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Does your Paris Baguette try to cheat on price?
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crescent



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: yes.

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 4:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Leon wrote:
Dodge7 wrote:
LOL at all the Beta males saying to go back and apologize. I swear most of you were born female.
I'm still asking, won't he lose face if he goes back and apologizes? All you apologists say to understand and respect the culture, well, you'd never see an ajussi apologize the next day for something like this.


You're stuck in a country you don't like because your wife makes more money than you. You're a beta male, bro.

Laughing
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byrddogs



Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 4:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wasn't too interested in this thread until Dodge showed up and the many times accused apologists followed in waves. Good stuff.
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mnjetter



Joined: 21 Feb 2012
Location: Seoul, S. Korea

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 5:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have you ever been to a grocery store here, OP?

I was always under the impression that "han gye" literally means "one ___," but can also be used to mean "per item" in pricing. I see it all the time in grocery stores. It is standard practice (not dishonesty here--90% of grocery store produce is labeled like this) to list prices by 100g or by single item, regardless of how the items are packaged. If I go to buy a bunch of bananas in an official Dole package sealed with a twistie tie, the sign near the bananas lists the price per "han gye" banana. Usually, the net price will be taped onto the individual bags, but there's no guarantee. If I want to buy some individual-sized bags of potato chips that are signed all over with "han gye 500 won!!!" and the bags are taped together in 5-bag bundles, I understand that I am not to rip the tape off to get at one bag.

This seems to be a clear case here of people imposing their cultural expectations on advertising practices here in Korea. I don't mean to be an apologist, whatever that means, but it really didn't take me that long to learn the system here. Now it seems so natural that I have a hard time comprehending how the incident in the OP could be construed as dishonest. It was clearly packaged in fours.

Just chalk it off to cultural misunderstanding and remember it the next time you see something like that.
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Unibrow



Joined: 20 Aug 2012

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah the pricing was probably deceptive but it's 3 bucks man. Seriously. Crying over 3 bucks is pretty beta. If you really cared you should have just said no and put the unopened package on the counter. And saying "wahhh my home country has laws against this" is a stupid argument. In my home country I can go buy a gun right now no problem. Why can't I just buy a gun right now in Korea? I can in my home country! What a stupid thread.
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nautilus



Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:16 am    Post subject: Re: Does your Paris Baguette try to cheat on price? Reply with quote

Swampfox10mm wrote:
The PB store near my home is great. No probs. But the one near work really angered me.

So I opened the package and said, "Ok, I will take just one." She then said I cannot do that and must buy the full package. Furthermore, she gave me a very sour look for opening the package. After that look, I just told her to cancel everything and I left.


Rolling Eyes

Another pennypinching scrooge.

The number of expat tightwads in this country is off the scale.
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PatrickGHBusan



Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Leon wrote:
Dodge7 wrote:
LOL at all the Beta males saying to go back and apologize. I swear most of you were born female.
I'm still asking, won't he lose face if he goes back and apologizes? All you apologists say to understand and respect the culture, well, you'd never see an ajussi apologize the next day for something like this.


Your stuck in a country you don't like because your wife makes more money than you, you're a beta male, bro.


Instant classic. Laughing
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byrddogs



Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PatrickGHBusan wrote:
Leon wrote:
Dodge7 wrote:
LOL at all the Beta males saying to go back and apologize. I swear most of you were born female.
I'm still asking, won't he lose face if he goes back and apologizes? All you apologists say to understand and respect the culture, well, you'd never see an ajussi apologize the next day for something like this.


Your stuck in a country you don't like because your wife makes more money than you, you're a beta male, bro.


Instant classic. Laughing


Agreed, PGHB. Best comment I've seen on here in awhile. It's up there with ttom's old classic sticky "I'm no noob, I've been here 3 months." Laughing
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fermentation



Joined: 22 Jun 2009

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Who's Your Daddy? wrote:
Stores do this all the time. I've seen two 1 litre cartons of milk wrapped in cellophane with the price indicated per carton (but you can't get the out of the cellophane). Similarly with the yogurt drinks. Homeplus shows the price per drink but they are packs of four.

But specifically with Paris Baguette the register gave a different price on the item than indicated on the shelf. I told the clerk, the price indicated is X, she said no it is Y, I said take a look. I walked over to the item, she got all huffy before moving, angrily came over and said "that's wrong; it costs Y". No apology. I just left. If it were an honest mistake, and the clerk wasn't such an ass, I'd have paid Y. Put me off the shop, went by a few hours later, the price still said X.


Korean shops do this a lot. They try to "trick" you in such an obvious manner that you really won't be tricked if you just read the fine print. It's really stupid so I don't know why they even try. But I guess people are stupid sometimes. A while back there was an uproar when yogurt companies "tricked" customers by selling smaller packets for the same price but the weight of the product was printed right there on the packet. Employers do the same when looking for employees.

Also, I didn't know adults used the word "beta" and "alpha" in a non-ironic, joking manner. Or this place is actually infested by highschool jocks.
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byrddogs



Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fermentation wrote:
Also, I didn't know adults used the word "beta" and "alpha" in a non-ironic, joking manner. Or this place is actually infested by highschool jocks.


