Last month, my husband and I visited a couple of appliance stores for a new cooking range and a new refrigerator. We compared prices, zero-interest installment options and delivery rates. We finally settled on Abenson’s at the Sta. Lucia East Mall in Cainta. Since we were not due to move to our new house for another month, we simply noted the models that we liked (Elba for the range and a Kelvinator for the fridge), got the contact information of the Elba salesman that entertained us and gave him our contact number as well. We told him we would come back in a few weeks when we had a definite moving date.
We had not even gotten home, and Antipolo (where we live) is not even a thirty-minute drive from Sta. Lucia East Mall, when Daniel, the salesman, started sending one text message after another reciting the reasons why the Elba model we chose is a good buy and urging me to place a reservation fee. I told him I already decided we were going to buy it and he didn’t have to do the sales pitch on me.
For the next two weeks, I would receive text messages from Daniel, once at 2.00 a.m., urging me to place a reservation fee or make a downpayment despite the fact that I made it clear from the start that we were following a schedule and I could not make the purchase until we knew the actual moving date. Still, he persisted.
Finally, last week, I texted back that if he did not stop bothering me, I would buy from Western Marketing instead despite the higher delivery charge. His tone changed after that, pleading that I finalize the purchase before the end of the month so he could earn his commission. Gee, was I buying the cooking range and the fridge as a personal favor to him or because my family needs them? I was supposed to buy something I wouldn’t need for a couple of weeks just to accommodate him? I was supposed to bear his incessant text messages until he wore me down? He was messing with the wrong person. For the record, the text messages have stopped. But whether it’s because of my threat or because the end-of-the month quota deadline has passed, I do not know.
Late last week, I was at the Home section of SM Department Store at Megamall looking for bedsheets. We have a queen bed so, naturally, I was looking for queen-sized bedsheets. The salesgirl for the Canadian brand was offering me one sheet after another saying, “Ito po… maganda po ito (This one… this one is nice.)” Why the hell was she deciding for me? But I didn’t want to ruin my day so I told her I was looking for something in shades of green. There was only one that I liked and the price was fifty per cent off.
Okay, I was a lot wiser after the Daniel of Abenson’s episode. These sales people are probably not even employees of the stores. They are agents of companies selling their wares in these stores and they earn on a commission basis. Choosing a bedsheet that was on sale meant a small commission for this Canadian sheets salesgirl.
I was about to proceed to the cashier when she stopped me and said, “Ma’am, sa king size na lang kayo kumuha (Ma’am, get a king-sized instead).” The girl was selling bedsheets, for heaven’s sakes. Wasn’t she aware of the difference between a king and queen? Or was she hoping that I wouldn’t know the difference, buy a king-sized sheet that would never fit our bed, just so she could earn a higher commission? I blurted out, “Miss, hindi mo ba alam ang difference sa size ng king at queen? Hindi mo ba alam kung ano ‘yang ibinebenta mo? (Miss, don’t you the difference in size between a king and a queen? Don’t you know what you’re selling?)” When she couldn’t respond, I walked away.
Both this girl and Daniel are utilizing the hard-sell technique, a strategy that is meant to overwhelm and wear down the customer until the customer feels that the only way out is to buy what they insist that he buys. It’s the same technique employed by those agents passing on leaflets of every imaginable thing as you walk in shopping malls. Give them a minute and they are all over you.
The strategy may vary. Sometimes, it’s not a leaflet. Sometimes, you will be approached and told you have been chosen winner of this-and-that thing. But to claim your prize, you will have to sit down and let the agent make a presentation of the product he is selling which may not even be remotely related to the prize you are supposed to have won.
You don’t even have to step out of the house to fall prey to these desperados. Your credit card company has probably sold your contact information to its “affiliates” so you get calls from them day in and day out. Tell them you’re not interested and they don’t easily give up. They’ll tell how you’re passing up on such a great opportunity. Until you put the phone down, they will just go on and on trying to find the right combination of words that will get your attention.
