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Nerra

After spending over $7000 is it unreasonable to ask for a free reserve pack?

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Over the last month I've spent over $7000 at a popular online skydiving store and paid full retail price on every item. Naturally I asked for a little bit of a discount at the end. The curt response I received was that they absolutely cannot do any discounts due to rules set by the manufacturers.

I accepted that and then asked if they would be willing to cover the reserve pack job. At $60 that would equate to less than 0.85% discount on the total purchase.

Well... you would think I was asking for this woman's first born! She went off on one telling me how she doesn't get free reserve pack jobs even though she works there and how I shouldn't be trying to take money away from the riggers.

Hopefully it's obvious to everyone else that I wasn't expecting a rigger to do it for free and that I was asking the store to cover it. I'm pretty sure the full $60 doesn't go to the rigger so the real cost to the store is even less.

Was my request unreasonable?

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Nerra

Was my request unreasonable?



Yes.

You just admitted you have (or at least had) $7000 in completely disposable income. You are a fortunate individual.

It is particularly douchy to flaunt that in the faces of people and ask for "free" services from people who work hella hard to provide a service that saves people's lives.
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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Nerra

... The curt response I received was that they absolutely cannot do any discounts due to rules set by the manufacturers.



HUH? This is the part that caught my eye. I can't THINK of how many shops here and there offer a percentage off full retail for ordering through them. ALSO, how many " XX% (usually 50%) off a canopy/rig/container" certificates are part of boogie raffles every year?

Although, maybe I'm just getting old: it HAS been over a decade since my last rig purchase.

Elvisio "100% tiedye SEEMED like a great idea at the time" Rodriguez

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Is it unreasonable to ask? No.

Is it unreasonable for them to say no? No.

If you don't like that - take your money elsewhere next time.
If you don't like the tone of their response - take your money elsewhere next time.
If, overall, you think they gave you a poor service - take your money elsewhere next time and feel free to warn your friends off them whilst relating your experience.

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If you were going to do it you should have talked about a free assembly at the time you placed the order. And I would not call it unreasonable to work that into the original purchase deal when you dropped the cash.

For everyone telling him it's unreasonable, give me a fucking break. When I go car shopping, negotiations are perfectly fine and if I'm paying cash or what not, you can be damn certain I am going to ask them to toss in something to sweeten the deal. It's great negotiation tactics.

Asking a rigger to repack for free? Poor form.
Dealing your way to a free assembly on the store's dime after you drop a ton of cash with them, not unreasonable at all.

And on that note - why in the hell were you paying full MSRP on anything in the skydiving world? That should be your biggest complaint... (unless you were buying a select set of canopies that do not get any mark down)

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wildcard451

For everyone telling him it's unreasonable, give me a fucking break. When I go car shopping, negotiations are perfectly fine and if I'm paying cash or what not, you can be damn certain I am going to ask them to toss in something to sweeten the deal. It's great negotiation tactics.



Except I don't think he said it was part of the negotiations. I think he said it was AFTER he had spent the money. See first word in thread topic.
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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quade

***For everyone telling him it's unreasonable, give me a fucking break. When I go car shopping, negotiations are perfectly fine and if I'm paying cash or what not, you can be damn certain I am going to ask them to toss in something to sweeten the deal. It's great negotiation tactics.



Except I don't think he said it was part of the negotiations. I think he said it was AFTER he had spent the money. See first word in thread topic.

I agree. It's still not unreasonable to ask. Though after they have your money they are much less likely to help you at all.

Please name this gear store. Does not sound like people I want to give money to anyways.

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quade

***Was my request unreasonable?



Yes.

You just admitted you have (or at least had) $7000 in completely disposable income. You are a fortunate individual.

It is particularly douchy to flaunt that in the faces of people and ask for "free" services from people who work hella hard to provide a service that saves people's lives.

Think about what you just wrote next time you request or are offered something at less than full asking price.

Yes I spent $7000 - I wouldn't call it disposable income, more like a solid two years of really hard work, saving and sacrifice.

Assuming that I'm wealthy because I bought a new rig is a pretty douchy thing to do.

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Nerra

******Was my request unreasonable?



Yes.

You just admitted you have (or at least had) $7000 in completely disposable income. You are a fortunate individual.

It is particularly douchy to flaunt that in the faces of people and ask for "free" services from people who work hella hard to provide a service that saves people's lives.

Think about what you just wrote next time you request or are offered something at less than full asking price.

Yes I spent $7000 - I wouldn't call it disposable income, more like a solid two years of really hard work, saving and sacrifice.

Assuming that I'm wealthy because I bought a new rig is a pretty douchy thing to do.

dont' know about that but i gotta side with Quade on this one...no where did he/she say that you were wealthy only that you are fortunate...so that was douchy to assume that people assumed you are douchy wealthy :S *confused but you get the point*

And to the dude that makes an analogy like buying a car? One difference though, skydiving market is a smaller compared to the car market.
Because of a non-disclosure agreement i have with the entertainment industry i cannot disclose my location but in my home DZ gear and rigger shoppe i have not once heard anyone negotiating for discounts/breaks/free bees. Why? i can only speculate that we would like to support our local businesses.

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Nerra

Think about what you just wrote next time you request or are offered something at less than full asking price.



Heh, pal, you have no idea. Seriously.

Quote

Yes I spent $7000 - I wouldn't call it disposable income . . .



Then perhaps you need to revisit terms in an economic dictionary.

Unless you are a professional skydiver, then skydiving is a 100% completely optional part of human existence. Money spent on skydiving gear by amateurs comes from the disposable part of their income.
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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mr2mk1g



Is it unreasonable to ask? No.

