From Not Always Right: Math Is Your Friend, Part 15\
We are having a sale on a small item: two for fifty cents.
Customer: “Can I get these three for fifty cents?”
Manager: “No, but I can do four for a dollar.”
Customer: “Even better!”
The customer happily makes their purchase and leaves.
Me: “But… that was the deal?”
Manager: “I’ve dealt with them before. They thought a 50% discount meant fifty cents off, so I knew math wasn’t going to be their strong suit.”
Math Is Your Friend, Part 14
Our winter clothing is on sale at 20% off. A customer (male, forties) comes up to me with a jacket marked $99.99.
Customer: “What’s 20% off of $99.99?”
Me: “20% would be about $20.00, so that jacket will cost you about $79.99 before tax.”
He and his wife then stare at me in amazement.
Customer: “How… how did you figure that out so quickly?!”
Math Is Your Friend, Part 13
I am ringing out a customer who has three of a single item. They each ring up for $2.85.
Customer: “Hey! Those should be three for ten!”
Me: “Ma’am, they actually came up for less than three for ten, so you are getting an even better deal!”
Customer: Confused “No, I want them at three for ten!”
Me: Calmly “If they’re $2.85 each, then they’re less than the $3.33 each.”
Customer: “Well, I’m just not going to get them, then, since they aren’t three for ten. That’s such a good deal, too… Oh, well.”
She walked out, leaving all the rest of her items behind.
NOT my stories
July 31, 2013
From Not Always Right: Math Is Your Friend, Part 15\
We are having a sale on a small item: two for fifty cents.
Customer: “Can I get these three for fifty cents?”
Manager: “No, but I can do four for a dollar.”
Customer: “Even better!”
The customer happily makes their purchase and leaves.
Me: “But… that was the deal?”
Manager: “I’ve dealt with them before. They thought a 50% discount meant fifty cents off, so I knew math wasn’t going to be their strong suit.”
Math Is Your Friend, Part 14
Our winter clothing is on sale at 20% off. A customer (male, forties) comes up to me with a jacket marked $99.99.
Customer: “What’s 20% off of $99.99?”
Me: “20% would be about $20.00, so that jacket will cost you about $79.99 before tax.”
He and his wife then stare at me in amazement.
Customer: “How… how did you figure that out so quickly?!”
Math Is Your Friend, Part 13
I am ringing out a customer who has three of a single item. They each ring up for $2.85.
Customer: “Hey! Those should be three for ten!”
Me: “Ma’am, they actually came up for less than three for ten, so you are getting an even better deal!”
Customer: Confused “No, I want them at three for ten!”
Me: Calmly “If they’re $2.85 each, then they’re less than the $3.33 each.”
Customer: “Well, I’m just not going to get them, then, since they aren’t three for ten. That’s such a good deal, too… Oh, well.”
She walked out, leaving all the rest of her items behind.
NOT my stories