# Oprah Allegedly Told She Can't Afford $38,000 Handbag



## blueblip (Aug 10, 2013)

> *The Swiss Are Sorry That Oprah Winfrey Faced Racism in a Zurich Boutique*
> 
> _ALEXANDER ABAD-SANTOS 8,223 ViewsAUG 9, 2013_
> 
> ...



*Source:* 

Swiss gonna Swiss?


----------



## Zaru (Aug 10, 2013)

Billionaire complaining about not being able to buy a handbag more expensive than 99% of the world's average yearly income, and blowing it out of proportion by pulling the "racism" card

She might have done some good in her life but that's such a publicity whore move...


----------



## Patchouli (Aug 10, 2013)

...People will pay $38,000 for a purse?

Brb, I'm opening a purse store for rich people.


----------



## Wolfarus (Aug 10, 2013)

And how is it discrimination if she didnt make it to a store before they closed, and the managers/owners wouldnt re-open just for her?

fucking entitlement, much?

Though, zaru.. in this case i can see it being a racist issue if the clerk just assumed she couldnt afford it (because she was black) w/o even waiting to see how she would have paid for it, regardless of if she was recognized or not.


----------



## Aeternus (Aug 10, 2013)

Well clerks in this kind of shops can be really rude to pretty much anyone, regardless of colour, gender etc. So I wouldn't be so sure this has something to do with racism. As for the other incident in Paris, come on now. She got there after the shop closed, so she had no right to complain there.

Also complaining because they didn't allow her to buy that ridiculously expensive bag (btw how can a bag even cost that much, it's mind-boggling..)? Yeah, it's her money and she has the right to do whatever she wants with it but still... I don't care if you have helped a lot of people, you just don't complain about things like this, especially in this day and age.


----------



## Zaru (Aug 10, 2013)

Wolfarus said:


> Though, zaru.. in this case i can see it being a racist issue if the clerk just assumed she couldnt afford it (because she was black) w/o even waiting to see how she would have paid for it, regardless of if she was recognized or not.



"Racist issue"
There's one fucking store clerk which might or might not have declined to take out a super expensive bag due to prejudice. Stop the presses.

My main gripe with this story is that it's a story at all. There's tons of serious shit happening in the world right now and then Oprah comes and makes a big fucking deal out of possibly meeting ONE prejudiced person in some small racially homogenous country far away from her home country?


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 10, 2013)

> In 2005, there was a similar incident in Paris, with Winfrey not allowed to shop at Herm?s because she apparently got to the store shortly after closing and the store owners did not open the doors for her.



Stop the presses

Even if you may look rich, $38,000 is a bit much, generally items like that are put up as a showcase item to draw in customers, anyone seriously willing to buy it would have called ahead of time to make such a large purchase.

She might as well be bitching that people aren't recognizing her.


----------



## Aeternus (Aug 10, 2013)

Xiammes said:


> She might as well be bitching that people aren't recognizing her.



Getting the feeling this was the real reason she was annoyed by this.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

I'm thinking of a number between -1 and 1.

Hint: It's the number of shits I give.


----------



## blueblip (Aug 10, 2013)

Saufsoldat said:


> I'm thinking of a number between -1 and 1.
> 
> Hint: It's the number of shits I give.


0.9999999999?


----------



## GRIMMM (Aug 10, 2013)




----------



## Kira Yamato (Aug 10, 2013)

A clerk sees a Black person and automatically assumes she can't afford an expensive item. Prejudice still exists....News @ 11.

I've had a security guard tell me directly that my friends and I couldn't go in a store together because "he knows how our kind acts" he would only allow us to shop one at a time and watched us like a hawk. 

Yes, racism still exists. 

Although this is probably more tabloid worthy than actual news worthy.


----------



## Wesley (Aug 10, 2013)

It was after hours and he wanted her to leave.  Telling her the bag is really expensive was probably meant to discourage her.  He would have said the same thing to anyone unless they were wearing thousand dollar bills all over their body.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

blueblip said:


> 0.9999999999?



You can't give fractions of a shit, that's not how it works 



> According to AFP, the whole thing is being described by Trudie Goetz, a spokeswoman for Trois Pommes, as "a misunderstanding":
> 
> [Goetz] denied her saleswoman had ever sought to stop Winfrey buying the bag.
> 
> ...



So we have a rational explanation, but we choose to assume that the clerk was racist because Oprah has sand in her vagina. Great, really good journalism.


----------



## Gin (Aug 10, 2013)

THIS IS AN OUTRAGE

WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS?!?


----------



## Saishin (Aug 10, 2013)

> has faced discrimination while traveling abroad. In 2005, there was a similar incident in Paris, with Winfrey not allowed to shop at Herm?s because she apparently got to the store shortly after closing and the store owners did not open the doors for her.


Oh come on she came after the closing time  
only because she is rich there were no reason to open the shop after it was closed and I'm sure that also a white celebrity wouldn't be allowed to enter,in this case there wasn't any racism act.


> There were suggestions that this was due to the *French simply not recognizing her,* but some argued that Oprah was denied entry because of her race and that the store would have opened doors for a white celebrity.


Of course they didn't recognize her,Oprah is more famous in the US since she conduct a show broadcast only there, abroad more of the people don't know her if I'd ask here in Italy if someone knows her much probably the person would answer that he doesn't know her,she think to be known everywhere? she pretend too much then


----------



## rac585 (Aug 10, 2013)

she probably appreciated the experience.


----------



## Stunna (Aug 10, 2013)

no one currs


----------



## Bioness (Aug 10, 2013)

Oprah use to face racism quite a lot during the 80s and 90s, mix that with power and you have a woman who could take anything wrong and crush you for it.


----------



## Devil King Sanji (Aug 10, 2013)

Some of you people honestly think this isn't a form of racism?

Get your head out of the sand.


----------



## Babby (Aug 10, 2013)

"You're black so there is no way in hell you can afford this." - not racism.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

Blood Dawn said:


> Some of you people honestly think this isn't a form of racism?
> 
> Get your head out of the sand.



What evidence do you have that it's racism? 



Atlas Flame said:


> "You're black so there is no way in hell you can afford this." - not racism.



Please stop pulling things out of your ass, nobody ever said that.


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 10, 2013)

Wolfarus said:


> And how is it discrimination if she didnt make it to a store before they closed, and the managers/owners wouldnt re-open just for her?
> 
> fucking entitlement, much?
> 
> Though, zaru.. in this case i can see it being a racist issue if the clerk just assumed she couldnt afford it (because she was black) w/o even waiting to see how she would have paid for it, regardless of if she was recognized or not.



jumping to conclusions.


----------



## aiyanah (Aug 10, 2013)

damn grrl, that bag is just not in your budget


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

Zaru said:


> Billionaire complaining about not being able to buy a handbag more expensive than 99% of the world's average yearly income, and blowing it out of proportion by pulling the "racism" card
> 
> She might have done some good in her life but that's such a publicity whore move...



Yeah this right here is fucking bullshit.


Your telling me a talk show host media celeb is not allowed to tell a story about blatant prejudice because she's a billionaire? 

What will she gain by  this............. publicity?  What kind of logic is this. Your telling me people cant tell stories of there experiences? Did she go back and try to sue for racial discrimination? No. Did she go back and try to have the clerk fired? No. Did she go back and buy all the things in the store like she wanted to? No.

Pull your head out of your ass, assuming she isnt lying about being dressed in Oprah gear (expensive looking clothing) this was blatant racism. There is no "card" to pull. It just happened.

I dont even like Oprah.


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 10, 2013)

except no.

Assuming she wasn't recognised which seems to be the case then you have no grounds for racism.


----------



## The Weeknd (Aug 10, 2013)

Zaru said:


> Billionaire complaining about not being able to buy a handbag more expensive than 99% of the world's average yearly income, and blowing it out of proportion by pulling the "racism" card
> 
> She might have done some good in her life but that's such a publicity whore move...


Exact-a-fucking-tactly.


----------



## Sanity Check (Aug 10, 2013)

Oprah needs to know her limits.


----------



## The Weeknd (Aug 10, 2013)

1mmortal 1tachi said:


> Oprah needs to know her limits.



Free Mercedes for everyone in the crowd


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

Nightbringer said:


> except no.
> 
> Assuming she wasn't recognised which seems to be the case then you have no grounds for racism.



Delusional. The clerk obviously didn't recognize her or he wouldn't have made the mistake. Nobody is debating that. 

What grounds did he have for telling her the purse was out of her range? In the article she clearly states she was wearing her expensive clothing.


----------



## LesExit (Aug 10, 2013)

Well....I don't see what other reason there would be for why the clerk would say that to her other than racism or they're just having a bad day and decided to be an ass-hole to everyone.

Either way.... $38,000? ....I mean....why?....why?.....why?.....wtf???...why???....


----------



## The Weeknd (Aug 10, 2013)

If you compare her with and without make-up, she is a totally different person.



vs


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 10, 2013)

navy said:


> Delusional. The clerk obviously didn't recognize her or he wouldn't have made the mistake. Nobody is debating that.
> 
> What grounds did he have for telling her the purse was out of her range? In the article she clearly states she was wearing her expensive clothing.



who gives a fuck about how expensive her clothes were?

Some random comes up to your shop and asks to buy your most expensive item, is your first instinct to tell them that it's too expensive for them, no matter who they are?

Congratufuckinglations you're this clerk, who's now under fire for either not knowing or not paying attention to who Oprah was, which is ridiculous.

They probably get asked all the time by people that wish to buy what's probably a nice looking purse, and almost every single time they would reply, this is too expensive for you, misses average jane.

So assuming the clerk was operating on auto-pilot, when you're asked for the 10th time that day whether or not the 39 grand hand bag is for sale you reply, this is too expensive.


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

That's nice, Tittynipple. If she had came in ratchet attire, I could see why the clerk would get that impression. Except the article clearly states she didnt.


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 10, 2013)

Anyway, the onus is on you to prove racism, not on us to prove it wasn't.

so have fun with that.


----------



## Disquiet (Aug 10, 2013)

It is entirely possible it's an issue of race, but it's also entirely possible that it's a _$38000 handbag_ of all things and the store clerk has had to turn a lot of people away before. _Nobody_ can afford a $38000 handbag, black, white or otherwise. Not even Oprah has ever worn clothes that obviously expensive, unless there's a dress she glued solid gold bars to that I haven't heard about.

It's careless to turn someone away by telling them a product is simply too expensive rather than by immediately confirming the price and asking whether the customer is sure, but if you've had twenty people come in beforehand asking the same thing and being disappointed, you're going to streamline the experience.


----------



## The Weeknd (Aug 10, 2013)

Shopping in Swiss, cause 'Merica ain't good dat good shit.


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

Nightbringer said:


> who gives a fuck about how expensive her clothes were?
> 
> Some random comes up to your shop and asks to buy your most expensive item, is your first instinct to tell them that it's too expensive for them, no matter who they are?
> 
> ...



What kind of logic is this? You think a sales person isnt looking to make a sale? Can you imagine the commission you would get on this purse?


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 10, 2013)

So much jelly in this thread that I can make sandwiches for all the Boy Scouts in North America.

Anyways, I find the store's response to her claim hilarious. Basically summed up: "She is a liar."

That crisis management.

And some of you...please. Oprah talking to the press about this for publicity? Get real.


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 10, 2013)

navy said:


> What kind of logic is this? You think a sales person isnt looking to make a sale? Can you imagine the commission you would get on this purse?



the impossible commission you mean?

Nobody in their right mind would buy such a purse, unless they're filthy rich.

Considering the fact they said purse is on display they would presumably be asked all the time about it, only to be told that a customer cannot afford such a purchase.

This girl had never heard of Oprah and the expensive clothes bit is bullshit so she had no way of knowing she was talking to a billionaire.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

navy said:


> What kind of logic is this? You think a sales person isnt looking to make a sale? Can you imagine the commission you would get on this purse?



Great job not reading the article. She was looking to make a sale, she offered similar, but cheaper handbags since she assumed the customer would rather have something that looks very similar but has a much more realistic price tag.


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 10, 2013)

itt: people add the words "because you're black" to a harmless statement and make it an issue


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

WAD said:


> So much jelly in this thread that I can make sandwiches for all the Boy Scouts in North America.
> 
> Anyways, I find the store's response to her claim hilarious. Basically summed up: "She is a liar."
> 
> ...



