strange sales tactics (MFI)

Member Name: luvmybeetle

Product:	MFI
Date:	17/02/04 (363 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: kitchen we liked looked nice

Disadvantages: Salesman didn't want to sell us the kitchen we wanted., Very odd sales technique

My husband and I set out at the weekend to buy our first kitchen, we were bubbling with excitement and enthusiasm, this was a momentous occasion for us. We haven't been married long and it is the first big purchase we are making together for our new home.
Well, how naive we were! We did indeed find our dream kitchen (or so we
thought)
however the MFI salesman did not seem to want to sell us that particular kitchen. How odd!

Ok so here's my sorry tale of woe... Having found the kitchen of my dreams, and having finally managed to locate a price list too, we felt pretty ready to take the next big step.
My husband managed to catch the attention of one of the sales consultants (surprisingly difficult considering the store wasn't exactly heaving with customers...but anyway I digress...).

We indicated our interest in the kitchen and being kitchen buying newbies were eagerly awaiting his advice on what the next step of the kitchen buying process involved.

We were waiting for him to tell us how wonderful this kitchen was, all about the superior build quality, all the exciting features that it included, in short SELL the kitchen. But no, his opening gambit was to explain the difference between the range of kitchen we had selected (Schreiber) and the cheaper range that they offer (Hygiena). That difference being basically price.
Finally he came to the point...he was concerned that the more expensive range we had chosen might not be within our 'budget'
He went on to state that he didn't want to lose a sale 'because the kitchen you have chosen may be too expensive for you'.

Just better note before I continue that we we'd barely even exchanged pleasantries let alone mentioned our budget.
I would have also thought its pretty near impossible to discern just by appearances somebody's budget, bank balance, credit rating or disposible income.
So what an odd sales techniqu
e!!

Well I was shocked, stunned, horrified and speachless. Is this a standard sales tactic? Does belittling your customers help to clinch a sale? Do they expect everyone to justify their ability to afford to buy their goods before the salesman is prepared to spend any of his precious time helping them out?

Did we catch the wrong salesman having a bad day? Had he already made his commission for the month? Was he just not bothered about making a sale that day? Am I just being overly sensitive?
Or did he look at the 2 twenty somethings stood in his store and make a snap judgement that we were aiming far too high with our kitchen buying plans.

I certainly hope it was not the latter but I do know that after that experience it will be a long time before we consider buying anything from MFI.

Summary: