New scam that seems to have hit the shopping centres - would you like a goody bag?

anewman

Loads and loads of people stood in shopping centres holding a pretty looking bag and asking "would you like a goody bag" almost implying it is free by the very nature of the offer. I have always refused but someone else told me they then go on to show you what's in the bag and say something like this is makeup worth £120, this is worth £80, and all you have to do is buy this normally worth £80 for only £29.95. Basically the old horse-chestnut of all items are unlikely to be even worth £29.95.

Think....

Do you want to pay that amount of money for all three items (ignoring the claimed savings)?
Could you get better elsewhere cheaper? For example known brands in Boots for example.

I'm almost tempted to grab the bag next time I see them, say thanks and walk on

As always IMO if something needs to come to you to be sold, then it's highly unlikely you want it. Always say "no thanks", "yes I already have sky", "I am already with Eon energy" etc etc. If you want something you will go out and find it yourself, rather than giving someone the opportunity to make commission on a sale.

Dr.Shoe_2

Firstly, we take up offers exactly like this without thinking about it. How often do you go into the supermarket for milk and come out with about £60 worth of shopping? Why else are all the "staples" ie the bread and milk right at the back of the store in the corner furthest from the entrance? You also have "Island Marketing" where items are placed in such a location that you have to walk round them, if you walk round them you look at them and they're always "special offers".

Secondly, the "worth £80" thing is what we call "Price Conditioning". If someone came up to you and said: "buy these three items for only 30 quid!" you wouldn't do it but if they said: "this would normally cost £80 but we're doing it today for 30," you'd buy it wouldn't you? You get this all the time in stores: RRP is so and so but you only pay this amount.

Thirdly, it isn't always true that if you wanted something you'd already be looking for it. Suppose you go into a shop to buy a suit. The assistant comes over and says: "can I help you?" what do 99% of people say? "I'm just looking thanks." If he came across instead and said: "I'm not completely mad sir I can see you're looking for a suit. If you could just tell me your sizes I'll point you in the right direction." How much more likely is he going to make a sale?

Fourthly, most people buy on impulse anyway. You see something you like and, assuming you can afford it, you buy it don't you?

At the end of the day, these people might be pests like the Israeli salt sellers but they are only trying to make a living and there is no need to steal from them or to be rude. How would you like it if someone came into your workplace and treated you like that?

Just a polite "no thankyou," is more than sufficient.

anewman

Dr.Shoe wrote: »

At the end of the day, these people might be pests like the Israeli salt sellers but they are only trying to make a living and there is no need to steal from them or to be rude.

A job that begins with the premise of selling people something they do not want is doomed to failure, unless you are forceful/convincing. Suppose it's better than the dole, but not my idea of a job.

I have known a polite "no thank you" in the past to ellicit angry responses, presumably because they're desperate to sell and their livelihood depends on the sales. My point of view is I didn't invite them to offer me something for sale, and even if they do I just am in no way interested. If when they asked me if I wanted to buy, I tried to sell them something instead, I am sure they would quickly dispense of me to try peddle their own crap to other people.

And I wasn't suggesting stealing, I was suggesting gratefully accepting the "goody bag" they offer which they imply is free. It's only when you say "yes please" (at which point you have already made a decision to take the bag) they begin the sales spiel. That they offer them as you are walking past, it's like when they give out free trial size cans of coke or something at the train station. You take, say thanks, and walk on. You don't talk to them for 15 minutes. I'll bet some people have made this misunderstanding and walked off with a bag unintentionally (depending on how they actually hand the bag over, I am sure they have had special training to grasp it firmly until sold).

McKneff

I had this happen to me in the White Rose Centre, Leeds

The lady gave me on bit of make up, that bronzer, she said, thats a free gift,
Then an eye pallet, yes thats a free gift, lipstick, yes thats a free gift.
No conditions at this point.
Then she got out a roll of brushes 'worth £120 but today they are only £30' and you get all these free gifts. I declined and she then grabbed everything back out of my hands. In hindsight, as she said thats a free gift 3 times after putting them into my hands would i have been within my rights to walk quickly away. Personally i think i would because up till then like i say there were no conditions.
(by the way i did tell her that i felt her selling tactics were questionable and i would take the matter further)

Fluffi

I've had this makeup brushes sales pitch too - I wouldn't say it was a scam just very questionable sales tactics - but I don't think the sales person at any point said it was a "free" goodie bag just a goody bag.

There is no way I'd buy makeup brushes from a brand I'd never heard of though! If I wanted to splash out then I'd get them from somewhere I trust like MAC not an upstart that claims its products could retail at £120.

Darksun

My fiance got caught into buying makeup and brushes she didn't especially want from one of these sales people. The brush ended up as a cat toy :eek:

marleyboy

I have to say when I go "searching" in a shop for anything, the last thing I want is to be asked if I need help, i I need any assistance,I will happily say "excuse me, have you got a moment".

I generally walk out of a store if they jump on me the second I enter the store, If I want to buy a suit,I dont want someone hovering over me saying "how about this one", I want to take my time looking at all the suits available to me before I decide (IF I decide), to buy one.

I dont want members of staff approaching me at the supermarket, pointing to the Heinz beans bogof offer, simply for putting a tin of beans in my trolley.

UK2010

marleyboy wrote: »

I have to say when I go "searching" in a shop for anything, the last thing I want is to be asked if I need help, i I need any assistance,I will happily say "excuse me, have you got a moment".

I generally walk out of a store if they jump on me the second I enter the store, If I want to buy a suit,I dont want someone hovering over me saying "how about this one", I want to take my time looking at all the suits available to me before I decide (IF I decide), to buy one.

I dont want members of staff approaching me at the supermarket, pointing to the Heinz beans bogof offer, simply for putting a tin of beans in my trolley.

Omg I actually agree with you!

Tinkerbell_Lily

I had this happen to me ages ago in a shopping centre in Stratford, East London but it was perfumes. I bought a ladies and a gents for £15 as they smelled gorgeous and they gave me 4 other different 'free' bottles (2 ladies and 2 gents). I did smell all the ones they had given me (testers mind) and really did like them. When i got home, it was basically just water with what smelled like rotton milk in the bottle! Never will i do that again! They were gone the next day but the amount of people i saw walking around with their bags after was unbelivable!

Its funny what a guy complimenting you on a microphone can do to your purse!