Ok, what have you heard computer salesman saying before...

[imported_Hellbender]

Awhile back I was at CompUSA with a friend buying a game. We migrated over to the laptop area, since he was considering purchasing one. This was right after Intel had started their big push with Centrino laptops. We were looking at some Toshiba Satellites and I overheard the salesman tell another customer that they could connect to the Internet anywhere via satellite with those laptops. I don't know if he had a poor understanding of what Centrino technology was or if he just took the Satellite name too literally, but the guy didn't need to be selling laptops to people.

-H

 

[dudeman007]

Originally posted by: earthling30

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
That's really sad that some people can be so uneducated about these sorts of things. I guess it takes dancing blue men in spacesuits to make a "really reliable" processor.

Most of these so-called salesmen that I've noticed are still in high school or going through college, or at least that is how it is in my area.

OY! lol don't bag on us high schoolers. Some of us actually know our stuff. But yes it is true many times. It's like if a high schooler worked at some custom garage, some guy would be like..
guy: hey man I need tornado for my civic (lol ricer)
high schooler: nah man YOU NEED SOME RIMS
guy: nah actually I just need to pick this up
HSer: we got some 19, 20, 21 inches. All sizes you name it we got it...all chrome and..
guy: GOD DAMN! YOU CHILDREN DON'T KNOW ANYTHING BOUT CARS. ALL YOU DO IS WATCH PIMP MY RIDE ALL DAY. IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE RIMS JEEZ.
HSer: (with a smile on his face) dude its ALL about the rims. Thats how you get the ladies...
guy: *leaves*

 

[dudeman007]

btw I call for a sticky

 

[earthling30]

Originally posted by: dudeman007
OY! lol don't bag on us high schoolers. Some of us actually know our stuff. But yes it is true many times......

I was simply suggesting that most High School and/or College goers are just there to make a buck and most of them don't have any knowledge of PC's. I do know that there is a selected few that knows a lot more than grown adults. I should have made myself clearer.

 

[dudeman007]

Originally posted by: earthling30

Originally posted by: dudeman007
OY! lol don't bag on us high schoolers. Some of us actually know our stuff. But yes it is true many times......

I was simply suggesting that most High School and/or College goers are just there to make a buck and most of them don't have any knowledge of PC's. I do know that there is a selected few that knows a lot more than grown adults. I should have made myself clearer.

its all good, but at the same time couldn't be more true:beer:

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: earthling30

Originally posted by: dudeman007
OY! lol don't bag on us high schoolers. Some of us actually know our stuff. But yes it is true many times......

I was simply suggesting that most High School and/or College goers are just there to make a buck and most of them don't have any knowledge of PC's. I do know that there is a selected few that knows a lot more than grown adults. I should have made myself clearer.

Actually, these days you do have to know about computers to survive in the computer department. You can get away with it if you work at a store out in the boonies, but anywhere near civilization and you will drown trying to sell computers. I happen to know, I work at Best Buy and the difference between a store in Raleigh, NC and a store in Greenville, NC is amazing. If I wanted to, I could BS half-a-dozen people a day into getting a Sony Media Center P4-E (The new one that has water cooling ;-) ), but I certainly don't. I also try not to let too many people get Celeron's, because for the same or almost the same money they can get an Athlon XP 2800+ or better. However, now that we've gotten in the Celeron D's I might be able to sell those without a guilty conscience. The problem is that most of the uneducated people see $399 for a computer package (After $300 in rebates mind you) and they come in with their hearts set on it. Unfortunately, a lot of people walk away with that garbage despite our best efforts. But let it be known that there ARE some ethical sales people these days. And maybe instead of just standing back and laughing, more of you should either intervene as a select few here have spoken of, or go straight to a manager. And if the manager doesn't do anything, then that tells you that you should either go higher if you really care that much or just never go into that particular store again. But not ALL retail stores are like that, I can assure you.
Oh, and by chance I am in college as well. Getting my Computer & Electrical Engineering degree mind you.

