Gimmicks

Got so pissed off today I seriuosly thought I was going to blow my top.

My face was looking so tired recently, so I thought maybe a facial and eye treatment would help.

Called up this salon near my place and enquired about the price for a normal facial. She started telling me about the promotions they are having, which was $28.80 for first time facial, which includes facial, eye treatment and neck treatment. Thinking I may not be there for the first time cos I couldn't be sure if I did facial there before, I told her what is the usual price for that. She said they have a promotion now which was $68 for eye treatment, neck treatment and facial if it's not the first time. Thinking I might not be doing eye treatment since I have a budget problem here, and my priority was only going to get rid of the black pores that have mysteriously predated my face, I asked for the usual price for a normal facial. She said $42. I remember the prices so clearly because I was repeating the prices to my friend who was sitting next to me while we were having breakfast. I thought it would be fun to try out together.

I set the appointment at 1pm, ready to try out the $68 package. Got there and she started asking which treatments I was interested and started telling me the package prices. Note it's long term packages, 10 times, and I don't foresee I have the committment to start one now. So I told her I was interested in the $68 she mentioned and she started introducing me to the $680 ($68x10) package. I told her I would try once and she mentioned something about why not I buy the package and I can take that as one time from the package. Told her I was not interested at that point of time, and I was ushered to the treatment room. At that time, I was assuming I was getting an eye treatment, neck treatment and facial treatment.

She asked me to put on the towel and lay on the bed. I did what was told. Before she started applying the cream on me, she started asking me to take the $680 package again. I told her I'll only try once, and mentioned that I wanted to trim my eyebrows too. She said it was included in the package and I was amused if I got it wrong. Then she started saying since I was not taking the package, the $68 only entitles me to an eyebrow trim and a facial, plus a shoulder massage or something like that. I remembered going for facials and that shoulder massage was part of the process. I was baffled and fuming mad. I felt cheated to that place.

That was part 2 of the gimmick cos I initially had the intention of paying $68 for the promotion she was talking about over the phone. I remembered asking her if she was the one whom I was speaking to over the phone and she said yes. It was ultimately misleading and immoral in my context.

I didn't enjoy any bit of the process at all, all the time fuming mad, while she started on her service. She was being really nice and attentive to my needs, but the gimmick that I got from her previously got me boiling mad.

I was desperate to leave the salon because I seriously felt they could not be trusted. After the facial, she ushered me to a seat, assumingly to try and psycho me into a package again. I was right, but this time was 5 times, so $320 (5x$68). I said I was not interested and another woman started approaching me, coaxing me into buying that. I seriously felt cornered at the moment. Worst is I hate hard sales, and they made it bad enough from the gimmick.

I gave her 70 bucks and told her to keep the change. I saw her rummaging through the drawers for a $2 change and thought she didn't hear what I said. I was desperate to leave the place and just told her to keep the change and I took off. I shall never step into the place again. It was not the first time I got this kind of shit anyway. I went for a manicure and pedicure recently, thinking it was a promotion, because another lady told me to try it. Before the process was finished, she told me the promotion's over and I gotta pay the full price. I was told I could get the promotion if I paid $399 ($39.90x10). I thought I made a mistake so I didn't make any further comments. But this time I wasn't sure.

Of cos I had a fault, not that I am not ashamed to mention it. I was looking for budget facials, and guess what? Cheapos certainly don't deserve the best! I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry over it. Damn!