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What A Friggin Jerk!

10K views 164 replies 85 participants last post by  WoodSpanker 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Yesterday I got a telephone call from a guy who said he and his wife saw my work at a show I did back in May and he wanted to know about a certain box he had seen. He said his wife is having a birthday next week and wanted to surprise her with it since she really liked my work. He asked if he could come by and buy a box for the occasion. I said yes, and he came by about 6:30 yesterday afternoon.

I recognized and remembered him when he came over. When he and his wife were at the show she really liked my Jewelry boxes and she wanted to buy one on the spot be he kept saying "Don't buy it, I can make one for you" He talked about how he is a contractor and builds houses and could make one for her. I can appreciate this because I will not pay anone to do something that i can do myself. He asked how I created the sculpting and I explained about the angle grinder and all of the sanding involved.

Well, when he came over he said that he told his wife he had built a box for her and did not want her to see it until her birthday so it could be a surprise. He then said on the attempts he made they came out bad and he ended up destroying them.
Now the crazy part…He wanted to buy one from me to give her and wanted to tell her that he made it.
I have no control over what someone does with a box once they buy it…and I guess they can do whatever they want since it is their box now…Then he said his wife has my business card and asked that if she should call me to tell her I do not remember selling him a Jewelry box.
I told him I do not lie for anyone and would not consider that option. He was aggrivated but bought it anyway since he had told his wife the lie that he built one already. I told him cash only" and when he asked how much I gave him a price $200 higher that when it was for sale at the show. He was pissed but bought it anyway.
 
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#3 ·
what happens after a sale……………who cares.

A friend bought his parents a solid maple dining set which happened to be pure plastic……….I said nothing, as nothing would be gained.

I put a garden in for a friend, lots of hostas, perrenials, his wife said "Look what a beautiful garden my husband made for me……….I said nothing as what could be gained.

Happy wife, Happy Life
 
#10 ·
Your integrity is inspirational, Greg. My only suggestion is to change the title of the thread to reflect your behavior, not his. He deserves no more press. You, on the other hand, do.
 
#12 ·
The guy would get a lot more mileage from the truth. That he really wanted to make her one and tried, making several, none of them were good enough to give her. He really wanted to give her what she wanted, so he found the guy who made the one she really wanted and bought one for her. That is a winning story.

I really glad to hear you tacked on the additional "jerk" fee to the price.
 
#26 ·
You may have a captive customer for life. Imagine what will happen when his wife shows off the gift and the amazing "talents" of her husband. Then his wife will say, "Dear, my sister would love to have a box like this for her birthday. Could you make one for her?"

Be sure to increase the price by $50 each time.
 
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