What Techs Hear in Stores?

**Greezer** · January 5th, 2003, 05:45 PM

How many people out there while stopping over hear some idiot telling his friend that “that Compaq PC was the best computer on the market… he’s got one and it’s great.” The point is not the Compaq sh1t box but the under educated, urban legends that seem to persevere with the computer challenged. Sometimes I would like to just but into the conversation and say "Your friend is so lost and WRONG that you aught to do is...." Oh well I guess if they would read more they might not suffer so…

**Guts3d** · February 2nd, 2003, 06:38 AM

I have people ask me exactly what brand, speed, style, etc. all the time, give them a detailed lecture on the perils of such wonderful pos'es like E-machines, and they immediately go out and buy one, telling me that " They got such a good deal ".... Then I promptly tell them that I most assuredly will NOT fix it not if but WHEN it dies......

**EvilCabbage** · February 2nd, 2003, 08:01 AM

I walked into a Harvey Norman store ( a large local retail chain ) to pick up some blank CD's.

I wasn't in the best of moods, and the conversation went something like :

me : (walk in, grab stack of Imation CDR's off the shelf)

Idiot : (points to some no-name brand) These are a lot better...

me : (look idiot in the eyes) You been doing this long? I've been doing this around six years now. I know what I want, and I know what works.

Idiot : *grunt*.

Tools, they're everywhere, and some of them don't know to leave me well alone. Yet.

**Platypus** · February 2nd, 2003, 08:06 AM

Hey EC, good to see ya!

**EvilCabbage** · February 2nd, 2003, 10:28 AM

Originally posted by Platypus
Hey EC, good to see ya!

But of course it is

**ephmynus** · February 14th, 2003, 11:57 AM

I have a wonderful Best Buy story that I'm not sure if I ever told around here or not. I went into Best Buy one day looking for a camera case for a new digicam I had gotten. There was a couple that had just gotten there first digicam and was asking a Best Buy employee a couple things.

BB > Well, you'll definately want to get this (overpriced POS) media card reader. You don't want to lose all your pictures from your vacation or special event.

Couple > What do you mean?

BB > Well, if your batteries run out after taking your pictures, you'll lose them all. This media reader will prevent that as you can download the pictures to your computer before your batteries run out.

/me ears perk up

Couple > Oh, well we wouldn't want that to happen.

BB > Oh, definately not. With this small $49.95 addition, you can ensure it never happens.

Me > (Interjects) I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. I don't know much about these things and I was intrigued. I'll lose all of my pictures if my batteries run out?

BB > Yes, all of the pictures will be gone.

Me > But if I transfer the pictures through this media reader, than that won't happen?

BB > Yup.

Me > Well, that's wierd because that means the electrical charge running to my memory card while it is in the camera is lost, than my pictures will be gone. But if I take the card out of the camera, with no batteries attached to it whatsoever, that my pictures will be magically stored?

BB> Um... er... wel, when batteries are in a camera, and they go dead, it zaps the card and deletes all the pictures.

Couple > (Bobbing heads back and forth as if at an intense tennis match)

Me > (Looking at idiot's name tag) Jason, I think you need to stop and cut your losses now. (Looking at couple) I hate that you were lied to by someone that you entrusted with an important decision but this is a $50 you do not have to spend. If your batteries go dead, your pictures will not be lost. However, your battery power does get used while you are transferring pictures to your computer and this is the reason you would purchase a media reader. Your money may be more well spent on a compatible AC adapter or rechargeable batteries.

Couple > (Putting media reader back on the shelf) Thanks.

/me walks away
/Jason looks like an idiot

**procrastination** · February 16th, 2003, 10:03 AM

I was kicked out of Best Buy this past summer because I talked some customers out of buying a $200 capture card when the $45 TV Wonder VE would do EXACTLY what they wanted.

Seems that my help was not welcome.

Prior to being asked to leave I was told: It is our Sales Associates job to sell products to customers, NOT teach them the ins' and outs' of hardware selection. If they come in asking for a capture card, the associate will show them a capture card. If they ask about a cheaper card they will be told about a cheaper card. PERIOD...

