Spotted a Comic Con Ditzy Doo at Hot Topic. o.o

[MilkyTaroMochi]

I am still a little surprised about this happening in the first place. I do apologize if someone else mentioned this before here.
Since I'm in Houston for the weekend, I went to the Galleria mall with my boyfriend and we decided to peek into Hot Topic, since I had the Hot Cash coupon-thing. Looking around in the store, high on a shelf in-between the Funko MLP figures, was a SDCC Ditzy Doo.

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(I apologize for the picture quality – took it from my phone and I didn’t want to be too obvious about taking the picture in a store.  D: )

After spotting the Ditzy Doo at the top of the shelf, I went to the employee and asked about it and how much was she (I assumed they were selling her if she was out of the floor/shelf). The employee jokingly told me $100 and then shortly said that he’d ask about it. He went to the guy working at the register, whom said that that Ditzy wasn’t for sale.  Said employee mentioned that she was for a giveaway, but the first employee said “But we had that giveaway months ago!"

Then the register employee then said to me that if I were to spend $200 in the store, he’d let me have it. Honestly, that kind of bugged me considering he had seemed to change his answers in a matter in one minute.

I am still puzzled and a tad frustrated about the whole ordeal. I wasn’t going to “buy her for $200”, but it kind of bugs me that if she wasn’t for sale, then why was she out where people could see her? I can’t have been the only one that saw her there (this was about 6pm when I was there), and I feel if she wasn’t for sale, they would have made it “obvious” like with a sign or something like that. A part of me wanted to ask if they could take her down from the shelf so I could see her for myself (like see if she had a price tag or her or something), but I felt it would have been a bit much to do that. D:

I guess in the end, I am just wondering one thing: why is/was she at that store? O_o

[HawaiianRain]

Um, that would have gone to a runner up. A second name should have been drawn if the first person did not pick it up. They should NOT still have that.

[cloud_weaver]

Iccky...that's not very good store practices.  I personally would have asked for them to call someone above them and get the proper story straight. 

[Aaryana]

Go back. Buy how much ever merchandise they told you to buy to get her. Then, return all the stuff later and keep her!

[MilkyTaroMochi]

I wish I had thought about asking for the manager when I was there. D:  That's what my mom said when I told her about it when I got back home. She also mentioned that she thought there was a rule that if something was on a store shelf and wasn't street-dated or literally couldn't buy it at a register, they have to sell it to you.
I thought it was really odd that Ditzy was at the store (she sure wasn't out/displayed the two times when I was at that same Hot Topic last month during Spring Break).  And if she was for another giveaway, wouldn't there have been an announcement about it by now (or in-store signs saying so)?

Go back. Buy how much ever merchandise they told you to buy to get her. Then, return all the stuff later and keep her!

If I wasn't going back to my city in the early morning, I would likely do that. xD I kinda wondered if he said that in hopes that I wouldn't actually do it.
And I'm not gonna lie - if I had that much spare money, I'd actually say yes to the deal and see what he'd do (like reaction and whatnot).

[sd_dreamcrystal]

I don't go to hot topic but I would have asked for a manager about it.. when it comes to items like that I wouldn't trust the store employees totally

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I would have

Go back. Buy how much ever merchandise they told you to buy to get her. Then, return all the stuff later and keep her!

I would do this, honestly, if you really wanted her. 

I imagine they have her in the store to draw in customers... 

[ShannonInPonyland]

Man I would have been so frazzled if I saw her in Hot Topic!!
Honestly I would have asked to speak to a manager. The fact that the employee changed their mind about selling her would make me a little suspicious.

[MilkyTaroMochi]

If she was actually offered at $100 (like the first employee mentioned) I would have done it with no hesitation, and see if the Hot Cash would have worked for it. She is number 1 on my "get pony!" list,  but at $200 that the guy offered her for, I felt like I'd get her cheaper from eBay or another Arena member (I had checked how much she was going for on eBay shortly after leaving the store.)
And to be honest, I wasn't too keen at him changing his mind about her being for sale or not. Sorta "killed" it for me, if that made sense.

If only I hadn't gotten so frustrated to not ask for the manager or "call their bluff about the $200 price"! I do regret that.   T_T  Knowing my luck, I wouldn't be surprised if the guy at the register was the manager (considering he was the one who said the $200 thing, and I can't imagine an regular employee actually having the guts to make that offer). D;

I already am on the fence about Hot Topic in general, but this situation sure isn't making them look better to me.

Man I would have been so frazzled if I saw her in Hot Topic!!
Honestly I would have asked to speak to a manager. The fact that the employee changed their mind about selling her would make me a little suspicious.

I was mildly freaking out and in shock, because I had never seen her in person!
I got suspicious when he mentioned the giveaway and the first employee mentioned that it already happened (with me agreeing and stating that I remember HT already had one).

[Flitter]

Oooh I would have been mad if it were me. I'd call the store back and ask to speak to a manager about it. If the manager seems unhelpful, Hot Topic seem to me pretty helpful to people who have issues with stores through their Facebook or other customer service routes from what I've seen. They should not have her just sitting there for display like that. I bet she was meant for the giveaway but was never given for some reason.

[MilkyTaroMochi]

Oooh I would have been mad if it were me. I'd call the store back and ask to speak to a manager about it. If the manager seems unhelpful, Hot Topic seem to me pretty helpful to people who have issues with stores through their Facebook or other customer service routes from what I've seen. They should not have her just sitting there for display like that. I bet she was meant for the giveaway but was never given for some reason.

I was thinking about calling the store when they opened (while on the road, heading back to my home about four hours away), but I wasn't sure if that would be a good idea since, assuming they'd want me to come back to that store as an apology [or something like that, for example], I wouldn't be able to do it. Boyfriend and I gotta be back in my town by 1pm. ;_;   The Facebook option was on my mind as well, and I feel that might be the better option for the situation.

[Jinxxy]

Buy it all and return it all... and keep Pony Pony!

It really bothers me that Pony Pony is changed to "Drama Pony" when I type it with correct spelling.
Isn't the drama hype over already? >.> I feel like I'm using a dang apple phone with these auto corrects.

[Aitsuki]

Hmmmmm.... fishy behavior! And really, having her out and then jerking you around.... If you didn't have to go so far away, I would say go back, even to just get an apology for not being given the respect a customer is entitled to. You did nothing wrong; you were shopping, saw an item that interested you, and asked how much to purchase it. You should have been dealt with in an honest manner. I'm sorry you were run in circles on a pony you want so much!

[scarletjul]

I would at least call and ask to speak to a manager - they shouldn't have treated you like that.  It must have been so frustrating.  :/

And that pony really should have been given out by now.  It's odd they still have her.

[Sky_Rocket_Sammie]

I was at my local Hot Topic this afternoon, looking for Ms D merch. If I'd had the extra money, I'd have called their bluff. Easy to mass that much and get the pony.  Their loss, your gain. But only if you'd truly had the funds and stuff to buy.

But I tend to call people on bs. Or circle around to get a straight answer.