Is it unreasonable for them to say no? No.

If you don't like that - take your money elsewhere next time.
If you don't like the tone of their response - take your money elsewhere next time.
If, overall, you think they gave you a poor service - take your money elsewhere next time and feel free to warn your friends off them whilst relating your experience.



Or . . . if you really want the discounts, and it really bothers you, ask for a refund and shop elsewhere.
I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

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Reasonable to ask? Of course.

Reasonable to expect? Good luck with that.

Also, you should ask before and during the buying process (not after) what, if any, are the available discounts. There are some, depending on who the dealer is, and what their relationship with the manufacturer is.
Remster

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Remster

Reasonable to ask? Of course.

Reasonable to expect? Good luck with that.

Also, you should ask before and during the buying process (not after) what, if any, are the available discounts. There are some, depending on who the dealer is, and what their relationship with the manufacturer is.



Questions like - What is the "Cash Discount"?
I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

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normiss

I can't believe after spending $50,000 on a vehicle that I have to BUY tags and registration!
WTD????



It's a completely different organisation.

Spending $50,000 and asking the dealer for a free car wash before picking up your car up would be a more accurate analogy.
If they then turned round and said to you that you shouldn't expect their car wash guy to work for free, would you not be insulted?

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Quote

If they then turned round and said to you that you shouldn't expect their car wash guy to work for free, would you not be insulted?



Nah, but then maybe we have different ideas of what we consider insulting.

I've had riggers do things for me for free. I have never once expected it and always offer to pay for their time, even if it's just a few minutes.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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quade

***Think about what you just wrote next time you request or are offered something at less than full asking price.



Heh, pal, you have no idea. Seriously.

Quote

Yes I spent $7000 - I wouldn't call it disposable income . . .



Then perhaps you need to revisit terms in an economic dictionary.

Unless you are a professional skydiver, then skydiving is a 100% completely optional part of human existence. Money spent on skydiving gear by amateurs comes from the disposable part of their income.

Speaking pedantically, you are correct however the tone of your response implied that $7000 was pocket change for me, which I can tell you that it is not. Maybe my original post implied that it was. I'm saying now that it is not, it's more money than I have spent on any single purchase in my life including my car.

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NWFlyer

Quote

If they then turned round and said to you that you shouldn't expect their car wash guy to work for free, would you not be insulted?



Nah, but then maybe we have different ideas of what we consider insulting.

I've had riggers do things for me for free. I have never once expected it and always offer to pay for their time, even if it's just a few minutes.



By quoting only the last part of my response you've taken it out of context. No one expects the the car wash guy to work for free, the insulting bit was the dealer implying that you were asking their car wash guy to work for free instead of seeing the bigger picture.

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Nerra

Speaking pedantically, you are correct...



No. I am simply correct. There is no pedantry in it. It IS disposable income.


Quote

...however the tone of your response implied that $7000 was pocket change for me...



Negative. You inferred that all on your own.


Quote

Maybe my original post implied that it was. I'm saying now that it is not, it's more money than I have spent on any single purchase in my life including my car.



Which I hope you understand is completely irrelevant to the discussion.

The $60 in free services you requested is how other people make their living. Just as you worked hard for your $7000 in disposable income, these people are also working hard. Your working hard does not supersede their working hard. It is, obviously in my opinion, that it is improper to ask other people to work hard for you for free. Some people might disagree with that, but I think it's a douchy thing to do.

WHY? Because people ask me to work for free quite a bit. I'm sorry, but my efforts and time aren't free. It's disrespectful of the knowledge I have and the services I provide. It's something the people asking me to do for free can't even begin to do for themselves, yet they've valued my knowledge and time at nothing.

Sorry, but you will not now, nor ever, get any sympathy from me over this issue.
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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Nerra

By quoting only the last part of my response you've taken it out of context. No one expects the the car wash guy to work for free, the insulting bit was the dealer implying that you were asking their car wash guy to work for free instead of seeing the bigger picture.



Again, I wouldn't be insulted. I might choose to do business elsewhere, I might not. But insulted likely isn't a feeling that would come to mind. To me, insult implies it's personal, when it's not. It's a business decision - one I may or may not agree with, but it isn't about me.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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Nerra

***I can't believe after spending $50,000 on a vehicle that I have to BUY tags and registration!
WTD????



It's a completely different organisation.

Spending $50,000 and asking the dealer for a free car wash before picking up your car up would be a more accurate analogy.
If they then turned round and said to you that you shouldn't expect their car wash guy to work for free, would you not be insulted?

The car guy isn't working for free, he still gets paid, buy the dealer, who eats the cost. Besides, what dealer anywhere doesn't deliver a fresh clean car after a purchase?

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There's an aspect to this not mentioned yet... and that is 'do you "trust" a rigger you don't know, never met, and have no relationship with to inspect, assemble, and pack up the system that is going to prevent you from becoming one with the planet?'

A few years back, I dropped the cash for a complete custom system. It all came in right as I accepted a job out of state, so the 'dealer' I went thru had an 'available' rigger assemble it and it was given to me 'ready to jump'. Upon arrival at a new dropzone, the crusty old rigger who inspected my gear called me over and emphatically grounded the rig! :o The reserve ripcord had been misrounted which "could have" resulted in a total of the reserve, or at a minimum a very hard reserve pull.

My point is... all riggers are not the same. Develop a relationship with your rigger of choice. Any rigger can, and will make mistakes. I prefer to put my life in the hands of someone I trust versus a no-name rigger that I've never met.

If I'm away from my rigger and need work done... fine. But it gets inspected / redone by HIM when I get home.

Just food for thought... YMMV.

Randomly f'n thingies up since before I was born...

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