 They're not saying Oprah is lying about what happened, they're saying she's wrong about how she interpreted the situation. The store owner simply put it in context.

I think I understand now how Oprah got so rich, people just seem to believe whatever she says without questioning it.


----------



## Disquiet (Aug 10, 2013)

navy said:


> What kind of logic is this? You think a sales person isnt looking to make a sale? Can you imagine the commission you would get on this purse?


So let me get this straight: you claimed in an earlier post that Oprah's wealth would have been obvious from her attire, but you're also saying that the salesperson would definitely want to sell the handbag for the commission? So this salesperson is deliberately cheating herself out of a sizable commission for...giggles?


----------



## Mael (Aug 10, 2013)

Saufsoldat said:


> You can't give fractions of a shit, that's not how it works
> 
> 
> 
> So we have a rational explanation, but we choose to assume that the clerk was racist because Oprah has sand in her vagina. Great, really good journalism.





Blood Dawn said:


> Some of you people honestly think this isn't a form of racism?
> 
> Get your head out of the sand.



Go to Sauf's post.  There's an actual explanation instead of jumping the gun.  I get Europe lives in double-standards but Jesus Christ can we not fall prey to the victim card so easily?


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

BrianTheGoldfish said:


> So let me get this straight: you claimed in an earlier post that Oprah's wealth would have been obvious from her attire, but you're also saying that the salesperson would definitely want to sell the handbag for the commission? So this salesperson is deliberately cheating herself out of a sizable commission for...giggles?



No. Im saying the salesperson wrongly assumed she couldn't afford the purse. 

 She obviously didn't think her appearance wasnt enough to warrant the purchase of the bag, or she would have made the sale.


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 10, 2013)

navy said:


> No. Im saying the salesperson wrongly assumed she couldn't afford the purse.
> 
> She obviously didn't think her appearance wasnt enough to warrant the purchase of the bag, or she would have made the sale.



okay.

it was wrong of her to assume the sale could not be made.

doesn't make it fucking racism though.

she would have said the same to any person of any skin colour.


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 10, 2013)

Nightbringer said:


> the impossible commission you mean?
> 
> Nobody in their right mind would buy such a purse, unless they're filthy rich.
> 
> ...



Eh, it was still poor saleswomanship from the clerk's part. I don't think anyone reasonable expected her to go on about all the purse's perks and lucrative properties only to potentially have the customer say "oh I can't afford that" and thus waste her time with the pitch.

She could have just as easily have said. "Ma'am, this purse is $38,000" to which Oprah would have said "Okay, I'll buy it cause I'm Oprah!!!!" where most others would be like "Oh.". How much time would the clerk waste then in contrast to stuffily saying "No, you can't afford that purse". 

Even if it's a display model, it was still for sale, so obviously the boutique had reason to believe that someone would be capable of making that purchase.

The clerk acted haughtily and now she should be humbled for it. I really don't see how some people here are transferring that error onto Oprah, truly.


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 10, 2013)

WAD said:


> Eh, it was still poor saleswomanship from the clerk's part. I don't think anyone reasonable expected her to go on about all the purse's perks and lucrative properties only to potentially have the customer say "oh I can't afford that" and thus waste her time with the pitch.
> 
> She could have just as easily have said. "Ma'am, this purse is $38,000" to which Oprah would have said "Okay, I'll buy it cause I'm Oprah!!!!" where most others would be like "Oh.". How much time would the clerk waste then in contrast to stuffily saying "No, you can't afford that purse".
> 
> ...



fair enough poor salesmanship.

but racism is the incorrect label.

that's all I'm saying.


----------



## The Weeknd (Aug 10, 2013)

Yeah, I don't think she meant that crap to be racist.


----------



## Wesley (Aug 10, 2013)

Blood Dawn said:


> Some of you people honestly think this isn't a form of racism?
> 
> Get your head out of the sand.



Crying racism every time you become upset over something is racist.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

WAD said:


> Eh, it was still poor saleswomanship from the clerk's part. I don't think anyone reasonable expected her to go on about all the purse's perks and lucrative properties only to potentially have the customer say "oh I can't afford that" and thus waste her time with the pitch.
> 
> She could have just as easily have said. "Ma'am, this purse is $38,000" to which Oprah would have said "Okay, I'll buy it cause I'm Oprah!!!!" where most others would be like "Oh.". How much time would the clerk waste then in contrast to stuffily saying "No, you can't afford that purse".
> 
> ...



Check the explanation that the store owner gave. She didn't just go "you can't afford that, fuck off", she merely pointed out that there are cheaper alternatives and that the one Oprah wanted was probably out of her preferred price range. For 99% of the customers that walk into that shop the clerk would have acted absolutely correct, since there are very few people who actually want to spend that much on a handbag.

Now Oprah decided to be a major douche about it and not only went public but even accused the clerk of racism, which is hardcore defamation of character.


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 10, 2013)

Saufsoldat said:


> They're not saying Oprah is lying about what happened, they're saying she's wrong about how she interpreted the situation. The store owner simply put it in context.
> 
> I think I understand now how Oprah got so rich, people just seem to believe whatever she says without questioning it.



And you need to remove your head from the end of your digestive tract, because that is precisely what they're implying.

Oprah quoted the clerk. Do you think such indignation would have been incited if it went down how it was spun by their Public Relations office?

Do you think this is the first time Oprah has shopped incognito and someone assumed she didn't have the funds necessary for her purchase?

If she really wanted to make a fuss about being discriminated against she would have namedropped instead of keeping it anonymous. She simply believes, as I do, that the clerk derped.

But hey go ahead and assume the stance against the capitalist pig West or whatever


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

WAD said:


> And you need to remove your head from the end of your digestive tract, because that is precisely what they're implying.
> 
> Oprah quoted the clerk. Do you think such indignation would have been incited if it went down how it was spun by their Public Relations office?



So wait... 

You're telling me "This is what happened because Oprah says so" and when presented with a different interpretation of the events your response is "that couldn't have happened, because then Oprah wouldn't be so upset."

I just... wow, just wow 



> Do you think this is the first time Oprah has shopped incognito and someone assumed she didn't have the funds necessary for her purchase?



She's always incognito when shopping in Europe because nobody knows her here.



> If she really wanted to make a fuss about being discriminated against she would have namedropped instead of keeping it anonymous. She simply believes, as I do, that the clerk derped.
> 
> But hey go ahead and assume the stance against the capitalist pig West or whatever



So going to the press and whining is her idea of not making a fuss? Talk about drama queen.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

How can you work for a store that sells very expensive clothes and bags and not know who your customers are going to be? All they need to do is look on the Forbes Rich List. You can't fucking miss Oprah. She's always on there. It's not as though she's a super secretive billionaire. She's probably rich enough to buy the entire store and make them all her employees.

Very poor customer service and little to no research on consumers. End of the day, the clerk has turned away a very likely purchase of their bag. Defeats the purpose of their work. What the hell are they doing there turning away customers?


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 10, 2013)

Nightbringer said:


> fair enough poor salesmanship.
> 
> but racism is the incorrect label.
> 
> that's all I'm saying.





TittyNipple said:


> Yeah, I don't think she meant that crap to be racist.



Agreed.



Saufsoldat said:


> Check the explanation that the store owner gave. She didn't just go "you can't afford that, fuck off", she merely pointed out that there are cheaper alternatives and that the one Oprah wanted was probably out of her preferred price range. For 99% of the customers that walk
> into that shop the clerk would have acted absolutely correct, since there are
> very few people who actually want to spend that much on a handbag.
> 
> ...



Yeah, uh...where exactly did Oprah say she was being discriminated against? Pretty sure that's what the media wants us to infer with their spin on this story.


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

Saufsoldat said:


> Check the explanation that the store owner gave. She didn't just go "you can't afford that, fuck off", she merely pointed out that there are cheaper alternatives and that the one Oprah wanted was probably out of her preferred price range. For 99% of the customers that walk into that shop the clerk would have acted absolutely correct, since there are very few people who actually want to spend that much on a handbag.
> 
> Now Oprah decided to be a major douche about it and not only went public but even accused the clerk of racism, which is hardcore defamation of character.



The store owner gave no explanation. I assume you mean spokesperson. 

Defamation of character? Are you serious? Nobody mentioned the store this happened at and we dont even know the name of the clerk.


----------



## Vice (Aug 10, 2013)

When in doubt, play the race card.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

WAD said:


> Yeah, uh...where exactly did Oprah say she was being discriminated against? Pretty sure that's what the media wants us to infer with their spin on this story.



True, didn't realize that. Still it's silly to go to the press and obvious douchebaggery to not buy anything just so the clerk wouldn't get a commission. Basically it seems she was pissed that nobody recognizes her sorry ass across the pond.


----------



## Vice (Aug 10, 2013)

Also, why does a handbag that expensive even exist? Fuck this shit, that's more than my yearly income.


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 10, 2013)

Saufsoldat said:


> So wait...
> 
> You're telling me "This is what happened because Oprah says so" and when presented with a different interpretation of the events your response is "that couldn't have happened, because then Oprah wouldn't be so upset."
> 
> I just... wow, just wow



Yes, I'm more inclined to believe Oprah because she has virtually no reason to lie and likely did not take what was said out of context.

How can you honestly chide me for my bias when you unfailingly believe the boutique's side, hypocrisy much? Do you work for them or something?



> So going to the press and whining is her idea of not making a fuss? Talk about drama queen.



Have you not researched her and see what she does for a living? She TALKS.

How do you know she sought out media attention for this? I think it's far more likely she was commenting on this trip on her show or an interview or even casual lunch date with an acquaintance when someone decided "I could stir controversy by having the press run this story!"

I would really not recommend you act snide with regards to fact-checking, best case scenario you are assuming as much as I am.


----------



## Byrd (Aug 10, 2013)

This actually reminds me of a similar situation in Lenox mall down here in Atlanta... 

I was in a store where they had earphones, stereos and shit for like 10,000+ and me and my friends were browsing around...

The dude there said if we touch it, we buy it  

I proceed to leave


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 10, 2013)

Vice said:


> Also, why does a handbag that expensive even exist? Fuck this shit, that's more than my yearly income.



Probably jewel-encrusted.


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

Vice said:


> Also, why does a handbag that expensive even exist? Fuck this shit, that's more than my yearly income.



Isnt it obvious...so people with more than your yearly income could buy it.


----------



## αce (Aug 10, 2013)

That's more than 3 years of your income.


----------



## Vice (Aug 10, 2013)

ace still dreams of my dick up his ass I see.


----------



## Devil King Sanji (Aug 10, 2013)

Would she have pointed out cheaper alternatives if Oprah wasn't Black?

Why is it every time a minority calls out prejudice/racist acts, they're simply told to "Keep Calm"...


----------



## Tranquil Fury (Aug 10, 2013)

> In 2005, there was a similar incident in Paris, with Winfrey not allowed to shop at Herm?s because she apparently got to the store shortly after closing and the store owners did not open the doors for her.
> 
> There were suggestions that this was due to the French simply not recognizing her, but some argued that Oprah was denied entry because of her race and that the store would have opened doors for a white celebrity



So no proof of any racism and just conjecture that a white celebrity would get special treatment?

Now for the second instance, it's quite possible it was due to not being recognised, most people can't afford such a bag, if the saleswoman wanted her to buy a cheaper bag  then it's not really racism, she did'nt know she was talking to a billionaire.

Not saying racism is'nt a possibility like Oprah believes or that it does'nt still happen but for now, nothing concrete exists on the actual reason she was denied the bag.


----------



## Vice (Aug 10, 2013)

Blood Dawn said:


> Would she have pointed out cheaper alternatives if Oprah wasn't Black?



Uh, probably.



> Why is it every time a minority calls out prejudice/racist acts, they're simply told to "Keep Calm"...



Why is it that a minority always makes everything into a racist/prejudice issue?


----------



## Bitty (Aug 10, 2013)

wow..i am deeply saddened by news of Oprah not getting her 38,000 purse even though she can probably get 1 costumed made out of saber toothed tiger fur.


these are dark times we're leaving in.


----------



## Devil King Sanji (Aug 10, 2013)

Vice said:


> Uh, probably.
> 
> 
> 
> Why is it that a minority always makes everything into a racist/prejudice issue?



Doubt it, and because it still exists?

Or are minorities supposed to bite their tongues because things aren't as bad as they were a couple of decades ago?


