Christmas Stalls Henry Street- any problems?

MrStuffins

Retro Police wrote: »

I worked on a stall for years and people like the OP used to drive me nuts. Just because the products are on a stall does not mean you are entitled to a discount, especially not on something like a €5 hat! Would you go into Tesco or Dunnes and try it?

Maybe if you were buying 10 hats you might have had more luck. Generally the profit magins on small value goods is minimal, why should they give you a discount because you're buying one?

Tesco/Dunnes and a market stall are completely different i'm afraid!

mattjack

MrStuffins wrote: »

Then it seems you understand business just as well as these stall-holders do.

See, they way big business works now is that almost every shop you go into is a branch of a big chain, all being controlled by head office.

Employees are not authorised to give discounts so the Irish people have become very very used to not bothering to ask for one because the answer will always be no.

It's always possible to get discounts in smaller shops when the decision makers are present!

It's a very sad state of affairs though when it's gotten to the stage where someone asking for a discount is being called scabby and cheap.

I bet if they said to you "It's €100 but i'll give it to you for €95" you wouldn't say "No, that would be scabby. Here, take my €100!"

Did you buy a hat for a hundred euros too ? ... you silly boy

MrStuffins

mattjack wrote: »

Did you buy a hat for a hundred euros too ? ... you silly boy

You seem to have trouble keeping up. Don't worry though, I can get you a nice cheap hat to make you look cool!

mattjack

:pac:

MrStuffins wrote: »

You seem to have trouble keeping up. Don't worry though, I can get you a nice cheap hat to make you look cool!

:pac: So do you....I,ve haggled over cars , vans and books from time to time ..but a hat for a tenner ?

MrStuffins

mattjack wrote: »

:pac:

:pac: So do you....I,ve haggled over cars , vans and books from time to time ..but a hat for a tenner ?

Why not? The principle is the same?

I didn't even want the discount, I did it for the craic (as I ended up giving him €20 in the end anyway).

mattjack

MrStuffins wrote: »

Why not? The principle is the same?

I didn't even want the discount, I did it for the craic (as I ended up giving him €20 in the end anyway).

fair enough

reprazant

mattjack wrote: »

:pac:

:pac: So do you....I,ve haggled over cars , vans and books from time to time ..but a hat for a tenner ?

You'll haggle over the price of a book but not a hat?

mattjack

reprazant wrote: »

You'll haggle over the price of a book but not a hat?

Certainly would ....I collect old books ...most people have no idea of the value of them

Retro Police

MrStuffins wrote: »

Tesco/Dunnes and a market stall are completely different i'm afraid!

Of course they are, in terms of size of structure, but the core principle remains the same for every business - make money. Why would any retailer want to throw their profit margin away, particularly one as minimal as is sure to be attached to a €5 product. For the trader, that's the core issue so I'm not surprised he gave little time to the OP.

Cameron Poe

Something costing 100 quid or over is going to have a bigger margin than something for 5 quid.

I work in an independent shop and I will gladly entertain hagglers spending 50 quid or more. Anything under that is a waste of my time and the height of scabbyness. If you're that poor haggle with Eddie Hobbs and he might let you live in his spare room.

MrStuffins

Retro Police wrote: »

Of course they are, in terms of size of structure, but the core principle remains the same for every business - make money. Why would any retailer want to throw their profit margin away, particularly one as minimal as is sure to be attached to a €5 product. For the trader, that's the core issue so I'm not surprised he gave little time to the OP.

I'm pretty sure you know the answer to this. it's basic business priciple and it's pretty simple.

stovelid

MrStuffins wrote: »

I don't see why people are calling the OP scabby for haggling. If she can get a discount she can get a discount. Since when is saving money a bad thing?

I love haggling. Last year I was looking at a €10 hat and was asking for a discount. They were having none of it.

"€9"

"No way, it's a tenner"

"€9 buddy come on i'll give it to you now"

"No it's a tenner."

"What if I buy 2?"

"Then it'll be €20"


After about 15 mins he finally decided to give me both hats for €18.

I gave him €20 and told him to keep the change!

The point is that you are taking up fifteen minutes of their time when they are trying to make money in a limited time frame.

For a few euro.

MrStuffins

stovelid wrote: »

The point is that you are taking up fifteen minutes of their time when they are trying to make money in a limited time frame.

For a few euro.

Ah well, if they don't want their time taken by paying customers then they're in the wrong game.

stovelid

MrStuffins wrote: »

Ah well, if they don't want their time taken by paying customers then they're in the wrong game.

