Be it a 100B lamp or a 2 million car they have no clue about technical specifications, didn't you know that?

Does a "delicatesse shop" count also?

This shop has a roasting coffee facility and sell mainly farang goods such as cheese, jams etc, shop is also farang owned.

I walk in, followed by a Thai man seconds after me.

I order 3 kgs of roasted coffee beans indicating the quality, showing from which container I want the coffee.

The farang owner was not present and his lady instructs a woman to fill bags with mu coffee, which she immediately start doing.

In the meantime I look around and order some cheese and bakery items.

I do not pay attention to the Thai customer who entered the shop seconds after I did.

I wait for the cheese and other items to be packed and ask the bill.

Now the farang owner offers 1/2 kg discount if you buy 3kgs of coffee and he deducts that from the final price.

Thus 580B/kg for 3kg is 1740, but he bills this for 1450.

My total bill is over 2k and I sense something is wrong, thus I reminds the lady of the discount.

Blank stare....

OK, I will repeat this in English, Thai and french (the farang guy being French and his lady speaking better French than my Thai) She still don't see to get it.

In the meantime the Thai guy joins the counter (i notice he now carries a plastic bag with shop items) and ask for his free coffee....To which the lady shop owner replies he needs to buy at least 3kg.

I am told I will get my free 1/2kg coffee, I pay the more expensive bill and the Thai man leaves the shop with a bag of coffee

and the shop assistant lady starts filling coffee bags again.

Thus I need to wait to get MY coffee bagged, 7 packs, before I can leave the shop.

My little 3 year young fell asleep in our car and my wife was waiting in the car.

When I told her the coffee I ordered was given to the Thai man who came in after me and I had to wait after I paid to get my coffee bagged she replied: Sure, you were looking to buy some cheese, so they took care of the farang man first....Yeap Thai logic, for the blank stare on the discount she had no explanation.

I do

Edit: On previous visits when the purchase was handled by the Thai lady the farang checked the bill before leaving premises to ensure correct discount was given, thus the lady very well knew she was scamming me, thus iso correcting the bill she added a 1/2kg pack of coffee for free....

I think that I know the shop which you are speaking about here. If I am not mistaken, the normal discount on coffee here is 10% (or 1/2 kg free) when you buy 5 (not 3) kg of coffee. I know that the French owner sometimes offers better and/or "unofficial" discounts or gives some free coffee (for instance, sometimes, it may be a discount or a gift with other goods) to his regular customers (so, maybe you had this kind of special discount in the past with him, even if you purchased only 3 kg instead of 5), but it's not something that should be consider as granted or that his wife would know, remember and apply when her French husband is not there.

But that's true that as a foreigner, you are often better serviced there when the French owner is present.

This is one of those forums what say nothing. Totally useless in my opinion

Maybe the OP can explain me what the use is from not naming the shop and address if you want inform other TV members to avoid that shop ?

On the subject of customer service, I liked this previous post from Midfield General:

"I remember i went into a beauty salon in Pattaya with the intention of getting my back shaved. The girl told me to remove my t shirt off and sit in the chair and lean over. She then walked away and disappeared through the back. I sat for about 15 mins without seeing another soul no staff, no customers anyone, Then another older woman appeared and asked ''what you want'' I explained i wanted my back shaved. She then burst out laughing called me a ling(monkey) and asked me to leave the shop."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/691532-another-hour-wasted-in-thailand-i-will-never-get-back/page-3#entry7204895

This is one of those forums what say nothing. Totally useless in my opinion

Maybe the OP can explain me what the use is from not naming the shop and address if you want inform other TV members to avoid that shop ?

As mentioned possible entertainment for readers and possible therapy for the writers. Naming with the shaming can potentially open up writers to legal troubles regardless of the truthfulness of their accounts of consumer horror. Sorry to anyone who sees no value here; perhaps just don't read it then?

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I've bougth tons of stuff in many different stores and I've never had any problems.

...

Good for you but I don't see how your post fits with the topic.

The topic doesn't assert that all or most retail experiences in Thailand are horrible.