----------



## Blunt (Aug 10, 2013)

I'm more surprised the store hired someone who wasn't able to recognize the quality of clothing Oprah would be wearing in "full Oprah gear." Being able to do so is usually a requirement for those level of stores.

Who really gives a fuck if Oprah couldn't buy a purse though.


----------



## Vice (Aug 10, 2013)

Blood Dawn said:


> Doubt it, and because it still exists?
> 
> Or are minorities supposed to bite their tongues because things aren't as bad as they were a couple of decades ago?



When it's an actual act of racism, then yes, bitch all you want.

Being treated like everybody else, however, is about as opposite of racism as it can get. But I'm sure if Oprah was white the sales clerk would have bent over backwards to just give her the purse because she was white, not that she probably says the same thing to every other person that walks in that store regardless of skin color.

Oprah getting her panties in a wad over being treated like a commoner is the issue here.


----------



## Devil King Sanji (Aug 10, 2013)

Vice said:


> When it's an actual act of racism, then yes, bitch all you want.
> 
> Being treated like everybody else, however, is about as opposite of racism as it can get. But I'm sure if Oprah was white the sales clerk would have bent over backwards to just give her the purse because she was white, not that she probably says the same thing to every other person that walks in that store regardless of skin color.
> 
> Oprah getting her panties in a wad over being treated like a commoner is the issue here.



I wasn't implying if Oprah was white that the sales clerk would've kissed her feet.

What I'm saying is that since Oprah is Black, the sales clerk immediately discriminated by implying she couldn't afford the outrageously priced bag because of her ethnicity.

Would she had said those words if Oprah was White?

Highly doubt it.


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 10, 2013)

I like the bit where you have no evidence for any of this.

my favourite part really.

anyway go on. :33


----------



## Tranquil Fury (Aug 10, 2013)

Blood Dawn said:


> Doubt it, and because it still exists?
> 
> Or are minorities supposed to bite their tongues because things aren't as bad as they were a couple of decades ago?



No, it still exists does not mean it always exists everywhere. How do we prove it was due to racism when the only statement we have is "You can't afford this bag" which could apply to almost anyone the salesperson may encounter. Fault the salesperson for not recognising her or seeing she's rich through her clothing, hell even fault her for being an ass but the racist card is'nt something to be thrown around so easily without basis.

No minorities should'nt hold their tongue if actual racism is happening but mistaking everything for being racism is'nt good either. 

We really do not know if the saleswoman was racist or not, we were not there and Oprah probably assumed the saleswoman denied her the purse due to being black as opposed to some other reason.


----------



## Blunt (Aug 10, 2013)

I do think people have to put the price of the purse into perspective. This wasn't a fucking K-Mart. Obviously the kind of store that sells a $38,000 purse is going to cater to the kind of clientele that can afford a $38,000 purse. Even if it was the most expensive item in the store (which I doubt), it wouldn't be there if it was so out of range of everything else in the store. The clerk not letting her even see it is either based on racial profiling or her own incredibly shitty sales skills. I think the latter is more likely.


----------



## Legend (Aug 10, 2013)

Damn you swiss

She'll just own your store instead


----------



## Vice (Aug 10, 2013)

Blood Dawn said:


> I wasn't implying if Oprah was white that the sales clerk would've kissed her feet.



Then why are you bitching? Why do you even care?



> What I'm saying is that since Oprah is Black, the sales clerk immediately discriminated by implying she couldn't afford the outrageously priced bag because of her ethnicity.



Or it was probably because the handbag was 40,000 fucking dollars.



> Would she had said those words if Oprah was White?



Uh, why wouldn't she? 



> Highly doubt it.



I know. Gotta abuse that race card.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

Did Oprah tell them her name?


----------



## Tranquil Fury (Aug 10, 2013)

> What I'm saying is that since Oprah is Black, the sales clerk immediately discriminated by implying she couldn't afford the outrageously priced bag because of her ethnicity.
> 
> Would she had said those words if Oprah was White?
> 
> Highly doubt it



Question: Do you know the reason why the Saleswoman said Oprah could'nt afford it?

Question 2: Do you accept that other possibilities for the purse being denied exist?

Question 3: Do you have any evidence that this was indeed an act of racism?For that matter does Miss Oprah?

You don't have any evidence to say a store salesman discriminated due to her race and neither does miss Oprah.

Look I am not ruling out the possibility completely, racism does still exist today sadly but we should'nt use the race card everytime someone says no or fires us from a job when a different ethnicity is involved. Racism is a big accusation, it needs evidence.


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> Did Oprah tell them her name?



No. She was in a foreign country. I dont think it mattered.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

The clerk seemed to not only recognise Oprah, but s/he also failed to recognise the expensive clothes Oprah wore. The clothes she wore was probably just as expensive as the bag she was trying to buy.


----------



## reiatsuflow (Aug 10, 2013)

> Some of you people honestly think this isn't a form of racism?



Just because something involves racism doesn't mean it's substantive. I'm a blond haired blue eyed white guy and I have had this stuff happen to me before. People judge you based on your appearance; if you are attractive, if you are wearing certain clothes, certain shoes, certain haircut, certain stature. There's cultural discrimination. There's religious discrimination. I tend to hope that a lot of discrimination doesn't get in anybody's way when all is said and done, and that when people complain about it they are splitting hairs. I travel a lot, and there are areas where blond white dudes / Americans have a bad rep with certain local age groups. I have experienced low degrees of discrimination based on that. I wasn't surprised or offended. It didn't end with me being physically or emotionally injured, much less threatened, which is the kind of discrimination we are supposed to care about. I have experienced racism against white people and cultural issues against Westerners. It amounted to some rudeness and condescension, and I didn't care. Every person faces some kind of discrimination every day based on all sorts of visual and auditory signatures.

The reason racial discrimination in America is still an issue is because society as a whole isn't sure how much of its own institutionalized preference for certain makeups or backgrounds is hampering the development of minority communities. That's why we're talking about it. That's why it's substantive. Just because there's a presence of racism doesn't mean the interaction is substantive, important or threatening. People are going to hassle other people, and as long as those hassles remain 'hassles' and don't end up impeding entire groups, or threatening the safety of those people, they aren't noteworthy as a larger national discussion.

A Swedish person assumed Oprah didn't have money. That's what happened. Whether that's racism, prejudice, a misunderstanding, or simple everyday rudeness - I wouldn't make an issue out of it unless I was splitting hairs. It sounds like she got offended on a personal level, which is fine. But I don't think that's for us to get offended by at a public level.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

navy said:


> No. She was in a foreign country. I dont think it mattered.



It should matter. There aren't many millionaire and billionaire who buy hand bags. And we're talking about one of the richest women in the world: basically someone who should be their most important customer.


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> It should matter. There aren't many millionaire and billionaire who buy hand bags. And we're talking about one of the richest women in the world: basically someone who should be their most important customer.



It is impossible to judge how much money a person has by appearance unless you use something dumb like shoes, dress, or race. The clerk obviously used the wrong judgement of wealth in this case, seeing as it her job to sell. 

The only person that knows is the clerk. The lesson here is you should never turn away potential customers based on what ever ill conceived notion this clerk did.


----------



## teddy (Aug 10, 2013)

The price of the purse is the real crime here


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

navy said:


> It is impossible to judge how much money a person has by appearance unless you use something dumb like shoes, dress, or race. The clerk obviously used the wrong judgement of wealth in this case, seeing as it her job to sell.
> 
> The only person that knows is the clerk. The lesson here is you should never turn away potential customers based on what ever ill conceived notion this clerk did.



Appearance + name = indicates some consumer research. The clerk was clearly incompetent. If I were the clerk, I would never EVER say "no, you can't afford that bag". That's just plain dumb. What the hell is the clerk autistic or what? They have to be much more sutble than that. They could've given a sales presentation, and in that process, told Oprah how much it's worth. If the customer doesn't have the money, they'll look for a new bag.

The clerk should've left their prejudice at home; there's no place for it in business because money >>>>>>>>> all.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> It should matter. There aren't many millionaire and billionaire who buy hand bags. And we're talking about one of the richest women in the world: basically someone who should be their most important customer.



Oprah is a nobody in Europe.


----------



## Spock (Aug 10, 2013)

I think some people don't realize that in certain European countries this phenomenon of "shopping while black" is just not there. Especially when this particular black person is dressed in cheque, magnifique clothing. Maybe it's hard to believe but sales clerk in Europe are actually helpful and do in fact look for the best interests of the customer.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

Saufsoldat said:


> Oprah is a nobody in Europe.



That frankly doesn't matter. She was a customer and as far as I know, most customer service deal with people they don't know. The fame of her name is not really relevant; the fact she was a customer is relevant. And you know why it's so important to know her name? Because there really aren't many people who can afford bags that cost over $30,000.


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

Spock said:


> I think some people don't realize that in certain European countries this phenomenon of "shopping while black" is just not there. Especially when this particular black person is dressed in cheque, magnifique clothing. Maybe it's hard to believe but sales clerk in Europe are actually helpful and do in fact look for the best interests of the costumer.



True, although telling someone you don't know they cant afford something isn't in the best interest of anyone.


----------



## Saru (Aug 10, 2013)

This thread is really cynical. And by that, I mean the responses are really cynical.

It's a shame that the employee is apparently not being disciplined at all. She should at least be prompted to learn from the incident. 

Also, why was a clerk telling someone what they can and can't afford? Is that really in her job description... ?


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

Spock said:


> I think some people don't realize that in certain European countries this phenomenon of "shopping while black" is just not there. Especially when this particular black person is dressed in cheque, magnifique clothing. Maybe it's hard to believe but sales clerk in Europe are actually helpful and do in fact look for the best interests of the costumer.



Oh nooooos, customers will be so embarrassed to read price labels of items they can't afford. Totally never happens to customers at any point of their life. So let's do them a favour and tell them they aren't rich enough to buy items. It's more sensible and saves time and hurt feelings and clearly not offensive.


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 10, 2013)

Astrαl said:


> This thread is really cynical. And by that, I mean the responses are really cynical.
> 
> It's a shame that the employee is apparently not being disciplined at all. She should at least be prompted to learn from the incident.
> 
> Also, why was a clerk telling someone what they can and can't afford? Is that really in her job description... ?



Tongue->Cheek

She is French. It's in her nationality description to be crass and tactless.


----------



## Daxter (Aug 10, 2013)

Cry into your billions, the bills will steal away your pain.


----------



## Saru (Aug 10, 2013)

WAD said:


> Tongue->Cheek
> 
> She is French. It's in her nationality description to be crass and tactless.



Well, I'm not as well-versed in other cultures as I could be, and I'm unfamiliar with both the employees' background and the country of Switzerland, but I would think knowing how to respect someone is common sense.


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 10, 2013)

The thing about common sense that most people fail to realize is that is not inherently present in all individuals. There ARE exceptions which why it is called 'common' sense, not 'human latent' sense.


----------



## Delicious (Aug 10, 2013)

saleswoman just wanted her to save money


----------



## The Weeknd (Aug 10, 2013)

WAD said:


> Tongue->Cheek
> 
> She is French. It's in her nationality description to be crass and tactless.


Inb4 la male dominant


----------



## Saru (Aug 10, 2013)

WAD said:


> The thing about common sense that most people fail to realize is that is not inherently present in all individuals. There ARE exceptions which why it is called 'common' sense, not 'human latent' sense.



I know; in my experience, common sense is something acquired over time. But the store clerk was definitely adult age (or at least young adult). She could learn from this experience. And that's why I find it disappointing that she wasn't reprimanded. It's like a wasted opportunity.


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 10, 2013)

Why would they? Much easier to blame the avarice-addled American.

Hey-ohhhhhhhh...


----------



## Sasori (Aug 10, 2013)

The price of the purse is the real crime here.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

Astrαl said:


> I know; in my experience, common sense is something acquired over time. But the store clerk was definitely adult age (or at least young adult). She could learn from this experience. And that's why I find it disappointing that she wasn't reprimanded. It's like a wasted opportunity.



If I were the owner of that store, I'd be very quick to apologise to Oprah and tell her that the clerk will be disciplined. I know people say any form of publicity is good, but I believe good publicity is the best...obviously.. So after doing all I can to make Oprah a regular customer, I won't actually discipline my employee. Employer and employee relationships are important. If the clerk simply didn't know who Oprah is, I'd ask them to learn from her mistake and help them learn.

