The parable of the pizza place

[cammeddrz]

This is a story that actually happened to me locally, involving off road "product", it was so ludicrous i had to share it.

I have changed the specifics to be a pizza place analogy.

I have been "buying pizza" for 8 years from various places locally, and nationally.

I walk into a local pizza place and say

Me: "i'd like to buy your pizza, it says $120.00. Is that per pizza? . ."

Owner: "we have 1 pizza, everyone pays $120.00, currently 3 people are here so it's split 3 ways, but you will make it be split 4 ways now"

Me: "so $120.00 buys 1/4 pizza?"

Owner: "for now, but if someone else walks in, and pays $120.00 we'll come to your table and take part from you to make it 1/5, and give the new guy that so he gets 1/5 too, and so on and so on as many people come in until we close."

Me: "is there any way that i could guarantee the amount i would get after buying it? The other pizza places i eat at either charge per piece, or sell me the whole pizza."

Owner: "we only make one pizza per day"

Me: "maybe charge a specific price, and limit the number of customers to that one pizza, so that everyone gets a specified amount? Or at least Maybe a lower price? your pizza is 10x more expensive than I've ever paid. . .and that's IF you gave me the entire thing"

Owner: *yelling "you're crazy, you're ridiculous to suggest i limit my number of customers! , you have ridiculous notions of how pizza should be sold. . ."

Me: well i really need at least one piece of pizza right now, if i pay you the $120, will you guarantee that i get at least one piece of pizza? "

"If that's how you're going to be, i don't want to do business with you! Get out!"


This literally happened with the owner of a locally based off-road company. I used pizza because a friend of mine that i told this to said "that's stupid, if it was a pizza nobody would ever do that"

If this were any product you've ever seen or heard of on therangerstation. Would you think a business charging in such a way would be justified?

 

[RonD]

Not sure what that would apply to?

"All you can eat buffet" would be similar
You pay the "$120" for the food at the buffet, and they sell that over and over again, reducing your % of "all the food" each time.
But as long as YOU get "all you can eat" then all is well
You may eat "the whole pizza", someone else may only eat "1/2 a pizza" and be satisfied
But both of you paid the "$120", I don't think that is a rip-off or scam.

 

[cammeddrz]

But an all you can eat, they wouldn't

1)take something from your plate that you're eating just because someone new came in.

2)And an all you can eat place would make sure there was enough, not just one pizza. Therfore the customer is the one to decide the limit, not the establishment

3) And they'd make darn sure they could certainly guarantee you'd get at least 1 serving.

4) and they wouldn't charge 10x higher than other "buffets" , also they shouldn't berate their customers for asking for a lower price

I could stomach any one of those alone, but all together? It's unreasonable

 

[D4N63R]

This is a good story.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

 

[silverslug]

Move to a state where "product" is easier to get. Problem solved.

 

[Mark_88]

I read this earlier and had to come back because I couldn't figure out what the product was. The only thing I can think of is some manufacturer has come up with an idea and he wants people to invest in it so it can be widely distributed but the investors are only entitled to a certain portion of the earnings...if any.

Probably wrong but I will watch for the secret of the parable to be revealed...

 

[AndyB.]

Were you trying to buy a whole night with a hooker?

 

[bronco2fan]

I tried to wrap my head around what kind of product or service would function like that and that it would actually be tolerated by consumers or make money.
I personally would tell the SOB off and take my business elsewhere. I too will wait and see what this could possible be .

 

[pjtoledo]

trail time?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I don't know the answer either, I am not good at parables. BUT, my wag is ISP - Internet Service Provider and data transfer.

 

[Mark_88]

Were you trying to buy a whole night with a hooker?

LOL...pizza is sold in pieces...and so is a piece of a$$...

that almost makes sense...but I think they might have a "lay away" plan for that...a trip somewhere!

trail time?

Ahaa.....something I've never had to buy so I wouldn't have thought of...

I don't know the answer either, I am not good at parables. BUT, my wag is ISP - Internet Service Provider and data transfer.

Hmmmmm....it is an "off road" product...unless you're driving and surfing...



I like the idea of trail time...that makes the most sense...

 

[Doofy]

Well, someone slapped me with a "stupid" stick. I have no clue as to the meaning of this parable...

 

[Mark_88]

I guess hoping to see this solved is asking too much...anonymity is the real reason for the parable but dang I can't sleep at night thinking about this...

 

[Curious Hound]

I really want to know what it is.

But I wouldn't do business with anyone that worked like that.

 

[1996xlt]

As others have said, anyone who would charge the same price for one item versus 1/5 of the same an item clearly doesn't understand percentages or good business practices.

So what was it?