BUT it is about the horrible ones. Only the horrible ones.

Some (including me) may find interest and entertainment value in hearing some specific reports of horrible retail experiences in Thailand. Some posters may find a tad of catharsis in posting about them ... even without the satisfaction of NAMING the culprits.

Would people be more or less interested in a thread dedicated to positive retail experiences or neutral ones?

Perhaps, I really do doubt it, but that isn't the topic of this thread.

Does the evening news lead with: Most people arrived home from work safely!

doe's this sounds a little bit imature? like: mum,i want my candy and not and apple!!!

Learned a long time ago, if you cant see it, dont know about it yourself, dont ask cos they dont have a clue and dont care.

They are great for fetching or carrying but sod all else.

No really they cant even fetch or carry either, asked for some wrinkly effect tiles and got the flat smooth ones despite me bringing them a box over beforehand to show them exactly what I wanted.

Jingthing , firstly .. I think you need to get a life , who cares about what hassles each individual has while they are out shopping ? I for one couldn't care less about the other shoppers problems with sales personal because surely the farang has enough marbles to act accordingly ... or am i wrong

Just ignore the inexperienced and focus on the task ....

Jingthing , firstly .. I think you need to get a life , who cares about what hassles each individual has while they are out shopping ? I for one couldn't care less about the other shoppers problems with sales personal because surely the farang has enough marbles to act accordingly ... or am i wrong

Just ignore the inexperienced and focus on the task ....

I think Jingthing just wants to blow off some steam and TVF is the closest he can get to a daytime (or re-runs in the middle of the night) reality TV show called "Customer service from hell . . . na khaaaaaa! "

Yesterday:

Was choosing between two TVs. One was showing a bluray source, the other a crappy karaoke vcd. Pointed out that I couldn't compare the picture quality properly. The helpful assistant told me that was because one was showing a crappy karaoke vcd.

Today:

Asked for my watch battery to be replaced. The helpful assistant took my watch, spent 3 minutes struggling to set the time, then noticed that the second hand wasn't moving and informed me that the battery was dead (and no, they don't replace batteries).

I've bougth tons of stuff in many different stores and I've never had any problems.

...

Good for you but I don't see how your post fits with the topic.

The topic doesn't assert that all or most retail experiences in Thailand are horrible.

BUT it is about the horrible ones. Only the horrible ones.

Some (including me) may find interest and entertainment value in hearing some specific reports of horrible retail experiences in Thailand. Some posters may find a tad of catharsis in posting about them ... even without the satisfaction of NAMING the culprits.

Would people be more or less interested in a thread dedicated to positive retail experiences or neutral ones?

Perhaps, I really do doubt it, but that isn't the topic of this thread.

Does the evening news lead with: Most people arrived home from work safely!

If you confined the posts to only horrible or extremely negative views then it would obviously be against the Thai Visa prohibition "Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand." I think you should be grateful for the posters who have tried to bring some balance to a thread that was angry, insensitive and vindictive towards Thailand to say the least.

I've bougth tons of stuff in many different stores and I've never had any problems.

...

Good for you but I don't see how your post fits with the topic.

The topic doesn't assert that all or most retail experiences in Thailand are horrible.

BUT it is about the horrible ones. Only the horrible ones.

Some (including me) may find interest and entertainment value in hearing some specific reports of horrible retail experiences in Thailand. Some posters may find a tad of catharsis in posting about them ... even without the satisfaction of NAMING the culprits.

Would people be more or less interested in a thread dedicated to positive retail experiences or neutral ones?

Perhaps, I really do doubt it, but that isn't the topic of this thread.

Does the evening news lead with: Most people arrived home from work safely!

If you confined the posts to only horrible or extremely negative views then it would obviously be against the Thai Visa prohibition "Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand." I think you should be grateful for the posters who have tried to bring some balance to a thread that was angry, insensitive and vindictive towards Thailand to say the least.

Then report the thread. Acting as an amateur cop isn't flattering.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Browse the store, take some notes on model numbers and price, get on the Internet and in ten minutes you'll know more than any staffer back in the shop.

