Entitled customer demands a discount from a retail employee for a non-sale, undamaged product: ‘"Like, just take ten off. It's not hard"’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Feb 20, 2026 1:00 PM EST

When this customer badgers an employee for an unnecessary discount, they're in for a treat.

By "treat," we mean for the employee, not the customer. When will people realize that the world (and everything in it) doesn't exist solely for them? Reality checks are necessary when there are people like this out in the world. Making a customer service employee's life more difficult because you want a meager discount on an already affordable product? Stories like these are why more and more people are afraid to dip their toes in customer-facing roles. Customers are scary!

Not only does this customer try to negotiate a discount with the retail employee, but they also try to convince them that a perfect product is damaged. No, it wasn't damaged. Scroll to read.

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  • A customer service employee smiles at the camera, and a superimposed image of a disgruntled man appears next to her.
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    A customer service employee smiles at the camera, and a superimposed image of a disgruntled man appears next to her.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • "‘Can you just… give me the discount because I feel like it?’"

    I work at a mid- range retail store that sells a mix of home stuff and random "gift-y" items.
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  • Think shelves of candles, mugs, little gadgets, and seasonal junk people swear they need. Most days are normal: someone can't find a size, someone wants a return without a receipt, someone asks if we have "the one they saw online" but with zero details.
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  • You know, retail. This happened on a slow afternoon when the store was empty enough that you can hear the music loop back around.
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  • A guy comes in, maybe late 30s, dressed like he's going to a casual dinner but also like he might argue with a parking meter.
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  • He grabs one of those little countertop humidifiers we sell, not expensive but not cheap, and then he does that thing where a customer makes a beeline to you like you're a help desk, not a human.
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  • He puts it on the counter and goes, "So what's the discount on this." I'm already bracing, because it's not on promo, there's no sticker, nothing.
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  • I say, "It's the price on the tag, but we do have a loyalty coupon sometimes if you're signed up." He leans in like I just said something insulting.
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  • "No. Like what's the discount you can give me." I do the polite smile. "I can't just discount it, unless it's damaged or there's a current sale." He points at the humidifier like it's personally betrayed him.
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  • That awkward moment when you think you deserve special treatment… But seriously. Is this customer pranking the employee? What discount does he think he deserves? He is not nearly as convincing as he believes himself to be, and this is evident in the employee's response. He isn't even a loyalty member, which means that he's likely not a frequent flyer in this establishment. Needless to say, they could probably do without his sale and survive comfortably!

  • "It's damaged." It was in a sealed box. No dents, no torn corners, no weird tape.
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  • Just... a box. I pick it up and turn it around. "What makes you think it's damaged?" He shrugs.
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  • "Because it's the last one on the shelf." I actually paused, because I thought he was joking.
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  • When you can't get what you want, just start lying! It might work or it might not. Doesn't hurt to try your luck, now does it?

    This customer is pulling out every page in the book, hoping something sticks in the process. At the end of the day, you have to respect his game. Is he delusional? Sure. But he's also hilarious. We feel bad for the employee, who probably thinks that Ashton Kutcher is going to jump out from behind the sales rack with a camera.

  • Like maybe this is his little bit. But his face was ded serious, almost offended that I wasn't immediately agreeing.
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  • I say, "Being the last one doesn't mean it's damaged. It just means it's the last one." He does this big sigh, like I'm the unreasonable one here.
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  • "Okay but it's been handled by other people. People touch it. So it's not new-new." I'm thinking, buddy, you are currently touching it.
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  • keep it simple. "It's still new. It's unopened, and it's from our regular stock." He taps the counter with one finger, slow and dramatic.
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  • "So you're saying you can't do anything for me.” “I can help you sign up for the loyalty thing," I offer, because I'm trying to give him an exit ramp.
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  • "Or you can check our app for coupons." He waves that away. "No no. I shouldn't have to do extra steps.
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  • Like, just take ten off. It's not hard." And here's where the conversation goes from mildly annoying to fully surreal.
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  • He says, "I drove all the way here." We're in a normal shopping plaza. It's not remote.
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  • I say, "Okay... but the price is still the price. He stares at me like I'm failing a morality test.
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  • "You don't understand. I used gas. Gas is expensive. So it would make sense for you to, like, balance that out." I'm trying to keep my face neutral but I can feel my brain rebooting.
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  • "We don't have a policy for reimbursing... travel." He laughs, short and sharp. "So you're just gonna punish customers for coming to your store." I say, "No, I'm just following the pricing." Now he switches tactics.
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  • He lowers his voice and goes, "Okay, what if I buy two things. Then you can discount one, right." "No, it doesn't work like that unless there's a deal." He lifts his hands a little like a magician about to reveal a trick.
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  • "What if I promise to come back." I say, "We can't do discounts based on promises." He's getting frustrated now, and he does that thing where they look around like they're expecting a crowd to back them up.
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  • Still basically empty store. He says, "This is why people shop online. They take care of you online." I almost said "then do that," but I'm not trying to get written up.
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  • Instead I say, "I understand. Online does have different promos sometimes." He holds the box up and squints at it like maybe the discount is printed in invisible ink.
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  • "So you're telling me there's no way you can just... help me out." At this point I'm like, okay, just end it.
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  • "No, I can't change the price." He puts the humidifier down very gently, like it's fragile.
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  • A customer service employee smiles at the camera.
    via Vitaly Gariev for Unsplash

    A customer service employee smiles at the camera.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Then he says, "Alright. Then can I get a discount on something else." I blink. "On what." He points at the candy display by the register.
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  • "Those. Because | had to stand here and waste my time." I swear I felt my soul leave my body for a sec.
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  • I say, "No, man, we don't discount candy for... waiting." He frowns and goes, "That's not customer service." I just go, "Sorry." And then he hits me with the line that still makes me laugh when I think about it.
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  • He says, "Okay. So you're gonna make me leave here empty-handed." Like I was holding him hostage.
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  • Like he's a victim of The System. He grabs his keys, does one last dramatic sigh, and walks out without buying anything, still muttering about how businesses don't appreciate people anymore.
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  • Cheezburger Image 10607304192
    via headphonesallnight

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customer service discount entitled customer retail entitled customers tales-from-retail
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