Cringe Cringe
January 6, 2010 at 11:14 pm 25 comments
What makes me cringe…..
When Dad starts bargaining… yes… bargaining…. with the Sears photo studio sales lady.
See, we got a special offer and had a family portrait done, but three additional poses would be $50. The next package is 6 poses. But Dad likes only 4 poses…so he starts bargaining. I was like oh man… this is Sears, Dad – they don’t bargain like this! Ok…. I don’t know you….. pretty hard when I am in the picture too ….
What makes me cringe even more ….
When the bargaining actually works …
*shock*
… and the sales lady cheerfully gives us 4 for the price of 3!
Hmmph! This isn’t supposed to work like this!
In the end Dad winks at me and says, “see, Canada is Bangladesh… just in English!”
Er …
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1.
Tazeen | January 7, 2010 at 12:10 am
hahahaha
Oh God, your dad is so sweet. Parents have a crazy way to make their off springs come out as fools, even when we know we are right
2.
Naeem | January 7, 2010 at 12:21 am
AA- Haleem,
I used be the same (as you), until I moved here to KSA, where I started getting used to the bargaining business. And to my surprise, it works quite well back in the US. Many businesses give their employees the leeway to ‘bargain’ with the customer, in order to maintain customer satisfaction. While you may not get them to change the fixed price, you often will be able to get some extra service.
Like getting a free upgrade at a car rental or getting the employee to throw in a free car wash. A smile and a friendly attitude goes a long way.
3.
Muslim Girl | January 7, 2010 at 12:31 am
Lol I don’t even know if I want to admit this but my mom sometimes bargains too. She actually got Superstore to give her candle vases in BULK for a huge discount for my sister’s wedding.
I think some people just have that skill, and your dad’s one of em
4.
nadia | January 7, 2010 at 12:32 am
You should learn from your Dad
5.
Specs | January 7, 2010 at 12:36 am
Hahaha, this had me laughing out loud- the second part was somehow more cringe-worthy than the first! LOOLZ!
6.
Humaira | January 7, 2010 at 8:23 am
HAHAHA! Oh man, I LOVE YOUR DAD! That is such a Desi thing to do!
7.
Achelois | January 7, 2010 at 8:52 am
My husband does that and he’s not even desi! I get so embarrassed so now I either don’t take him with me or pretend he’s someone else’s embarrassment
That was funny!
8.
brok3n | January 7, 2010 at 9:13 am
sounds awfully like something my dad would do 0.0 …man..
9.
Haleem | January 7, 2010 at 12:14 pm
@Tazeen, oh yes.. every time he is forcing me to step away from convention.
@Naeem, WA you are quite right, especially in the USA where customer service seems quite supreme. It seems if you are a little pushy (along with the smile) too you can get something more.
(I have sometimes stood my ground when returning or exchanging something or even price matching where the manager just to get me away agreed to my demands!)
Does KSA have a bargaining culture? When I visited Qatar (Doha) it was just like here – big malls and shops.
@Muslim Girl,
I guess our parents retain some of the GOOD aspects of desism!
@Nadia, I should I know. I still take him when I want to purchase something that requires negotiating!
@Specs, I know eh… to be showed up!
@Humairah, it is indeed. Now I hope he doesn’t do it EVERY where “coz it worked”…
@Achelois, hehe does he take you out for dinner with the money saved though?
@brok3n, man… indeed…
10.
GeekiSiddiqui | January 7, 2010 at 12:57 pm
haha, i can relate to this too haha
11.
Sarah | January 7, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Hahaha… your Dad is hilarious!!!
12.
lovetodaydream | January 7, 2010 at 5:59 pm
LOL that’s so funny!!! My ex father in law used to do things like that as well haha
13.
Haleem | January 7, 2010 at 9:00 pm
@Geeki, is it that common? I never knew!
@Sarah, that – he is. Sometimes inadvertently. But he’s seriously cool.
@Elena, I guess it IS common. lol.
14.
Lat | January 7, 2010 at 11:29 pm
That’s a good bargain! I just got lucky and got mine for free!
I love family photos! Hope your pics turn out great.
“see, Canada is Bangladesh… ‘ , I like this one.Like your dad,I also believe there’s a piece of the world anywhere we live!
15.
Organica | January 8, 2010 at 1:32 am
haha
My favorite is when my dad asks for the “man-a-gaaar”
16.
Abid | January 8, 2010 at 5:55 pm
This is probably because the sales lady was also a fob.
17.
brnaeem | January 8, 2010 at 11:47 pm
AA- Haleem,
“Does KSA have a bargaining culture? When I visited Qatar (Doha) it was just like here – big malls and shops.”
KSA is a mix of big malls and traditional souqs. The big malls are mostly fixed price, but everywhere else bargaining is fair game. In the souqs as well as with service-oriented businesses (like plumbing, construction, moving, etc.), you ALWAYS have to bargain.
18.
yesterdaywazbetter | January 9, 2010 at 7:46 am
hahahahahaha
well it works here if you know how to do it ….
go dad
19.
Wakas Mir | January 9, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Know exactly what you mean.. my dad is like that and funnily enough when he talks the other person does accept although I am like “oh oh I think i better run before the shop keeper kicks us out”
20.
masood | January 16, 2010 at 9:35 am
lol…
21.
Haleem | January 24, 2010 at 6:19 pm
@Lat, wow free is alwaus good! Yep, our photos turned out well.
@Organica, hahahahaha!
@Abid, which lady? No one was a fob here.
@brnaeem, oh nice! We will probably be visiting Saudi Arabia soon (iA for Hajj sometime) so this is good to know, although probably everything will be super pricey at Hajj.
@yesterdaywasbetter, definitely!
@wakas, Haha I know the feeling!
@masood,
22.
sf | January 27, 2010 at 7:16 am
Hehehehehe. Just got back from 2 *lands of bargaining*. My mom is excellent in bargaining and am now *addicted*
. I used to get embarrassed but now, no more!!!!!
I got so addicted that I would ask my cousins if it was okay to bargain in the malls too
23.
Haleem | January 30, 2010 at 9:15 pm
@Sf, oh, where did you go?
barganing in malls… lol… haha ….
24.
sf | February 2, 2010 at 9:18 am
LOL! Yap, kenya and Dubai!! I swear, I asked my cousins in dubai “So is this the final price or we bargain?”. And you know what, I did manage to bargain and got bukhur sold at the MALL for 50 aed less!!!!
I was running out of money and truly needed it, I guess the guy was having a good day
25.
Haleem | March 2, 2010 at 12:31 pm
@Sf, ah Dubai… have to visit someday.