Monday, September 03, 2007

I was tricked by a salesman



Last weekend, I went to Carrefour to review the latest prices of electric appliances, I passed by the booth of Showtime - a cable company- where I stopped for just a minute to ask about their sports package price "they exclusively broadcast the English Premier League (EPL) which happens to be; my addiction".

20 minutes later, I ended up signing a one year contract via visa.

The Salesman was incredibly persuasive; hammering me with every sales strategy he ever learned, covering up every angle, luring me into his company's services. He successfully transmitted the conviction that I cannot live without the EPL.

I'm – or I like to think that I'm – a very stubborn person who isn't easily convinced, even with a tightly sealed argument. I occasionally mock common people who fall for every marketing trick out there. My theory is that the decision of purchasing a product/service should be the product of necessity and priority. My theory crashed infront of the super salesman whom I enjoyed conversing with despite the fact; he tricked me.

Under normal circumstances, I would have subscribed months ago and that would have been my own decision, but I'm in a new social status that is financially demanding, not to mention, nerve wrecking. I'm setting up my new apartment which will engulf whatever money I have now and own later. Paying money for cable is absolutely neither a necessity nor a priority considering "the status" I'm in, in comparison that money would have gone for the kitchen/bathroom tiles instead.

I even dislike salesman, because of their obvious intentions and wicked means, hell I even don't like people much, I've very picky on whom to know and not know, speak to or avoid, become friends with or alienate. Before I left I told him, – not in these words but something similar – "I don't know whether to hug you or punch you". He smiled to me and intelligently replied, "I guess if Arsenal won the league, you'd owe me a hug". WTF? how did he know I'm a gunners fan? He must have noticed me checking out their fixtures during our conversation!

I was tricked, but it's all good. This is a funny phrase I never thought I'd type.

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