I know times are hard. But, damn it, sales agents should learn how to treat customers with respect. Or is respect no longer part of sales ethics?
Hi Miss Connie!
Nakakapikon po talaga yung mga paligid-ligid sa malls na sales people, most especially in SM Supermalls (Family First! Grrr…). They will block your way and ask if you already have a credit card – as if a free umbrella or a free movie ticket is more precious than your time. Similar to your experience in buying the bedsheets, it happened to me when I had my hair rebonded in David's Salon(I apologize but in my case, it really is a necessity with my monster-like hair). The hair assistant who did my hair insisted that I buy the Kerastase brand which is three times more expensive than my usual hair maintenance product. In the end, inamin naman po niya na may points sila whenever they sell something. I still bought the cheaper product. I think sales people don't get that consumers are wiser nowadays.
XS:
You may want to try to canvass new appliances or furniture at Home Depot or Wilcon Builders. Mas marami pong choices. Happy moving!
"In the end, inamin naman po niya na may points sila whenever they sell something."
Parang mga doktor ah. They will recommend a medicine brand manufactured by the pharma company that gives the nicest "incentives" (free trips, etc.).
it also annoys me no end when sales people hover while you are browsing through the products. it was not this way years ago. you could go to the store and be left on your own until you ask for help. companies put their own promo people to push their products.
special mention would be the perfume agents!!!!
it feels like being in a tiangge or divisoria even
without feeling snooty,if you want some peace while malling, go to rustan's (they pay for you when there are few customers), podium and rockwell. i said malling not necessarily buying
sometimes you just need to pass the time and get some exercise
Connie, it happened to me in Divisoria. One day, I went there to buy look for and buy a nice Filipiniana gown for my sister in the U.S. I knew the design my sister wanted but I wasn't sure what type of material (pina-jusi, pina, etc.) was available. So I needed to look at the gowns on display. The sales girls in one stall besieged me with: "Ano ho ba ang hanap nyo? Wedding gown ba, pang-abay, pang-sponsor? Gusto nyo ba ng mura? Machine o hand-embroidered? Anong kulay? Marami ang designs namin. Ituro lang ninyo ang gusto nyo? (What are you looking for? Is it a wedding gown, for wedding sponsors? Do you want a gown in a low price range? What color? Just point to the one that you like.) I replied, "Ang ingay ninyo, hindi ako makapag-isip." (You are noisy, I can't think.). Yet, they had the gall to say, "Ganito talaga sa Divisoria, maingay." (It is always noisy in Divisoria). I walked away. And I found a decent shop where the young owner from Bulacan allowed me some thinking time and when I was ready with my choice, it was only then that her sales staff offered to show me something. I bought the gown in that store. The simple rule is: the hard-sell approach can turn off many potential customers.
Cocoy, re "companies put their own promo people to push their products."
Exactly. Even in supermarkets, my goodness, that's the SOP these days.
Moni, "the hard-sell approach can turn off many potential customers."
I agree. I'm one of them.
hay nako, oo nga. ang mga doktor ngayon ang mamahal ng reseta. di man lang magbigay ng generic.
hay nako ate connie, what irritates me to no end is that these sales agents seem not to understand the word "no". simple lang naman un "no" eh ipipilit pa rin sayo at sasabihan ka pa na its a big loss on your part if you turn them down.
Kreez, that reminds me of a movie where the rapist defended himself by saying that although the girl kept saying "No", what she really meant was "Yes."
buti nga hindi pa gaano kadami yung mga tele marketers. Nung nasa Canada ako, maya't maya me tumatawag na ganun sa friend ko. Yung isang amerikana nga na kilala ko, ang phone nya can't be reached unless you dial some sort of a password.
Minsan naman nakakaawa din kung a person has to do that just to earn a buck. Of course, it's really annoying lalo pa pag nalaman mong sya pala yong number one sa sales nila.
i think the best defense against hard selling is to look poor.
"Sometimes, you will be approached and told you have been chosen winner of this-and-that thing."
