Why do Argentinian sellers treat their clients badly?

There are 14 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 3,591 times. The latest Post () was by Rice.

1st Official Post
    • Official Post

    Ranging from ignorance (in the literal sense: they seem not to notice you when you walk-in their shop, or reply to your questions like if you were annoying them) to insults (see @Splinter's tale of being scolded for approaching a desk he was not supposed to) to scamming techniques (I can remember Rice complaining about lettuce price increases every time she walked into the vegetable store...)...


    My story of the week is a follows: I found a paint on Mercadolibre that matches some other art we have in the house. The advertised price is $2500 and the item has been on ML for months. We notice in the Question space that the seller was open to close the deal for $1300 a while ago. So my husband asks about the final price, and the seller replies $3500!!!!!


    My husband replied that it's advertised for $2500 and the seller, instead of replying politely that he forgot to update the price (and to update the price) basically dared him to go there and try to buy it for $2500 which the seller defines 'a fraction of the price it's worth'.


    To be clear, the seller himself wrote he wants 50 USD, but instead of converting it to $3000 at the official rate of 60, he converted it at 63 and the product is still advertised at $2500.


    If he genuinely forgot to update the price, he would have changed it immediately. Instead, he decided not to change the price and to insult the only one serious prospect buyer he's had in months.

    I don't really understand why people here complain they have no money to live while they seem to do everything possible to scare clients away. :beatdeadhorse:


    Now, not only I am no longer interested in this item, I am also not keen to face a pelotudo de primera and to give him my money or browse his store. :cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing:


    It's one of the most exhausting things about living here. Vendors here make it seem like they are doing you a favor, ignoring the fact buying and selling is a mutual contract. Amazingly, it's not just in one sector either but is instead across every single aspect of the customer or service experience here. Interestingly, I notice the younger generation is much more polite (maybe 25-30 and under), for example in McDonald's or something. Sure, the trade off there is they will almost always screw up the order, but at least they do it with a smile.

  • serafina

    Changed the title of the thread from “Why do Argentinian sellers treat their client badly?” to “Why do Argentinian sellers treat their clients badly?”.
    • Official Post

    I use a new method now in Coto and chat up the girls on the till, starting with "Do you speak English?". It's a great ice breaker and more than anything, takes them out of the mundane.

    In fact, it's a great opener almost anywhere, especially if you're dealing with a particularly miserable sod. I've even had the odd one ask me for English conversation classes, but they never, ever follow up.

    last week I got a telephone number for a, I quote "great reliable car washer"......got the number from the owner of a store here by me that sells cleaning products......great, sent him a WhatsApp......got a response yesterday, 5 days after my initial message!!!! "Sorry first now I saw your message".....even that I could see he read the message same day.....!

    So the big question: does that seem to be a great and reliable car washer??????

    Doubt it!!!!

    I'm sorry to be German strict, but for someone to be taken serious in anything, I expect an answer in one day max, either per mail or WhatsApp.....

    Last week some workers was supposed to come to my house and do some cleaning in my front garden, and after that, next project to make my drive way nice with concrete and tiles.......they live and work in a big new building 50 meters away........ until now no one show up to tell what the plan is or start working........

    So are people dieing of hunger here? Doubt it!!!!!

    btw serafina ...... I think title should be changed......"sellers" is not a appropriate word..........maybe "standbyers" or "await buyers" or "waiters" "expectators"!!!!.......a seller is someone working in the marrocan Bazar doing a hard effort to SELL his overpriced junk...... Also annoying, but at least doing an effort!

    • Official Post
    Quote from UK Man

    Thankfully out here in the sticks I'm still seen as a bit of a novelty so tend to get very good service.

    That, or they know who you are married to! ^^


    @JAN... we have a happy ending.


    I decided to buy the painting with my ML account, instead. It turns out that if you choose to pay cash in a Pagofacil/Rapipago location, the ad on ML keeps running and the item is still available.

    I am not sure if the seller is notified of the purchase. Knowing the SOB we were dealing with, I didn't want to pay just to have the purchase cancelled by the seller and having to wait two weeks to get the money back on Mercadopago.


    I was able to track the phone no. of the seller and we arranged a visit. We drove to Caballito to his big space full of antiques, about 200 sq. meters of antiques piled up, hung up, lying on the floor, with just a tiny strip of dirty carpet to walk through it.


    We were able to see the painting and another similar one a little bigger, that was not advertised on ML.

    For a very long hour (maybe less, but it felt like forever), the seller and my husband tried to negotiate. The seller wanted $3500, my husband told me he was not going to pay him more than $3000 before we went in.


    After a L-O-N-G back and forth where both tried to explain their POV, and the seller not budging in, we ended buy the painting for $3250.


    The second paint was $4500, and the combined offer we got was $7800 "if you buy them today". We didn't have that much cash on us, and, frankly, I am not exactly afraid someone will go there tomorrow and buy it, given the man's attitude.

    Quote from serafina

    That, or they know who you are married to! ^^

    You make her sound like a former Miss Argentina. ^^


    Honestly...not many foreigners come here, especially ones who have a pathetic grasp of the language. Tonight I was queuing in the local Chinese supermarket after collecting a bottle of dark rum and 4 kitkats which they were selling 2 for 75 pesos. ...cheapest yet I believe.:thumbup:

    The Chinese lady at the till asked me how much the KitKats were offered at as the bar code didn't work. ''75 pesos for two'' I replied in my rough Spanish with Scottish accent. She didn't undestand me so she asked the chap behind me as they were on display at the entrance to the till. He confirmed what I said. All done in a very pleasant manner I have to say. :thumbup: