Buyers Beware

[It_Is_I_Leclerc]

Just a note of caution to people out there who are considering buying a new 'puter.
Last week I purchased a new laptop to replace my ageing desktop, I did my research as to what I wanted etc. and went off to our local branch of a well known high st retailer of white goods etc. (C***'s), as I knew what I wanted I went straight to the counter and asked for the particular HP laptop.
The assistant then asked me what I wanted it for? I was a bit taken aback as I thought you buy a PC for computing, so I replied "home use", the assistant replied "No, what are you going to do with it, internet, word processing etc" I replied "yes".
"Ah, then you will need all this new software from Microsoft, it's on offer"
I asked if the software was free as an incentive to buy from them. This suggestion got a look that would freeze over the ship canal from her.
I said that I would use the free to download "Open Office" as Bill Gates has more than enough money at this time, to which she replied "Oh that doesn't work with Vista" I gave a rye smile and asked if we could proceed with the purchase of the laptop.
I later refused several times the option of taking out their insurance to the extent that I stated "If you mention insurance again I'll walk out without purchasing anything.
My purchase was then literally thrown at me and not another word was spoken, they must spend a fortune on customer care courses LOL!.

On getting home I checked on the MS website to see if MSOffice Pro 2003 whch I have on my desktop XP would work on Vista, which it will. As I don't need it on the XP machine I removed it and reloaded it onto the laptop.

The moral of this little tale and what I'm trying to get across is don't be pressured into buying something you don't need by pushy sales assistants who don't know a great deal and only want the commission, check which software you need, see if your existing software is compatable, if not, are there free alternatives, before putting your hand into your wallet.
L

[Linda from Murton]

Excellent advice. So pleased you stood your ground. So many "inocents" would be taken in by the salespeople.

To be PC nothing against salespeople, they have a job to try and do.

Moral of the story is. Do your research before you go out there. Know your facts. Know what you want. Dont let others try and influence you into spending more money than you need.

Linda

[TrevorFranklin]

This situation is brought about by the customers in the first place.
As they want equipment at the lowest possible price, just purchasing a PC off the shelf gives the retailer no real profit at all.
they rely on the 'add-ons' to bring up the margins to keep themselves trading.
When it comes to the sales person themselves (I speak from experiance here), they get a few pence comission from a straight cash sale, but add on insurance software etc and they then get something that makes it worth their time.

It really is no different to any other form of retail, even buy a pair of shoes and they try to push on wax etc as an extra.

[Guest]

it works the other way too I bought one which they said came with the Norton Programme for free I said no thanks dont like Norton so can I have the price of it off the PC and they did .

[It_Is_I_Leclerc]

Trevor,

I agree that we've all got to make a living, and in todays market place
a) the consumer has to get the best bargin, hence me asking for freebies, but
b) the attempt to blatently sell something based on untruths or lack of knowledge is tantamount to fraud, hence my warning.

What I didn't put into my original post was the condesending way she approached the sale, it was you've "got grey hair on the roof therefore you won't know nowt about techy stuff, so therefore I can spout a load of BS and you will not know better".

There are a lot of guillable people out there and a lot of them think that when they go into these stores the salesperson knows thru product training etc. what they are talking about, which they don't all the time and therefore get taken for a ride.

L

[Guest]

I'm afraid if she had treated me like that I would have said stuff it and walked out

[TrevorFranklin]

I suspect that the store that you went in was part of the Dixons group.

Emphasis is on the best deal for the store and not the customer.

I even have students who work part-time for the group and know nothing about what they 'sell', but can clearly quote the 'deal of the week' to promote.

That's the problem with going to a large retailier, stick to a trusted (so go on other customer advice), more local dealer, you get a far more personal service and they are more concerned in keeping you as a customer and not what money they can get out of you.

