Selling a Pressure Cooker Without Chasing Commission
Raman is a sales adviser in a Punjab electronics store. Mr. Sandhu, 58, wants a 5-litre pressure cooker for a family of six. His budget is ₹2,500. Three models are on display: Model A at ₹1,850 (aluminium, 1-year warranty), Model B at ₹2,450 (hard-anodised, 2-year warranty), and Model C at ₹3,400 (stainless steel, 5-year warranty, induction-compatible). Raman earns ₹80 on A, ₹150 on B and ₹300 on C. Mr. Sandhu says his wife saw Model C on television but 'it is too much for a cooker'. He also needs a mixer grinder and is comparing prices on his phone. The store has an offer: a free small mixer with Model C today only. Raman knows Model A's handle has had two complaints this month, though it is not recalled.
1. How should Raman open the conversation and what three questions should he ask before recommending a model? Give the reason for each question.
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Open with a greeting and a needs statement, not a product: 'What kind of cooking do you do most days?' Then ask: (1) Do you use an induction or gas stove? This decides whether Model C's induction base is a real benefit or an unnecessary cost. (2) How many people eat and how often do you cook dal/rice? A family of six may need 5 litres, but frequency affects whether a hard-anodised body is worth it. (3) Who will lift and clean the cooker, and how important is warranty? This reveals weight and after-sales concerns, especially for an older customer. Also ask whether the ₹2,500 budget is fixed or flexible. Listen for the wife's TV preference; it is a clue, not an instruction. Only after these answers should Raman compare two models.
2. Mr. Sandhu repeats the price objection. Write a response that handles it ethically and recommend one model with reasoning.
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Response: 'I understand ₹3,400 feels high for a cooker. Let me compare what you actually get. Model B is ₹2,450 and has a two-year warranty; Model C is ₹950 more and gives five years and induction use. If you cook on gas and want to stay near budget, B is the better fit. If you already have an induction or plan to buy one, C's extra cost works out to about ₹190 a year over five years, and the free mixer is genuine value.' Recommend B if there is no induction and the budget is firm; recommend C only if induction is present or the five-year warranty matters. Do not use the free mixer to create false urgency, and do not hide that Model A has had two handle complaints; disclose it and let the customer decide. That is ethical selling: the recommendation changes with the customer's needs, not with Raman's commission.
3. Identify two unethical practices Raman must avoid and explain the consequence for the store.
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First, commission-driven upselling: pushing Model C to a customer who cooks on gas and has a fixed budget earns ₹300 but risks a return, a bad review and a lost future mixer sale. Second, hiding known defects: if Raman stays silent about Model A's handle complaints, the customer may buy it and return angrily; the store then bears the cost and the salesperson loses credibility. Other practices to avoid are fake scarcity ('today only' when the offer continues), criticising a competitor without evidence, and adding unwanted accessories to the bill. The consequence is not only a refund; in a small town, trust travels faster than advertising.