Totally ignore them, 100% useless, only exception is if you bring an old/broken example of what you're looking for they MIGHT know where it's located. But if they say "no have" don't take their word for it, just start looking yourself and half the time you'll find it.

Not a horror story, perfectly normal, totally used to it, not a problem.

Whoops another exception - staff employed by the manufacturer, e.g. the paint ladies at Home Pro, they know what they're about.

The paint ladies at home pro ??? I went and asked for a water based paint certain color cream, she sold me me the exact color , went home what she sold me was an enamel petroleum based paint, I took it back and had the entire management of the store fighting me saying if I wanted my money back it would come from her wages even though she admitted selling me the wrong thing, she said why he want water based this one not smell. I did get my money back but was viewed as a total <deleted> , never shop there again.

Browse the store, take some notes on model numbers and price, get on the Internet and in ten minutes you'll know more than any staffer back in the shop.

Totally ignore them, 100% useless, only exception is if you bring an old/broken example of what you're looking for they MIGHT know where it's located. But if they say "no have" don't take their word for it, just start looking yourself and half the time you'll find it.

Not a horror story, perfectly normal, totally used to it, not a problem.

Whoops another exception - staff employed by the manufacturer, e.g. the paint ladies at Home Pro, they know what they're about.

The paint ladies at home pro ??? I went and asked for a water based paint certain color cream, she sold me me the exact color , went home what she sold me was an enamel petroleum based paint, I took it back and had the entire management of the store fighting me saying if I wanted my money back it would come from her wages even though she admitted selling me the wrong thing, she said why he want water based this one not smell.I did get my money back but was viewed as a total asshol_e , never shop there again.

and there are posters who say this is being negative and unfair to Thailand,jeez if some had an ounce of intelligence.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

JT, you make an OP and then let it go, it's not "yours" like a tinpot dictator telling people exactly how to answer.

Going off-topic is what makes most threads interesting. . .

While I was trying to look at it and Zombie Girl was there, I said to him that I like this machine very much (mainly because of the compactness and feature set) and he said something weird, spoken DERISIVELY --

You would like it because it's cheap!

That was obviously a clue about this guy's attitude.

I reckon he saw you using your Lenovo phone instead of a Samsung S4 or iPhone and based his comment on that...

If you ever need to buy something out of the ordinary that can't easily be described, then before you go shopping do a Google image search and download to your phone the clearest pic you can find. A picture really does paint a thousand words.

If you ever need to buy something out of the ordinary that can't easily be described, then before you go shopping do a Google image search and download to your phone the clearest pic you can find. A picture really does paint a thousand words.

Lotus Bangkok home shopping site has photographs of most food stuffs including all of the Thai vegetables that I don't know the names of.

Some people in the world like to curse the darkness and others light a candle.

OP, why would you want a PC that's being watched ? It's clearly a USED computer by then and could have untold faults and malware. Insisting on a new and boxed PC would have ensured that you would know what the ports were as they are always displayed on the retail packaging under the Specifications label.

I went to buy a electric shaver head in the ...., they didn't have one in stock, very famous brand, i asked to order one in early December, so they took the details and said come back in a month, went back early January, they said "not have", i said when will it be in? They said, come back in one month....555.

Still not got it yet......waiting!!

One consolation is, i didn't know i could grow such a great beard, might leave it.

New Vigo purchase, 750k, at main Toyota place in CM. Rep was 45 mins late on pick up day (she set appointment time) due to kin khao, no apology, rushed through the paperwork, quickly shuffled us outside to the car which had spurious mileage on it and footprints on the console. I took one look, calmly handed her the keys, requested my cheque back from management and told them when you find a new car and can process the deal with some professionalism (i.e. treat me like a paying customer), I will return. Bye! They did a few days later and said lady was good. I expect nothing less on such a transaction--like I wasn't buying a packet of peanuts--and the culture here of sucking-it-up etc just does not wash.

On your op, Jing, why did you not tell the little zombie mare watching the computer to SHIFT!?

