Canadian Personal Finance Blog

Well if you ask the carpet salesman from a large chain store that is what he “threatened” me with when he came by to show me carpet for my basement. No this rant isn’t about oil prices, it’s about salesman, who should think about choosing another profession.

Now I know why I did not go into sales, and I also know some good salesmen, and this carpet guy would not be counted in that list. He wanted to be “RIGHT” all the time (and I think that is the first and biggest mistake any salesman can make): first he tells my wife that she asked him to bring light carpet samples only (we have a black lab and a black cat and 4 kids, I don’t think she asked for that), then he said she never mentioned “mono-filament” carpets (which I know she did), and finally he basically told me that he couldn’t discount any prices, so don’t ask. My conclusion was that this guy didn’t want a sale at all (ok, I don’t know that, but I can assure you that is what is going to happen). As a salesman you shouldn’t allow customers to have a wrong impression of your product, but blatantly telling them they are WRONG will usually never make a sale.

We went to Home Depot to talk to them, and it was much better, and they had a much better price too. I think we’ll try to talk to one more place (there is a new store around our house that sells carpet), and then make our decision. Home Depot also pointed out a few things, but in a nice manner that we should think about (i.e. nice: not confronting us saying, “You know you haven’t thought of this…!”)

Conclusions: Never feel pressured by a salesman, if you do walk away or ask for a different one. If a salesman makes you feel dumb, walk away, it’s not his or her job to do that. If your salesman doesn’t answer ALL your questions, RUN AWAY QUICKLY.

Remember it is YOUR money you are spending, and there are always other options.