Principia Discordia

Principia Discordia => Or Kill Me => Topic started by: Richter on November 30, 2010, 03:48:08 PM

Title: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Richter on November 30, 2010, 03:48:08 PM
I work with a lot of devotees of the cult of the salesman.  This is an unfortunate thing, but can't be helped. 
     
Often they come to me, and want things.  When they want something they begin the pitch.  The familiar greeting, the inclusion of "Buddy" within the first few words, the smile, and the overall tone about how everything's going to be GREAT.  Their pitch.  Maybe not their best game, but it's how they know how to get things, so it's how they do it.  Right away, as pleasant as they make it, you're dealing with horseshit.  It's no longer a genuine human conversation, it's part of their crafted act to get a "Yes". 
     
By the time these requests get to me they are often for something we will not of do not do.  I tell them that, and I get my favorite reply from these subhuman deception mongers:  "You don't understand how things work in sales."

I don't understand how things work in your false faced, ego fluffing, "Gift" bribing, "run off to a ball game or the golf course and call it work" fellatio club?  Damn straight I don't, and this makes me glad on a daily basis.     
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Sister Fracture on November 30, 2010, 04:21:56 PM
:mittens:
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: The Good Reverend Roger on November 30, 2010, 04:41:19 PM
Quote from: Richter on November 30, 2010, 03:48:08 PM
I work with a lot of devotees of the cult of the salesman.  This is an unfortunate thing, but can't be helped. 
     
Often they come to me, and want things.  When they want something they begin the pitch.  The familiar greeting, the inclusion of "Buddy" within the first few words, the smile, and the overall tone about how everything's going to be GREAT.  Their pitch.  Maybe not their best game, but it's how they know how to get things, so it's how they do it.  Right away, as pleasant as they make it, you're dealing with horseshit.  It's no longer a genuine human conversation, it's part of their crafted act to get a "Yes". 
     
By the time these requests get to me they are often for something we will not of do not do.  I tell them that, and I get my favorite reply from these subhuman deception mongers:  "You don't understand how things work in sales."

I don't understand how things work in your false faced, ego fluffing, "Gift" bribing, "run off to a ball game or the golf course and call it work" fellatio club?  Damn straight I don't, and this makes me glad on a daily basis.     


If the salesman has a pompadour and a pipe, buy his shit.  The alternative is too grim to contemplate.
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Richter on November 30, 2010, 05:15:02 PM
When they'll sell anything, Salvationtm is the only thing worth buying!
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: The Good Reverend Roger on November 30, 2010, 05:15:50 PM
Quote from: Richter on November 30, 2010, 05:15:02 PM
When they'll sell anything, Salvationtm is the only thing worth buying!

Especially with that triple-your-money-back guarantee.
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Cain on November 30, 2010, 05:21:53 PM
You'd think salespeople would be aware now that people are genre-savvy enough to see them coming, and acting like a Stereotypical Salesman just causes people to raise their defences, lessening the chance of getting what they want.

But then if they were good at manipulating people, they wouldn't be working in sales.
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Richter on November 30, 2010, 05:55:20 PM
Your comment reminds me of somethign I heard once, forgot the source, "Only second rate geniuses go into politics."  Generally people who have the metacognition, control, and awareness to keep themselves and the signals they send that controlled are quietly doing other things instead.

Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Dysfunctional Cunt on November 30, 2010, 06:42:15 PM
SALES PEOPLE SUCK!!!

They think the rules don't apply to them, they will stab you in the back just to get their way when all they had to do was ask you in the first place.

I've had so many sales assholes throw me under the bus.  Problem is, I've become so fucking anal on doing my job, they try to get me in trouble and end up looking stupid.  I learned the hard way, but by god I can be taught!! :lulz:
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Cramulus on November 30, 2010, 07:04:33 PM
FUCK yeah, richter!

I just went on a short jaunt to the mall to pick up a used copy of Assassins Creed 2, and I think I triggered every possible sales pitch on the way.