 

[earthling30]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
Actually, these days you do have to know about computers to survive in the computer department. You can get away with it if you work at a store out in the boonies, but anywhere near civilization and you will drown trying to sell computers. I happen to know, I work at Best Buy and the difference between a store in Raleigh, NC and a store in Greenville, NC is amazing. If I wanted to, I could BS half-a-dozen people a day into getting a Sony Media Center P4-E (The new one that has water cooling ;-) ), but I certainly don't. I also try not to let too many people get Celeron's, because for the same or almost the same money they can get an Athlon XP 2800+ or better. However, now that we've gotten in the Celeron D's I might be able to sell those without a guilty conscience. The problem is that most of the uneducated people see $399 for a computer package (After $300 in rebates mind you) and they come in with their hearts set on it. Unfortunately, a lot of people walk away with that garbage despite our best efforts. But let it be known that there ARE some ethical sales people these days. And maybe instead of just standing back and laughing, more of you should either intervene as a select few here have spoken of, or go straight to a manager. And if the manager doesn't do anything, then that tells you that you should either go higher if you really care that much or just never go into that particular store again. But not ALL retail stores are like that, I can assure you.
Oh, and by chance I am in college as well. Getting my Computer & Electrical Engineering degree mind you.

That's good if what you say is true. What burns me up is when a salesman strongly suggest that you need to get their credit card and/or to charge the merchandise on it, ya right, like I don't have to pay for it later. If I don't have the money, I don't get it, unless they have a reasonable layaway plan. Going to be debt free, yeah!!

 

[EvanAdams]

Lets see

a progressive DVD player will look better on your normal TV (Circuit City)

all you need for a wireless network is a desktop wireless card and a wireless PCMCIA (Frys)

That no one makes non HDTV DirecTV receivers (they just don?t carry them) (Good Guys)

That a D-Link Repeater will work with a linksys wireless setup (Best Buy)

That the same repeater will repeat 802.11G signals when it was a B repeater. (Best Buy)

That 100W of Sony receiver power is better in quality than 80W from Onkyo (Circuit City)

That a DVD-R drive can write to DVD+R (Comp USA)

That you need a power converter to charge your laptop in Europe. (you use an adapter not a converter, a converter can actually be dangerous and hurt your laptop) (Gateway Tech Support / Sales)

In general I have found Best Buy to have the most incompetent people. They are clueless. Sacramento-Arden, Fairfield, and Santa Rosa

I have had the worst sales experiences at CompUSA. Not a lack of ability but pure rudeness and sometimes anger.

I spend 15min every time I'm in fry?s helping people with basic questions just because I feel bad for them. My girlfriend lost it once; I was in fry?s and decided to help this poor guy setting up wireless network. They gave the guy the wrong information (which I caught and caught him before he made his purchase). I asked him what was he trying to do, including: distance, computers, and house design. As I'm helping this guy the department manager walks up to my girlfriend and asks her if she needs any help. She tells him no she is just watching me do his job and then goes on to tell him his sales people were incompetent. He walked away. She steamed. I felt smart.

There is a LOT I do not know. Look at my posts, some are some dumb questions and some are just advice. But there are so many basic things that I am amazed that sales people dont know.

I dont buy that it is because they cant find or afford qualified people, it is because management is incompetent.

 

[oogabooga]

a friend of mine's brother-in-law went into fry's to get a laptop for their new house. He asks a sells rep [yea.. i know.. mortal sin] about laptops and he says 'personally i like the tashibah's and the soonies, their real good mackines'. And it wasn't an accent thing either, just a general not being sure what the name of the machines were...

