🚀 go-pugleaf

>> Yup.  I was there for about an hour, 

And they had you tied to the chair so you couldn't leave no doubt. 

>> and sat in that little room while three different salespeople 
>> and one "manager" (all women - coincidence?) 
>> tried line after line trying to convince me to sign up, 

WOW!!! I certainly wouldn't want to have been in YOUR shoes. What an ordeal!
Did you report this to the authorities? That's just terrible! 

>> while sidestepping the price issue.  

How unethical! How dastardly! Those curds! Have they no shame?

>> Lines I have heard others report in this
>> thread, such as, "How can you put a price on a relationship?".

Oh, block my ears from hearing these words! That's disgusting!

>> They told me things like, "We have a shortage of childless 
>> never-married young men right now, or we wouldn't make this offer". 

Good thing you didn't fall for this clever line. I don't think a weaker guy
could have resisted that line. What devils!

>> I agree with the person who said that the guy/girl ratio 
>> in San Diego is unusually high.  

That would be me. I hope you don't take offense at my having a little
sarcastic fun at your post. Don't take it personally. I'm just trying to make
a point that maybe GE is not quite as bad as walking into your local car
dealership. Just trying to put things into perspective. Mostly out of respect
for the many people who have joined and found it was a good deal. They weren't
"taken idiots", but a lot of people here think they were. 

>> I would brush them off entirely, but there is a slight 
>> possibility I would sign up with them if they made me a realistic offer.  

Let me tell you a story that's never been told in public. About 8 years ago, I
had a GE "interview". I too walked out of the place saying the price was too
high and thinking it was a rip off. Six months later they called me back
saying they were having a special and I could join for $950. I asked them
calmly if they took Visa. When they said yes I said I'll come down right now
and give you my Visa card for $650. I won't pay a penny more, but if you agree
to this price I'll come down right now. The guy went and talked to his
supervisor and came back and said "ok". I went and got my first year for less
than half price.

After my first year they wanted me to renew for the normal price. I told them
where to stick it and left. Six months later they had a Christmas special and
offered me a "lifetime" membership for $350. At first I was suspicious, but
then they told me they were calling all the people who they didn't think would
ever come back. I said "yep, that's me." But for that price, I went down and
signed up. Since then I've had over 250 dates, 3 long term relationships, two
marriage offers (I turned one down, and got turned down once), and made
countless friends, several which I still keep in touch with (others have
moved, or gotten married, or become "less friendly" as the possibility of a
romance lessened). I consider the whole experience TOTALLY worth it. Of
course, given what I paid, that's easy for me to say. But I would pay the
$2500 now if I had to do it all over again because I think it's worth it. But
that's not true because what I know now is that no one has to pay the whole
$2500. No matter what they tell you they WILL negotiate (you've already seen
that). The trick is that they'll come down more than you think--if you're
firm. 

Good luck to you! 

>>This was the Great Expectations in the Mission Valley area of San Diego.

That's the exact place I'm talking about. They currently have about 1,500
women to select from. 

-Mike