I received a phone call last week saying the exact same thing. knowing fully well of their strategy, i declined saying i don't have the time to claim the prize. sayang naman daw, computer daw ang prize ko. i said i'm not interested. ang sagot sa kin, ganyan daw yata talaga ang mayayaman, hindi na pinapansin ang mga libre. ngek! i just said, oo nga eh, then she put down the phone na. and the girl was not pleasant sounding ha, kaya natarayan ko tuloy.
yes, they're just trying to earn money like us. but i hope they'll approach or talk to you nicely naman.
"Your credit card company has probably sold your contact information to its "affiliates" so you get calls from them"
i was wondering bakit kung sinusino tumatawag sa kin ng kung anuano binebenta yun pala mismong card company ang 'ngbebenta' ng contact info mo??? goodness! dba liable sila sa lawsuit nun?
ang nakakainis pa, like yung sa daniel agent na yun, e natutulog ka tas you get a call, waking you up, thinking its important yun pala wala lang kwenta.
sana Connie may Do not call list registry sa pilipinas tulad ng ginawa ng gobyerno ng US. Napakaginhawa sigurado kapag walang tatawag na mga telemarketers na nagbebenta o kahit magtanong ng kahit ano.Unawain na lang natin na trabaho lang talaga ng mga salespeople ang makabenta ng marami kaya ginagawa nila ang mga iyon.
Tito Rolly, kung mas marami sa Canada, it just proves that the practice was exported to the Third World.
Emy, ang bastos naman nun!
ED M., shouldn't "unawain" work both ways? Shouldn't these people understand about OUR privacy too?
Sassy this isn't to encourage you further or a paid plug for Elba ovens, but since Mom had bought one more than three years ago to replace the huge, aging General Electric oven she brought over from the states in the 90s, our Elba has been a pretty good replacement for price and overall value. I use it regularly to bake and broil, and it's been a great workhorse, actually. You have to make sure that all the burners are properly connected and calibrated and grounded if the model has electric plates, by their installing technician or an electrician. For the gas tank it's recommended that the professional open-close valve type with a commercial-type safety regulator with a visible supply gauge indicator be used instead of the common LPG tanks for tabletop stoves. Your LPG tank supply for the oven should be separate and dedicated for your oven range so that the gas pressure is optimized for it. Well worth all the effort and investment once you get it baking and humming.
Hehehe..you remind me of my favorite Ninang. She once snapped at a salesgirl at Rustans and threatened with, "If you don't stop following me and giving me advice, I swear, hindi ako bibili. Marami pa naman akong pera!"..to which her husband said, "Miss, maniwala ka sa kanya.
I wouldn't mind sana yung hard sell. Ika nga, trabaho lang. Ang masaklap, if you fall for it and eventually need to get back to them (say, nasira yung binili mo)..nakow..hirap ng hagilapin ang mga yan. And to think they promise you that they will always be on hand just in case.
LOL Ben, I believe you! We have an Ariston right now (we're retaining it as a second cooking station) but we're sold on Elba. However, I really think I'll buy from Western Marketing and pay the additional P160 in delivery charge.
Kongkong, I'll make Speedy read your comment and we'll do that hahahahaha With matching taas ng kilay! HAHAHAHAHA
I'm with you! The hard-sell routine makes me want to run in the opposite direction as fast as I can!
Connie, from my recollection, Abenson's delivery charge is the same regardless of the branch where you bought the item from. Abenson's delivery is processed from a central warehouse near Pioneer. I know this because in 2006 I bought a whole set of appliances to furnish my son's condo unit, including an Elba vitroceramic hob. Since the interior renovation wasn't completed yet, I asked the sales person who consolidated the items I bought to phase the delivery. Perhaps, it was my lucky day because the sales person in Abenson-Quad Branch (Ruben) wasn't pushy at all. He assisted us throughout and dealt with the promo guys as we were buying different brands — National air conditioners, Electrolux refrigerator, washing machine and dryer, Elba vitroceramic hob, etc. In fact, a microwave oven and a comforter were thrown in as a bonus. Since we needed to install the kitchen appliances first, I offered to pick up the Elba vitoceramic hob and the Electrolux range hood in the Abenson warehouse on Williams St. in Pasig.