i also went into best buy *Tada* and the sales rep asked me what i was looking for. I kindly replied i didn't want help, and for some reason just said i was looking at the scanners [as that was the section i was in]. he then tells me any scanner i buy will be much too fast for my computer, and i need to buy a newer better computer, specifically whatever the top of the line alienware machine was. I decide.. hey.. why not, let's jerk this guy around. So i pretend to be super interested as if i was going to buy. He's getting excited as he's reading [quite literally] the spec sheet to me. Then i begin to question him.
"wait, what about my computer? It has 512 pc3500 ddr in dual channel, isn't that faster than this computers pc3200?"
"uhh, well no sir, you see alienware use's superior ram so though the clock speed may be slower, it'll perform better"
"even though it's not in dual channel? impressive..... *Rolls eye somewhere here*. What about the processor? will this p4 2.8c outperform my p4 3.2 with hyper-threading?"
"uhh, well the hyper-threading slows down windows applications, it's only good with an accompanying 65-bit system"
"65 bits you say?! i definatley don't have one of those...."
"and you really can't get a better video card than the 9600xt, it's top of the line right now"
"so my fx5950ultra doesn't compare?"
"ATi's beens blowing nvidia outa the water for at least a decade now, you want to go with them. Nvidia lies about their numbers anyway, their being sued for fradulent advertising you know."
"Oh i see! lets see if we can make it so i can walk out with one of these badboys today!"
I then let him walk me over to the desk, and he pretty much looks like he just spunked in his pants as the order would be at least 3000 dollars. As he goes in 'to get some papers' to complete the sale, I just walk out.

Lastly [hope i haven't been boring you]
I went to buy a usb printer cable at frys since i needed it that day. I pick up the 15 dollar one with a 10 dollar rebate and the sales rep grabs it from my hand and tells me i can't buy that one if i want good prints. That i need to buy the 50 dollar gold plated usb 3.0 [my reps always seem to have problems with numbers...] or i'd break my computer and printer... GAH! i wouldn't want to do that now...

 

[Mik3y]

Originally posted by: earthling30

Originally posted by: dudeman007
OY! lol don't bag on us high schoolers. Some of us actually know our stuff. But yes it is true many times......

I was simply suggesting that most High School and/or College goers are just there to make a buck and most of them don't have any knowledge of PC's. I do know that there is a selected few that knows a lot more than grown adults. I should have made myself clearer.

like me. i just graduated high school and now going to college, but half a yr ago, i built computers and did computer repair for a hobby. i also know far more then most people, much of it i learned by myself.

 

[EvanAdams]

Originally posted by: Mik3y

Originally posted by: earthling30

Originally posted by: dudeman007
OY! lol don't bag on us high schoolers. Some of us actually know our stuff. But yes it is true many times......

I was simply suggesting that most High School and/or College goers are just there to make a buck and most of them don't have any knowledge of PC's. I do know that there is a selected few that knows a lot more than grown adults. I should have made myself clearer.

like me. i just graduated high school and now going to college, but half a yr ago, i built computers and did computer repair for a hobby. i also know far more then most people, much of it i learned by myself.

I did not get the job I applied for at Frys. Maybie I had a bad interview but I am qualified.

 

[vegetation]

Originally posted by: Mday

Originally posted by: vegetation

Originally posted by: jackschmittusa
Once heard a customer tell a salesperson he wanted a printer for transparancies and couldn't decide on laser (back when lasers were very expensive) or inkjet. Salesman told him laser would be better because inkjet would only "paint" on the media and it might fall off. A laser would actually "burn" it into the media. I stepped in and told the guy that that was BS as the laser never touched the media, only a drum. The salesman countered that he was right because the media came out of the printer warm, proving that the laser had "burned" the image into it.

He probably just used the wrong words to describe a problem that exists with inkjets. Back then, and even still now with some printers, most inkjet ink is water soluble (maybe why he said "paint") so the entire transparency can be wiped off relatively easily. Laser is more or less permanent (why he said "burned"?). Inkjet printouts can always be botched up if you have to carry something and it gets moist. If you're teaching a class or giving a presentation and need the transparencies, you're in big trouble if you realize all your cute diagrams have been smudged. Back when I was teaching and we didn't have projectors in the classroom yet, I used to religiously ensure all my inkjet transparencies were kept dry and seperated. So the issue is real, though many inkjet cartridges now use better formulations to prevent this problem, but way back then it was very much a big deal.

laser is not permanent. if you fold or crumple up a laser printed piece of paper, you remove the toner. that's why folded copies generally lose some of the text. if you crumple up an inkjet printed piece of paper, that doesnt happen. of course when you get crap wet... and then there are transparencies... some melt in laser printers.

