I was ripped off by the fruitstand vendor!!!
By Jemina
@Jemina (5770)
May 7, 2008 11:53am CST
I passed by a fruit stand and asked how much the bananas are. The guy asked me wcich one so picked a bunch and showed him. He went to weigh it, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to me and said, £1.80. I was dumbfounded. I didn't want to buy it but I was scared he would get mad if I didn't pay for it. Being new here in the UK I was apprehensive what might happen. So I paid for it but I was boiling mad. First I just wanted to ask how much. He should have told me at least before weighing it. 
4 people like this
7 responses
@jcj_111776 (3216)
• Philippines
12 May 08
There will be always vendors who are little too like that. Same here in our country. I was in Laguna that time. My friends were with me when I asked a woman how much a kilo of squids cost. She didn't say anything but pulled a plastic bag, picked a kilo of those squids then handed that bag to me...before telling me how much I need to pay her!
I was surprised for a few seconds before firmly reminding her that I was only asking for the price. Then she told me the same thing, still trying for me to get the bag from her. I wanted to scream at her and dump the bag of squids over her head. But I took a deep breath before telling her no thanks and promptly turned my back on her and walked away. She yelled something nasty at me but I just kept on walking. 
I was surprised for a few seconds before firmly reminding her that I was only asking for the price. Then she told me the same thing, still trying for me to get the bag from her. I wanted to scream at her and dump the bag of squids over her head. But I took a deep breath before telling her no thanks and promptly turned my back on her and walked away. She yelled something nasty at me but I just kept on walking. 1 person likes this
@Jemina (5770)
•
12 May 08
Well, if it happened in a place I'm very familiar with I would have done differently like you did. It happened to me in Thailand just a few weeks before I went back to the Philippines but having been there for more than six years I was already very familiar with my surrounding so I also walked away from the nasty vendor.
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
8 May 08
Maybe he was under the impression that you were wanting to know how much so you could pay for them? Could there have been a language barrier or misunderstanding there on your part as well? Maybe what you need to do next time is just make sure they understand your intentions first, or better explain yourself. With todays economy being so rough everywhere they might have just been needing a Sale is why it happened? A lesson learned, I am sure.
1 person likes this
@Jemina (5770)
•
8 May 08
Well, if you pass by a fruitstand and there are no tags on the fruits, normally you would ask how much they are. And that's just what I said. I think it's very basic, a customer asks "how much" and the seller should answer back "this much" before doing anything else like weighing it and bagging it. I didn't say, "Can I buy this?"
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
7 May 08
that sucks but I don't care if I found it too expensive I just would not buy it and walk away, that is all there is too it.
1 person likes this
@bagumbayan (2705)
• Philippines
12 May 08
You should have not bought it. Even if the vendor weighted it and tell you the price. Next time be carefull.
@Fidget (291)
•
7 May 08
What a cheek! I would have walked away but that may be because I've worked in shops for a long time and won't take that kind of crap when it comes to retail. I can understand feeling intimidated but if he had caused a fuss he couldn't of been able to move from his stall as you walked away.
Sorry your intro to the UK hasn't started off on the best of settings, hope it gets better.
1 person likes this
@Jemina (5770)
•
7 May 08
Well, I wanted to walk away but I was afraid to make a scene. Maybe it wasn't going to be that bad. But anyway, thanks for your post. I feel better and now I know what to do when confronted by the same situation next time. Aside from that, all is well. I love UK! 
1 person likes this
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
7 May 08
Sorry to hear your being ripped off when your new to the country. I would be mad also. He should have just told you how much they cost not expected you to buy them no matter how much the bill.
