[iBook] <OT> CompUSA

[Gary]

On May 23, 2005, at 7:53 PM, Samantha Cornell wrote:

>
> My question is: is this they type of experience that others have  
> had at CompUSA?  We had a similarly difficult experience there when  
> we bought our iMac last year. If so, why on earth are they the  
> Apple authorized store?  It would seem that there are much better  
> alternatives. i would expect this level of customer service at a  
> fast food resturaunt or even a convenience store, but it seems out  
> of line when purchasing a computer.
>
     I don't think it's specific to CompUSA but to many mass  
merchandise electronics stores. You sort of have pot luck with what  
kind of sales and support people you run into on what day of the week.
     When I bought my very last PC in 1988 I had a very helpful and  
informed salesperson. This was at Circuit City.  When I had a problem  
and the manufacturer told me to return it for exchange (they had  
contacted Circuit City to tell them as well), the first salesperson I  
came across said, "Ah, we probably don't even have one. They change  
models every week."  This despite there being a large, very large  
display in his department of just that model.
     On the other hand, a year later I bought my first Mac there - a  
blueberry clamshell iBook. I got good service that day. Then Apple  
and Circuit City parted ways. But shortly thereafter a salesperson  
spotted me while I was browsing in the CDs and DVDs and told me they  
still had a few Apple items in their stockroom. He sold me an Airport  
card for half-price.
     These big box stores hire help of varying degrees of personality  
and expertise.
     I've eavesdropped on sales staff trying to sell someone a PC and  
they weren't any more knowledgeable or helpful with Wintel machines  
than with Macs.  And this has been in Best Buy, Circuit City and  
CompUSA among others.
     Although I must admit the topper of all these examples was the  
Circuit City sales person who, when I was looking for an inexpensive  
printer for my office, informed me that "most printers don't work  
with Macintosh," despite the fact that virtually every box on their  
shelves had both the official Windows and Mac logos on them!

Gary