If they piss off all these rich people, nobody will bother going to their store. What... they don't think Oprah has many equally rich and famous white friends? Piss her off and they might lose more than just one rich customer. I wonder how often a super rich person goes to their store to shop......


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> That frankly doesn't matter. She was a customer and as far as I know, most customer service deal with people they don't know. The fame of her name is not really relevant; the fact she was a customer is relevant.



Yes, it does matter. She was not Oprah Winfrey shopping for an expensive handbag, to the clerk she was just another potential customer who saw something they liked which just so happened to be an insanely expensive item. 99% of the customers that walk into such a shop cannot afford such an expensive bag, so the clerk does what she can and suggests cheaper, but similar-looking bags.



> And you know why it's so important to know her name? Because there really aren't many people who can afford bags that cost over $30,000.



Right, might as well memorize all the names of Arabian oil sheikhs, because hey, they can afford this bag so you have to recognize them the moment they set foot into the store.



♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> If I were the owner of that store, I'd be very quick to apologise to Oprah and tell her that the clerk will be disciplined. I know people say any form of publicity is good, but I believe good publicity is the best...obviously.. So after doing all I can to make Oprah a regular customer, I won't actually discipline my employee. Employer and employee relationships are important. If the clerk simply didn't know who Oprah is, I'd ask them to learn from her mistake and help them learn.
> 
> If they piss off all these rich people, nobody will bother going to their store. What... they don't think Oprah has many equally rich and famous white friends? Piss her off and they might lose more than just one rich customer. I wonder how often a super rich person goes to their store to shop......



Not knowing someone who is only famous in the US is not a mistake, it's perfectly normal.


----------



## Spock (Aug 10, 2013)

> True, although telling someone you don't know they cant afford something isn't in the best interest of anyone.


That's only Oprahs interpretation. The spokeswoman suggests different intentions.


♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> Oh nooooos, customers will be so embarrassed to read price labels of items they can't afford. Totally never happens to customers at any point of their life. So let's do them a favour and tell them they aren't rich enough to buy items. It's more sensible and saves time and hurt feelings and clearly not offensive.



You suck at sarcasm. What exactly are you trying to say?


----------



## Saru (Aug 10, 2013)

♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> If I were the owner of that store, I'd be very quick to apologise to Oprah and tell her that the clerk will be disciplined. I know people say any form of publicity is good, but I believe good publicity is the best...obviously.. So after doing all I can to make Oprah a regular customer, I won't actually discipline my employee. Employer and employee relationships are important. If the clerk simply didn't know who Oprah is, I'd ask them to learn from her mistake and help them learn.



Right. I personally wouldn't want the clerk to be punished exactly, but to be educated.


----------



## Spock (Aug 10, 2013)

Educated how? Having to know American celebrities by heart? The store obviously saw nothing wrong with their clerk. On the contrary that was considered "too kind"


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

Astrαl said:


> Right. I personally wouldn't want the clerk to be punished exactly, but to be educated.



So bad US television is the same as education now? Suddenly I understand why education is so bad in America.


----------



## blueblip (Aug 10, 2013)

Vice said:


> Also, why does a handbag that expensive even exist? Fuck this shit, that's more than my yearly income.


I would like to point out that there are two T-shirts on this planet that cost around $500,000 and $250,000. And I mean five hundred thousand and two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

$38,000 is chump change for the kind of shit the billionaire elite buy, and I'm not talking about yachts and planes here 

EDIT: This here links to the $250,000 T-shirt http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21994873


----------



## Toroxus (Aug 10, 2013)

I really don't understand how race came into this situation.


----------



## Saishin (Aug 10, 2013)

Anyway I hope this wasn't a real act of racism otherwise it would be really sad


----------



## Megaharrison (Aug 10, 2013)

Oh boy, you don't give Oprah another reason to think she's a martyr.


----------



## The Weeknd (Aug 10, 2013)

Toroxus said:


> I really don't understand how race came into this situation.



The media.


----------



## Le Mâle-Pensant (Aug 10, 2013)

Arf, rich problems........

no one would care if we (normal people) are in the same situation.....


----------



## Saru (Aug 10, 2013)

Spock said:


> Educated how? Having to know American celebrities by heart? The store obviously saw nothing wrong with their clerk. On the contrary that was considered "too kind"



Not what I meant. Logically, from a business perspective, it would make sense for Zurich to want to save face. What I mean is that I would educate the clerk about respect and what customers consider appropriate in a employee to customer relationship. I know a lot of people that would be hurt by the clerk's actions.

I would also like to say that I don't think Oprah brought up this experience so people would see her as some sort of martyr. In fact, I am sure that was not her intention. I would assume that she was relaying a personal experience for the benefit of others' growth and awareness. I don't know Oprah like a neighbor, but I think I have at least some insight to the type of person Oprah is and strives to be.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

Astrαl said:


> Not what I meant. Logically, from a business perspective, it would make sense for Zurich to want to save face. What I mean is that I would educate the clerk about respect and what customers consider appropriate in a employee to customer relationship. I know a lot of people that would be hurt by the clerk's actions.
> 
> I would also like to say that I don't think Oprah brought up this experience so people would see her as some sort of martyr. In fact, I am sure that was not her intention. I would assume that she was relaying a personal experience for the benefit of others' growth and awareness. I don't know Oprah like a neighbor, but I think I have at least some insight to the type of person Oprah is and strives to be.



As far as we can tell she never received a customer complaint before. Should we completely change the way she approaches customers just because allmighty Oprah took something she said the wrong way?


----------



## Spock (Aug 10, 2013)

Astrαl said:


> Not what I meant. Logically, from a business perspective, it would make sense for Zurich to want to save face. What I mean is that I would educate the clerk about respect and what customers consider appropriate in a employee to customer relationship. I know a lot of people that would be hurt by the clerk's actions.
> 
> I would also like to say that I don't think Oprah brought up this experience so people would see her as some sort of martyr. In fact, I am sure that was not her intention. I would assume that she was relaying a personal experience for the benefit of others' growth and awareness. I don't know Oprah like a neighbor, but I think I have at least some insight to the type of person Oprah is and strives to be.



Business perspectives are not universal. It is not uncommon in Europe for a sales clerk to suggest inexpensive possibilities.  Oprah was "hurt" because she was carrying her American preconceptions in Switzerland. 

Furthermore, I have all the reasons in the world to dismiss Oprahs severe allegations. The least of them would allude to her being a celebrity and celebrities crave any kind of publicity.


----------



## Saru (Aug 10, 2013)

@Above: Well, that's one theory. 



Saufsoldat said:


> As far as we can tell she never received a customer complaint before. Should we completely change the way she approaches customers just because allmighty Oprah took something she said the wrong way?



I never said to "completely change the way she approaches" her relationships. I never even suggested it.

I would perhaps suggest that, from now on, the clerk should not insist the customer look at something else (Oprah didn't even make it to the register) so eagerly. Whatever the clerk's thinking process in the situation, she overreacted a bit. Even Zurich concedes that she was being "*too* kind." She can learn something from that.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

Astrαl said:


> I never said to "completely change the way she approaches" her relationships. I never even suggested it.
> 
> I would perhaps suggest that, from now on, the clerk should not insist the customer look at something else (Oprah didn't even make it to the register) so eagerly. Whatever the clerk's thinking process in the situation, she overreacted a bit. Even Zurich concedes that she was being "*too* kind." She can learn something from that.



I sincerely hope she doesn't "learn" anything from this and continues the way she does. And no shit they didn't make it to the register, it's way more embarrassing the try and pay for something you can't afford than to be told that there are cheaper options available. I'm still trying to find anything wrong in the clerk's actions and I just can't seem to find it. All I see is a celebrity overreacting because they weren't recognized as being rich.


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Aug 10, 2013)

It's funny to watch the same racist members deny that these kind of things are racism.


----------



## Raiden (Aug 10, 2013)

Just in time for her movie .


----------



## Deleted member 234422 (Aug 10, 2013)

Black Banana said:


> Just in time for her movie .



/Thread

I totally forgot about that.

[YOUTUBE]dhrR4B0hUaw[/YOUTUBE]


----------



## Ae (Aug 10, 2013)

What I take from this thread is that racism against you is okay if you're rich.


----------



## Spock (Aug 10, 2013)

People fail to realize that that was not America. Suggesting cheaper alternatives is not fucking unheard of in Europe. Stop crying racism cause it is not.


----------



## Zaru (Aug 10, 2013)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> It's funny to watch the same racist members deny that these kind of things are racism.



It's even funnier to watch a black member automatically assume and not accept any other explanation other than "it's because she was black"

The world doesn't revolve around your skin color, get over it.


----------



## Bioness (Aug 10, 2013)




----------



## Gunners (Aug 10, 2013)

This incident might not have been rooted in racism, but I do not care as it serves as an appropriate poster for the issues many black people have to deal with when stepping into high end store. ''Oh there are some cheaper items over there'', followed around the store, outright ignored when needing assistance, take your pick. As a whole these things happen too frequently, and across the board, for elements of racism and prejudice to not be in existence


----------



## Le Mâle-Pensant (Aug 10, 2013)

It's not clearly racism. She can complain being treated like average customer but not complain about racism.


----------



## HaxHax (Aug 10, 2013)

When an overweight woman who dresses like a soccer-mom asks for a $38k bag, it's not because she's black that the clerk suggests something less pricey.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

Spock said:


> That's only Oprahs interpretation. The spokeswoman suggests different intentions.
> 
> You suck at sarcasm. What exactly are you trying to say?



I was doing two things: one, mocking you and two, meaning the opposite of what I was saying. 



> Oh nooooos, *[1]customers will be so embarrassed to read price labels of items they can't afford*. Totally never happens to customers at any point of their life. *[2]So let's do them a favour and tell them they aren't rich enough to buy items. It's more sensible and saves time and hurt feelings and clearly not offensive.*



1. Customers aren't embarrassed to read price labels of items they can't afford.
2. Don't fucking tell customers what they can and can't buy because it doesn't save time and it's offensive, therefore clearly not sensible.



Spock said:


> People fail to realize that that was not America. Suggesting cheaper alternatives is not fucking unheard of in Europe. Stop crying racism cause it is not.



That's bullshit. Manners has the same definition on both sides of the Atlantic and turning away customers isn't a practice in Europe.


----------



## Talia00 (Aug 10, 2013)

This thread took a turn for the worst.


----------



## Oldy (Aug 10, 2013)

Spock said:


> People fail to realize that that was not America. Suggesting cheaper alternatives is not fucking unheard of in Europe. Stop crying racism cause it is not.


It's not unheard off anywhere. A lot of high-end shops have exorbitantly high-priced items in exposition precisely because after they tell you the insane price they can present you with others similar items that appear to be reasonably priced in comparison. It's a classic selling technique, to be outraged about that is completely moronic.


♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> That's bullshit. Manners has the same definition on both sides of the Atlantic and turning away customers isn't a practice in Europe.


She wasn't turned away.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

Oldy said:


> It's not unheard off anywhere. A lot of high-end shops have exorbitantly high-priced items in exposition precisely because after they tell you the insane price they can present you with others similar items that appear to be reasonably priced in comparison. It's a classic selling technique, to be outraged about that is completely moronic.
> 
> She wasn't turned away.



Oprah said she wasn't going to buy anything because she didn't want that clerk to get a commission off of her purchase. That's a direct consequence of disrespecting her. Frankly, the disrespect doesn't even have to be real, even doing something that will cause imagined disrespect should be avoided. The customer is always right, even when they're wrong!


----------



## Ultra Instinct Vegito (Aug 10, 2013)

Okay                              .


----------



## Revolution (Aug 10, 2013)

Is this really racism, or just a case of "Do you know who I am?" celebratory moment?

If the clerk was rude, then she is a bitch because the bag is on sale for a reason, not sealed in a special basement room in the store.

Seriously,  *WHY DOES A $38,000 HANDBAG EXIST IN THE FIRST PLACE???*  That upsets me more then anything.

Makes me want to sing [youtube]QK8mJJJvaes[/youtube]  specifically the part about being outraged at a $50.00 t-shirt  (and this comes from someone who would probably buy two of that shirt if I liked it enough)


----------



## Kafuka de Vil (Aug 10, 2013)

White people are told the same thing all the time. Big deal.