OP, why would you want a PC that's being watched ? It's clearly a USED computer by then and could have untold faults and malware. Insisting on a new and boxed PC would have ensured that you would know what the ports were as they are always displayed on the retail packaging under the Specifications label.

I think he wanted to test it out before buying... perfectly normal.

New Vigo purchase, 750k, at main Toyota place in CM. Rep was 45 mins late on pick up day (she set appointment time) due to kin khao, no apology, rushed through the paperwork, quickly shuffled us outside to the car which had spurious mileage on it and footprints on the console. I took one look, calmly handed her the keys, requested my cheque back from management and told them when you find a new car and can process the deal with some professionalism (i.e. treat me like a paying customer), I will return. Bye! They did a few days later and said lady was good. I expect nothing less on such a transaction--like I wasn't buying a packet of peanuts--and the culture here of sucking-it-up etc just does not wash.

On your op, Jing, why did you not tell the little zombie mare watching the computer to SHIFT!?

I have been to several toyota dealers and still didn't buy one because of the way they treat me. I got offered 50k discount on a new Altis but the next day when i went back to order there was another sales that refused to give that discount. I even showed the namecard of the other sales but he didn't care at all.

Another dealer visited and they had temporary installed a big PA system with very loud deathmetal-punk music loud on the speakers in the showroom. I couldn't even speak to my wife while seeing their new cars. I walked out and my wife got angry with me for that. I had asked the sales to put the volume down and play some nice music (in my best thai because she couldn't speak any english of course) but she refused to do that. We still have to buy the new altis.

I admire your attitude to refuse the new car, i would have done the same but i know my wife would be angry if i did that. A new car should only have max. 1-2 km on the clock from the factory and nothing else.

Last week i had a puncture again with my motorbike (have them every few weeks) so i wanted to buy the new Honda SH bike from the showroom cash. Suddenly the dealer made that bike 10k more expensive then it was last year when i saw it, when i asked him why it was 10k more expensive now he said Honda changes prices all the time and that's also the reason why he won't put the price on his bikes in the showroom, yeah right. So i didn't buy it and went home with a pocket full of cash. That dealer is very close to my house and speaks good english so i am still in doubt to go back or not.

When I first arrived in Udon nearly 4 years ago I went to the H dealer to buy my first new car. Not knowing what to expect I figured I'd use the same methods that I employ back in the States when I go in to purchase a new car. I already knew exactly what I wanted and had even picked out the car from the lot, so when I entered the dealership and was approached by a sales lady I asked to speak directly to the sales manager to make a deal. We sat at a table in the display room and I took out my trusty legal pad of paper, wrote the MSRP off the car's sticker, then wrote down the figure that I would offer him...which was 100,000 baht off the MSRP. The sales manager and sales lady just snickered and looked at me like I was crazy. About that time the sales manager got a call on his cell phone, so he stood up without excusing himself and disappeared...and never came back. I waited for about 10 minutes, then decided to do my famous walkout thinking that he would chase me down and beg me to come back in and negotiate with him. Wrong!!!!!!!! I sat outside in my rental car for several minutes and never saw hide nor hair of him, so I left.

For the next several days I waited for a call from the dealership, which never came, but in the meantime I visited several other dealerships but never found another car that I wanted more than that H. Finally, I swallowed my pride and went back to the H dealer and tried to get my best deal. I wound up getting a 5000 baht discount and discovered later on that I could probably have gotten add-ons worth more than that had I known the Thai way of negotiating a car purchase. I did ask for one year of free auto insurance but was shot down on that as well. Later that day I received a call from the sales lady asking me if I wanted them to add on window tinting for 5000 baht to which I agreed. Later I discovered that I could have gone directly to the aftermarket shop that they used and arranged the same tinting for only 2000 baht. So, in essence the dealership got back 3 of the 5K baht discount that I got on the car purchase. I learned some big lessons that day, the most important of which is...Thai business owners could be starving to death, but they prefer to act as if they just don't need your business!

