Tire Kickers Anonymous

Tire Kicker: An individual that poses as a potential client or customer without the intention of ever patronizing an establishment's services or products; Time waster;Resource vampire;Uses questionable practices to get a better deal. **Not to be mistaken with legit comparison or window shoppers.

If you've ever worked in sales or owned a business you've met or will meet the tire-kicker. If you have not you may be guilty of being one yourself!

There are many people out there like my mother that promises a salesperson to come back to make a purchase without the intention of ever returning. This is a practice I've tried to break her from, because it is dishonest and unfair to the person whose time she is wasting. It is much more appreciated to leave when a salesperson becomes too pushy or just say no. You're not going to hurt a salesperson's feelings (or shouldn't anyways) by saying no, and they would rather hear a no than waste their time or put something aside for someone with no intention of making a purchase.

Tire kickers waste money because time is money. The attention tire-kickers command takes time away from patrons with an intention to actually purchase ie: customers. There is nothing wrong with shopping around for a good deal or asking probing questions, but it is best to do this when an establishment isn't busy. You can get the information you desire without being a tire kicker:

1) Don't visit an establishment for information during peak hours.

2) Most sales oriented employees are paid on commissions: Do not think they get paid for customer service. They are paid based on their sales numbers and customers are people with money wanting to make a purchase.

3) Don't be demanding. If you have no intention of making a purchase you are not a customer.

4) Ask if a person works on commission. If they do and you are satisfied with their service, take a card and when you are ready to do business ask for them and insist upon dealing only with them. You will get the best service this way because commission based sales people appreciate this consideration.

5) Don't ask a lot of questions and act like you're buying if you have no intention on making a purchase when you enter the premises and then put down the salesperson or products/services.

6) Don't claim your reason for not patronizing products/services is because you can get a better deal somewhere else when its not true. The salesperson or manager may call the cited business and when you do go to the competitor they will know you are a lying tire-kicker. The competition isn't always interested in stealing business when the prospect is known to be difficult or dishonest.

Shopping around for a better deal or asking questions is not wrong. How many people go about it is what can be wrong. I am not making this suggestion to make life easier for salespeople but if you have a history of being difficult and have trouble otherwise getting a better deal, heeding this advice may improve your chances of getting what you want.