----------



## Kira Yamato (Aug 10, 2013)

Why would you have a handbag marked for 38k if you're not planning to sell it? Business wise it doesn't make any sense to offer a cheaper alternative given the customer is well aware of the price. If the price is off putting to the potential customer you then offer a cheaper alternative. Offering it first seems rather ridiculous. The clerk may not be racist but the act seems rather idiotic if not offensive to whoever the customer may be.


----------



## Oldy (Aug 10, 2013)

♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> Oprah said she wasn't going to buy anything because she didn't want that clerk to get a commission off of her purchase. That's a direct consequence of disrespecting her. Frankly, the disrespect doesn't even have to be real, even doing something that will cause  should be avoided. The customer is always right, even when they're wrong!


We went from racism and bad salesmanship to imagined disrespect. That's progress. If the conversation went as the article says it did then Oprah's reaction isn't just ridiculous, it is disgusting. 
The customer may be always right but that doesn't mean the clerk did anything wrong. At the end of the day Oprah is just a rich nobody, virtually no one will know who she is outside of the US if she comes without warning. 
To react the way she did simply because she was treated like a normal customer is bad enough but to make a scene on TV on top of that is truly sickening.


----------



## navy (Aug 10, 2013)

Oldy said:


> To react the way she did simply because she was treated like a normal customer is bad enough but to make a scene on TV on top of that is truly sickening.



What kind of shitty rationale is this? So this means Celebrities arent allowed to tell stories of things that happened to them? She didnt even identify the store or lady in question.  Now that I think about it, was this even on TV?


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 10, 2013)

Kira Yamato said:


> Why would you have a handbag marked for 38k if you're not planning to sell it? Business wise it doesn't make any sense to offer a cheaper alternative given the customer is well aware of the price. If the price is off putting to the potential customer you then offer a cheaper alternative. Offering it first seems rather ridiculous. The clerk may not be racist but the act seems rather idiotic if not offensive to whoever the customer may be.



Same reason a wine store has a bottle of 150 year old shit. Nobody's gonna buy it, but it gives them a fancy look and automatically makes all the other 2 years wines look a tad more classy than the box wine from the super market even though it tastes the fucking same.


----------



## WraithX959 (Aug 10, 2013)

If I was Oprah, I would have bought the store and fired her.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

Oldy said:


> We went from racism and bad salesmanship to imagined disrespect. That's progress.



Racism is disrespectful. Want me to help you to write your post next time? Perhaps you want a dictionary for christmas? 

I  can't believe your argument. It's a load of dog shit. You completely misunderstood what I've posted.



> If the conversation went as the article says it did then Oprah's reaction isn't just ridiculous, it is disgusting. The customer may be always right but that doesn't mean the clerk did anything wrong. At the end of the day Oprah is just a rich nobody, virtually no one will know who she is outside of the US if she comes without warning.



I am not from the US. I have NEVER watched Oprah shows. I don't even work in a store that sells products to rich people. But I know who she is. So your argument is pretty shit. 



> To react the way she did simply because she was treated like a normal customer is bad enough but to make a scene on TV on top of that is truly sickening.



How she responded isn't what I care about. It's the fact the store clerk is completely useless that I actually care about.


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 10, 2013)

I like how you bozos are still going on about this stupidity with your circular logic.

Allow me to cliffnotes it:

-Was there racism involved? Probably not. And if there was, there is zero way to prove or make an argument for it without bias
-Was there bad salesmanship involved? Probably. Would seem rather peculiar that of all instances of shopping, Oprah would throw a fit in this instance so the clerk was probably quite haughty
-Is this a case of the media putting so much spin on the story it would make an Olympic ice skater dizzy? Yes, and you plebs are lapping it up like parched dogs.


----------



## Oldy (Aug 10, 2013)

navy said:


> What kind of shitty rationale is this? So this means Celebrities arent allowed to tell stories of things that happened to them? She didnt even identify the store or lady in question.  Now that I think about it, was this even on TV?


Celebrities are also allowed to throw themselves on the floor in a fit of rage, that doesn't mean you have to respect them for it. She went to the media to make a bad press for the shop over what looks like an imagined slight with the information at hand. It's not even the first time Oprah does this, as the article mentions she also did that in France when she told a shop to open for her after they were closed. When obviously they didn't oh noes! racism.


♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> Racism is disrespectful. Want me to help you to write your post next time? Perhaps you want a dictionary for christmas?
> 
> I  can't believe your argument. It's a load of dog shit. You completely misunderstood what I've posted.


Well that degenerated fast. If you're in the habit of this kind of overreaction I guess it's not surprising you empathized with Oprah.


> I am not from the US. I have NEVER watched Oprah shows. I don't even work in a store that sells products to rich people. But I know who she is. So your argument is pretty shit.


If you think the fact that you've heard of someone means the rest of Europe must know her as well then I'm sorry but you are delusional. I happen to know who Jon Stewart is, that doesn't change the fact that I would be surprised if more than 0.2% of the European population have ever heard the name. To expect people to recognize Oprah on sight isn't smart on principle but it's particularly dumb outside of the US.


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 10, 2013)

Its not bad salesmanship in the least to recommend less expensive items, I always try to offer cheaper prices when people check into my hotel. Some people will hear our price tag and will walk out, so I always try to get them a lower rate to secure the sale.

Even if you were a millionaire that's 3% - .003% of your wealth, a fairly large purchase.


----------



## Deleted member 234422 (Aug 10, 2013)

Xiammes said:


> Its not bad salesmanship in the least to recommend less expensive items, I always try to offer cheaper prices when people check into my hotel. Some people will hear our price tag and will walk out, so I always try to get them a lower rate to secure the sale.
> 
> Even if you were a millionaire that's 3% - .003% of your wealth, a fairly large purchase.



Especially when you factor in commision. You miss a sale, you miss out on the cash earned through commission.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

Spock said:


> You are yet again, the sum of everything I despise. Truly arguing with you is excruciating.



Don't make me happy.



> Manners do not have the same definition as to what your self-centered little mind dictates. There are such things as different sales customes in different continents.



Rudeness isn't among good sales customes on Earth, Spock... at least in this period of Earth's time in the universe.



> There's absolutely nothing wrong in suggesting a cheaper alternatives.



The way in which you make your suggestions is important. Making customers feel like tramps isn't a good idea.



> Clearly you are a spokesperson for every non-American in the entirety if the European continent



What makes you the perfect spokesperson for every European?



Oldy said:


> If you think the fact that you've heard of someone means the rest of Europe must know her as well then I'm sorry but you are delusional.



Not all of the continents 500 million people. To infer I implied that is delusional. People here also call that strawmanning. And clearly you seem to be doing that a lot. Anyway, if you're selling hand bangs for $40,000, then yeah, you're pretty fucking useless as a store if you don't know the kind of customers you'll be getting. 



> I happen to know who Jon Stewart is, that doesn't change the fact that I would be surprised if more than 0.2% of the European population have ever heard the name. To expect people to recognize Oprah on sight isn't smart on principle but it's particularly dumb outside of the US.



Bad analogy. If you're a Manchester United scout and didn't know some of the top stars in South America, then you're fucking useless at your job.


----------



## Ceria (Aug 10, 2013)

Zaru said:


> Billionaire complaining about not being able to buy a handbag more expensive than 99% of the world's average yearly income, and blowing it out of proportion by pulling the "racism" card
> 
> She might have done some good in her life but that's such a publicity whore move...



It's just another means of the media promoting her latest Racism perpetuation movie, "the butler". 

I would've rather had the clerk say "this store doesn't want the patronage of a racist whore." but this works too. 



> There were suggestions that this was due to the French simply not recognizing her



This right here and the other part about her having almost no media presence in the country, it's logical to assume that there would be people who would've never even heard of her.


----------



## Sygurgh (Aug 10, 2013)

Not seeing any racism.
Most likely Oprah trying to make some buzz.

Aizen


----------



## Spock (Aug 10, 2013)

♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> Don't make me happy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Except the sales clerk was not rude. What she did was common European sales courtesy. Get this in your fucking thick head. The world does not revolve around your definition of sales customes nor Oprah's. 

The only reason Oprah felt like a tramp was because she was carrying her american preconceptions with her.



> What makes you the perfect spokesperson for every European?



I never claimed to be. You put yourself out there by saying "I'm not american yet I know Oprah therefore the clerk suck". I doubt you are European anyway if you lack basic knowledge on how to shop there.


> Bad analogy. If you're a Manchester United scout and didn't know some of the top stars in South America, then you're fucking useless at your job.


No one is obliged to know Oprah. Omg.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 10, 2013)

Spock said:


> Except the sales clerk was not rude. What she did was common European sales courtesy. Get this in your fucking thick head.



The clerk was rude. She made a woman look like a fucking idiot and ghetto rat. Not cool. Sales courtesy shouldn't revolve around a person, but rather the customers needs. The whole point of being a salesperson is to FUCKING SELL. If you fail to sell then you're fucking useless.



> The world does not revolve around your definition of sales customes nor Oprah's.



No one will ever waste time in your store because you'd suck as a salesperson.



> The only reason Oprah felt like a tramp was because she was carrying her american preconceptions with her.



No, it's because the salesperson treated her like a clueless child on a first trip to a store.



> I never claimed to be. You put yourself out there by saying "I'm not american yet I know Oprah therefore the clerk suck". I doubt you are European anyway if you lack basic knowledge on how to shop there.



I have been European for as long as I have been consciously aware of myself and my surroundings. Hard to match that.



> No one is obliged to know Oprah. Omg.



It's not about obligations. The store can't afford not to know her, which they've learned the hard way. That's almost $40,000 the store could've profited if they didn't have batshit crazy sales customes. What the hell are they even running a business for anyway?


----------



## Spock (Aug 10, 2013)

♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> The clerk was rude. She made a woman look like a fucking idiot and ghetto rat. Not cool. Sales courtesy shouldn't revolve around a person, but rather the customers needs. The whole point of being a salesperson is to FUCKING SELL. If you fail to sell then you're fucking useless.


 
And that was a fucking sales tactic as explained by couple of other members. Oprah just wanted to create a scene. 



> No one will ever waste time in your store because you'd suck as a salesperson.


Ops. Sorry for adhering to the customes of the country. Next time I'll make sure to have an American switch button installed into my heart-drive.


> No, it's because the salesperson treated her like a clueless child on a first trip to a store.


Seeing as she did not speak either French nor German, that's how good sales clerics are supposed to handle international customers. Take them by the hand.


> I have been European for as long as I have been consciously aware of myself and my surroundings. Hard to match that.


Good for you. You still lack shopping etiquettes. 



> It's not about obligations. The store can't afford not to know her, which they've learned the hard way. That's almost $40,000 the store could've profited if they didn't have batshit crazy sales customes. What the hell are they even running a business for anyway?


The store better know me next time I visit them, cause I'm the daughter of a very super, ultra important man. 

No. You don't exactly accept a r?sum? based on how many rich slobs the applicant can memorize.


----------



## Mider T (Aug 10, 2013)

Kira Yamato said:


> A clerk sees a Black person and automatically assumes she can't afford an expensive item. Prejudice still exists....News @ 11.
> 
> I've had a security guard tell me directly that my friends and I couldn't go in a store together because "he knows how our kind acts" he would only allow us to shop one at a time and watched us like a hawk.
> 
> ...



I remember that, that happened when you were 11 right?


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 10, 2013)

Ayanli said:


> Especially when you factor in commision. You miss a sale, you miss out on the cash earned through commission.



The whole point of the bag is to draw in customer, then the sales clerk can recommend other more affordable items, they honestly don't expect anyone willing to buy it.

Opera getting pissed off that they are treating her like every other customer and pulling a racism card.


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Aug 11, 2013)

I can't believe how much shit you people are full of. When I go into a store like Macy's or Neiman Marcus they don't try to steer me away from the expensive shit. People need to stop denying that racism like this happens and need to stop trying to steer the conversation to black people and others just wanting attention or just trying to make some buzz and the like. 

The problem is that with any kind of conversation like this we should be having people deflect from the subject with this shit, even when there's evidence of the things actually happening. 

And saying it still exists and acting like "Oh well," doesn't help either.


----------



## Deleted member 234422 (Aug 11, 2013)

Xiammes said:


> The whole point of the bag is to draw in customer, then the sales clerk can recommend other more affordable items, they honestly don't expect anyone willing to buy it.
> 
> Opera getting pissed off that they are treating her like every other customer and pulling a racism card.



That is what I meant. Referring customers to more affordable items so as not to lose them when overwhelmed.