I tell everyone the same thing. Do your research online first...

late

PRO

**firemonkey** · February 21st, 2003, 11:09 AM

preface: We will look at ANYTHING that is pluged in to the wall.

crusty> Can I get my dome fixed here?

me> I am sorry, what was that?

crusty>Cam I get my dome fixed here?

me>your dome?

crusty> (with a frustrated look) my modem, tower thingy

me> Oh, whats wrong with it

**imagoon** · February 27th, 2003, 12:58 PM

Originally posted by A+Tech

/me walks away
/Jason looks like an idiot

Hmmm, I worked at Best Buy.... What you did is exactly why I was let go. I was a service tech who would tell the customer as it was. I swear I knew more about every item we sold in the store than all of the rest of the staff (non service techs) combined. Sales people used to do dumb things all the time, like sell a set of Cerwin Vega 400 watt R15's to a customer with a 100$ aiwa 80 watt reciever. But they always would make sure to sell the service plan and the monster cable. They didn't care that the Aiwa only put out 80 watts of clean power, that the aiwa was not 4 ohm compatible etc etc. I hated working there and now I don't ask for help from anyone there with out a small "quiz" to test to see if they have any idea what they are selling.

~Chris

**Pendragon** · February 28th, 2003, 09:39 AM

Several years back I when in to my local PCWorld, it was Sunday and the normal store I use was closed.

I was after a floppy drive...

After looking up and down the shelves without any luck I collared a sales assistant. I asked if they sold 3 1/2 inch floppy drives, he looked puzzled. (Not a good start.) He then led me to a 3 1/2 inch tape drive... I asked him if he knew anything about computers, he sheepishly left me to my searching... I then found the Asst Manager, and asked my question. She confidently showed me a hard drive... When I said that that wasn't what I was after she dropped it back on to the shelf, and I mean drop... about 10 inches... I worked for IBM at the time and we made hard drives (files). I tried to explain that hard drives are very sensitive to shock anything over 7mm on a hard surface will cause a head slap, and now she had dropped that one it would be damaged... Her answer has ensured that I will never shop at PCWorld...

"If you think that was bad you should see what the guys in the loading bay do with them..."

Strange they didn't sell floppy drives, even when I pointed out that there was one in every machine in the shop, they still thought it was some exotic bit of hardware...

**KINGofBLEH** · March 4th, 2003, 11:39 PM

I have had it with people asking me what brand of PC is the best. The last woman that asked me that I started talking about clock speed, multiplyer, cache size, chipset speeds, hard drive spinrates, video ram. After 10 minutes of this she her head was spinning. I then told her that the best brand name is a machine custom built by a reputable local shop with lots of years in business and a written warranty. That way if something goes south you know where to take it and dont have to put up with massive BS corporate bureaucracy.

**techs** · March 22nd, 2003, 06:29 PM

Prior to being asked to leave I was told: It is our Sales Associates job to sell products to customers, NOT teach them the ins' and outs' of hardware selection. If they come in asking for a capture card, the associate will show them a capture card. If they ask about a cheaper card they will be told about a cheaper card. PERIOD...

I worked for PC Connection for about 2 weeks a few years back. We were told not to give them any tech support. That was their computer consultants job. Just sell them any product they mention. If it doesn't work they can return it.

**MacGyver** · March 22nd, 2003, 06:55 PM

I was in RadioShack today and one of the sales people directed a customer to the local mom n pop computer store (complete with address and directions, he had it memorized!) because they didn't have the parts the customer wanted. At least they were honest.

**Platypus** · March 22nd, 2003, 07:15 PM

A few months ago I had to scout around for a used 720k FDD to fix up a hardware sequencer. I knew not to ask the large chain stores, & most of the owner-operated computer shops knew what I meant but didn't have any.

One of the shops though, I asked if he had any 3.5" 720k floppy drives sitting around, he said no, didn't see anything under a Gig these days. I said "floppy drive" "double density" "720k" a couple of times, he just looked at me, so I said thanks anyway & left.

**CreepingDeath** · March 22nd, 2003, 07:22 PM

I spend so much time in best buy and compusa helping people out I might as well work there. I believe the manager has even taken notice a few times.

The computer consumer is for the most part inept and unimformed.

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