The average person is not going to crumple up a piece of paper they are writing a report on or a tranparency, unless they are somehow mentally unstable. The average person is likely to get papers and more specifically with this issue, a transparency wet. Running through a rainstorm, garden sprinklers watering the sidewalks, or a bottle of coke condensing inside your bag, is a few of many real life events that happen every day. And yes, you are correct that laser is not permanent, but then neither are gold stamped plates, if you want to be technical about it. And if you knew anything about transparencies, nearly all of them in the past decade have been laser rated, especially those sold in office and computer stores.

 

[Cawchy87]

Originally posted by: oogabooga
a friend of mine's brother-in-law went into fry's to get a laptop for their new house. He asks a sells rep [yea.. i know.. mortal sin] about laptops and he says 'personally i like the tashibah's and the soonies, their real good mackines'. And it wasn't an accent thing either, just a general not being sure what the name of the machines were...

i also went into best buy *Tada* and the sales rep asked me what i was looking for. I kindly replied i didn't want help, and for some reason just said i was looking at the scanners [as that was the section i was in]. he then tells me any scanner i buy will be much too fast for my computer, and i need to buy a newer better computer, specifically whatever the top of the line alienware machine was. I decide.. hey.. why not, let's jerk this guy around. So i pretend to be super interested as if i was going to buy. He's getting excited as he's reading [quite literally] the spec sheet to me. Then i begin to question him.
"wait, what about my computer? It has 512 pc3500 ddr in dual channel, isn't that faster than this computers pc3200?"
"uhh, well no sir, you see alienware use's superior ram so though the clock speed may be slower, it'll perform better"
"even though it's not in dual channel? impressive..... *Rolls eye somewhere here*. What about the processor? will this p4 2.8c outperform my p4 3.2 with hyper-threading?"
"uhh, well the hyper-threading slows down windows applications, it's only good with an accompanying 65-bit system"
"65 bits you say?! i definatley don't have one of those...."
"and you really can't get a better video card than the 9600xt, it's top of the line right now"
"so my fx5950ultra doesn't compare?"
"ATi's beens blowing nvidia outa the water for at least a decade now, you want to go with them. Nvidia lies about their numbers anyway, their being sued for fradulent advertising you know."
"Oh i see! lets see if we can make it so i can walk out with one of these badboys today!"
I then let him walk me over to the desk, and he pretty much looks like he just spunked in his pants as the order would be at least 3000 dollars. As he goes in 'to get some papers' to complete the sale, I just walk out.

Lastly [hope i haven't been boring you]
I went to buy a usb printer cable at frys since i needed it that day. I pick up the 15 dollar one with a 10 dollar rebate and the sales rep grabs it from my hand and tells me i can't buy that one if i want good prints. That i need to buy the 50 dollar gold plated usb 3.0 [my reps always seem to have problems with numbers...] or i'd break my computer and printer... GAH! i wouldn't want to do that now...

Great story! It makes me want to go into a local BB and just see what they have to say

 

[Steve]

Originally posted by: gistech1978
that you needed to change settings in your registry to add RAM

That was kinda sorta true at one point....in Windows 98 and ME, to have more than 512MB of RAM you did need to make a change in Windows settings.

 

[dudeman007]

Originally posted by: EvanAdams
Lets see

a progressive DVD player will look better on your normal TV (Circuit City)

all you need for a wireless network is a desktop wireless card and a wireless PCMCIA (Frys)

That no one makes non HDTV DirecTV receivers (they just don?t carry them) (Good Guys)

That a D-Link Repeater will work with a linksys wireless setup (Best Buy)

That the same repeater will repeat 802.11G signals when it was a B repeater. (Best Buy)

That 100W of Sony receiver power is better in quality than 80W from Onkyo (Circuit City)

That a DVD-R drive can write to DVD+R (Comp USA)

That you need a power converter to charge your laptop in Europe. (you use an adapter not a converter, a converter can actually be dangerous and hurt your laptop) (Gateway Tech Support / Sales)

In general I have found Best Buy to have the most incompetent people. They are clueless. Sacramento-Arden, Fairfield, and Santa Rosa

I have had the worst sales experiences at CompUSA. Not a lack of ability but pure rudeness and sometimes anger.