----------



## Spock (Aug 11, 2013)

Omg. This is in Switzerland! Shopping while black phenomena is virtually non-existent there. It is common European sales courtesy to offer less expensive alternatives. I still can't believe that people are not willing to grasp this simple statement.


MY RACE, MY RACE MY RACE MY RACE 
MY RACE, THEVE GOT YOU SPENDIN'


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Aug 11, 2013)

Spock said:


> Omg. This is in Switzerland! Shopping while black phenomena is virtually non-existent there. It is common European sales courtesy to offer less expensive alternatives. I still can't believe that people can't grasp this this simple statement.



Because the idea of that makes no sense.


----------



## Deleted member 234422 (Aug 11, 2013)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> Because the idea of that makes no sense.



Depends on how much cheaper the alternative was.


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 11, 2013)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> I can't believe how much shit you people are full of. When I go into a store like Macy's or Neiman Marcus they don't try to steer me away from the expensive shit. People need to stop denying that racism like this happens and need to stop trying to steer the conversation to black people and others just wanting attention or just trying to make some buzz and the like.



Those $1000+ bags you find in Neiman are infinitely more affordable, someone who just got their tax return can buy one of those. Most people don't even make enough money in a year to buy it, it makes sense to offer a customer a cheaper product rather then overwhelming them, when customers feel overwhelmed they tend to keep there wallets shut, even if you give a great deal.



> That is what I meant. Referring customers to more affordable items so as not to lose them when overwhelmed.



Something that any experienced salesman would know.




> Because the idea of that makes no sense.



It makes plenty of sense to recommend cheaper products, big purchases are not how a store keeps afloat, selling the rest of there stock will do them just fine.

As I said earlier, that's not a simple purchase for anyone who isn't billionaire.


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Aug 11, 2013)

Xiammes said:


> Considering even those $1000+ bags you find in Neiman are infinitely more affordable. Most people don't even make enough money in a year to buy it, it makes sense to offer a customer a cheaper product rather then overwhelming them, when customers feel overwhelmed they tend to keep there wallets shut, even if you give a great deal.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The thing is that you at least give the customer the option to decide what they want to buy. An experienced sales person knows never judge a book by their cover and always let the customer buy what they need, but let them tell you what they want. 

I worked in computer sales for a few years and I do know a little bit of what I am talking about. I had a guy come in with dread locks and a rainbow shirt and no sales person wanted to help him. I went to go check in with him to see what he needed as to not be rude, but then he ended up buying five grand worth in computer parts. 

All he needed was some help. 

The point is you tell them how much something is, what it offers and ask what they're planning to do with it. Might be slightly different for luxury items. But here most stores do the *exact opposite of what you're saying. 

*They put some cheap product in papers and commercials and try to up sell you in the store.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 11, 2013)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> I can't believe how much shit you people are full of. When I go into a store like Macy's or Neiman Marcus they don't try to steer me away from the expensive shit. People need to stop denying that racism like this happens and need to stop trying to steer the conversation to black people and others just wanting attention or just trying to make some buzz and the like.



That's not even remotely comparable, this was a small boutique and as many have said repeatedly, it's likely that the expensive bag works as a way of drawing people in. They don't expect to sell it. Macy's doesn't have shit that costs anywhere near as much. You can't compare expensive shit there to a 38k handbag that 99% of the customers could never afford.



> The problem is that with any kind of conversation like this we should be having people deflect from the subject with this shit, even when there's evidence of the things actually happening.
> 
> And saying it still exists and acting like "Oh well," doesn't help either.



What subject? Your imagined racism?


----------



## Spock (Aug 11, 2013)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> Because the idea of that makes no sense.



Maybe not in America, where you shop according to your race, but it makes perfect sense here in Europe.


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Aug 11, 2013)

Saufsoldat said:


> That's not even remotely comparable, this was a small boutique and as many have said repeatedly, it's likely that the expensive bag works as a way of drawing people in. They don't expect to sell it. Macy's doesn't have shit that costs anywhere near as much. You can't compare expensive shit there to a 38k handbag that 99% of the customers could never afford.



And you do this without even telling the person the price and letting them decide for themselves? 

And you ignore Neiman's, which is probably one of the most expensive department store chains out there. 



> What subject? Your imagined racism?


Right, it's always imagined.


----------



## Goobalith (Aug 11, 2013)

I love how people are saying "don't assume its racism!!!!" but then proceed to make the assumption  that the sole reason the bag wasn't sold to Oprah was because of its price-tag. 

Or the bigger question is, why are y'all trying so hard to convince yourself one way or another?


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 11, 2013)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> The thing is that you at least give the customer the option to decide what they want to buy. An experienced sales person knows never judge a book by their cover and always let the customer buy what they need, but let them tell you what they want.



A experienced salesman also knows when not to push or overwhelm a customer. I have people walk out all the time when they are looking for a room, I can easily lower the price by $10-15 but they won't stick around to hear it.



> I worked in computer sales for a few years and I do know a little bit of what I am talking about. I had a guy come in with dread locks and a rainbow shirt and no sales person wanted to help him. I went to go check in with him to see what he needed as to not be rude, but then he ended up buying five grand worth in computer parts.
> 
> All he needed was some help.



I don't sell merchandise, but I do have experience selling things, buying things like computer parts and overly expensive handbags is something that can be afforded by a lot of people giving the circumstances. This was the eq



> The point is you tell them how much something is, what it offers and ask what they're planning to do with it. Might be slightly different for luxury items. But here most stores do the *exact opposite of what you're saying. *


*

In a competitive market, people fight to have lower prices so most people can afford. Having cheaper alternatives makes people more likely to buy it, so it makes sense.*


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 11, 2013)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> And you do this without even telling the person the price and letting them decide for themselves?
> 
> And you ignore Neiman's, which is probably one of the most expensive department store chains out there.



Never been to Neiman's, but it's not in Europe, so it's irrelevant either way.

And yes, you do suggest cheaper alternatives, because as I've said several times now 99% of the people that walk into the store can't afford the handbag and the 1% that do will still think twice about buying such an expensive bag and would probably rather go for a cheaper but similar alternative.



> Right, it's always imagined.



No idea what else to say here. You have a clerk treating Oprah, who is a nobody in Europe, like a regular customer and Oprah throwing a tantrum over it. You don't have a shred of evidence that a white customer would have been treated any differently.



Goobalith said:


> I love how people are saying "don't assume its racism!!!!" but then proceed to make the assumption  that the sole reason the bag wasn't sold to Oprah was because of its price-tag.



The reason it wasn't sold to Oprah was because Oprah didn't want to buy it, period.


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> I love how people are saying "don't assume its racism!!!!" but then proceed to make the assumption  that the sole reason the bag wasn't sold to Oprah was because of its price-tag.



Thats the more logical reason, most people couldn't afford that thing.


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> I love how people are saying "don't assume its racism!!!!" but then proceed to make the assumption  that the sole reason the bag wasn't sold to Oprah was because of its price-tag.
> 
> Or the bigger question is, why are y'all trying so hard to convince yourself one way or another?



The thing is that the Cafe does this shit all of the time, racism and sexism and other things don't exist to them. The only group that's really hated is the ultra intelligent all knowing atheist. Anyone else complaining of discrimination is full of shit.


----------



## Goobalith (Aug 11, 2013)

Xiammes said:


> Thats the more logical reason, most people couldn't afford that thing.



Most people couldn't afford that thing != customer can't afford it. There's no reason to make the assumption in the first place.



			
				CTK said:
			
		

> The thing is that the Cafe does this shit all of the time, racism and sexism and other things don't exist to them. The only group that's really hated is the ultra intelligent all knowing atheist. Anyone else complaining of discrimination is full of shit.



I think its a problem in all modern society nowadays. Everyone is so afraid of the term now that they do everything they can to do deny its existence.

I personally think everyone is at least a little racist. Human nature and all that.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> Most people couldn't afford that thing != customer can't afford it. There's no reason to make the assumption in the first place.



There's plenty of reason for that, since the clerk is there to make sales, not to assume all customers are billionaires.


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 11, 2013)

> Most people couldn't afford that thing != customer can't afford it. There's no reason to make the assumption in the first place.



Since when are customers not people? 99% of the customers who walk in through those doors couldn't afford it and the few that can wouldn't likely buy it.

Yes there is reason to make the assumption, the item was showcased over the register, it serves more as a decorative piece then something they are trying to sale.

I'm trying to avoid more assumptions but evidence suggests that this was a small boutique who really couldn't afford to customers slip by.


----------



## Goobalith (Aug 11, 2013)

> There's plenty of reason for that, since the clerk is there to make sales, not to assume all customers are billionaires.



At best the clerk loses a little of her time by telling Oprah the price tag. 

By making it clear that she thinks Oprah can't afford it though, she is risking insulting the customer and ensuring the business loses a large business opportunity.

Which makes sense to you?


----------



## Aeternus (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> I think its a problem in all modern society nowadays. Everyone is so afraid of the term now that they do everything they can to do deny its existence.
> 
> I personally think everyone is at least a little racist. Human nature and all that.



Really disagree with the first part of that. From what I am seeing people are more than eager to use that term, even when in most cases there is no reason for it to be used. 

As for the second part, I suppose I could agree with it although I am not sure I would call it necessarily racism. I think it is only natural for people to feel more comfortable with people that are more similar to them.


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> At best the clerk loses a little of her time by telling Oprah the price tag.
> 
> By making it clear that she thinks Oprah can't afford it though, she risking insulting the customer and ensuring the business loses a large business opportunity.
> 
> Which makes sense to you?



Considering that's a mistake they can afford, inturn they are taking a much safer opportunity offering her and other customer's more affordable products that they can still make a living on.


----------



## Sōsuke Aizen (Aug 11, 2013)

Saufsoldat said:


> There's plenty of reason for that, since the clerk is there to make sales, not to assume all customers are billionaires.



Dumb thing said in light of the fact the clerk failed to make sales. They failed in every possible way imaginable.


----------



## Muah (Aug 11, 2013)

The next day Oprah bought and sold her family.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> At best the clerk loses a little of her time by telling Oprah the price tag.
> 
> By making it clear that she thinks Oprah can't afford it though, she risking insulting the customer and ensuring the business loses a large business opportunity.
> 
> Which makes sense to you?



You evidently never worked as anything resembling a sales clerk. When someone with average income walks into such a store, asks how much that pretty bag is and gets told "38k", they'll walk out the way they came. That's why you suggest affordable alternatives first, because it won't dissuade people immediately.

Worst case scenario, the customers tells you that they'd still like to know the price of the bag and then tell you that they can actually afford it. No, wait... 

Worst case scenario, the customers is a huge bitch, takes offense because you didn't immediately recognize them as some celebrity from another country and cries to the media about how badly she was treated by a clerk trying to do their job.


----------



## Deleted member 234422 (Aug 11, 2013)

♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> Dumb thing said in light of the fact the clerk failed to make sales. They failed in every possible way imaginable.



And she would continue to fail if every customer henceforth was a billionaire.



Saufsoldat said:


> You evidently never worked as anything resembling a sales clerk. When someone with average income walks into such a store, asks how much that pretty bag is and gets told "38k", they'll walk out the way they came. That's why you suggest affordable alternatives first, because it won't dissuade people immediately.
> 
> Worst case scenario, the customers tells you that they'd still like to know the price of the bag and then tell you that they can actually afford it. No, wait...
> 
> Worst case scenario, the customers is a huge bitch, takes offense because you didn't immediately recognize them as some celebrity from another country and cries to the media about how badly she was treated by a clerk trying to do their job.



Enuff said. Said like the billionth time. Stop trying to turn this shit into a race issue.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 11, 2013)

♚Sōsuke Aizen♚ said:


> Dumb thing said in light of the fact the clerk failed to make sales. They failed in every possible way imaginable.



Evidently she's a good clerk, since she still has her job and faces no consequences over the incident.


----------



## Goobalith (Aug 11, 2013)

> Considering that's a mistake they can afford, in turn they are taking a much safer opportunity offering her and other customer's more affordable products that they can still make a living on.



That doesn't make much sense to me. How does telling the customer the price of a more expensive bag invariably lead to losing the opportunity to offer more affordable products afterwards?

If anything, I'd imagine that telling a customer they can't afford a bag much more likely to lose that  opportunity.


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 11, 2013)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> The thing is that the Cafe does this shit all of the time, racism and sexism and other things don't exist to them. The only group that's really hated is the ultra intelligent all knowing atheist. Anyone else complaining of discrimination is full of shit.



completely fucking irrelevant.