I had just read this rant, so it was still fresh in my mind as the flirty girl at the nail buffing booth approached me and pretended like she really just wanted to talk to me. Asking me about the weather and the holidays and stuff before she launched into the pitch. When I made it clear that I wasn't interested in her nail buffing device, her demeanor changed so sharply, it was like she was pissed off at me, or looking down on me for being some kind of cheapskate. Fuck that!

the dude at the game store was the same way. kept trying to sell me other games, or get me to get a gamestop rewards cards... Listen dude I don't want to be part of your computer system so you can market things to me. $2 in savings is not worth having my name and address run through your company's marketing chamber, especially since there's no guarantee you're not going to sell it to some shadowy marketing cabal which aggregates all these sales data to build a profile of me. The dude looked so confused, like I was wired badly or something, when I said that I didn't want a fucking rewards card even if it saves me ten bucks per year. "I don't want another piece of plastic in my wallet, and I don't want my name in your computer." the other sales guy laughed, "never heard that one before."

I couldn't help but feel like they were scowling at me as I left, despite the fact that I just gave them $24 of my cash. I swear, this mall during holidays will suck all the soul out of you.
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: LMNO on November 30, 2010, 07:11:26 PM
Working on a commssions basis will do that to you.
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: AFK on November 30, 2010, 07:30:28 PM
Quote from: Cramulus on November 30, 2010, 07:04:33 PM
I swear, this mall during holidays will suck all the soul out of you.

Malls are awful.  For consumer and salesperson alike.  When you are in the food court, or at the coffeeshop, and you see that poor schlub with that blank stare on his face while he is munching on a greasy piece of Sbarro's pizza, that is the retail employee who is on his 15 minute lunch break shoehorned into his 13 hour work day.  He's become a robotic slave of the Retail Hell enterprise. 

I am one of its lucky survivors.  I still get a crawly feeling under my skin on those rare occasions I do walk into a mall during the Holidaze Seasons.   
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Cramulus on November 30, 2010, 08:13:29 PM
I hear it! I worked at a Lord & Taylor a few Christmases ago, selling shoes on commission and trying to get people to sign up for these ludicrous credit cards.

My roommate is a manager of a mall piercing pagoda. When I told her I was going shopping on black friday she actually got mad at me!
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Richter on December 01, 2010, 04:25:12 AM
Quote from: Cramulus on November 30, 2010, 07:04:33 PM
FUCK yeah, richter!

I just went on a short jaunt to the mall to pick up a used copy of Assassins Creed 2, and I think I triggered every possible sales pitch on the way.

I had just read this rant, so it was still fresh in my mind as the flirty girl at the nail buffing booth approached me and pretended like she really just wanted to talk to me. Asking me about the weather and the holidays and stuff before she launched into the pitch. When I made it clear that I wasn't interested in her nail buffing device, her demeanor changed so sharply, it was like she was pissed off at me, or looking down on me for being some kind of cheapskate. Fuck that!

the dude at the game store was the same way. kept trying to sell me other games, or get me to get a gamestop rewards cards... Listen dude I don't want to be part of your computer system so you can market things to me. $2 in savings is not worth having my name and address run through your company's marketing chamber, especially since there's no guarantee you're not going to sell it to some shadowy marketing cabal which aggregates all these sales data to build a profile of me. The dude looked so confused, like I was wired badly or something, when I said that I didn't want a fucking rewards card even if it saves me ten bucks per year. "I don't want another piece of plastic in my wallet, and I don't want my name in your computer." the other sales guy laughed, "never heard that one before."

I couldn't help but feel like they were scowling at me as I left, despite the fact that I just gave them $24 of my cash. I swear, this mall during holidays will suck all the soul out of you.

Right on man.  The pressure, that drive to move product by having the sellers "Connect" with people.. BLeh.

It's one of those things that sort of makes you question other human interactions. 
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Jasper on December 01, 2010, 04:58:23 AM
Good.  Everyone should question the real meaning of human interactions, because the society we live in comprises almost entirely of utilitarian relationships.  You do what you gotta do, and I will too.  Ring me up, there's a good chap, and I'll pay faster so we can both get back to ignoring everyone and entertaining ourselves.

