Shopper's Stop

Went to buy a Juicer on busy Tilak Road(Sadashiv Peth) in old Pune area. The experience with shopkeepers was quite interesting.

The first one went straight down from 1895 /- to 1395/- when I expressed my shock at the initial price quoted for a 250 watt Maharaja Juicer. Bid him a prompt "Bye Bye".

Another one showed me a packed 400 watt Inalsa Juicer perched at a rack three feet above my head, and went on to inform about the cost, warranty and related stuff. When I asked him to open up the box and show me the actual thing, he groaned - "Andar Se Bhi Exactly Aisaich Hai, Jaisa Cover Per Photo Hai".

I smiled at him and replied - "Dost, Sirf Photo Dekh Ker Shadi Kerney Ka Jamana Gaya. Please open up."

But it was a singular experience for me. Had a good laugh for quite a time after that. Never heard any such thing before from a shopkeeper, and as my friend Manish Manke would say, it added another dimension to the famed Sadashiv Pethi attitude in Pune.

Another thing which I noticed was that whichever shop I visited, as soon as I expressed my desire to buy a Juicer, the whole shop crew would start giving me a definite step motherly treatment. The fish was not probably big enough, they immediately guessed. And yes, no window shopping in old city area.

God help their business.