At the Abenson warehouse, I was quite impressed with the Michael John P. Miranda, who assisted me. He took out the items, tested them, packed them, expedited the delivery of our other appliances, helped carry the hob and range hood, and flag a taxi for me outside the warehouse. To expedite delivery, he even talked to the delivery staff if delivery in Makati was possible on a particular morning and instructed Ruben in Abenson-Quad Branch how to obtain a time commitment for delivery. That was quality service. I was overwhelmed and even wrote Mr. Wilson Lim, the president, about it.
Connie, I don't own a stock in Abenson. Hahaha.
Hard sell? Hinde umo-ubra sa akin yan. Especially when it comes to electrical appliances, computers and electronic gadgets. When a salesman approach me and apply that strategy and I don't like the product, I ask for technical specification which only a tech-guy knows. It's fun when you blurt out acronyms and he gives you a blank stare.
Moni, you are indeed lucky! Actually, we were comparing prices and delivery rates of Western Marketing and Abenson's. And we finally bought the Elba range and Kelvinator fridge today, making sure that someone other than that Daniel got the commission.
BlogusVox, I do that too hehehehe lalo na pag sobra yabang ng salesman.
I used to be in sales but hard selling was not my thing, it was more on relationship building.
When faced w/ sales people in the mall, i just wave them off and walk away. I just ignore them, and if they persist, one "leave me alone or i'll stuff that thing your selling down your throat or up your a**" look works all the time.
The worst hard sell i've experienced? The wet market in Baclaran! Pagaagawan ka, tapos pagtutulungan ka! If they think they can "handle" you, they'll confuse you till you buy.
Good move on choosing a different person for the commission!
The salesman that lost the sale did not know the Secret.
I myself forgot to apply the Secret this time. I was just hoping you will buy Electrolux appliances. I work for their division that deals with profesional foodservice equipment. but, i'm glad to know that Moni bought Electrolux appliances before…hehehe.
Hirap talaga mag-shopping dyan sa atin. If you look like you have lots of money, the sale staff would suffocate you with their presence. Kapag naman mukha kang walang pera, nobody would pay attention to you (nakakainis specially kapag shoes ang bibilihin mo)and worse mapagkamalan kang shoplifter. It happened to me sa isang store sa Makati which is a short walking distance sa bahay namin. I went there to buy a suitcase the night before my early morning flight. I was just wearing pambahay and did not bring a bag with me. I grabbed the suitcase then went to the shoe department because my sister wants me to buy her and her children shoes so I obliged and even offered to buy some clothes for the kids. When we were looking for shoes I noticed that a sales staff keeps on following us so nagpaikot-ikot kami ng sister ko sa store and when I finally get tired, hinarap ko yung sales staff and asked her kung bakit sunod siya nang sunod. Yun daw ang instruction ng supervisor niya so I asked for her supervisor at yun ang hinarap ko. Ang palusot ng supervisor she just want her staff assist me with my shopping. I lectured her on what "assist" means and told her that her alibi is so gasgas. I told her not to judge their customers based on what he/she wears dahil maraming gangster na naka-barong or coat and tie. Binili ko lang yung suitcase dahil wala nang time na bumili sa iba and returned the rest of the stuff. Ang inis siguro nung ibang sales ladies na nawalang ng benta dahil sa supervisor. I just gave my sister the money and told her to buy the shoes and clothes from other store.
I swear next time I visit Pinas I won't even set foot on that store again. I don't care if I have to take a jeep just to buy a tsinelas.
Hi Connie! I was reading your post and suddenly all these feelings came rushing back. I have been a 'victim' of hard selling, as well…which to this day, causes me to feel stressed, and actually makes my heart hurt.
