For Christmas, my sister gave me a very generous gift card for a local photo shop. Since I wanted to upgrade my camera, I decided to put the card toward that.

After looking at their website, I e-mailed the photo shop and they responded. Their selection of cameras was limited so I focused (pun intended) on an improved model of what I already owned.

Yes they carried the Olympus 9000.

Price?

$299

My on-line research showed that I could purchase the same camera for as little as $189.

After e-mailing the shop back and informing them of this I got no response.

A few days later I decided to send another e-mail saying I’d “come in” and look at the camera.

The photo shop e-mailed me back that the camera was now “on sale” for $249. I found this interesting on several levels.

Wanting to give my business to a local merchant, I figured I had nothing to lose by at least going there. My friend K decided she’d come along to negotiate. K is very good at negotiating. Me: not so much.

I arrived at the photo shop before K and headed for the camera counter. A guy named Ray was finishing up with another customer.

Ray barely acknowledged me. I tried to chat him up about how cold the weather was but he was not very interested in being chatted up. When I told him which camera I wanted to see he couldn’t find it in the cabinet. I pointed it out to him. He took it out and handed it to me.

“What can you tell me about it”? I asked.

“What would you like to know?” answered Ray.

It quickly became clear that Ray was not interested in selling me the camera. Perhaps a more expensive camera would have motivated Ray. I will never know.

Ray told me nothing about the camera nor did he even provide me with an owner’s manual to flip through.

I had brought with me two pieces of paper with internet printouts showing the same camera selling for much less money on two different websites. When I pulled them out of my bag and put them on the counter, Ray lightly pushed them away with a dismissive motion. He (who by now I hand nicknamed ‘Ray of Sunshine’ but just to my inner voice) told me that “those places” can sell their merchandise for less because they buy in bulk and “might not always be reputable”.

“B&H isn’t reputable?” I said.

“Well, yeah THEY are,” said Ray.

Okay so I got the “buy in bulk” thing. But Ray was not giving me a reason to spend the extra cash with him. If Ray was the poster boy for the sort of customer service I could expect from my local merchant, then I could expect nothing.

“You can’t do any better than $249?” I asked. “I’d like to buy the camera here.”

Ray said no and that it wasn’t up to him. But then, suddenly, Ray told me to wait there.

In a few minutes he returned and said “$225”.

Ray had spoken to “the boss” who took $25 bucks off the “sale price”. Final offer.

I thought it was better than nothing and some sort of indication that they might actually want my business.

I continued to play with the camera. Ray just stood there.

K arrived and off to the side asked for a status update. I filled her in and then she went to work.

“So $225 is the best you can do? Shouldn’t local merchants try to negotiate with their customers to try to get repeat business?” said K.

Ray said nothing.

K continued, “I’ve spent a bit of money here over the years…my wedding pictures, pictures of my kids….”

Ray was clearly annoyed by K. K looked at me. “Ray of sunshine” we both said at once.

Ray and I discussed memory cards. Cameras don’t come with them, they cost extra but not a lot. I asked what they charged for one. I think Ray said “$12” or something like that but I already was planning on getting one cheaper on Ebay.

“C’mon Ray. Throw in a memory card,” said K. “Isn’t $12 worth getting a happy, repeat customer?”

Ray ignored her.

I told Ray I would buy the camera.

Ray reached under the counter and produced a coupon for free 4×6 prints.

“Could I have one of those?” asked K.

“No,” said Ray.

K and I looked at each other. Okay then.

“If you buy a camera you get one,” said Ray. Ray of sunshine.

Ray didn’t even have enough of a sense of humor to give K a crappy little coupon as a friendly gesture. Nope. That’s what I call great local customer service. Someone really needs to tell Ray that a little sense of humor goes a long way.

I handed K the coupon.

“Thanks. No. That’s yours. And besides I won’t be coming back here anyway.”

Ray was probably thrilled to hear that.

But the reality is that because of Ray, my local camera shop lost two customers. I got my camera for a good price only because of the gift card. Ray gave me no reason to ever return.

When K and I approached the cashier, K said “you oughtta tell Ray to lighten up a little.”

The cashier smiled but didn’t say anything.

“I know you can’t say anything but I can tell you agree,” said K.

The cashier laughed.

I am not a local merchant but I could be a customer. It seems to me that local merchants ought to be acting as if they want my business, not as if I am an annoyance or some sort of interruption in their day. Local merchants cannot afford to alienate their customers. If you are a local merchant and you employ people like Ray you are shooting yourself in the foot. If anything, local merchants should be going out of their way to get customers to spend their dollars at their stores.

And as an added note to local merchants, you never know when your customer has a microphone at her disposal and might use it to tell other potential customers her story…on the air, on the radio.

Comments are closed.