The other day, I went to the grocery store, intent on buying a cake. After scanning the bakery counter a few times and finding inspiration, I set out to get all the ingredients to make my own cake at home. As I completed my shopping and checked out, doubts began to creep in, Would my cake be as good as the one I had seen?
I paid, and as I headed for the door I suddenly remembered—sprinkles! So I rushed back to the aisle, picked out a small bottle of multicolored sprinkles, content. But then, I saw the candles. Every cake needs candles, right? So I picked those up as well. By the time I reached my cart again, I had a cake stand, some icing, a really nice piping bag, and of course, my candles and sprinkles.
Setting those extra little things (and they really were little compared to the flour and sugar and filling ingredients I’d already purchased) in the basket, I started for my car.
But before I reached the door, the manager stopped me with a condescending “ma’am” and asked me to go back through checkout!
How ridiculous, I insisted, I’d already paid!
I pushed the cart forward again, and the manager stopped me again!
Now I was fuming; all I wanted was a cake, a beautiful, yummy cake with sprinkles and tasty filling, and this manager was standing in my way. Didn’t he see that I had everything I needed and could not finish baking the cake until he let me leave?
It didn’t matter, I said heatedly, that I had not purchased everything at the register; these were all the things I needed, and I’d already paid enough. Didn’t they want me to have my cake?
The manager wouldn’t budge. What a jerk! Now he was standing in the way of my perfect cake, and I left the entire cart behind, indignant and proud to tell everyone around me how the store lured me in with images of a perfectly beautiful cake, let me buy some of the ingredients but not all, then refused to let me have everything I needed for my own cake, and actually tried to charge me more!
I will never go back there again.
*
As a full-service web development and design firm, we have on occasion had clients like this want-a-cake baker. And it’s a difficult thing to stand our ground and insist that each and every service we offer is contracted and compensated fairly. Because just like a grocery store, we could not stay in business if we allowed those who purchase some things from us leave with the entire store of products.
We do our best to advise, to strategize, to remind you that you may want sprinkles too, and many times we are capable and happy to add more to your cart as you request/require the services that will support your business. But we cannot do so for free and trust you understand our position.
