We got our leather couch

This picture of the day revolves around a furniture store that will remain nameless. But if you click this Day 85 Photo Link you can get a major hint at who I’m referring to.

I am done dealing with this place.

They have pissed us off enough, never to return!

Which is too bad because I like to stay away from the big American boxstores. But they left us no other option.

We found a couch we really love there. It’s one we noticed when we first moved into our house but now we are ready to purchase. We went back to check it out but thought we should take one last look around there before making our final decision.

Then strike one occurred…..the annoying salesperson who will not leave us alone.

Hi. My name is so-&-so may I help you with anything?
No thank you. We are just looking around.
Ok. Are you looking for anything in particular?
Not really. Just something that strikes our eye.
Like kitchen?
Not sure.
Bedroom?
Maybe. I don’t know.
Sofa?
Maybe.
What colour? Have any fabric in mind?
No, we just want to look around and see what is out here.
Major Appliances?
I don’t know. We just want to look around.
Sure I can’t give you a hand.
NO. But we’ll come find you if we have any questions.
Ok, don’t forget my name is so-&-so and I’ll gladly be off assistance.
Ok. Have a nice day. We’ll find you if we need you.

Then it was a quick exit. John was pissed. He was mumbling rude things under his breath the whole time this person would not leave us alone. We know it’s their job but when someone says we just want to walk around and take in the sites, leave us alone to let us do it. First time that a salesperson didn’t just walk away and watch us from afar.

We then decided that yes, we will probably buy that couch we saw months ago as long as we get a different person when J goes back in. J was going back in alone because I’m not much of a haggler. I’m not very good at price negotiating. So John goes back in and gets strike two.  The lying salesperson.

After all the introductions and whatnot J gets down to business. (I’m not sure how this goes down exactly so I’m just guessing from what J told me)
So, I’m thinking about purchasing this couch. But it’s a little more than I was hoping to pay.  There is a couch at The storenamedafteramasonryproduct that I also like. But I wanted to go with you guys because I’ve always dealt with this store back East. The other couch is slightly cheaper and we get a contractors discount with our home builder.  This is the price and discount. Anything you can do?
Well sir, you are paying for quality. Ours is far more superior. *knocks on the couch* It’s solid wood frame.
So is the one at The storenamedafteramasonryproduct.
Yea but this is solid whatevertypeofwood.
So is that one.
*Picks it up* It’s heavy. Only high quality furniture is this heavy.
It’s the same weight as any other couch I’ve picked up.
This is 100% leather. It’s top of the line. Nothing like you’d get at The storenamedafteramasonryproduct.
I beg to differ. Both are 100% leather. The other couch I like isn’t bonded leather.
Well sir, this couch just came off sale.
Oh really. How much was it? When was it on sale exactly?
Oh it was in the flyers.
When?
Within the last month.
Uhhh, I don’t think so. We’ve been in and out now for 4 months and have been checking the flyers and this couch has always been said price.
Oh. I think you must be mistaken.
No I’m not. So what about the price.
Well sir, we have this ‘priceguarunteeprogram’ (name I won’t type out but it’s not hard to figure out). If it goes onsale in 30 days we will honour that price and you’ll get the difference. We are the only furniture store to have this policy.
Well maybe you are the only one to have it written down but everywhere I have been will price match and match the sale price if it goes on sale in 15 days so that is good enough.

Then more talking goes on. Lots of bull. Lots of fibs. So John gets home to tell me this guy wouldn’t budge because it’s the quality. If we buy a couch elsewhere it’s not as good and we are going to have to replace it within 3-5 years. I say, “uh-huh…what a crock…our Ikea couch is cheap and it’s doing great after 3 years…”

J decides he’s going back one last time because I really love this couch and even if they won’t budge, he’ll get it because I like it. So we research this couch on their website and the one at The storenamedafteramasonryproduct. Then he waits until that other guy is off shift and heads back with some gems. Bring on strike three.

Introductions occur. Lets the salesperson know he’s been in a few times looking at this couch and talking to people about it. He explains our discount with The storenamedafteramasonryproduct and sees if any concessions can be made.
Well sir, this couch is far superior than one at that other place.
How? It’s the same price as the other one and they are working with us.
This is solid whatevertype of wood and 100% leather.
Yea, so is this other couch. It’s solid whatevertype of wood and do you know what. The one at The storenamedafteramasonryproduct is 100% Italian leather. This one says ‘leather: imported from Asia’ on your website.
Well we have this thing called ‘priceguarunteeprogram’ and I just used it on a customer just before you came in.
Let me guess. It was a dining set.
Yes, actually it was.
That’s because your dining sets are always going on sale and this couch is never onsale. It’s the only one in here that hasn’t since we’ve moved to this city.  Another salesperson once told me it was just on sale last week or whatever but I know it wasn’t. That’s not very honest. But that’s besides the point. So let me get this straight. You want me to pay more in the end for a couch that by all rights and purposes is a less superior product than the other place? (yes, J’s getting a little biotchy at this point)
No sir. But we have free delivery which saves you $70ish dollars right off the get go.
Well that isn’t an issue because I’ll be picking up the couch. I have a truck and don’t need delivery.
But it’s heavy.
Yes, it probably is. But I’m a bigger guy and I have friends to help if need be. But I think I’ll be fine. So that isn’t an issue.
Well, since it’s not being delivered I can 3% off the price.
Ouuuuu, what’s that $50 bucks?
*guy grabs calculator and does some quick math* Actually it’s blah-blah-blah. Just under or over 50 bucks.
Well then, can I ask why do you have the price as $….99.99 when on your website it says %….19.99
It must be a different couch.
Nope it’s not. We’ve been researching it for months. Same couch.
What’s it called?
It says the *insert name here*
Well, this is *insert different name here* not the *blahblah*
No it’s the same couch. Everything you told me about it matches what the description says so I’m just wondering why the instore price is more than the website price when I can just order it online but I thought I’d come in because I like dealing with people face to face.
Well it’s not the same couch.
Ok, lets go look it up on the system/online and you can show me the differences and whatnot.
Well I can’t do that.
Why not?
I can’t. It’s not the same couch.
Ok I gather that. I just want you to pull up the 2 different couches on your system so we can compare the product.
I can’t.
Ok, well then I’m going to The storenamedafteramasonryproduct.

And that brings to a close our dealings with this store.  We were fully prepared to pay more for this couch but the salespeople and then the lies was too much.  We decided to go to The storenamedafteramasonryproduct and see exactly what the deal would be on the other couch we had picked. So J went in and he explained our situation (how we *may* have burnt our contractor pricing discount certificate in a bonfire when our friends came out for a visit) and what run around/lies we were getting from the other place. The woman was more than accommodating. She gave us a new certificate and pulled up the couch on her system and went over everything about it. Gave him a price. A sweet, sweet price I might add and a discount on the extended warranty if we chose to have it.  So we had to go with The storenamedafteramasonryproduct. The price after taxes was still like $500 cheaper than the other place and $500 cheaper than the advertised price for this couch.

It may not have been what we were originally looking for but we like this one better in the end. It’s not as smooth as the other one in the sense it has not-so-straight arms and it has seems on the back cushions where the other one was very streamlined and plain. So once I adjusted to the idea of something new and went to the store to see it in person I did like it better. Enough to buy it over the other one even though it won’t be in for a while. Oh well, we’ll wait.

So there you have it folks. The tale of our couch for the front room and all the trouble that came with it. Now to find the rest of the furniture that goes with that room. hehe