I believe when you would like to buy a product, you will be aware of the usage, price comparison (if you do some research), review from other bloggers or writers, etc. So do I. I really love to learn the product before I purchase especially if the product is pricey and it's not really worth if I use it for one time only. And I have to justify my expenses too.
I did fell for the so called "trap" - allow me to say it as a trap because this was how I felt throughout the whole experience. Once, I fell for it when I purchased the product -417. At that time I was still new in Singapore, just wondering around in the mall. So there's a girl who just gave the free gift, so I took and then they took me to the shop, tried on other things and other things and other things. End up, I purchased it. They offered me promotion, buy this get that, this is a one time off only, because you are my new customer, a very special discount and much more. As a female, who doesn't love discount and freebies? I hope you got your answer here, of course we are tempted. That is how I fell for it and I didn't realise it; I was too naive.
I realised this few months later when I checked their product online and apparently the prices were seriously damn freaking cheap, it about 70-80% less on their price list. Since then on, I never ever want to be trapped in this kind of situation. Shortly I will tell you their "Script", based on my observation. Trust me, they are really well trained with this thing, well yeah of course, if not they will not be hired right? :)
That was my first time. Second time, when I was walking at NEX, this lady from Premier handed to me the free gift, she pushed me to take, so I took. Then she asked me to come inside, I said no because I was hungry and I need to eat badly, she said it will take a while, I said no, my stomach is more important. And the next thing she asked me "Can you pass me back to sample?" I was like "Ok! No problem". I wouldn't die anyway if I don't get the freebies.
Third time. It was today, when I was just walking around Suntec after church and after my shopping at Sephora. So this shop is called Vine Vera, I'm going to make point by point on their script and sharing to you guys what was my experience.
I should admit they are really smart and really good because I saw everyone who walked away from the shop they were carrying something. But not me. I managed to escape from their trap!
Vine Vera, if you have noticed, the sales person are guys. Male. And from here, it's obvious the target market is lady. Female attracted with male, it's natural. People that they are targeting are ladies; ladies with kids, ladies who are walking alone in the mall. But absolutely, well lesser chance with lady and their man and a man. This was based on my observation today, it may changed as time goes by.
These salesmen will stand in front of their shop, ready to give out freebies. Usually I always always reject and said no, but today I decided to take it. When I took it, I was walking away, because I was rushing too. Then the guy shout "Hey! Hey! Where are you come from?" So I was like huh? Why he would shout at me? At first, I would really want to return the goody bag, but in the end, I entertained him too while walking and then he told me "Come, let's come inside, I want to show you something and I won't ask you to buy anything". I thought they would be different, but actually it's not and I was just entering their script. One side, I do understand they are doing their job, they are doing for their living.
2. Being friendly, like super friendly so you let off your guards (it's a human nature)
The salesman is a nice person, he's friendly. Who doesn't love friendliness especially we being in Asian countries where we hardly find sales person whom is friendly and able to talk with us on general things. Most people who could do this only ang-moh; as they are grown up with this culture. So he talked to me asking general things about me and also he compliment my skin, he guessed my age 19 and I told him I am 24, he was shocked. All female love this. I know you do, so do I. We feel happy. 3. Explain on their product, how good it is and how it could works. Being friendly again and show to us how they care about our skin
Then he started to explain the product that suits my skin and what will be my general problem (which is totally shown on my face). He explained and tried it on my arms. To be honest, I don't feel any significant difference. And also he showed me after the 1st product peeled off, then apply the moisturiser on my skin, obviously it's easily absorb because my skin was kind of wet. And when he asked me to apply on my left skin, it was hardly absorb. In my mind, well yeah of course, your moisturiser is so thick and my left arms is totally dry.
While explaining the product, he was being friendly asking me more question and people gets excited when being asked especially about ourselves. And also he showed how concern and care for me.
As I'm back home now, overall my experience, he tried on my arms the set that he introduced and I feel the same. He tried on me too the salt and I feel the same. Because naturally my hands are soft. It was feel soft at that moment because if you scrub yourself with any form of scrub (salt, sand, or whatever), you will feel smooth lah!
4. Explain on the pricing and offer the offers and discounts. And also calculating the price divide my shelf life of the items.
After finish with his presentation all things plus add on for salt and body butter thing. He told me all the pricing with discount etc. While offering the price, he calculated for you for this item will cost you for a year, so the calculation will be (example), I totally forgot what was the price.
SGD 120 / 12 months = SGD 10 per month
SGD 10 / 30 days = 0.33 per day to take care of your skin
Your brain will start to think, hey that's really a good deal. But why when you are purchasing this stuff only you start to think this, why not when you are purchasing branded items like Estee Lauder, Lancome, etc.
5. Without any approval, they asked you how would you like to settle, by cash or cards?
After he presented, he asked me "How would you find my product? Do you like it? If yes, which one that you love the most? Because I care so much for your face, if you go to other stores, they will not give you so much information, etc..." I told him I like the product, overall, the presentation was fine.
Then he asked me, so how would you like to settle? By cash or nets? I was like huh? Since when I said yes I would like to purchase. So I told him I didn't want to purchase. He asked why and kinda pushy and kept asking me for reason, I told him not at the moment. And he kept asking again. He keep saying "you like my product, you like my presentation, so what creates the boundaries between you to be my customer today." So here's the starting of bargaining product.