During my first year in London, I was woken up to our phone ringing non-stop. It was 4:45 AM! When I picked it up, at first it seemed to be a recorded message, then a live voice…it was this guy selling me a package to Disney World, all inclusive daw, with a cruise which stopped over in the Bahamas, before going to Fort Lauderdale. I don't know why I listened to him go on and on and on, despite my sleepiness, di ko nagawang baba-an sya ng telepono..I guess I was still in my 'sheltered-manila-mode' (aanga-anga pa ako noon). I stayed on the phone with him for about an hour, and even though vague sya in answering the little queries that I had, he still managed to get me to give him my credit card number (yes! i know, i'm so tanga!!!). I had to pay it in full daw NOW, because it was the last day of that offer. He gave me his name,contact number, and website. My credit card was debited there and then. £550.00! I wasn't thinking, really. I wanted to surprise my partner with a Disney Tour, so I didn't really think of the consequences. I didn't tell my partner what happened, lest he think I was an idiot (hah!). I walked around in a never-ending-nervous- state all the time, until after almost a week, a special package was FedEx'd to me. It was from that guy — the Disney guy. I had all the papeles and 'receipt', with brochures and itineraries. When I tried to reach him on the numer he gave, it wouldn't connect at all. Invalid number. I frantically tried to get onto his website, pero page could not be found. I cried and cried, and to make things worse, my credit card company said wala daw sila magagawa about this, kasi it was an error on my part. Ok, fair enough. Pero wala ba ako right mag-dispute?? that was 7 1/2 years ago. I still cringe when I think about what I could've done with the money, instead of blowing it on that non-existent 'cruise'. All because I couldn't hang up on that guy na magaling mag-hard-sell.
Eto pa. Years later (and none the wiser), i started getting migraines on a daily basis again. I figured my astigmatism returned, and I'd probably need glasses again to correct my eyesight. I went to the opticians and had an eye test done. £10.00 yung eye test, but if you buy a pair of glasses, free na yung test. The sales guy kept insisting I buy a pair para I won't pay for the test. I told him several times, na I don't mind paying for the test, I just want to see the results, so I can decide from there (kung mata ko ba talaga yung problema). He was so persistent, pretending even to find difficulty in telling what the problem was, kahit i saw a technician give him a folder which i assumed were my results, minutes before. He told me to try on glasses, while I waited, so 'just in case' daw i'll need glasses, I have an idea what I want. He brought out about 6 different pairs, all over £250.00…i told him i will not decide now…but i sort of liked a pair of Armani,it even matched my work uniform… but £300 glasses were not in my budget, and since I was going home to Manila for the holidays, I thought I'd wait and have glasses made back home, and it would be much, much cheaper. After spending almost an hour and a half inside the opticians, I was really uncomfortable already, hungry, tired and I was starting to get masungit. He said I could go to the cashier to settle my bill, and come back to bring him my receipt. I had no clue why he needed the recepit…? do you know I got the shock of my life when the total bill was £310.00!!! i was tulala, i could not believe he made me gago in my face. I went back to him with the recepit and demanded an explanation. He didn't even bother accompany me to the cashier..kaya pala, he was up to kalokohan. He looked at the recepit and was pretending to tell the cashier off. Error daw, because I shouldnt have gotten charged for the eye test, because I purchased the glasses. I was shaking, and I thought I'd pass out. On the way home, I was crying so much, feeling ko, violated. How dare he? pero since I don't like confrontation, I let it be. I didn't even open the case of the glasses till the next morning. I started to panic when I saw the glasses. I went back to the store return it, but it was refused, because they specially made the lens to correct my eyesight. The guy did not even approach me when he saw me. How I wish I could have made 'skandalo' in the store. But i left without a word. Do you know that I never even wore those glasses. I tried it on, for about half an hour, and then I felt really, really sick. I never wore it again after that lest I feel so dizzy again. I honestly do not know where those glasses are right now. a lot of money down the drain again. Well, now I know better. In fact, the company where I work, hard-selling is a no-no. If we are caught hard-selling, it could lead to disciplinary…kasi it's classified as bullying. It is, isn't it??
