To send a letter of complaint to this retailer and possibly cost someone/several people their job ?

[whitebits]

Back story....DS has been dropping major hints for a present he wants from Santa. The store catalogue gives the price as 6 and unfortunately this particular toy is exclusive to this store so we can't buy elsewhere. We did see a few being advertised locally on Gumtree and Ebay by private sellers for 60 (!) but DH said "fuck that (that's a direct quote ) I'm not paying 60 for a 6 toy."

I've gone into the store numerous times over the last few weeks only to be told that they've just sold the last one or they're waiting on a delivery the next day. DH popped into the store today as he was in the area and overheard another Dad talking about this toy basically saying thank God he got it as he wasn't prepared to pay the Gumtree/Ebay price for it. So DH went up to the counter and asked if they had the toy in stock. After much deliberation and several visits to the stock room the sales assistant said yes they had one left and DH bought it. He overheard an exchange between the assitant and another employee along the lines of "ok, we'll split the money from the next one..." Then one of the other employees stupidly/honestly told DH that he and other staff members had been buying the stock and selling it on Gumtree or Ebay for 10 times the store price !!!

Whilst I'm the first to applaud their entrepreneurial spark, isn't this just bloody wrong ? Dh was absolutley bloody fuming. I've been trying to think it through. It's different from someone wandering in off the street and buying all the stock for 6 quid and then flogging it on Gumtree at a significant mark up, isn't it? I think Dh is most angry at the fact that we've been lied to numerous times when I've gone to the store and been told they don't have any. He called earlier to speak to the store manager but they were unavailable so is thinking of emailing their Head Office to complain. We know at least one of the people involved as they have served us previously in the store. So what would you do ?

I'd contact them on Twitter. Companies seem to respond very quickly on Twitter.

But, as I said, they don't appear to be lifting the stock off the shelves and buying it as I, or anyone else wanting to make a few quid, could do. They're deliberately holding stock back so normal customers never get the chance to buy the bloody things. DH said the assistants face literally fell when he realised DH knew they'd just sold one so were likely to have more and therefore he'd lost out on another £60. Total first world problem, I get that, my kids aren't entitled little whatevers that get everything they want, far from it. But Skylanders have particularly caught DS's imagination so I suppose I've taken it a bit hard that some people are basically taking the piss and lying to my face.

I know someone who worked in retail was sacked for buying discounted goods and selling them on FB.

It is a sackable offense in some shops.

Sackable offence in mine....if you use your discount for it. Pay full price and you're alright.

It isn't illegal, but it is extremely unfair. They are using the desperation of parents who don't want to disappoint their kids at Xmas, to make a massive profit.

I'd contact head office and report it.

Aren't Skylanders toys available in more than one store?

joanne1947 - my DS isn't an entitled little beggar (though the tone of your post makes him sound like one) and has never demanded anything in his life. Whilst he would probably have been a bit disappointed at not getting this particular toy (it's my understanding that it's quite important in order to play the game) he would have got over it. Like most parents. if a toy is within our budget, and at 6 it is, then we like to try and get our kids what they actually wanted. There is no way on earth I would have paid 60 for it.
I'm sorry if I got a bit too personal, I just meant that in general people spend far too much at Christmas and kids need to learn what is affordable. I apologise to poster whitebits if I was too strong and personal.

No question grass the little shit bags up. And to those saying they are probably on a shit wage etc so fucking what!!! so are half the parents trying to get a present their kid really wants.

Its greedy, these people have no morals, if they get the sack they deserve it.

joanne1947 - Apology accepted and I get what you're saying. I know people who are getting into debt to get presents that their kids don't need. It's a shame the pressure gets to people so much and they feel they owe it to their kids.

yoube - this particular toy is very hard to come by. It's the new Trap Team game that's just came out.

I've worked in retail and this would have been a sackable offence where I worked. We had very strict rules about our staff discount and this would definitely have been classed as abuse of it.

I'd be in two minds about reporting them because I know how seriously it'll be taken. I cannot believe they were stupid enough to admit to your husband what they were up to. They very probably will get sacked, but then again they might be seasonal staff who's contracts are up in a couple of weeks anyway. Maybe get in touch with head office but don't specify a particular store. They might just send out a company wide email reminding everyone of their responsibilities and that might be enough to stop them doing it.

There's a thread about this isn't there? I haven't been able to get one for the boys - now we know why grass em up op, I've spent loads on parking and petrol.

Life isn't fair, children need to learn this as early as possible and learn that they won't always get what they want

Report them. If they've done nothing wrong then they won't get in trouble. If they have then they only háve themselves to blame.

Yes and Christmas is the perfect time to be giving children yet another life lesson. FGS can they not have one day off from being generous and kind and understanding that life is going to kick them in the shins for ever and a day!

I'd report the workers OP and let their bosses decide if it's fair play or not. I hope your little one enjoys his Christmas

I worked in toy master many many moons ago and even then this was a big no no. We were a small store and we'd have customers offering three and four times the price for stock we'd already put on lay away for customers.
I think if we'd tried this trick we'd have been sacked.

Someone was sacked from my partner's workplace for doing this (buying up perfume with staff discount and selling it on ebay).

Report them. The fact that they were stupid enough to discuss it within earshot of a customer is reason enough for me - fuckwits never prosper

I'd complain. If they aren't doing anything wrong they won't get in trouble. If they are, you didn't twist their arm to make them do it. Not your responsibility what happens to them.

It's unethical for certain.

Whether it's actually illegal or against store guidelines, is up in the air. At the very least the store can crack down and make it so that employees can't use discounts on multiple of the same item.

I am another who says report to the shop and they can decide if it is an issue. It is IMO unethical, dishonest and disgraceful.

They may be Xmas staff who'll be gone in a couple of weeks anyway, but if reported it'll definitely affect them being able to use the company for a reference in the future. Totally agree with you o.p.....massively unfair and irritating they're doing this. Report them. They clearly couldn't give a shit about people who are being directly affected by their actions.

It's completely unethical and I'd report them in a heartbeat.

Meh. It's wrong but I'd let it go. You've got the toy now.

See what you mean. on the one hand, this is unfair if they are preventing items ever going on the shelf and they deserve some consequences, so if I thought someone was going to get a bollocking I would report them...on the other hand, would I feel comfortable knowing someone got sacked over this (at Xmas too), especially when I don't know the circumstances behind their doing it? No, it would feel a bit too "An Inspector Calls" to me (shop girl gets sacked for stiffling a giggle at rich girl trying on a hat that makes her look ridiculous and rich girl throws weight around with manager, shop girl ends up in prostitution, dying horribly etc) .

Trying to think of some middle ground...

in my company, that would have definitely counted as gross professional mix conduct. It is very clearly stated in the policies. You can buy for friends and family at a discount, but you may not make s profit