Thread: How Cheap Are You?

Say you're in the market for some new costumery and you see some beautiful new stuff come in. New things generally don't go on sale, so you place and order. You get wind of a sale and ask if your stuff will be going on sale soon. You get and I don't know. The very next day after you place your order, the same brand in a different color goes on sale.

So, how cheap are you? Do you cancel? Do you huff-n-puff and accept it? Do you return if it's already shipped.

Well, I expressed my disappointment. I also sent a cancellation email, LOL. I've worked in retail so I'm feeling a little ambivalent now. I'm just upset because it's brand new and very similar.

SO HOW CHEAP ARE YOU?

Personally, I would have kept the one I got and wanted. I wouldn't settle for something in another color b/c it went on sale.
That's just me.

Normally, that's my attitude, but bellydancing is expensive. I'm strictly a hobbyist so my Wants are warring with my Needs. It was an impulse purchase. Sigh.

Hah! I'm so cheap that I buy stuff used or make my own. But I enjoy making costumes. I mostly dance at unpaid shows, though I perform frequently. So I can't see spending big bucks on costumes.

I would probably just accept the costume in your situation, though, and chalk it up to one of those things. It doesn't hurt to ask the vendor about giving you the sale price, though, does it? They can say yes or no.

Dude! Let me tell you my story!

I put a costume on layaway one day, only to have it go on sale the next day (1/4 off, or one whole layaway payment). I did ask if they would honor the sale price (no answer to that email), and I did end up paying off the layaway, but man, was I peeved, mostly at myself for being so impulsive.

That experience helped me to overcome that feeling I get when a GREAT costume comes along that if I don't buy it RIGHT THEN, I'll miss out on something. Sometimes it's better to mull it over for 24 hours than to rush into a purchase.

But also, I learned that you can't always get everything you want, and there's all kinds of consequences (even unforeseen ones) for your actions...profound life lesson learned from a costume purchase, LOL!

I bought a costume and when it finally arrived they had sent me the right style but wrong color and size. Also the workmanship was iffy but instead of just having them send me the right one I cancelled my order, got my money back and then spent it on a costume on the swap page. I love my new costume! Best to buy from other bhuzzers in my opinion. But even if they had given me a discount I still would have sent it back. Costumes are so so important. I think you cannot scrimp on them. I feel like I dance so much better in something that is well made and that means expensive! Expensive for me though is the $300-$400 range. I'd never actually spend more than that! I can't believe what people pay for Emans and Sahars!

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

Dude! Let me tell you my story!

I put a costume on layaway one day, only to have it go on sale the next day (1/4 off, or one whole layaway payment). I did ask if they would honor the sale price (no answer to that email), and I did end up paying off the layaway, but man, was I peeved, mostly at myself for being so impulsive.

That experience helped me to overcome that feeling I get when a GREAT costume comes along that if I don't buy it RIGHT THEN, I'll miss out on something. Sometimes it's better to mull it over for 24 hours than to rush into a purchase.

But also, I learned that you can't always get everything you want, and there's all kinds of consequences (even unforeseen ones) for your actions...profound life lesson learned from a costume purchase, LOL!

hmm very similar thing happened to me. was mulling over a costume with a certain $ amt of store credit. the costume was the exact price of my store credit, and store owner knew me and knew I was mulling it over. I finally decided to purchase it, went on the website & low & behold it was on sale! I asked about it & it was claimed to be a mistake on the web, still same original price. oddly though, several other costumes were still "on sale".

I'm pretty picky and hard to fit at the same time. If I see something I love that will work, I pretty much go for it at all costs. This has led to being screwed over by the vendors a time or two. I try to learn from each experience, but there are still scrapes and bruises along the way. I guess it's a price I'm willing to pay, until I find a wiser way to do things. I'm happy with my costume. :)

Many vendors will honour a sale price if it happens with in a short - think 7 day - period after the sale, order or layaway. Some won't. I ahve been known to cancel lay aways only to then buy everything at the sale price and still save money. ended up developing a great relationship with a store manager that way because she HATED doing the paperwork. So she'd tell me if something was going on sale soon. She also knew that I would keep coming back and I would probably buy a lot more from her than originally intended.

The other issue in all of this is how flexible are you? Before you ordered your costume did you ask the vendor if they had it in stock, in your sized, in any combo of colours. the vendor doesn't HAVE to volunteer that info. Although it is good customer service. And it usually is the difference between ready cash and custom oorders which are a pain in the arse!

{{{HUGS}}}

I go for the sale ones or oops handy girl special costumes(usually its fringe,sequins or a clasp), and I do get a good price. I like to embellish the way I want and I don't mind doing the repairs and alterations).I'd love an expensive costume but I don't dance enough(hobbyist dancer) to reason for the purchase at this time. Maybe when the economy gets better.

Alrana

oh, I am that cheap. ,r:; And I can be worse, so you are in good company.
Often results in me not buying anything, becuase I am not willing to pay that much.

I bought something from Audrena and then she had a sale a minute later..She gave me the sale price..She is awesome =)

I would absolutely cancel the order and buy the sale price. And I would tell them that's why I'm canceling and that I was disappointed in their customer service for not telling me they were going on sale the very next day.

After working in retail for many years and seeing the ridiculous mark-up, I have no problem asking for deals. In fact, I've gone into stores and point-blank asked for a reduction simply because it was over-priced and I was the last sale of the day. If you're working with a manager, they understand that a smaller sale is better than no sale.

Of course that doesn't work everywhere, but lots of places it does. Especially boutiques or smaller stores.

ETA: I ask for discounts on higher priced things, not $10 earrings :)

What Maliam said.

Well, I thinking hard. I'll probably have to make my decision tomorrow. Personally, I think they are going to ignore my email. This store is NOT good at communication--but who knows.

I would probably buy the sale one, too, and sell the other one a little while later on the swapmeet board...but that's just me.

Originally Posted by eshtabellydance

I bought a costume and when it finally arrived they had sent me the right style but wrong color and size. Also the workmanship was iffy but instead of just having them send me the right one I cancelled my order, got my money back and then spent it on a costume on the swap page. I love my new costume! Best to buy from other bhuzzers in my opinion. But even if they had given me a discount I still would have sent it back. Costumes are so so important. I think you cannot scrimp on them. I feel like I dance so much better in something that is well made and that means expensive!

I am with you on this one! I have bought three custom order costumes. One of them was screwed up so badly (wrong size, mismatched arm sleeves, wrong color beading, different fringe than what was pictured) that I straight up returned it. There was no way I was keeping something that was so different from what I thought I was going to get. I felt like I was talking to a brick wall while trying to get that whole mess straightened out, though. The other two custom orders I've done both had things wrong with them, too. The problems there were a little less major and a little more fixable, but annoying nonetheless. When I buy a costume that's supposedly made just for me, I just want to be able to move the hooks and wear it. None of this having to send stuff back to the vendor and having to take it to a tailor and whatnot.

I've been much happier buying costumes from Bhuzzers. You know exactly what you're going to get, you get a good deal, and the customer service is much better. :Ahappy:

Ok - good to know. When I get my money saved up I'm coming to Bhuz first!

The vendor did email me that the other costume was of a lesser quality. Surprised that I got a response, but maybe that's who I need to be talking to.

Well, I'm not as cheap as I'd hoped. My outfit came today and I really like it!! Family likes it too. I've decided to keep it. I like the color I have the best and quality does count. I've enjoyed reading your stories. It makes me feel better about being cost-conscious.

I'm sorry to hear about the custom & lay-a-way problems. I'm scared of doing that--especially sending money to another country. How scary!

P.S. they gave me a deal on another purchase. So, my cheapness has been mollified.