I spend 15min every time I'm in fry?s helping people with basic questions just because I feel bad for them. My girlfriend lost it once; I was in fry?s and decided to help this poor guy setting up wireless network. They gave the guy the wrong information (which I caught and caught him before he made his purchase). I asked him what was he trying to do, including: distance, computers, and house design. As I'm helping this guy the department manager walks up to my girlfriend and asks her if she needs any help. She tells him no she is just watching me do his job and then goes on to tell him his sales people were incompetent. He walked away. She steamed. I felt smart.

There is a LOT I do not know. Look at my posts, some are some dumb questions and some are just advice. But there are so many basic things that I am amazed that sales people dont know.

I dont buy that it is because they cant find or afford qualified people, it is because management is incompetent.

That a D-Link Repeater will work with a linksys wireless setup (Best Buy)

Is that true? Woah I seriously didn't know that. Then again, my knowledge of networking isn't that great.

 

[TheBoyBlunder]

Originally posted by: dudeman007

Originally posted by: EvanAdams
~snip~

That a D-Link Repeater will work with a linksys wireless setup (Best Buy)

Is that true? Woah I seriously didn't know that. Then again, my knowledge of networking isn't that great.

Actually, it's semi-true. A D-Link Repeater WILL work with a Linksys wireless setup, BUT it might be very hard to get it setup properly. The "rule of thumb" for wireless networking is to always buy from the same manufacturer to ensure interoperability.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder

Originally posted by: dudeman007

Originally posted by: EvanAdams
~snip~

That a D-Link Repeater will work with a linksys wireless setup (Best Buy)

Is that true? Woah I seriously didn't know that. Then again, my knowledge of networking isn't that great.

Actually, it's semi-true. A D-Link Repeater WILL work with a Linksys wireless setup, BUT it might be very hard to get it setup properly. The "rule of thumb" for wireless networking is to always buy from the same manufacturer to ensure interoperability.

My Netgear, Apple, Linksys wireless network works perfectly.

 

[lavagirl669]

I was at CompUSA looking at the laptops and he was trying to point out something on
an HP...
I was like....dude
don't even show me an HP ok?
ha!

 

[txxxx]

Originally posted by: lavagirl669
I was at CompUSA looking at the laptops and he was trying to point out something on
an HP...
I was like....dude
don't even show me an HP ok?
ha!

HP actually have good build quality, which is the more important factor in a laptop given that some of the components arent as interchangable. Oh well your loss for your naivety

 

[somekid617]

two occurences...
1) While looking around compusa, i happened to overhear a few sales reps talkign to an old man about this "uber gaming machine".... thsi was about 2 months ago..... Basically the guy was clueless, he was like, all i wanna do is make graphics and video, maybe some sound stuff... they pointed it right to him.... the guy didnt even play video games, and they rigged him up for about a 4 grand pc.... 19 inch flatscreen, 9600xt, 3.2 ghz EE, etc....I dunno why they charged so much.... anyway.... they old man asks, "does this here computer come with that sound blaster audigy whatever" and they say "sure does, has everything"..... what aout vidoe editing software "yup" , sound editing? "yessir" photo editing? "of course"...... this was getting interesting.... they start hurrying the guy, and hes making second thoughts, but the sales reps basically rush through grabbin the machine and monitor while another dude ushers the old man away to check out....Then i overhear the sales-reps talking.... "does this thing have anything this dude was askin for" "not sure" "nope, nothing, its even got integrated sound".... they look at each other, smile , and walk away after the man..... I was gonna say somthing, but i was being yelled at by my father to help him look for some component he needed......I felt bad after....

2) My grandparent's pc died on em, and they needed a new one right away(meaning i couldnt build it myself), i was rushed over to help em shop at bestbuy..... I find an HP w/ A64 3200 a gig of ram, nice sized harddrive, and all that.... only a grand..... it was pretty good deal for em.... they were lookign at the 3200 axp, but i steered em away.....
A sales rep comes in, and we ask him "is this really an a64? He goes "yup" im like, ok.... (he starts takin about how good a64's are)... After some looking, thsi seems to be the best deal.... Well take it.... The guy goes, sure thing lemem get it for you.... he comes back and goes "may i offer you an insurence policy?"
My grandparents ask him if he get commissions off it.... he goes "nope".... They are thinking it over, and then i warn em.... dont get warrenty... its lame crap, u wont ever need it... the sales rep starts to fuss with me.... "but sir, what if?" im like, "no but if's... if somthing goes wrong, ill fix it if the manufacturer's warrenty is done" "BUT SIR, this will pay for it, you dont wnat to take all that time, and pay for new parts, and blah blah blah" Im like "look bud, we dont need a friggin service plan".... Hes starting to get pissed i can see. "Clearly you dont understand the deal this service plan is".... im getting pissed "im like, i know damn well about deals, and this is one i dont need" "this fight goes on for another 20 mins".... this dude just wont friggin quit.... Eventually he walks away....

