Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - You're Paying More or Getting Less Than You Think

ngdawg · 02-28-2007, 10:31 PM

I work for a national department store. An example of the mind games they play: Towels. 'Regular' price-$7.99. Sales on this particular towel range from 50% off to 3 for $10.00 to Buy one, get one free. In 14 months, I have never seen them at 'regular price', ever. The 'BOGO' is a true scam-you're made to feel obligated to get that second one or pay the jacked-up 'regular' price for one.
To add to these 'bargains', we are supposed to 'sell' store credit cards-'if you open a card to day, you'll get 10% off this sale and 12 additional percent-offs through the year'. I don't bother asking unless they're buying a big-ticket item.
I think in the case of restaurants, people think they're 'in control' when they tip without the 'service charge' included on the bill. Typically, where I worked(prvately owned 'upperscale' small place), we added the tip of 18% to any bill where there were 8 or more diners. But many people, especially senior citizens, don't tip 18%; some leave a flat amount, regardless of the bill and I found most seniors rarely went over 10%. Business men tipped well as did construction workers. Women tipped ok, but really rate the quality of service and food when tipping and leave exactly what they feel their server deserves. Interestingly, where I worked (as hostess/cashier/gofer), one daytime waitress was a woman in her 60's who was personable, called everyone 'hon'....and yet, if I waited on certain people, they tipped me more than her, even though I was not a good waitress. One, a professor, she thought a bit ornery, even 'warning' me about him, but on a day she wasn't there and I waited on him, he was a delight.(I've seen him since then and he's still a delight toward me).
I think we form 'relationships' with money, starting at a young age with our family's influence and it carries over as to how we think it should best be 'shared' when buying goods or services. Had that study be in-field and the use of real servers and goods be factored in, the results might change. Would they think it too expensive if an older experienced server waited on them vs. the younger klutz? Vice Versa?

02-28-2007, 10:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	I work for a national department store. An example of the mind games they play: Towels. 'Regular' price-$7.99. Sales on this particular towel range from 50% off to 3 for $10.00 to Buy one, get one free. In 14 months, I have never seen them at 'regular price', ever. The 'BOGO' is a true scam-you're made to feel obligated to get that second one or pay the jacked-up 'regular' price for one. To add to these 'bargains', we are supposed to 'sell' store credit cards-'if you open a card to day, you'll get 10% off this sale and 12 additional percent-offs through the year'. I don't bother asking unless they're buying a big-ticket item. I think in the case of restaurants, people think they're 'in control' when they tip without the 'service charge' included on the bill. Typically, where I worked(prvately owned 'upperscale' small place), we added the tip of 18% to any bill where there were 8 or more diners. But many people, especially senior citizens, don't tip 18%; some leave a flat amount, regardless of the bill and I found most seniors rarely went over 10%. Business men tipped well as did construction workers. Women tipped ok, but really rate the quality of service and food when tipping and leave exactly what they feel their server deserves. Interestingly, where I worked (as hostess/cashier/gofer), one daytime waitress was a woman in her 60's who was personable, called everyone 'hon'....and yet, if I waited on certain people, they tipped me more than her, even though I was not a good waitress. One, a professor, she thought a bit ornery, even 'warning' me about him, but on a day she wasn't there and I waited on him, he was a delight.(I've seen him since then and he's still a delight toward me). I think we form 'relationships' with money, starting at a young age with our family's influence and it carries over as to how we think it should best be 'shared' when buying goods or services. Had that study be in-field and the use of real servers and goods be factored in, the results might change. Would they think it too expensive if an older experienced server waited on them vs. the younger klutz? Vice Versa? __________________ Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.