Never trust a store clerk!

[NCC1966]

So! This is the kind of thing that I already should have learned, but we are always repeating the same errors again and again, uh?

Couple days ago I walked in a local stationary store and asked to the clerk a "Colorgin" rattle can of matte white. Actually I saw the can in the shelf and pointed him what I wanted. Colorgin is a Brazilian reliable paint maker so I knew that it is a good stuff. Then the stupid clerk instead to pick the can and sell to me, decided to ask:

-- Wouldn't you like to buy this other one? It's cheaper and I tried it the other day and it is awesome!

He told this while he put the mysterious and yet good looking can onto the counter. What I was thinking to trust his "I tried it and it's awesome" opinion?

OK, then the stupid me said "OK, I will buy this!".



Today I brought two half nacelles of my Reliant to the shop, shook the rattle can (c'mon it's just white...) and sprayed it. Immediately I noticed that regardless the label in the can say "matte white" it's gloss. A few minutes later after a couple coats I could see that the surface was with an awful orange peel texture. I almost pee in my pants: several years ago I tried to paint a model car with a red rattle can and I got the same orange peel that for my horror wasn't the paint but the plastic that was attacked by the solvent (the model was ruined and had to be dumped).



I then ran back to my workbench with the nacelles, picked a rag, damped it with spirit thinner and spent about 1 hour rubbing the nacelles to remove the whole paint. Fortunately it didn't damage the plastic (Hurray, AMT!) but I wasted a lot of time and it could not have been end so happily.



The lesson learned here is: never EVER trust in the opinion of a store clerk unless you know that he/she is a trained and experienced specialist. Other than that he or she is there just to pick the stuff in the shelf, get the money and give the stuff to you. Everything with a smile.

[MEATLOAFr]

stick with what you know... clerks can be morons most of the time

[Moongrim]

If I got such an enthusiastic endorsement from a paint salesman I'd ask for a demonstration.

Obviously he was probably getting a commission on the cheaper stuff. Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

[MEATLOAFr]

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

Or until after you needed it

[DefiantClient]

Sounds like you didn't know the guy. The store I go to knows better than to pull this crap..

[NCC1966]

If I got such an enthusiastic endorsement from a paint salesman I'd ask for a demonstration.

I'll go for the meatloaf comment that clerks are mostly jerks. Listen this...

Yesterday I came back to the store where I bought the crap paint and gave it back. As I could remember they had the paint I wanted, but when I was to pick it I saw that they didn't have the color. Grrrrrr... So I picked the value of the paint in other items and walked away. Then I tried SEVERAL stores in my town and couldn't find the paint anywhere (did I already mention how painful is to live in a small town when you come to buy specific things?). Since I had bought my other can in 2008 (8 years ago) I even thought that the factory could have stopped to make the product.

Anyway, in ALL stores where I was they tried to push me a "similar" crap. Then I explained that it was for a work that I already had started and that I was afraid of the color/texture get different and ALL of them (no exception) said immediately that I wouldn't see any difference. Then I asked: "Sounds good, I will trust your word and will pick it. Just a thing... I know that it won't happen but if after I paint I get a color or texture difference I will come here to get my money back, OK?"

Then ALL of them (no exception) withdrew their "guarantee" saying that it could give a "slight" difference. Wait. You said NO difference... no you are saying that it may give a "slight" difference?



Anyway, after a frustrated research in my town I was look for the paint online and found it. Bought two cans. Now I just have to await until it arrive.

[Moongrim]

Strange how that works. The guarantee invariably gets withdrawn as soon as a reasonable request is made.

[el gato]

So! This is the kind of thing that I already should have learned, but we are always repeating the same errors again and again, uh?

That's the very definition of insanity, my friend

There are a couple of clerks at my local hobby shop whose opinions I trust. Everyone else gets the polite "Hmmm, maybe next time but for now I'll stick to what I know. Thanks!"

[Moongrim]

It seems to me that if I were a store clerk interested in sales, I'd be more inclined to get what the customer wanted, and when they arrived to pick up same, I'd pitch the other one as well. That way if they were dissatisfied with what occurred afterwards- they'd be less irate, since they had the original to fall back upon.

But that's just me. Trying to think of the customer's needs, as opposed to my need to make a sale.

[el gato]

You also don't know if they're under pressure from management to push a certain product