For that matter, I didn't know adults used those terms when referring to something other than dogs at all. Obviously some do, though.
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NYC_Gal 2.0



Joined: 10 Dec 2010

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OP, it stinks that you had that happen, and you did slightly overreact (but come on, guys, the package wasn't sealed if it was at Paris Baguette. It was likely that fold-over slightly-sticky wrapping that can be re-closed easily) so if you do go back, make sure to buy several items and be friendly. After a few trips, there should be no issue.

Also, not just directed towards you, but everyone should learn shopping vocabulary in Korean. It's especially useful in places where haggling is normal. A bit of small-talk ability goes a long way, as well. You don't have to have great grammar, but be able to string small sentences together and you'll be golden. Also, carry a smart phone with a translator, in case an unknown word crops up.
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mnjetter



Joined: 21 Feb 2012
Location: Seoul, S. Korea

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

byrddogs wrote:
fermentation wrote:
Also, I didn't know adults used the word "beta" and "alpha" in a non-ironic, joking manner. Or this place is actually infested by highschool jocks.


For that matter, I didn't know adults used those terms when referring to something other than dogs at all. Obviously some do, though.


Every time I hear "beta," I think of test version software. Other than Dave's, that's the only way I've ever heard the word.
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atwood



Joined: 26 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

greene wrote:
you were at fault at the point where you opened the packaging. there is no way you can be sure they didn't have some sign making it obvious to a korean that you had to buy those things as a set

beyond that, behave yourself. you're not in your own country.. you're a guest

throwing around a buzzword like 'apologist' tells me that you're a walking complaint looking for a reason

"things better be like home.. or else!"

If he or she is a guest, shouldn't it have been free? You don't invite guests over and then charge them for dinner, do you?

Statements about being a "guest" is why the apologist label, accurately in my view, was used.
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Captain Corea



Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mnjetter wrote:
byrddogs wrote:
fermentation wrote:
Also, I didn't know adults used the word "beta" and "alpha" in a non-ironic, joking manner. Or this place is actually infested by highschool jocks.


For that matter, I didn't know adults used those terms when referring to something other than dogs at all. Obviously some do, though.


Every time I hear "beta," I think of test version software. Other than Dave's, that's the only way I've ever heard the word.


I've heard/seen a lot of younger (like, 18 yrs) ppl using it. Usually young males trying to show how tough they are.

------------------

This type of pricing is not all that new. I ran into in in NY last week. It's a pain. But it's not something to flip out over.

You really want to show 'em? Leave everything at the counter and walk out. Don't get mad... just bring your money somewhere else.
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Swampfox10mm



Joined: 24 Mar 2011

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 5:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Does your Paris Baguette try to cheat on price? Reply with quote

nautilus wrote:
Swampfox10mm wrote:
The PB store near my home is great. No probs. But the one near work really angered me.

So I opened the package and said, "Ok, I will take just one." She then said I cannot do that and must buy the full package. Furthermore, she gave me a very sour look for opening the package. After that look, I just told her to cancel everything and I left.


Rolling Eyes

Another pennypinching scrooge.

The number of expat tightwads in this country is off the scale.


Seriously, are you going to get off of the "penny-pinching" thing? Aren't you the guy that complains every-other thread that people aren't interested in buying your drinks for you or something?

You go ahead and complain about others "penny-pinching." For all we know, you are in debt up to your ears. Personally, I don't care to be.
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Swampfox10mm



Joined: 24 Mar 2011

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

JustinC wrote:
Swampfox10mm wrote:
highstreet wrote:
It clearly states price for one. Though, in small print.

You could have just asked if you could purchase one before opening it.

This stuff happens to me in convenience stores. Can of coffee will say 600won, but then the guy tells me it's that price if I use some special credit card. Then I do what most normal people do, I either just buy it or go back and pick something else out.

I definitely don't run to Dave's and accuse them of trying to deceive me,



The arguments above about "meat" and "canned coffee" do not hold water.

You're comparing individual, countable items to non-count items.

Basic English, people.


Since when is a pound of meat or coffee uncountable?

Do you fill up at the gas station and then cry about having to pay more than $4?

Back to the topic, the pricing is obviously there to deceive you and they (the owners, not the poor shop staff) are counting on you being too negligent or embarrassed to change your mind.

BTW this thread is hysterical! Well done.


How realistic is it for one to open a package of meat, grab a handful of it, and ask to pay for that? A bit messy and ridiculous, no?

Your gasoline argument does not work. If the gas at the gas station was sitting there in 4 gallon tanks, and you were charged by the gallon, then maybe it would work. As it is, however, the gasoline is made available from a massive underground tank that, is for purposes of filling an automobile tank, endless. We know we are charged per gallon because the machine meters it out as we recieve it.

Likewise, coffee which is sold by the pound is labeled as such. When items are sold by weight and taken from a large bag, tank, or pile, we know and expect that it will be quantified in such a way that we will pay a fair/set price.

Big difference.
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