For any significant purchase i would never go in without my wonderful Thai/Isaan wife. She has a magnetic personality, and people everywhere flock just to be in her presence.

I think a lot of these problems are just because the staffer just does NOT understand you, and the interaction with you is for them a stressful situation. For the farang (that's You & Me, brother) it's free entertainment! Isn't it wonderful. Can't take it, buy online.

Yes, when agreeing to take on a job for pay one should avoid any stress at all costs.

I for one, having worked in retail in the US get extremely stressed out if I have to deal with tourists or migrant workers whose English is not so good. I do my best to ignore them, but if they continue to bother me I have no problem belittling them or verbally abusing them.

How can they be so stupid? Don't they know that if they want to buy something they should bring in a decent, respectable English speaker with the same nationality as me?

Better yet, why do they need to come in at all? They can just buy online.

Tried to explain this to my boss, but instead of understanding my point he fired me. He must be just as stupid as these silly foreigners.

The sales guy is right, you are insane.....

First you try to disturb the girl who want to peaceful watch her soap opera. Than you annoy the sales guy with questions, even he most probably prefer to play a computer game or have a nap.

And than you also steal the value time of the manager, he could better use to call his Mia Noi.

Rule 1: The girls in shops, if beautiful are just for decoration (if ugly and Chinese they might be the daughter of the owner and graduated at the best university).

Rule 2: The sales guy stands there so people don't steal the things and so the job doesn't look empty.

I learned in the first month, that it is complete useless to ask any question....even asking for the time is too much. Unfortunately the same even counts for pharmacies....with staff that knows with a sour throat the yellow sweeties are right and absolute no clue what it is.....

To only way is to accept it and be pleasant surprised if it is different once a year...

I went to Home Pro to but some hanging hooks. I didn't know how to say it in Thai. I know most of the clerks in Home Pro are employed by the brands as opposed to Home Pro. Nevertheless, one sweet lady spent 15 minutes walking me around the store looking for what I wanted. We added three more clerks to the hunt as we moved through the store. Finally found it, smiles all around. Actually the trip is worthwhile just for a visit to the toilets. Best toilet in any retail store I have ever been in anywhere. So that's my story. Horrible to admit it is not Thai negative.

Home Pro has the best customer service in Thailand by far in my experience.

Attentive and knowledgable.

OK, had a funny one tonight.

Definitely not really horror story but worth sharing and kind of sort of fits here (as it's not worth starting a new thread over).

Shopping for a vitamin item at one of the famous chain stores that sells such things.

Well, golly, there is exactly what I want on a Buy 1 / Get 1 Free Offer.

I'm big on those so I grab two of the item I want, expecting to pay for one.

Go up to the counter.

Total charge ... full price for two, no discount.

I then protest this is a promotion, Buy 1 / Get 1 Free.

Clerk looks annoyed and angry.

We go to the scene of the display.

There is the sign clearly making the offer along with an English label that matches the item in name and number.

This is just too much for the clerk to process so he calls out for help.

The tension is building.

A lady comes over, sees the sign, and just RIPS it away.

Aha, I figure, another one of those famous in Thailand the sign never existed ... prove otherwise.

So I get impatient and ask yes or no for the promotion.

No answer.

Time passes.

I'm still waiting.

More time passes.

Back at the counter, the final pronouncement is made.

YES ... they will honor the promotion.

Well, that's great.

Then here's the kicker.

Clerk asks me with a straight deadpan expression: Do you want ONE or TWO?

The sales guy is right, you are insane.....

First you try to disturb the girl who want to peaceful watch her soap opera. Than you annoy the sales guy with questions, even he most probably prefer to play a computer game or have a nap.

And than you also steal the value time of the manager, he could better use to call his Mia Noi.

Rule 1: The girls in shops, if beautiful are just for decoration (if ugly and Chinese they might be the daughter of the owner and graduated at the best university).

Rule 2: The sales guy stands there so people don't steal the things and so the job doesn't look empty.

I learned in the first month, that it is complete useless to ask any question....even asking for the time is too much. Unfortunately the same even counts for pharmacies....with staff that knows with a sour throat the yellow sweeties are right and absolute no clue what it is.....

