Penny What?

Maybe it's just me, but what on earth is "penny merchandise?" I've worked in retail before and have never heard this term uttered. However, a couple months back, a shopping trip to Macy's at Lenox Square mall in Atlanta introduced me to penny merchandise and left me perplexed. And by "perplexed," I mean infuriated, which is why it has taken me so long to blog about it. I had to let things cool off, otherwise this blog would have contained far too many expletives, therefore making it unpublishable--and that wouldn't have done anyone any good, because I must spread the word.

So this is what went down...On a brief shopping trip to Lenox Square I made a quick stop in Macy's, in search of a very particular, and fabulous, pair of Kenneth Cole earrings that I had been eyeing for several weeks. After locating the earrings, I was making my way around the jewelry counters in search of the ever-elusive cashwrap (or at least one that was staffed). On my way, I got detoured by two tables set up in the middle of the aisle. "Clearance!" they screamed at me. "Stop here now!" So I did what any hurried shopper does when confronted with a big sale--I stopped and started browsing.

After giving each table a quick once-over, a dainty gold necklace by Monet caught my attention. Entangled with about 500 other chains, it was hard to even discern it from the other pieces of jewelry--luckily I'm equipped/cursed with a keen shopper's eye and I spotted it right away. Once freed from the other necklaces, it was even more gorgeous than I had originally thought. In fact, it was THE perfect necklace...the kind every shopaholic dreams about, with just enough glam for night, but simple enough for day. It was a shopping urban legend come true. I HAD to possess it. And the best part was that it was on sale for only $16!

Giddy on my shopping high, I clutched my items and scrambled to the register. First, the sales associate rang up my earrings. Then I slid my necklace across the counter reluctantly, not wanting to let it out of my grasp for fear that it would evaporate in mid-air. The associate ran the scanner over the price tag, paused and then fake-frowned, "I'm sorry, this is penny merchandise," she said. I looked at her completely confused, thinking, if it only costs 1 cent then why is she frowning? "I'm sorry, what?" I asked, hoping for clarification. "It's penny merchandise. I can't sell it to you," she said with a lopsided grin. I stood there silent and still confused, don't panic, stay calm and fix this, I thought. "Well if you can't sell it to me than WHY IS IT OUT ON THE SALES FLOOR!?" I asked, probably not so nicely, while feeling my face slowly start to turn red with fluster. "It's not supposed to be. Sorry about that," was all she managed to muster in return. Still determined, I continued: "So can you sell it to me for a penny?" "No," she said. "It comes up as penny merchandise in the register and I have to damage it out." "How about for the price on the tag? Or sell it to me on the side?" I suggested, growing frantic as I watched her violate my necklace, pouring the chain back and forth, from hand to hand.

She wasn't budging at all, and explained that there must have been too many complaints about the product or a defect from the manufacturer that caused the item to be designated as penny merchandise. "Well can you at least tell me what trash can you are going to throw it out in so I can go dig it out!?" I insanely demanded, hoping she would feel bad for a pathetic, pleading customer and just slide it across the counter and let me have it. But she didn't relent. "Sorry, I have to send it back," she said.

I dove across the counter, arms outstretched, frothing at the mouth, and tackled her, ripping the necklace out of her hands...only kidding! But I DID contemplate it for a fleeting moment. However, at that point, I knew the fight was over. I had made myself look pretty ridiculous and all for nothing. I didn't bother to ask where she had to send it to, or ask if Macy's received payment for it from the manufacturer or what kind of arrangement there was. It didn't matter--my perfect necklace was lost.

I stormed out of the mall in an outrage. What had just happened was so cruel! If the necklace was on the sales floor, I should have been able to purchase it! I didn't care if I had to sign a contract waiving my rights if the necklace gave me lead poisoning or some other equally awful thing--I would have signed it. A week or so later, I tried to find the necklace at another Macy's store, but to no avail. It's probably a good thing, because I may have been tempted to start a career as a thief had I found it. Months after the whole debacle, I'm still incensed. So let this story be a lesson to any retailer with a "penny merchandise" policy--if you are going to refuse to sell items to your customers, you better make sure they're aren't on the sales floor!

--Jessie Bove

Comments

[Goebz]

Penny merchandise must mean "bad penny" like a bad penny that keeps coming back?
Probably the manager of that department or the category manager got tired of returning them and marked them for "disposal". They didnt bother telling the floor manager to get rid of them.

Never fear, your necklace will show up at Marshalls next year. LOL

[Christian Soto]

Why don't you contact Monet directly to clarify this. I've been working retail for 12 years and this is the first I've heard of it, either.

Your frustration is definitely warranted. One needn't go into details why. However, in all of my years working retail I will firmly state that it is impossible to catch every item that may be flagged for defect to send back or destroy. Larger items are easier to track but when you have such a piece that meanders through the aisles, islands, kiosks, and other display areas at the hands of countless shoppers a day, well, you see where this is going.

Perhaps Monet can help you track THE next perfect necklace. And with any luck it'll be available without the radioactive, cancer-causing coat of gold paint applied in China.

Good luck, Jessie.

[jenny]

did you ask to speak with a manager? in every store i've ever worked in, if you complained higher up on something as small as that, they would definitely sell it to you.