite though as the poor soul working the checkout is only doing what they're told by the big cheese.

 

[ThinAir]

Slightly OT, but the one that grinds my gears these days is in the supermarket, "Do you want any help with your packing?", and they're not even trying to sell me more of anything. They're just trying to reinforce a positive customer experience, but it really makes my teeth itch

I'm still polite though as the poor soul working the checkout is only doing what they're told by the big cheese.

A friend of mine made a checkout girl cry once, when she continued to pack his bags for him, despite his polite declination of her offer to do it for him....

He wasn't nasty, but when she started to pack them, he stated to her "I'm sorry, would you mind leaving it for me to do"?

To which she replied "Well, I just thought..."

"Well don't...." came the response.

Cue tears.

 

[EltonFrog]

It tell them to go and fark themselves piss on their ****s and call them farking daffodils the w***rs.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

What sort of mental image of you got of me?

 

[zombiemiked]

Guess you could always ask for a Phase Plasma Rifle in the 40 Watt Range and an Uzi 9mm

 

[hopless500]

I hate it too. As you say, if you wanted it, you'd be there waiting to pay for it. The bank and all the local shops went through a phase of asking 'is there anything else I can help you with?', and 'did you find everything you were looking for?'. On a several-times-a-day basis, this is the biggest wind-up they could have come up with. Thank gawd they seem to have stopped doing it.

 

[hopless500]

Slightly OT, but the one that grinds my gears these days is in the supermarket, "Do you want any help with your packing?", and they're not even trying to sell me more of anything. They're just trying to reinforce a positive customer experience, but it really makes my teeth itch

I'm still polite though as the poor soul working the checkout is only doing what they're told by the big cheese.

And the, ' do you need some carrier bags?' as you plonk about 10 hessian shopping bags down under their nose. Er. No. Not really...