To only way is to accept it and be pleasant surprised if it is different once a year...

I went to Home Pro to but some hanging hooks. I didn't know how to say it in Thai. I know most of the clerks in Home Pro are employed by the brands as opposed to Home Pro. Nevertheless, one sweet lady spent 15 minutes walking me around the store looking for what I wanted. We added three more clerks to the hunt as we moved through the store. Finally found it, smiles all around. Actually the trip is worthwhile just for a visit to the toilets. Best toilet in any retail store I have ever been in anywhere. So that's my story. Horrible to admit it is not Thai negative.

Home Pro has the best customer service in Thailand by far in my experience.

Attentive and knowledgable.

yeah right, tried to sell me GLOSS paint when I asked for emulsion for walls...............it was written on the tin "gloss"

Went to Honda dealer Pranburi interested in the HRV went and asked for a black one, no hab, blue one, no hab, silver one, no hab OK I said what colour is available..........only white, walked out walked into Nissan bought new Juke in RED ( Wifes car)

Sales at its best ,kiss goodbye to 1.1million baht.

However 7-11 tops the list by me, walk in girl doesnt look up head turned permanently to her friend blathering away, doesnt speak a word I put my stuff on the counter, still doesnt notice me there, wait a minute still blathering, walk out leaving them to stick the chilled stuff back in the fridges.............probably still wondering how it got on the counter

OK, had a funny one tonight.

Definitely not really horror story but worth sharing and kind of sort of fits here (as it's not worth starting a new thread over).

Shopping for a vitamin item at one of the famous chain stores that sells such things.

Well, golly, there is exactly what I want on a Buy 1 / Get 1 Free Offer.

I'm big on those so I grab two of the item I want, expecting to pay for one.

Go up to the counter.

Total charge ... full price for two, no discount.

I then protest this is a promotion, Buy 1 / Get 1 Free.

Clerk looks annoyed and angry.

We go to the scene of the display.

There is the sign clearly making the offer along with an English label that matches the item in name and number.

This is just too much for the clerk to process so he calls out for help.

The tension is building.

A lady comes over, sees the sign, and just RIPS it away.

Aha, I figure, another one of those famous in Thailand the sign never existed ... prove otherwise.

So I get impatient and ask yes or no for the promotion.

No answer.

Time passes.

I'm still waiting.

More time passes.

Back at the counter, the final pronouncement is made.

YES ... they will honor the promotion.

Well, that's great.

Then here's the kicker.

Clerk asks me with a straight deadpan expression: Do you want ONE or TWO?

In his own way he could actually be asking if you want one, plus the free one. Or wanr 2, plus 2 free ones.

Good for you but I don't see how your post fits with the topic.

The topic doesn't assert that all or most retail experiences in Thailand are horrible.

BUT it is about the horrible ones. Only the horrible ones.

Some (including me) may find interest and entertainment value in hearing some specific reports of horrible retail experiences in Thailand. Some posters may find a tad of catharsis in posting about them ... even without the satisfaction of NAMING the culprits.

Would people be more or less interested in a thread dedicated to positive retail experiences or neutral ones?

Perhaps, I really do doubt it, but that isn't the topic of this thread.

Does the evening news lead with: Most people arrived home from work safely!

If you confined the posts to only horrible or extremely negative views then it would obviously be against the Thai Visa prohibition "Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand." I think you should be grateful for the posters who have tried to bring some balance to a thread that was angry, insensitive and vindictive towards Thailand to say the least.

Then report the thread. Acting as an amateur cop isn't flattering.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

JT, you make an OP and then let it go, it's not "yours" like a tinpot dictator telling people exactly how to answer.

Going off-topic is what makes most threads interesting. . .

I agree with you Wym... The OP has made several posts in this thread admonishing people about their posts, and then has the gall to bitch at someone about being an amateur cop. Who the hell made him the ThaiVisa police?

OP - This is a public forum and everyone can say as they please. Until Thaivisa makes you a moderator, let them do the policing.