h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was shopping in Norwich, not somewhere I usually go, but that's irrelevant. Down one of the quaint cobbled streets my other half spotted a book shop, so we went in. We browsed, I picked up a book that I quite fancied reading, and got chatting to the owner. I asked him about a particular book I was after, he told me he'd sold one recently for £135.00 which had been signed by the author, a second edition.

Now, alarm bells were ringing in my head, there I was with this book that I wanted, so instead of saying, "How much is this?" what I said was, "I'll take this, please", then stood there like an complete idiot while I handed over my card, and he lightened me of £35.00.

When I got outside, my partner said, "Did you know it was that much?" I said, no, I didn't, and her look just about said it all!!

Anyone else been in a similar situation? Please don't let me think I'm the only one out there!!

You went back in and asked politely for a refund, yeah?

Was the name of the shop "I saw you coming"?

Wine shops are very good at this sort of thing. They'll put a £45 bottle of wine next to the 'Reduced! £8! Bin end!' sign and laugh when you pick up the wrong one because you can't read the French on the label.

B

What was the street in Norwich? Elm hill perchance?

Yes very, very ocassionally. Can't think of an actual example. Probably blocked those from my mind

And the inner beating up afterwards isn't pleasant.

A certain major supermarket chain (beginning with S) are good at doing this sort of thing too (as I found out yesterday). Big signs saying 2 for £1, then in small writing, 'when you buy rolls from the bakery'. When you don't spot it they charge you full whack at the tills for what you thought was a reduced item.

I think firms that do it should be prosecuted, it's basically a deliberate attempt to deceive the customer. I can't see why that isn't considered fraud.

Something similar happened to me. It involved a pair of glasses, and a sum of €900. But I really wanted a pair of Tagheueur glasses. They're really good.














And when I slipped on the ice and destroyed them, they replaced them free of charge.

Gives you some idea of the profit margins involved when they can afford to replace them foc. Seriously, I used to work in optics; I'd be surprised if your $900euro glasses cost the optician anywhere close to 100euro including lenses... probably more like $50euro in fact

There aint many poor folk in that industry I tell ya

No, didn't politely ask for my money back I can't remember the name of the street, one of those cobbled ones off the main shopping area. Ha ha! "I Saw You Coming"!! Yes, it could well have been run by Harry Enfield!!

I've looked the book up on the internet, and it goes for prices near to what I paid, so I don't feel too aggrieved. I think the fact that I just paid up and had a weep afterwards was the worst thing. Oh well, such is life, I suppose.

@ Post 7.

Yes Tescos have done that to me before. Following it, I simply walk straight across to customer service, complain and demand a refund for the offending items. Works every time

MonkeyS, I think the problem was when you "got chatting to the owner", because from that point it became much harder for you to not buy the book; after all, he was practically your friend for those few seconds, and you wouldn't want to upset a friend. Basically, he made you feel uncomfortable about refusing the purchase.

It's a common sales tactic, you're not alone; you're normal.

Re Post 7

A supermarket near me has a fridge with a pasta meal deal type thing where you buy a main, a side dish & a dessert for £5. I chose my 3, including garlic & cheese bread. When I got to the automated checkout it charged me the full price for the separate items.

Unusually for me, I complained. The girl at the service desk investigated and discovered there were two stacks of garlic & cheese bread in the fridge, identical in every way except one said "garlic & cheese" whilst the other said "cheese & garlic". One triggered the till to give the £5 deal, the other didn't.

I wonder how many people didn't get the bargain they thought they were getting that day

<>

That sounds exactly like Elm Hill.

Elm hill is a street in Norwich that *no* local has ever cause to walk down. It is 'tourist alley' (just before the cathedral) and the shop owners are past-masters in their trade. You were right-royally-mugged, but in a good way.

The 'old-curiosity' feel is not there by accident - it's how the traders like it to be - and their shop-rents reflect that. You paid a sensible price for the book, considering that he'd probably sat there most of the day waiting for a mug (sorry, customer) to come along. Good job you were paying in Sterling - if it were Dollars, he'd have had the shirt off your back too.

Yes, you made him a tidy profit on the *sale*. I'd imagine about £34.50

BUT, if there weren't people like you prepared to be robbed (sorry, invest in unusual items) then there'd have been no quaint cobbled-street for you to walk down in the first place.

Did you have a nice day?

>>I asked him about a particular book I was after, he told me he'd
sold one recently for £135.00 which had been signed by the author, a
second edition.<<

Collectors item / Antiquarian books?