Baby Steps to the New Flat

[wayfaringwordhack]

Bought a sofa today--it has to be made and should be ready in 15 days--and on our way to the moneychangers,* we saw a mattress shop selling the same brand that we had just seen across town.  Deciding to divide and conquer, J went to change the money and I popped into the mattress shop to compare prices.  The very nice saleswoman proceeded to totally baffle me.

After determining that she speaks French, I asked the price of the mattress.  She told me it is around $400; I asked her to repeat it, making sure she understood the measurements I needed, and she said it was $500-$600.  OK.  Then I asked if she had some sheets, and she showed me the sizes I wanted, saying "They are $20."

Just then J walked in, so I showed him the sheets.  He asked the lady for a business card and the price of the sheets.  She told him $25! ...

So, I told him to ask her the price of the mattress, and she said $700!  I decided at that rate, it wasn't worth asking for confirmation or a written quote. :P

Tomorrow, someone should be at the flat, and we will get a copy of the key so we can come and go with our things.  Friends have offered to take the boys on Tuesday and Wednesday, and other friends have offered to help with the move.  

Looking forward to progress!

_________
* We only had euros, but the store wanted dollars.

Comments

[tolcath]

How very variable. Men are assumed to have more money? Or if you keep asking, you get charged an annoyance fee?

Hope all is moved safely.

[queenoftheskies]

Well, dang, that's not the way to make a sale, is it?

[asakiyume]

Wow, flexible pricing depending on who's asking. They say that Amazon does that: shoves expensive goods in the faces of people its algorithms think can pay and shows other people less-expensive things. I guess she thought she could get more out of a guy than out of a woman. The whole reason to have standard pricing is so that people aren't exploited in this way.

I don't mind the idea of giving a struggling person a price break, but I feel like there needs to be a "roof" price--a standard price--that you can't go above just because you think someone is moneybuckets--or because you don't like their religion, skin color, nationality, or what-have-you.

I'm fascinated that you're having the sofa made from scratch!