Why do businesses turn away custom?

ILW

safc118 wrote: »

yep very very true e.g Ipads very expensive bits of kit all sining and dancing only make 9.7% (at store level) and still not allowed to do any discount on them according to head office (with such low margins no wonder why)

Working on such low margins you can see why it can be difficult for the retailer to offer the level of service that some customers expect, also the reason they many of the small independents have been driven out of business.

ILW

Panini is plural, the singular is Panino.

chattychappy

thriftymanc wrote: »

Especially when it's a large chain - this happened to me in a Starbucks, every other Starbucks I've been in I can buy one drink and pay by card. This one, I ordered a drink and some food, stood there while they unwrapped my panini, grilled it, made my coffee and then they told me I couldn't pay by card unless it was over £10! I'd have happily paid a fee if they'd let me as there was only one cash machine nearby that was out of cash and I was hungry... I really wanted that panini

I do think it defeats the purpose when you have a chain that attempts to be consistent but individual outlets start making up their own rules.

lisyloo

why not have the option to let the customer pay the fee if they want to rather than just flat out refusing to accept card payments?

Probabl because they would need to have some way to work out the fee, some way to account for it in their tills, and some way to charge it. They'd have to continually train their staff.

But I agree about the sign on the door.

chattychappy

ILW wrote: »

Panini is plural, the singular is Panino.

thriftymanc wrote: »

Tell that to all the shops that sell them then. I'm just calling them what the shops call them.

Whilst we're at it, I would have preferred "panino" to "Panino" since we're not at the start of a sentence and in the context it is not a proper noun.

[Deleted User]

More to the point, since when has it been possible to buy anything in Starbucks for less than £10?

I had to take out a credit agreement last time I went in one.

chattychappy

I use their prepayment card - you can top up by credit card and when things are busy it's quicker than either cash or credit card. Also you get free WiFi (I don't use that) and "extra shots"... (which in my case means I get a double espresso for the price of a single).

Only snag is that some small Starbucks - ie the kiosks you sometimes see on train platforms aren't set up to take them.

opinions4u

Deleted_User wrote: »

More to the point, since when has it been possible to buy anything in Starbucks for less than £10?

I had to take out a credit agreement last time I went in one.

White coffee, no frills, 99p. Not on the menu, but if you ask, you get!

I have a similar problem with Subway. I go in to order the sub of the day for £1.99, move down the production line and walk out with a massive hole in my wallet.

I must analyse what's actually causing it!

baby_fuzz

thriftymanc wrote: »

What annoys me is when a shop doesn't accept a card for transactions below a certain value, usually £5. I understand why they don't want to let you pay - because of the fees, as people have said it means they end up making a loss. But for frick's sake why not have the option to let the customer pay the fee if they want to rather than just flat out refusing to accept card payments?

sorry you didn't get your sandwich!:p
Most independents don't mind if I suggest that they pop an extra 50p onto the transaction. Perhaps you should support your local businesses instead!

BTW, does that technically count as a cash-advance?

chattychappy

opinions4u wrote: »

White coffee, no frills, 99p. Not on the menu, but if you ask, you get!

Any other specials you can let us in on?

I'm guessing using my "free extra shot" deal on my card, I could have a frill too and still pay only 99p!