[It_Is_I_Leclerc]

Val
Years ago I would have walked out, after a lot of thumping desks and demanding to see the manager etc. Nowadays I have a better weapon, a couple of years ago a workmate was retireing and I came across a pocket book called "How to grow old disgracefully" absolutely brill, I promptly went and bought another copy for myself. One of the pieces of advise it gives you is when comfronted by people like this salesperson is not to get angry but just stand there say nowt and smile all the time, it completely befuddles them and they don't know how to respond to you. I just stood there and let her discomfort consume her, besides it was pouring down and I was waiting for the OH to finishing shopping in Morrisons next door.

Trevor
Whenever I can I always shop local and support small businesses we live in a village and only venture out to the big shops when needs must. I have a local PC store which I use for my bits and pieces but he couldn't come anyway near the price for the laptop hence going to part of the Dixons Group, if he could I would have bought from him. Sadly the big companies can buy at a lot cheaper cost due to the bulk buying power.
L

[Grimsqueaker]

To be blunt here, you cannot blame a salesperson for trying to sell you something using all the weapons in their armoury..

You also cannot go into a white goods retailer and expect them to be up to date on all aspects of the computers they are also stocking to augment their major sales lines....
If the customer service was bad, you should complain. Otherwise if you go in again you have no reason to expect it to have got better...

DSGi (and their trading names) are not alone in this problem, as has been hilighted above the margins on pc's is so low (in some cases its negative) that they rely on sales of other items to generate profit...
Even your local, trusted retailer is subject to this.. and the only reason their customer service will be good is so that you will go back and spend more money.. so either way round it achieves the same end for the retailer....

[Jessbowbag]

Sell with all their weapons yes, but not tell untruths in order to make a profit.

"Oh that doesn't work with Vista"

Either they know that or they dont. If they dont know they shouldn't quote, surely?

[TrevorFranklin]

Val
he couldn't come anyway near the price for the laptop hence going to part of the Dixons Group, if he could I would have bought from him. Sadly the big companies can buy at a lot cheaper cost due to the bulk buying power.
L

That's just why the smaller shops close and you cannot blame the big boys, as it is the customer who is going elsewhere on price only and not considering the personal service, truthful answers and probably 'special one off purchases' just for them that the local shop offers.

My local Town has had a big arguement on supermarkets making smaller businesses close, but I always say, that it is the custome who closes the better business just for the short-term cheaper prices

[Grimsqueaker]

Sell with all their weapons yes, but not tell untruths in order to make a profit.

"Oh that doesn't work with Vista"

Either they know that or they dont. If they dont know they shouldn't quote, surely?

But if that is what they have been told, then how can you hold the salesperson responsible ?? They are using information supplied by their management..

[TrevorFranklin]

Too true Grim

[Grimsqueaker]

Too true Grim

I have a hell of a lot of sympathy for sales staff as they are often paid the minimum that can be got away with and given the bare minimum of training...

As i have said in a post above, if you are being mis-sold something or the service is bad, complain (either in person or in writing) but do keep it objective..
If you as the customer are not prepared to open the managements eyes with regards to poor service, don't expect it to have got any better the next time you go in.... customer service is a two way street...

[Guy]

I would also note with Curry's and other DSG holdings any addition discounts often depend on the store managers policy.
I recently went to my local group store to buy a laptop but they refused a discount (sorry sir we have already cut the price as low as we can), I then went to the same groups store in the next town and bought the same model laptop with an additional £100 discount.
Some DSG stores still like to keep their customers happy.
Cheers
Guy

[Grimsqueaker]

I agree totally Guy, as with any retailer there are good and bad staff and a lot of it depends on how good their manager is..

Discount availability tends to be set by how each store is performing... it is also possible that the store which agreed to the discount may have wanted to clear the remaining few of that model so that they could bring in other stock....

All large retailers stores are under huge pressure at the moment because they know that if they do not perform, they will be closed.. so the inability of an individual store to agree to a discount could just be seen as the manager trying to keep that store going, along with the jobs it supports..