Sorry for such a long comment, Connie…it's like all the years I kept the feelings inside came rushing back.
Speak to them in a soft spoken, very bourgoise English and I swear, they will leave you alone rather than talking to you in English and put themselves in a situation where they die of nosebleed. Hahaha.
"Ma'am, anong size po? Eto ang bagong design. Anong color ang gusto niyo?"
Nakupo, asar. I walk out when that happens.
Peterb, as far as I know, there is a physical line that those ahentes are not supposed to cross in malls. They're supposed to stay in the central part and not cross over to the aisles where people walk. I have a cousin-in-law who taunts these ahentes by walking very near the line and daring the ahentes to cross over so he can report them.
Carol B., kasi mga trainer ng mga sales staff dito, wala ring alam. If we really think about it, the quality of service of the sales staff only reflects their training. Bad management equals bad training equals bad service.
Boo, re the Disney tour. That happened to me too. A hotel privilege something. Discounted rates in affiliate hotels all over the world. I wanted it actually and it was a legit business (I checked first) but the agreement was that the payment would be debited only after the first use of the service (meaning, pag nag check in kami with one of the affiliate hotels). They asked for my credit card number FOR ID PURPOSES daw then the credit card company called me up to alert me na may debit na. Aba'y ginera ko yung sa hotel privilege office until the entire transaction was cancelled. Nawalan pa sila ng sale which I really intended to make kundi lang sila adelantado masyado.
Yang mga optometrist, they're just like any doctor — they get "incentives". Optometrists, I bet, from the frame manufacturers or dealers.
And "bullying" is the best word to describe hard-sell techniques. Mismo!!!
Ex-art student, hehehe I like that. I really like that! During the years when we were hopping from one subdivision to another looking for the ideal neighborhood, I used to flash diamonds on the agents HAHAHAHAHAHA
Connie,
Include those selling extended warranties on your appliance purchase.
We had an experience before that we said no to the extended warranty as we don't need it because the item is not that expensive, but when we got the bill it was included and since it was a credit card purchase and was already approved and the extended warranty cost is not that much , we decided not to contest it…but when we got home, we felt we were fooled and robbed on buying that extended warranty…
I also hate sales people lurking around while you take your time checking out the products, they make you feel you are going to run off with their items…
That's a racket, really, the extended warranty. We asked about that and it's really just the convenience of having the store bring the unit to the manufacturer and nothing else. There's no guarantee of faster repair or of replacement over the period of the extended warranty.
Extended warranty is another marketing idea to increase revenue or profit for the manufacturers and dealers. Appliances are built to last from 8 to 15 years, as long as they are not abused, sometimes longer or forever.
Well, diamonds are sales agents' bestfriend. Hahaha. I do this all the time and keeps those agents out of my sight. Hahaha
JMonreal, re "Appliances are built to last from 8 to 15 years."
That depends on the kind of appliances and brands. Locally made electric fans, for instance, don't last that long. 3 years would be lucky and that would be outside the 2 year extended warranty period.
Ha ha ha ha…
The thing that I like in this post is the naming names.
hahahaha they don't do it to me cause most of them are afraid of getting nosebleed having to speak English daw
i was once a victim of this hard sell agents, one time i was walking in robinsons place manila, when an agent approached me and ask me to pick a scratch card from a fish bowl, i picked the jackpot price and she showed me what i would be taking home, i was so happy because the jackpot price was a huge set (3 boxes) of germany made stainless cooking pots and pans, which looks heavy duty. all agents surround me as i was the one who got the jackpot, i was about to believed what happened, i was actually thinking of how i will take it home, until they handed me a form. and ask for my credit card, and they say that the total worth of everything i got was around 70k BUT before i can take them home i need to make a purchase of 9000pesos. when i ask why do i have to spend that money if i picked the jackpot price, they showed me the winning scratch card with a very, very small print, a DISCLAIMER saying that ITEMS CAN ONLY BE CLAIMED UPON PURCHASE of UPTO 9000 PESOS. i immidiately gave them back the form and told them i am not interested anymore.