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I finally got around to taking my car to the shop this weekend for some past due maintenance and a couple of new tires. I've needed an alignment for some time now and I just haven't wanted to spend my day off waiting in the car repair shop. I took my vehicle to a local automobile repair shop and told them what I needed.
For my two new tires, an alignment and an oil change, the total came to just over $400. I gave them the ok to go ahead and start the work. While sitting in the waiting area, the manager comes over to me and tells me that I can go ahead and complete the instant credit form while I'm waiting and by the time my vehicle is ready, I'll know how much I am approved for. I politely told him no thanks and went back to watching the TV in the waiting room. He looked at me a little strange but didn't push the issue and went on his way.
About twenty minutes later, he came back in to give me an update on my car and to see if I was ready to submit my application. Again, I politely told him no thanks. Apparently, he was not taking no for an answer this time. He started to explain how short the application was and how I would more than likely be approved. By this time, he'd started to work on my nerves a little. So again, I told him thanks, but no thanks, and that I would be paying with cash. I told him I wasn't worried about getting approved but I just did not need any additional credit. When he started in on the 90 days same as cash, I lost it. I firmly, but politely, told him that I don't care how long the application was, how long it would take to get approved or how many days I could use their money, I DO NOT WANT TO APPLY FOR THEIR CREDIT CARD. Unfortunately, it took me having to be a little rude for him to stop the sales pitch.
Have you had a salesperson try to push a credit card on you? How did you handle it?
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Not to that degree, at least not lately.
The only one recently that went past the first "No" was at a baby store, for a 529-plan rewards credit card. It's like, hi, this is kind of a long-term thing for point-of-sale, and we need to do more research. There were a few people behind us in line so that probably kept it from going too far.
Most people stop with the first no, but occasionally they keep going. Usually it only requires a second no to just down the sales pitch, but this weekend I ran into a cashier trying to pitch their store card, and I kept getting the whole "Are you sure, you can get ____ benefit" song and dance. She got a pretty firm, bordering on rude "I said NO" before she finally gave up and rang up my sale (which I was paying for in cash!) No, I do not want to open a charge card for your store to finance my $10 purchase.
Wow, I definitely haven't been pushed that much lately. I just get the occasional offer in the mail.
BTW, I'm holding an Entrecard contest you may be interested in - rules are easy, on my EC post. Giving away 4000 credits!
I think that you were very patient, in the circumstances!
that's happened to me, but I guess thats because I'm a college student. I usually just answer rudely the second time or say no. I get that asked all the time, at kohols, book stores, etc. Sometimes I lie and say "I left mine at home" and they stop selling their sales pitch to me.
check out my blog as well.
http://www.supplementyourincometoday.blogspot.com
When I bought my car the finance manager tried to sell me on 2.9% financing for 5 years. Sounds good right? Except that I also qualified for 0.09% financing for three years. He pointed out that my payments would be lower. I pointed out that I didn't want to pay any more for the loan. What gets me is he probably gets a lot of people to switch their terms!
I usually just say no and explain I'm in a hurry. I do have a problem when sale people do the upsell. Like the popcorn and drink at the movie theater. It's tough, but got to stick to the budget :)
Oops. Forgot to leave my name.
I usually just say no and explain I'm in a hurry. I do have a problem when sale people do the upsell. Like the popcorn and drink at the movie theater. It's tough, but got to stick to the budget :)
Checkout counter. BestBuy Card. I said "no thanks". He said "why not?". I just stare at him until he gets nervous and completes the checkout. Staring at people is effective - they're usually embarrassed about having to plug these things anyway. Why should I need a reason not to sign up for a service I just plain don't want. Tired of being polite.
"Staring at people": I like it. I must remember that!
I think these folks get a commission for luring customers into the company's credit-card trap. I've had a few salespeople try -- courteously enough -- to persuade me even after I've said not.
The most hilarious, though, was the veterinarian's assistant, who really was only trying to be helpful when I said I didn't have enough in my checking account to cover a $500 (unnecessary) procedure the vet was proposing. She pointed out that they would take a credit card. I replied that I do not charge up expenses on a credit card unless I have enough in the bank to pay for them. She countered by saying the vet would carry me until the following month, and then they would charge it to the card. She truly did NOT understand a) why I wouldn't use a charge card to rack up debt I couldn't pay for, and b) that there was no difference between a debt to Visa and a debt to the vet.
I don't know how many of them get a commission, but I do know that many retail stores impose a quota on their employees. If they do not get X number of people per Y time period to submit a credit application, their job performance is considered below standards. They could give you the best customer service you've ever experienced, but if you decline to apply for credit, their employer considers the transaction a failure.
I really feel for these people, even at the same time I find myself losing my temper with them. It's disgusting that companies turn honest work into sleaze.
You know they get commission for every applicant they sign up.
You should have told him, is cash accepted as payment? LOL