Whether or not Racism still exists and I have no doubts that it does, that doesn't mean you can harp on about a case which is not racism.

Go find something actually racist to talk about.


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> That doesn't make much sense to me. How does telling the customer the price of a more expensive bag invariably lead to losing the opportunity to offer more affordable products afterwards?
> 
> If anything, I'd imagine that telling a customer they can't afford a bag much more likely to lose that  opportunity.



Overwhelming the customer, once they hear a price like that, they make the assumption that this place is too expensive for them and they will leave quicker then they arrived.

This happens when people are going for a hotel for a night, I even had some assholes say they are going to get there wallet and they driving away. I offer prices more then 380 times less then what that bag was going for.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> That doesn't make much sense to me. How does telling the customer the price of a more expensive bag invariably lead to losing the opportunity to offer more affordable products afterwards?
> 
> If anything, I'd imagine that telling a customer they can't afford a bag much more likely to lose that  opportunity.



And that's why you would make a shitty clerk. If the first thing people see in a store is an item that is just insanely far out of their price range, they immediately react very negatively to the whole store and are very unlikely to buy anything at all. 

It's Sales 101, you don't present a very expensive item without a cheaper alternative.


----------



## Goobalith (Aug 11, 2013)

> You evidently never worked as anything resembling a sales clerk.



I am currently working at a car dealership. You have a nice way of using the word "evidence".



> When someone with average income walks into such a store, asks how much that pretty bag is and gets told "38k", they'll walk out the way they came. That's why you suggest affordable alternatives first, because it won't dissuade people immediately.



I am genuinely curious if you have ever worked in sales before however.

Because I have never met any salesman who would flat out tell the customer that "they can't afford it".


----------



## Nighty the Mighty (Aug 11, 2013)

> "She explained how beautiful the bag was, then she said, 'Honestly this bag costs 35,000 Swiss francs, but I can show you other versions in ostrich, in pure leather and in velour'," Goetz said.



just look at this flat out no.


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> I am currently working in car dealership. You have a nice way of using the word "evidence".
> 
> I am genuinely curious if you have ever worked in sales before however.
> 
> Because I have never met any salesman who would flat out tell the customer that "they can't afford it".



When people go to a car dealer ship they are expecting to spend big money, usually on a payment plan if they can't afford to completely buy out the car, the price is a nonissue here.


----------



## Goobalith (Aug 11, 2013)

> When people go to a car dealer ship they are expecting to spend big money, usually on a payment plan if they can't afford to completely buy out the car, the price is a nonissue here.



Actually price is very much an issue. We sell Audis and Porsches at our dealership. The price tags are high enough that most banks will not approve a loan (i.e. payment plan) unless you have established credit based on proven financial history.

That doesn't mean we tell our customers they can't afford it though. We will at least _try_ to get them approved. Why? Because we want to make the sale.


----------



## Vice (Aug 11, 2013)

How many people do you have that walk into the dealership able to pay for the car cash in full? Is it enough to assume that every customer who walks in the door also can do so? Do you treat them as such?


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> Actually price is very much an issue. We sell Audis and Porsches at our dealership, the prices are high enough that most banks will not approve of a loan (i.e. payment plan) unless you have established credit based on proven financial history.



Again, this isn't a problem, customers go to dealerships with the intention of making a huge investment, the worry of scaring a customer off is a non issue.


----------



## Muah (Aug 11, 2013)

You don't make your costumer feel like shit period. This dumb bitch turned away the richest woman in america and lost her store probably the same amount she makes in a year.


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 11, 2013)

Considering they would had to have bought the bag first, and the amount of time that its been sitting their, they likely would have made a few grand on it.


----------



## Goobalith (Aug 11, 2013)

Vice said:


> How many people do you have that walk into the dealership able to pay for the car cash in full? Is it enough to assume that every customer who walks in the door also can do so? Do you treat them as such?



If our business relied on customers being able to pay the cash in full, then hell yes we would assume and treat them as being able to afford it.



> Again, this isn't a problem, customers go to dealerships with the intention of making a huge investment, the worry of scaring a customer off is a non issue.



Actually. there is a huge difference in investment between a used low-end car and a high end one. Many of our customers don't realize how much our vehicles cost (both the price and estimated monthly payments) compared to their expectations (hence all the price haggling and negotiations you see at dealerships).

In that case, it was simply a matter of diverting their attention to other models that are more in-line with their financial situation. Not as big a deal as you guys are making it sound. If you're a good salesman, you're in control of the situation.


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Aug 11, 2013)

I love how every time someone points out the flawed logic they know nothing about sales or they have never worked in sales. 

Most people entering stores like this are expecting high prices, you can tell some place is high priced by the area of town, the things they're selling, the decor. It's stupid to think someone would just wander in there and be unwilling to at least hear the prices.


----------



## Gino (Aug 11, 2013)

Bruh fuck this bitch.


----------



## Xiammes (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> Actually. there is a huge difference in investment between a used low-end car and a high end one. Many of our customers don't realize how much our vehicles cost (both the price and estimated monthly payments) compared to their expectations (hence all the price haggling and negotiations you see at dealerships).
> 
> In that case, it was simply a matter of diverting their attention to other models that are more in-line with their financial situation. Not as big a deal as you guys are making it sound. If you're a good salesman, you're in control of the situation.



Your equivalent would be if someone is trying to buy a moderately nice car and it turns out to be the price of a brand new Rolls Royce. Even then that's not a fair comparison.




> Most people entering stores like this are expecting high prices, you can tell some place is high priced by the area of town, the things they're selling, the decor. It's stupid to think someone would just wander in there and be unwilling to at least hear the prices.



Some people might go in and expect to buy a couple thousands dollars if its a nice store. Which to a lot of people that alone find that absurd.


----------



## Fiona (Aug 11, 2013)

#FirstWorldProblems


----------



## Goobalith (Aug 11, 2013)

> Your equivalent would be if someone is trying to buy a moderately nice car and it turns out to be the price of a brand new Rolls Royce. Even then that's not a fair comparison.



You just have to be assertive. Tell them that its the most expensive thing in your store and the price. People aren't going to run away screaming when they hear that. 

Now they may still feel uneasy and come up with an excuse for leaving but if you're assertive and sense that, you can just as easily draw them back by telling them your store offers other similar things for a far more reasonable prices (or something along those lines).

The bottom line is that a good salesman is always in control of the situation.


----------



## Smiley (Aug 11, 2013)

As a white male, I wouldn't expect anyone behind any counter to just cheerfully hand me a $38,000 item. Of course "it's too expensive" you ridiculous fucking attention whore.

The next time that I'm asked not to touch a display item, I'm going to throw an international shitfit on the news, and you are going to enjoy reading about it.



Fiona said:


> #FirstWorldProblems



Looking for posts to reply to with "firstworldproblems" is a first world problem. $38,000 handbags are a global catastrophe.


----------



## WT (Aug 11, 2013)

Spending 38k on a handbag is pretty fucking stupid. 

I really dislike people like this. The wealthy arabs are the same.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 11, 2013)

Goobalith said:


> I am currently working at a car dealership. You have a nice way of using the word "evidence".



Fair enough, sorry for assuming. However, car dealerships usually have the price on the car. Customers don't need to ask how much something costs because it's right there on the car. Also car dealerships usually sell cars of a specific brand, so when you go there you know what price range to expect.

Selling stuff is a matter of psychology, because you know you're screwing someone over and they know it as well but you have to make them forget. For a boutique this is doubly true because there's no objective reason to pay 10k for a handbag when you can get one of equal quality for 10 bucks.

With a car, people know it's valuable and they know they're gonna pay a shitload of money when they want a Porsche or a Mercedes. Most people don't just go windowshopping in car dealerships, either. If they want a car, they'll buy one, if not, they have no reason for coming in the first place. Clothes or accessories are an entirely different matter. People can buy them every day if they see something they like so you can't assume that they know what they're in for when they enter a store.



> I am genuinely curious if you have ever worked in sales before however.
> 
> Because I have never met any salesman who would flat out tell the customer that "they can't afford it".



Good, because the clerk didn't do that.



Muah said:


> You don't make your costumer feel like shit period. This dumb bitch turned away the richest woman in america and lost her store probably the same amount she makes in a year.



Right, because offering cheaper alternative = making someone feel like shit

If Oprah feels like shit just because nobody knows her in Europe, that's her problem and she doesn't need to act like a cunt.


----------



## Fiona (Aug 11, 2013)

People dont need to buy a 38k handbag. 

Go buy a $20 knock off that looks _exactly the same_ and donate the rest of the 37,980 to Charity.


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 11, 2013)

You guys still arguing this nonsense.  

You guys still believing the PR savior of the botique.

Stop and think logically. Would Oprah, would anyone be offended if the clerk really did speak the lines the spokesperson claimed they did?

The fact that they claim she said "Honestly, this bag costs..." just proves a bold attempt to save face because I dont think anyone at any high-end botique speaks like that.


----------



## Ceria (Aug 11, 2013)

Someone should buy it just for the bragging rights. 

yeah this is the handbag Oprah wanted but was denied,

because she's black.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 11, 2013)

WAD said:


> You guys still arguing this nonsense.
> 
> You guys still believing the PR savior of the botique.
> 
> ...



Yes, Oprah would obviously be offended, just like she was pissed when a store didn't open for her after business hours. So we know she has a history of overreacting and a strong sense of entitlement.

Basically your entire argument is "if it were harmless, Oprah wouldn't be saying these things", so it rests on the idea that Oprah can't possibly be a massive cunt.



Ceria said:


> Someone should buy it just for the bragging rights.
> 
> yeah this is the handbag Oprah wanted but was denied,
> 
> because she's black.



She wasn't denied anything, she chose not to buy it.


----------



## Ceria (Aug 11, 2013)

Saufsoldat said:


> Yes, Oprah would obviously be offended, just like she was pissed when a store didn't open for her after business hours. So we know she has a history of overreacting and a strong sense of entitlement.
> 
> Basically your entire argument is "if it were harmless, Oprah wouldn't be saying these things", so it rests on the idea that Oprah can't possibly be a massive cunt.



The irony here is that she is one, when she was going to make a book many years ago she openly said on her show that she would only consider using "black" publishers.


----------



## FLORIDA MAN (Aug 11, 2013)

Whatever, anything I might reiterate would be really redundant.

Yes, I might be showing confirmation bias by siding with Oprah here (though objectively the circumstantial evidence is against the boutique), but I wanted to point out how easily people are siding against her, just because she has an excessive lifestyle being filthy rich and because people are incorrectly perceiving her to be playing the victim/race card when in actuality that is the media's spin, not necessarily her interpretation, on it - to which you yourself conceded in our earlier exchange was true.


----------



## Mochi (Aug 11, 2013)

All that trouble for a 38.000 $ bag


----------



## Ennoea (Aug 11, 2013)

This woman is so entitled.


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Aug 11, 2013)

White Tiger said:


> Spending 38k on a handbag is pretty fucking stupid.
> 
> I really dislike people like this. The wealthy arabs are the same.



As if she hasn't donated millions and millions back into worthy causes. 



Ceria said:


> The irony here is that she is one, when she was going to make a book many years ago she openly said on her show that she would only consider using "black" publishers.



The problem with black publishers is that it pretty much assures your book won't sell. The black fiction section of the book store is pretty much a dead zone and while most of the stuff in it probably could be put out in the regular genre sections certain publishers lobbied to be set off from the others and it pretty much ostracizes your book. 

Writing books for everyone is pretty much the best way to do it if you're planning on actually making money.


----------



## Buskuv (Aug 11, 2013)

Where's Adonis's quote about 'black fiction' when you need it?


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Aug 11, 2013)

Fiona said:


> #FirstWorldProblems



#BlackFirstWorldProblems



Dr. Boskov Krevorkian said:


> Where's Adonis's quote about 'black fiction' when you need it?


What did he say? 

I mean I have pretty sour feelings toward it myself.


----------



## Buskuv (Aug 11, 2013)

Something along the lines of:

"I'm writing a book, but I don't want it to be put next to Bitch 2: Reloaded in the African American section at Barnes and Noble."


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Aug 11, 2013)

Dr. Boskov Krevorkian said:


> Something along the lines of:
> 
> "I'm writing a book, but I don't want it to be put next to Bitch 2: Reloaded in the African American section at Barnes and Noble."