Genuine affective relationships are so rare, it's almost a kink these days.  Whaddaya mean you enjoy his company?  What are you, some kind of friend freak?  It's sick how unfriendly everyone is.  Just makes me want to act unfriendly to everyone.
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Triple Zero on December 01, 2010, 11:00:38 AM
Quote from: Cramulus on November 30, 2010, 07:04:33 PM
"I don't want another piece of plastic in my wallet, and I don't want my name in your computer." the other sales guy laughed, "never heard that one before."

Really? Over here they hear that often enough that the supermarket where you need a "bonus card" to make use of their special offers, you can fill in the form with just two X's. Because they rather have that than having to filter out the bogus info, I guess.

The offers are just like the other supermarkets' special offers except you need the card. although if you say you forgot it at the checkout, usually the cashier scans their own card for you. And otherwise the person behind you will lend it to you.
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: AFK on December 01, 2010, 01:59:35 PM
Those things are such scams.  Especially in the pharmacies like CVS and Rite Aid.  Before Rite Aid introduced their bonus card, they basically raised all their prices, so you needed the card just to be able to buy the stuff at the same price as before. 
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Richter on December 01, 2010, 02:58:49 PM
Agreed.  It's all a ploy to track demographics and purchasing history. 

Quote from: Triple Zero on December 01, 2010, 11:00:38 AM
Really? Over here they hear that often enough that the supermarket where you need a "bonus card" to make use of their special offers, you can fill in the form with just two X's. Because they rather have that than having to filter out the bogus info, I guess.

The offers are just like the other supermarkets' special offers except you need the card. although if you say you forgot it at the checkout, usually the cashier scans their own card for you. And otherwise the person behind you will lend it to you.

TITCM. 
In all the stores around here they usually give them out in sets of 3.  Two little barcode tags for a keychain, and one credit-card sized one.  I keep one key tag, and usually give the other two away.  (WHAT NOW BITCHES?)

At places with "self checkout" aisles, there's usually a button in the first layer of menus for "I forgot my card", that will apply the discounts too. 
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Requia ☣ on December 02, 2010, 02:12:06 AM
The ones here require you to enter your phone number if you don't have the card, so it still goes through the system.  There used to be a shared number (local area code)-867-5309, but last time I tried it it wasn't working.
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Eater of Clowns on December 02, 2010, 02:52:35 AM
I take pride in having a purchasing history that, though it may be tracked, it cannot be marketed to.  I got a few targetted coupon ads sent to my name and they grossly misinterpreted the kinds of things that I buy, probably because there isn't a category in their system that takes things like the number of steps removed the product is from being an actual food.  It doesn't matter much now, splitting my shopping between the locally owned and still cheap supermarket, the butcher shop, and the discount produce store.

It's like when I'm on Netflix, rating movies 5 stars from directors like Kubrick alongside Paul Verhoeven.  It makes no sense to them and they give me wonky as hell suggestions on things to watch.  I browse through their failure of a recommended title page and smirk as I see their algorithm sweat under the weight of my awful, awful taste.  Or like when facebook's targetted ads tell me I should try a McRib when I haven't eaten any sort of fast food in about three years.
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Richter on December 02, 2010, 03:49:49 AM
Facebook alternately offers my new age crap, books, tools, and insulin. 
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Don Coyote on December 02, 2010, 03:52:17 AM
I mostly get ads for military discounts on alienware and shitty internet degrees in criminal justice
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Placid Dingo on December 02, 2010, 07:01:25 AM
Quote from: Richter on December 02, 2010, 03:49:49 AM
Facebook alternately offers my new age crap, books, tools, and insulin. 

I changed myself into a girl, and my facebook ads are way better.
Title: Re: Sermon Against the Salesmen
Post by: Golden Applesauce on December 02, 2010, 07:39:38 PM
Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on December 01, 2010, 01:59:35 PM
Those things are such scams.  Especially in the pharmacies like CVS and Rite Aid.  Before Rite Aid introduced their bonus card, they basically raised all their prices, so you needed the card just to be able to buy the stuff at the same price as before. 

I was on the call center handling complaints when Walgreens rolled out their bonus card.  In their case, it was sent to senior citizens, who had a strong tendency to think they their medicare was being replaced with this card.  Even better.