Persuasive selling (ripping people off!)

[Brandywine]

I went to a beauty show in Norwich a few weeks ago with my mum and daughter. We were stopped my a woman to try an eye lifting cream. We're not usually gullible, but after having it tried on one of our eyes and comparing it with the other one their was a very obvious difference. Well we got a "special show price" of £62 for two and a free "lip gloss pack" (nasty stuff) and off we went. Well what we got obviously isn't the same stuff as what she used on us, it doesn't feel the same or make any difference to our eye bags/wrinkles. I also looked on the website and could have brought it on line for £22 less:irked:.
I'm very peeved for being taken in and for being ripped off, but there you go it wont happen again.
So what beauty products have you been persuaded into buying and did they work?

 

[littlepinkfairy]

I went to the clothes show a few years ago and was practically forced to buy a multifunctional wonder product which was essentially just a cheap bronzer. They said it could be used as a eyeshadow, blusher, lip colour, nail varnish the lot!! They smeared some on my face and had bagged it up and it was in my hand before I knew what was happening, I reluctantly handed over £20 still in shock but hey ho!! We live and learn!

xx:hug:xx

 

[dee]

lol i got stung with the amazing bronzer too , haha , it did everything expect the dishes , :lol: good thing is though , its still in a drawer and hasnt been used ,

 

[Classy Claws]

Havent been sucked in yet, i am a born skeptic when it comes to traveling cons (salesmen)... if it seems to good to be true 9/10 times it is... walk away, research and if its still there tomorrow give it a go.

 

[BRI]

This is always happening to me, its like they spot me from miles away and think 'here we go, easy money!!' My husband says that im a marketing mans dream come true, but i just cant help myself.

 

[Sharkster]

I agree with classy claws, I NEVER buy anything on the spot. It may mean that I miss a quality bargain from time to time but at least my money is still in my pocket! Following a show at Excel a few years back when I was looking into a new skincare range I made an appointment with the rep from Collin, she was in my salon for 3 hours trying to get me to sign up! Talk about pushy (It seemed like a nice product but I didn't go with it out of principal, I HATE the hard sell).

 

[alpina]

Almost the entire clinique range. Before I became a beauty therapist I suffered with very oily skin and acne. The few people I trusted to ask for help seemed reluctant to give me any info (these were beauty therapists). All I got was, no that wont help you, that wont work etc.

Anyway along I went to the clinique counter and she seemed so helpful. "I know exactly how to help your skin," she said. "You need these products here."

I took home a few samples of their cleanser and was so happy with it. I saved up the $300 to buy all the products she said I needed including an oil free foundation.

They were the worst products I could ever have used on my skin, it was red raw from the alcohol lotions and flaky. The foundation actually had a coating of oil on the surface of the compact. They were so awful.

On the plus side though, it made me want to learn more about the skin and products, now I'm a beauty therapist with good skin:green:

 

[gillian w]

I got away without buying,just,but was persuaded almost forcibly to let one of those stands in the shopping malls to show me what their products could do for my nails.Well she buffed them so hard i think she was trying to make fire, my finger was tender for days.

 

[cups1974]

Dosent it seem as they get you just at the right time too. You just get caught in it. I have learned to walk away and if i really really want it go back most of the time i forget and move on with my day.

 

[ClaireWalsh]

There was once a market barrow (I don't know whether it's still there) where I used to live, that used to bring in members of the shopping community and demonstrate their products. I once participated and they buffed my nails like fury! When I told them that I was a nail tech they seemed so scared and they couldn't get rid of me fast enough! Seems they only want to take advantage of uneducated members of the public...

 

[hippy-chick]

Myself and 3 colleagues were booked to do a pamper event for an organisation giving treatments for free (we were getting paid). My friend had organised it and said a Body shop rep had FORCIBLY INVITED HERSELF to the event. She told the B S Rep that most of the people were elderly and wouldn't be interested in the products, but this woman insisted on going along.
We carried on giving reflexology, hand massage and Indian head massage.
But this BSR was giving free make-overs. After a while she started offering hand massages and foot massages in direct competition even though we had an appointment system in place.

She told everyone as she gave them a makeover that she was hoping to go to south africa as a perk from her sales. she tried to persuade them to buy all the products that she used on them.
At the end of the day she sold one product and had secured no parties and it was because she was so 'in your face' and had the same conversation with everyone about her going to south africa.

I went over for a chat and pretended to be interested in a)having a party and b) becoming a rep.
I asked her what beauty qualifications she had as she was giving people make overs and advising them on skin products and make up and also offering massage. I asked her what qualifications she had in these subjects,
she said that she had a 1/2 day on make-up at the area manager's house. Same with massage.

she didn't ask any of the elderly people any health related questions.

It made me quite angry that she was offering a 'professional make up and massage service' with no proper training, but was so up her own backside that she was trying to compete with professional therapists.

I was so pleased that nobody booked a party with her and she gave a free raffle prize away.

At the end of the day I heard her complaining to my friend who had organised the day, that she had done x amount of free make-overs and had only sold one products and felt like billing my friend £10 per hour for her work. this was after she had forced herself an invite and had been warned that the clientele were elderly.

Also made everyone listen to how she was determined to get to south africa on her sales as she then launched into trying to sell them everything under the sun.