6. If you pass to them your card, done deal. If not, then the bargaining starts.
Unfortunately I didn't fell for this and I just keep saying no.
7. They will give you another offer again, and it's cheaper (why wouldn't they do that in the beginning). Being friendly again and show to us how they care about us
I told him no thanks, because I was tight financially and I find the product was really expensive. And he was kept pushing me and ask me the reason. I told him my reason but then, he gave me another offer. I said no. Another offer plus freebies. I said no. Another offer, freebies until facial. I said no.
While giving me more offer, actually I feel bad inside me, I feel guilty this guy is so nice, give me more freebies, maybe it is alright for me to purchase the product. But inside my head said no! Don't buy it!
So this guy ended up giving me a deal: Vine Vera Resveratrol Cabernet High Potency Cellular Peel for SGD 140 + additional tester and eye cream that he put in the tube + 1 hour complimentary facial + SGD 50 voucher for next purchase
I guess you can start to think, how much does this product really worth? If they are selling it at $300 (in the internet), why would they sell it to me for half price. Even though it's one time off, can you imagine if they sell this to anyone whom are their first customer? Isn't it mean their product is only worth that price?
Further more, you could keep this for a year, so you will not buy until next year. Aren't you feel suspicious?
8. Step 4, 5, 6 and 7 keep repeating again until he finished up his script (which is the last offer he could give)
It was just keep repeating as he kept offer me items again and again and again. And I just keep saying no and no and no.
9. When the step 7 is going on, your psychology will be played along, you will start to feel guilty because they were really nice and who wouldn't want to be treated nicely.
Be careful here. I think this the moment that is very important, the reason for you to purchase. Yes, you may purchase because you really like the product but you may purchase because you were under pressure and feel guilty. This is where the script goes on and on. I was just playing along, I gave him a laugh as well as I didn't want to purchase but he was looking at me with serious face really serious no smile. Like he really wants me to purchase. Seeing this kind of thing, it makes me even not to buy and I kept telling myself don't buy and there's something fishy. I don't like hard sell, really. It makes me purchasing items with pressure where I shouldn't purchase things that I want to buy out of my pocket money with pressure. There is no fun at all!
Reason why I felt guilty, he was giving me so many freebies, so many offers, how could I not take it. But actually this guilty feeling went off as he said he would like me to appreciate his job as he already spend time sit with me and waste his hour. I was like, wait a minute. You are hired to sell the product, for me to purchase or not purchase it's totally my decision, you do your job to sell and introduce the product but don't tell me that I should purchase the product because you have wasted your time with me.
While he was giving me his last offer, he asked me to open up my mind, he said "I would like you to open your mind, why don't you just give a try to this product, I'm not asking you to purchase other product but I would want you to just get this one." I told him I wasn't being close minded too, I am open minded for the product. He said no. Again, this was a turn off.
Why would me being open minded is define as to purchase the product and when I don't purchase the product I am close minded. Again, in here, they are playing the psychology, sometime you hate when people said you are close minded, so you may purchased it to prove to him that you are not. But hey! You just fell for their trap, they don't care if you being close minded or open minded, because at the end of the day they get the money, you get the product. That's the one and only goal.
So actually he lied for telling me that he's not asking me to buy anything.
10. If you purchased then done deal, their hardwork is paid off. But if not, they will just walk away and being totally unfriendly.
So yeah, after I said no, no and no. He gave up. He passed to me the SGD 50 voucher, which I wasn't even asking but I took it anyway and I told him I appreciate for his time, he didn't look at me, throw face at me and I just walked off their shop.
The reason why I share this with you guys, it's not to bring down a company or saying bad things. No. It's still your decision to purchase the product if you really like it.
But I feel it's unfair if you purchase it without any additional knowledge like reading reviews and further more, they asked you to purchase the product in a not appropriate way - allow me to say so because I really hate hard sell.
I do understand too from the salesman view where when a customer step away from their store, the chances for them to come back is very small. But hey, if your product is really good and after all the reviews, I believe people will really come back. It's just the same concept as items out there like Garnier, Lancome, Estee Lauder, Chanel, Bobbi Brown - you named it, people buy it even without the beauty advisor do hard sell. Why? Because you really understand the worth of product.
If today, when I walked away from the store without purchasing anything and the salesman is still treating me the same way he treat me when I first step in to his store, I will think or consider to purchase their items. But, as he didn't so I will not even consider.
I don't despise sales person, I really appreciate them as they really able to do their job well. I'm not really gifted in doing sales job. But again, I would really like to see their friendliness and not being pushy. Yes, they have to meet sales target, but how about if they are in my shoes? Will they be happy? Will they purchase the item again?
I don't despise nor hate the product, I don't. But I just simply dislike the way they are selling their items. So I hope you all understand that this is my personal opinion and I would like to create more awareness when you are purchasing items. People do their job, so do you. We should have mutual respect on each other.
So for those who have same experience with me, please share it with me by commenting the box below. I would really love to hear your stories so we may create this awareness with our friends too. :)
XOXO
Jess