Semi-paying customers.

CyberJuice

laura* wrote: »

I was shopping in town with my friend today, when a hat caught my eye. I asked the woman could I get a little off to which she replied 'You're not in China'

Funny enough for her to say your not in china

you might as well be in china with all the nock off stuff they are selling on them stalls.. thats what i woulda said to her,then i woulda took out my phone and said im calling the guards if your gonna try be a smart arse..they will confiscate all your illegal stock lmao

one guy had a table full of knock off watches.another stall some woman had gucci and louie vuiton handbags for 20 or 25 euro each lol. another stall the woman has counterfit big brand make up.

there was also many other counterfit goods



the people saying that you cant haggel with these people because they only have a limited time frame to sell the goods is nonsense.. its not like these people sit on their backsides all year and only work on a stall for the 3 weeks before christmas.these guys are on stalls every week of the year,in the liberties,in car boot sales and in loads of other places, so the fact that u say they have a limited time frame is just stupid..


i wouldnt personally ask for discount on a 5 euro item but if the op wants to then she should be able to.. i guess the vendors were being so snappy probly because they are not making as much money as they used to over the last few years,i would often buy a giant toblerone or a silly hat off the stalls if im passing but just dont have the spare cash to waste this year..

Jay D

The situation was OP asks for a discount, gets laughed at, is frightened out of haggling. You're obviously unbelievably crap at it if you thought that was haggling

The stuff they sell along there is absolute crap imo, that aside though they're well used to haggling, up your game a bit and shut up being such a whimp

dfx-

irishbird wrote: »

well seriously, could you blame them ? you were trying to haggle over e5:eek:

If you only afford to spend €4.50, then haggling over €5 is a big deal.

At least the sellers still have a hat, have 'their wit', but they don't have an extra money they could have had. All for the sake of not giving a 50c discount...and people are criticising someone haggling over €5? :eek:

stovelid wrote: »

The point is that you are taking up fifteen minutes of their time when they are trying to make money in a limited time frame.

For a few euro.

Could've had the sale in a minute and moved on if their time is that precious.

Retailer

MrStuffins wrote: »

Then it seems you understand business just as well as these stall-holders do.

See, they way big business works now is that almost every shop you go into is a branch of a big chain, all being controlled by head office.

Employees are not authorised to give discounts so the Irish people have become very very used to not bothering to ask for one because the answer will always be no.

It's always possible to get discounts in smaller shops when the decision makers are present!

It's a very sad state of affairs though when it's gotten to the stage where someone asking for a discount is being called scabby and cheap.

I bet if they said to you "It's €100 but i'll give it to you for €95" you wouldn't say "No, that would be scabby. Here, take my €100!"

As an independent retailer I generally always give a discount to people who spend a fair bit and who ask for a discount.

It's good business and keeps the customer coming back.

In the case of the OP.....to me €9 in the 'till' on a €10 sale is better than losing the sale altogether. I know how much those hats cost as I sell them for €4 so there's still profit for the trader

Cameron Poe

dfx- wrote: »

At least the sellers still have a hat, have 'their wit', but they don't have an extra money they could have had. All for the sake of not giving a 50c discount...and people are criticising someone haggling over €5? :eek:

He probably sold the hat to the next customer without wasting any time with the op.

Haggling over a fiver is the pits.

wyndham

Who was on the stall, Zumo or Deco? If Eileen was there she'd have dealt. She's oldskool.

dfx-

Cameron Poe wrote: »

He probably sold the hat to the next customer without wasting any time with the op.

Or the clever seller could've sold two including the OP in the same timeframe.

5500

I can see where both parties are coming from due to being on both side's of the fency myself regularly. I wouldnt take offence to what they said to you, Ive had alot worse said but I think thats just dublin street traders, if you give as good as you get back with them you can have a bit of banter and a laugh.

Personally I wouldnt haggle over a €5 item, and from selling alot of stuff myself it does my head in when people try and haggle over items costing small amounts ie sub €10 Realistically on some things the profit margin might be only €1 on what your selling and believe me if you work a carboot or a market stall for the day it gets a right pain in the hole when MrThrifty himmms n hawwwns for half an hour of your time trying to get a price down when you'd actually be at a loss.

I'm always polite dealing with people and i'll have a banter with them,if their spending a good few euro I'd knock a few quid off and do my best for them but some people are unreal, if they come across snotty or demanding I think thats where the sharp dublin tounge tends to come in and they'll either get defensive and run or bounce back with you.

Dont let it put you off haggling again anyways!