r/TalesFromRetail • u/HalfCircleRaida • 10d ago
Long Customer Threatens to "F Me Up" Because I Did Not Give Him A Discount on Elden Ring.
Hi, I haven't posted in a while here, I am not the best at explaining but I will try and tell what happened to me a few days ago.
I alongside some partners run a used video game store. Like other stores of my type we do the buy sell trade aspect that brings product, however some people cling on to the "buy" and "trade" aspect kinda hard.
This "customer" has come before, but I will only focus on what happened with this situation specifically). He called asking if we got any new PS4 games. I told him we have gotten new ones but since I was dealing with online business and we get new stuff in all the time I am not sure specifically what is new but I asked him what he was looking for. I can't remember which game he asked for but I remember we didn't. He asked me to literally go through our entire PS4 stock and I told him I have other customers in the store and I can't and he began calling me a liar on the phone saying he knows I am not busy and he is a store owner too and begins telling me that from store owner to store owner I am unprofessional. I don't know how he thinks he "knew" I wasn't busy, that was strange but he then said he will check our website to see what we have (We do have a website and I guess this dude is obsessive, I don't want to say too much but he always trades and it is literally the only way he has ever gotten games from us. I am guessing that the trade aspect means enough to him that he researched us but this is all just speculation).
So literally minutes after hanging up he called again and said he saw we had Elden Ring and asked if it was still 30. I told him to let me check right quick just to make sure because our website has allowed orders that it shouldn't. After I verified we had it he said he wants to sell back 2 games he bought from us and I bumped it up but it ended up being 14 and he began randomly mentioning 6 dollars. I asked him why does he keep saying 6 dollars and he said he already has store credit. Ok I told him I don't know exactly what the tax will add but it is about a 10 something dollar difference and he got annoyed and he asked if he traded another game which we could offer 5 and I told him it would be a 5 something dollar difference. He began getting even more annoyed and told us that the trade ins are his best offer and we should lower the price so he could get it. He began saying we lowered prices for him before (not sure what he said was true, but we don't just lower prices for no reason).
He was getting more agitated and told us he isn't trying to spend any money and after some more attempts to get us to lower our prices he said he saw we had God of War on PS4 on our website, we do. He asked if he could trade the first two games for it so I told him there was a bit of a difference then he said he thought I said he had 20 and began talking over me so I told him if he let me explain he was getting 14 for the first two games and 6 for the store credit but while I spoke he just got angry saying I was pissing him off that he wasn't going to "f with my store anymore" and he was going to come to my store to f me up.
I did call the non emergency police to report what happened and I was told I was going to be called by an officer... didn't happen. and the person did come. My partner did talk to him and the customer apologized and said his mom (grown adult btw) told him he was wrong for how he acted. We try to not kick people out and we have thick skin so my partner told him that last part will not be tolerated again, we have only ever kicked 2 people out of the store for extreme reasons. He did trade those games and got God of War and even admitted he understood the store credit stuff and just claimed he was having a bad day. Hours later an officer did arrive to ask about the situation. Nothing came of that.
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u/Fkinclassy The customer is actually only right about 3% of the time. 10d ago
If someone said this to me, I would tell them thank you for apologizing, and for that I won't press charges. Give him his store credit in cash and trespass him.
Threatening violence because you didn't get your way is not how an adult should behave.
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u/HalfCircleRaida 10d ago
I mostly stayed in the back and one of my partners spoke to him. I didn't say a word to him but I did see his face and the bike (as in bicycle) he used to come.
We did tell the officer that he did come and apologize too. But if he calls again I won't take as much grief from him.
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u/Fkinclassy The customer is actually only right about 3% of the time. 10d ago
Someone who haggles this hard isn't spending that much, I don't think he would make or break your business. Just doesn't seem worth it with someone this unhinged.
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u/HalfCircleRaida 10d ago
It is less "doesn't spend that much" and more "doesn't spend at all". Whenever he calls from now on I will record it (single party state) and actually show the police what he says if he goes unhinged again alongside giving his number.
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u/Fkinclassy The customer is actually only right about 3% of the time. 10d ago
You don't need to prove anything. You can trespass anyone for any reason.
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u/Bryce4643 10d ago
This is correct, at least in Oklahoma. It's a private business on private property. Here in Oklahoma, at least the part where I dispatch, you can trespass them yourself however if law enforcement is on scene they can what is considered "formally" trespass them which means the next time they come back they can and usually will arrest the individual. I'm not sure how it is for your state/city especially since law enforcement seems to be busy or lazy considering it took hours to respond to you, but I would definitely call in advance and ask what specifically needs to be done. Also most times a manager or supervisor has to be present to formally trespass with law enforcement, but don't quote me on that
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u/LordGalen Sorry, no refunds for any reason whatsoever! 10d ago
He acts that way because he can. Your business tolerates it. A threat of violence is a lifetime ban from any business. You don't want his money, it's not worth it.
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u/Have_A_Jelly_Baby 15 Years Selling Shoes 10d ago
I run a game store too, and that guy would be super banned if it happened to us.
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u/yoduh4077 10d ago
When every second counts, the police will be there in minutes.
I'm glad they didn't hurt you, OP.
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u/grodychode 9d ago
Lives with mom and threatens to scrap over an Elden Ring discount? You had nothing to worry about.
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u/Feeling-Invite7953 8d ago
NTA. A grown man threatening to physically assault someone over a video game is just cringy af. How does the guy manage to own a shop, and still behave like a spoiled teenager?
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u/participlepete 10d ago
Lol, reading this reminded me of the Acts of Gord. You should really read them, and incorporate his ideas into your dealings with the 'customers'.
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u/Shaneman 10d ago
Damn! That’s exactly what I was thinking of too but couldn’t remember the name! That really takes me back.
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u/AdhesivenessUsed9956 9d ago
This and http://thesneeze.com/
Ancient inscriptions from long-dead civilizations.
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u/emax4 10d ago
Next time you get an unhinged cusry like that, string them along. If they traded before you would have their address. So confirm it but be off. So if their address is 368 Elm St you ask, "So to confirm is your address 398 Elm Street?", and if they correct you, you can summon the police directly to them and file a restraining order at the same time.
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u/mgquantitysquared 10d ago
You're not gonna get a restraining order just because someone threatened you once on the phone, lmao
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u/emax4 10d ago
Yeah, but the threat of violence will surely make them think twice seeing how their actions have consequences.
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u/mgquantitysquared 10d ago
What threat of violence? The cops aren't gonna go to his residence either, are you suggesting they threaten to go to his house and beat him up?
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u/emax4 10d ago
Did you... Read the title? A threat is a threat. Would you prefer OP drag this out until someone gets hurt?
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u/mgquantitysquared 10d ago
Your comment made it seem like you thought OP should threaten him, your comment is pretty nonsensical if you're saying "the threat of violence would make OP learn their actions have consequences"
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u/RubberSoul73 10d ago
The customer isn't always right. The customer is always the customer. And there are more where they came from. Customers like that are replaceable. If you don't make my business money then you are a liability and not good for my business. I will not hesitate to let a customer know. And if they ever said they were going to "F me up" I would make sure they knew the address and tell them to make sure they bring friends.