What would you do in this situation?

[Craig Smith]

I was in (city edited out) this afternoon and, as always, I stopped in one of the local card shops to pick up a couple of boxes.

Chose a box of Razor Ink and one of Topps Chrome and was just looking around for anything else interesting.

A guy comes into the shop and complains because a certain open box of cards was empty and grabs an open box of 2009 (UD?) football big packs (jumbo?) and lays all of them on the counter and feels every one trying to decide which ones might have one of the three game used. The SHOP OWNER does the same thing and starts giving recommendations on which ones he thinks might have the GU. (Now I know why I never received any inserts from the various packs I have bought over the last 10 years from him.)

What would be your reaction?

I pushed the boxes back on the counter to him, turned to the customer, then to the owner and said "*%$#@*&^ pack searchers" and calmly left the shop, never to return.

I feel good now........

 

[blazers091]

I wouldn't go back there.

 

[jeff550]

i would never go back there

 

[kentuckyderby]

thumbs up

I also would have mentioned that I would be sure to spread the word about the pack searching at the local card shows and such

I might have even have asked the shop owner if he would ever buy from a shop if he knew the owner searched product

 

[AMAZIN HOF COLLECTOR]

I would tell the guy behind the counter that "I was about to buy these two boxes. Can you do me a favor and open them and pull the packs you think have the inserts for me? This way I can save on buying the boxes and just buy a few packs." I would love to see the expression on his face. I have walked into shops to find the "regulars" with the guy behind the counter at an open box whispering. They stop what they are doing and look at me. I just walk out. Sealed boxes are the way to go...

 

[rymflaherty]

Honestly I think the only thing anyone could even criticize would be you could have not swore at them, but honestly if i saw that It'd infuriate me, so sure that's where that came from.

I'd like to think I'd have done the same thing (leaving without the purchase), as really that was the best statement you could have made and cost him where it really hurts - sales.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

Thanked!

Great Job!

 

[Craig Smith]

Thanks for the great replies.

My swearing amounts to a damn or darn, not what I may have indicated with the squigglies.

Over the years I have dealt with this man I have probably given him 10,000 cards to hand out to kids or include in his $1.00 bags so I was really let down by his actions. Oh well.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

Thanks for the great replies.

My swearing amounts to a damn or darn, not what I may have indicated with the squigglies.

Over the years I have dealt with this man I have probably given him 10,000 cards to hand out to kids or include in his $1.00 bags so I was really let down by his actions. Oh well.

More importantly, if you've given him 10k in cards over the years, im pretty confident in saying that you've
given him at least half that much in $ worth of business.

 

[Canocollector#1]

What was the name of the store?

 

[Mudcatsfan]

That's really dissapointing.

I probably would have asked how he'd like the story of his actions broadcast across the internet.

I would then post your facts only report across the internet.

Customer trust is hard to gain and easy to lose.

 

[donrusscrusademan]

that makes me very angry.

we collectors talk about the problems at walmart, but when its at a card store it really bothers me. card stores are dying due to online sites with better deals, so how they betray the people that buy from them is beyond me.


try to spread the truth. type on anywhere that will listen, and tell them your full name, the card shops name, what you saw and the date you saw it on. give them your phone number for any other questions they have. its time to alienate the bad people in the industry

 

[A_Pharis]

I think the shop should be called out just like any bad eBay seller.

 

[Dpanthers14]

I think this is awful, If you delt with him for more than 10 years why didn't you say more than you did? I know if i delt with someone that long they would get more than a damn pack searcher comment.

 

[bouwob]

I think the shop should be called out just like any bad eBay seller.

I would say the same, except was the shop keeper the owner or a hired employee? If he was a hired employee you should direct the owner to this thread. If it was the owner, you should give the exact name, location and phone number of the shop in question, so that the rest of us can stay away (and maybe let the owner know how dumb they are)

 

[Pinbreaker]

Good job.. I would still say the name of the card shop so that customers in your area know to stay away..

The card shop where I go to shuffles the packs when he opens boxes for packs.. He puts the box on the shelf behind him and makes you say what number you want.. 1 for the front pack and goes from there.. He doesn't want anyone ever accusing him of even in the slightest, that he would do something like that..
Maybe that's why I have been doing business with him for over 25 years..

 

[predatorkj]

Well gee whiz...where did all you anti pack searchers come from?I have spoken out several times with about it being wrong and never heard a peep out of a lot of you.

In any case...I would be pissed and yeah...I'd probably not go back there.Honestly at my shop it wouldn't bother me as much since I don't buy a lot of wax from there nor do I buy loose packs but I guess I would still hate the fact they were even doing it in the first place.

 

[Lancemountain]

I think the shop should be called out just like any bad eBay seller.

I would say the same, except was the shop keeper the owner or a hired employee? If he was a hired employee you should direct the owner to this thread. If it was the owner, you should give the exact name, location and phone number of the shop in question, so that the rest of us can stay away (and maybe let the owner know how dumb they are)

This is sound advice at first but there are other industries like restaurants, auto repair shops, home good shops, florists, ect that are routinely judged on their employees and not just the owners conduct on http://www.yelp.com and http://www.citysearch.com. Say you go to restaurant X and the service sucks. Do you not point that out when your friends ask how your meal was? The owner himself was not present at your table, or even cooking your meal.....

I'd be remiss to also point out that hobby shops generally have a small staff and the staff that is there generally stays for years on end.........If this was an employee and not the owner then he obviously felt comfortable enough with his relationship with the owner to pack search, not only with another customer, but right in front of another long time customer.


OP should name this exact store. AND email the owner a link to the thread.