A little later, were looking at the power regulators and backups....2 of his fellow employee's came up, they were nice guys, and seemed to care for their friend's commisson.... "excuse me, need help here sir" "yes", i say, i am looking for a good power regulator/ ups.... I pointed to one that looked prommising "oh sir you dont want that" They point to the same, but more expensive model... this will keep everything cool in case of power flux and so on.... "no" i say " i dont need one that big"... During this fun and amzing talk, they try to get me to buy the more expensive model, talking about horror stories of their "friends and relatives" that had these power flux/ whatevers happen to em" while in this converstation THEY BRING UP THE SERVICE PLAN FOR THE PC!! Im mad now, i tell em i dont need it, i want this UPS, and so on.... they started to try techy talk to confuse us, but i talked right back, and confused them... so they started to flatter me for the service plan/ bigger ups.... but ive had enough, and tell em im checking out now.... they look frown, and walk away.....

I go home happy that i protected my grandparents from another 600 bucks worth of useless stuff......
HAs anyone else been offered a job by a jealous sales-rep that knows hes been beaten (it was half jealousy, half flattery to trick me into false assurence).... Well those are soem of my many stories....

 

[blodhi74]

my aunt lives in austin Tx went to visit my cousins in norman,OK who go to collage there and live in an apartment .... she took her laptop with her which is given to her by her job ... the kids do not have broadband access .... she has DSL in Austin and wanted her kids to get broardband in their appartment .... she is not tech savy @ all therefore went to BB for answers .... the f**ck head @ BB sold her a wireless router kit and told her that she will be able to share her DSL connection in Austin with her kids in OK ..... go figure

 

[lavagirl669]

Originally posted by: txxxx

Originally posted by: lavagirl669
I was at CompUSA looking at the laptops and he was trying to point out something on
an HP...
I was like....dude
don't even show me an HP ok?
ha!

HP actually have good build quality, which is the more important factor in a laptop given that some of the components arent as interchangable. Oh well your loss for your naivety

actually my experiences with HP have been bad.

It's not naivety, it's a matter of preference you might say.
p.s.
I got a Sony Vaio for Bday so I'm happy and I know not everybody likes those either.
Guess I fell in love with that big beautiful 17" widescreen

 

[compfreak999]

if Best Buy is going to file charges sue them back for faulty advertising, cuase you told them about it but they didnt change.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: FreshFish
I don't know how you value your money MrMaster, but i sure as heck wouldn't want to shell out $65 to merely have a computer looked at. Now maybe if they fix it for $65 it would be a different story.

It is common practice in ALL service related industries to charge a flat 1 hour labor fee for diagnosing a problem.

Why? Because people often take a computer, car, TV or other item into a service shop, get a problem diagnosed and an estimate, and leave... never to return and have the repair done.

The result? The shop has wasted an hour or more of a technician's time, and not been paid for it, and the customer has recieved free information.

 

[FreshFish]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: FreshFish
I don't know how you value your money MrMaster, but i sure as heck wouldn't want to shell out $65 to merely have a computer looked at. Now maybe if they fix it for $65 it would be a different story.

It is common practice in ALL service related industries to charge a flat 1 hour labor fee for diagnosing a problem.

Why? Because people often take a computer, car, TV or other item into a service shop, get a problem diagnosed and an estimate, and leave... never to return and have the repair done.

The result? The shop has wasted an hour or more of a technician's time, and not been paid for it, and the customer has recieved free information.

I realize all of this...but $65 dollars!?! I think it's a bit of a rape-job