It pisses me off that they just put all types of books in that section. Like here they will put all the fiction and non fiction onto the same shelf over there and all of it no matter what type of book it is just kind of gets thrown in there.


----------



## Buskuv (Aug 11, 2013)

In the bookstore where I work, we have an 'Urban' section (lol), and then we just don't give a darn about the author's identity otherwise--Maya Angelou doesn't go in 'African-American,' she goes in literature.

Etc, etc...

To be fair, though, that Urban/African American section is both asked for frequently and picked clean regularly.


----------



## Canute87 (Aug 11, 2013)

There are considerably worse racism issues out there.

I mean i don't know why she's trying so hard to be a victim.  I guess when you have that much money and nothing really to do with it you get bored.


----------



## Undead (Aug 11, 2013)

What bothers me most is how she feels entitled to enter a store that's closing / closed. Fuck celebrity entitlement.


----------



## Bioness (Aug 11, 2013)

Will people stop saying entitled, you might as well replace the word with "uppity" considering how your posts sound. She's FUCKING OPRAH, she isn't just a celebrity, she is one of the most influential people on this planet.


----------



## Smiley (Aug 11, 2013)

She's a talk show host.


----------



## Fruits Basket Fan (Aug 11, 2013)

I have to say I can slightly believe in Oprah in this....It was only in Switzerland where I was profiled by the Swiss border guards by asking for my passport and having to take my shoes off when taking a plane to Italy (it has technology to look into your shoes without taking them off).....even though it is part of the Schnengen Agreement.

I can only guess that it is because I did not look Northern or Western European.  I was not inspected for that long compared to darker skin tone travelers which get a more thorough inspection.  I went through some sorts of racism and stereotyping in the other European countries but their border controls part of Schnengen did not ask for my passport and questioned me like the Swiss guards.

It is most prevalent to people who do not look Northern or Western European.


----------



## Keile (Aug 11, 2013)

I've never had a sales attendant tell me I couldn't afford an item after I inquired about it. How do they know how much money I have? Wouldn't my asking about the item imply I might want to buy it? That's how I've always seen retail sales done. I guess the attendant assumed she's poor because she's black and treated her differently because of this assumption.  That is all.


----------



## Godaime Tsunade (Aug 11, 2013)

I have no beef when it comes to Oprah. Sure, spending $38,000 on a handbag seems totally ridiculous to most of us, but this woman is earning over $250 million a year. Why _wouldn't_ she spend that much, if she has it to spend? Plus, its not like she became famous for doing jack shit, or releasing some stupid one hit wonder song 30 years ago, she worked her ass off from being dirt poor to stinking rich. Good on her.

At any rate, I don't see what this could be _other_ than racism. If a white woman came into that shop wearing the exact same thing she wouldn't have been told that she " couldn't afford it ". There was no reason to even tell Oprah that anyway, because even if the man-ugly Swedish bitch didn't know who Oprah was, why would she turn down a customer willing to give her _$38,000_?​​


----------



## Keile (Aug 11, 2013)

Spock said:


> Omg. This is in Switzerland! Shopping while black phenomena is virtually non-existent there. It is common European sales courtesy to offer less expensive alternatives.



I'm sure Oprah has shopped in European botiques before and her shock seems to imply this is the first time this has ever happened to her. How can her experience be "common European sales courtesy" when it never fucking happened to her the gazillion times she's been shopping?



> I still can't believe that people are not willing to grasp this simple statement.



Simply put it's fucking bullshit. That's why people aren't "grasping" it.


----------



## Deleted member 234422 (Aug 11, 2013)

Keile said:


> I've never had a sales attendant tell me I couldn't afford an item after I inquired about it. How do they know how much money I have? Wouldn't my asking about the item imply I might want to buy it? That's how I've always seen retail sales done. I guess the store assumed she's poor because she's black and treated her differently because of this assumption. That's racial profiling and discrimination. She should name the store.



So did Oprah just trip and smash her way into a store that sells handbags for thousands of dollars? How exactly did they assume she was poor? The sales clerk wanted to make commission - what she did makes complete sense.


----------



## Keile (Aug 11, 2013)

Ayanli said:


> So did Oprah just trip and smash her way into a store that sells handbags for thousands of dollars? How exactly did they assume she was poor? The sales clerk wanted to make commission - what she did makes complete sense.



Not everyone who enters a high end store is buying something. Most people probably don't. And many don't have the money to buy expensive thing in the store. So assuming Oprah might not have the money is a fair assumption but assuming she absolutely doesn't and treating her as if she doesn't is not fair.

As regards your theory, Occam's Razor indicates the sales clerk wasn't trying some new convoluted sales pitch Oprah has never heard in all her time shopping while rich (read: complex and novel), and instead was just being discriminatory (read: simple and rehearsed). 

But you can believe what you like.


----------



## Spock (Aug 11, 2013)

Keile said:


> I'm sure Oprah has shopped in European botiques before and her shock seems to imply this is the first time this has ever happened to her. How can her experience be "common European sales courtesy" when it never fucking happened to her the gazillion times she's been shopping?
> 
> 
> 
> Simply put it's fucking bullshit. That's why people aren't "grasping" it.



And I'm sure that high class boutique has received international customers of all colors and ethnicities gazillion times yet the owner never received a single complaint in regards of that specific sales clerk. The most obvious proof of that is the fact that the sales clerk will not be disciplined. Suck on that. 

This is not a first time shock as demonstrated by Oprah when she demanded a store be opened for her after closing hours. Who the fuck does she think she is, no one is obliged to forcefully know a fucking talk show host. 

This a petty publicity stunt. For you not to realize that is pretty imbecilic.


----------



## Bioness (Aug 11, 2013)

Smiley said:


> She's a talk show host.



She started out as a talk show host, if you really want to simplify everything she is and has done to that, then you need to get your fucking head checked.


----------



## Gino (Aug 11, 2013)

She's a irrelevant talk show host.


----------



## Bioness (Aug 11, 2013)

Gino said:


> She's a irrelevant talk show host.



Gino I would think you of all people would think highly of one of only 4 black billionaires in the entire world out of 1,426. And she is hardly irrelevant, what she has done for millions of people. She has help those who were impoverished, brought LGBT into mainstream media, and could also be accredited for getting Barack Obama in office during the 2008 election.


----------



## Tsuchi (Aug 11, 2013)

You don't tell Oprah she can't afford anything god damn it! even if its ridiculously expensive


----------



## Gino (Aug 11, 2013)

Bioness said:


> Gino I would think you of all people would think highly of one of only 4 black billionaires in the entire world out of 1,426. And she is hardly irrelevant, what she has done for millions of people. She has help those who were impoverished, brought LGBT into mainstream media, and could also be accredited for getting Barack Obama in office during the 2008 election.



Why........Why did you take the bait.It was for someone else


----------



## Bioness (Aug 11, 2013)

Gino said:


> Why........Why did you take the bait.It was for someone else



Then quote them , don't post after me with stuff like that.


----------



## Keile (Aug 11, 2013)

Spock said:


> And I'm sure that high class boutique has received international customers of all colors and ethnicities gazillion times yet the owner never received a single complaint in regards of that specific sales clerk.



Well we're not talking about "international customers of all colors and ethnicities". We're talking about blacks and research does not support the notion all ethnics get the same treatment.  I don't think a rich Arab will get the same treatment as a rich black. The vast majority of the customers are probably non-black. It's probably likely blacks don't often shop there (ie. high end European Swiss store) and when they do, they probably don't reach for the most expensive purse in the store, so the clerk might not often have to say anything about its price to blacks. And then there's the notion that even when a clerk is talking about how expensive the purse is, most blacks won't report it. They'll just look and move along. This all goes to why the owner never received a complaint.




> The most obvious proof of that is the fact that the sales clerk will not be disciplined. Suck on that.



PR.




> This is not a first time shock as demonstrated by Oprah when she demanded a store be opened for her after closing hours. Who the fuck does she think she is, no one is obliged to forcefully know a fucking talk show host.



I remember reading about that incident a few years ago. Basically the store was open, people were shopping, and Oprah wanted to go inside but the people at the door wouldn't let her. Oprah didn't say anything about her being a billionaire, she said she felt embarassed because she felt they wouldn't let her in because she was black (and I suppose there were no black people around).



> This a petty publicity stunt. For you not to realize that is pretty imbecilic.




Oprah is a billionaire. She doesn't need to do publicity stunts and it doesn't make sense to do them every 8 years anyway (that was when she last complained).


----------



## Gino (Aug 11, 2013)

Bioness said:


> Then quote them , don't post after me with stuff like that.



Where's the fun in that?

She actually one of the few black women young girls should be looking up to instead of Nicki Minaj or some shit.


----------



## Smiley (Aug 11, 2013)

Bioness said:


> Gino I would think you of all people would think highly of one of only 4 black billionaires in the entire world out of 1,426. And she is hardly irrelevant, what she has done for millions of people. She has help those who were impoverished, brought LGBT into mainstream media, and could also be accredited for getting Barack Obama in office during the 2008 election.


Such idiotic racism. Oh, she's black, so we should support her, hurr durr. That worked for Obama too.


----------



## Saufsoldat (Aug 11, 2013)

Bioness said:


> Will people stop saying entitled, you might as well replace the word with "uppity" considering how your posts sound. She's FUCKING OPRAH, she isn't just a celebrity, she is* one of the most influential people on this planet*.



Sorry to burst your bubble but she's a nobody outside of the US. Justin Bieber is more influential than her on a global scale.


----------



## Blue_Panter_Ninja (Aug 11, 2013)

WTF is going on?Idiotic racism?

There are a lot of black people living in Switzerland,one of them is fucking Anna Mae Bullock aka Tina Turner.


----------



## Le Mâle-Pensant (Aug 11, 2013)

Saufsoldat said:


> Sorry to burst your bubble but she's a nobody outside of the US. Justin Bieber is more influential than her on a global scale.



I have to agree. Oprah is unknown outside the US. You can't be a world wide celebrity if you just present a talk show whatever the country.


----------



## Ceria (Aug 11, 2013)

Le M?le Dominant said:


> I have to agree. Oprah is unknown outside the US. You can't be a world wide celebrity if you just present a talk show whatever the country.



she was just a woman with no make up on, if anything says rich that's the thing that's farthest from.


----------



## Aeternus (Aug 11, 2013)

Bioness said:


> Gino I would think you of all people would think highly of one of only 4 black billionaires in the entire world out of 1,426. And she is hardly irrelevant, what she has done for millions of people. She has help those who were impoverished, brought LGBT into mainstream media, and could also be accredited for getting Barack Obama in office during the 2008 election.


And yet she was still the one complaining that they didn't open the store for her. Just because she has done a few things (and btw by no means I am trying to belittle any of the things she has done), that doesn't mean that the world is going to do whatever she wants.


Keile said:


> Oprah is a billionaire. She doesn't need to do publicity stunts and it doesn't make sense to do them every 8 years anyway (that was when she last complained).


Of course she needs to do publicity stunts. Those billions aren't going to be made on their own. Also it is a very big coincidence that she mentioned this now, when the new movie she has produced is about to be released in a few days. But yeah, just a coincidence, right?


----------



## Lady Hinata (Aug 11, 2013)

Regardless of everything else, that saleswoman had no right to say what she did. Who the fuck is she to tell somebody they can't afford something? Not all rich people come in dressed like they are rich. Bitch do your job and let the customer see the damn bag. Seriously.


----------



## The Great Oneddd (Aug 12, 2013)

It's not racist. She is just pissed she didn't get treated like a rich bitch. Instead she was treated like a normal person.


----------



## Roman (Aug 12, 2013)

Zaru said:


> Billionaire complaining about not being able to buy a handbag more expensive than 99% of the world's average yearly income, and blowing it out of proportion by pulling the "racism" card
> 
> She might have done some good in her life but that's such a publicity whore move...



This is Oprah we're talking about. She's THE publicity whore.


----------



## Kanga (Aug 12, 2013)

Probably should have smacked the worker in the face with a stack hundreds. 

You know, show her what's up.


----------



## Saishin (Aug 13, 2013)

> *Oprah Winfrey 'sorry' for naming Switzerland in race row*
> 
> US talk show host Oprah Winfrey has said she is sorry for a "blown up" media response after she claimed she encountered racism in an upmarket handbag store in Zurich.
> 
> ...



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23679605


----------

