Text 8665, 347 rader
Skriven 2005-12-06 15:49:48 av Gary Britt (1:379/45)
Ärende: Re: But it had a hole for a parallel port
=================================================
From: "Gary Britt" <email@from_Gary_Britt.org>

Sorry to hear about your problems.  If you are insistent enough with your
credit card company you can usually make the reversal of the credit card charge
stick.

You could have also sued them in small claims court without a lawyer and easily
won a judgment for the restocking fee.  It would have been a good idea to
save/print out a copy of the website so you could prove your claim.

Don't want to make you feel worse, but my new laptop didn't come with a
parallel or 9 pin serial port (just like most these days) so I went to Fry's
and purchased a USB To Parallel Port for about $19, and I bought a USB to 9 pin
serial port for about $14.  It sounds like what you bought was a USB To
Parallel Printer cable.   Those were $35 to $45 at Fry's.  But they can't be
used for anything except connecting to a printer.  I bought the actual Parallel
port (which was cheaper) and to which I can attach the printer cable I already
own or any other non-printer device that needs to connect to a parallel port.

Since extended warranties first came out when I was around 18 years old.  I
determined it was very expensive insurance, and I would be better off if I
turned it down on all purchases for my entire life.  This has definitely been
true.  I do consider an exception to this rule sometimes if the item is
extremely expensive (like say an automobile) and the extension insurance is
reasonably priced.  For most autos I haven't done it as well, but I don't turn
it down as a matter of rule on something very expensive where replacement can
be prohibitively costly.

Gary

"Rich Gauszka" <gauszka@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:43945637@w3.nls.net...
>
>
> http://blogspot.boekhoff.org/051203circuitcity.php
> Saga of Circuit City False Advertising and Customer Abuse
> December 3, 2005
>
> A few weeks ago we were really impressed with the great service we got at
> Circuit City when purchasing a new car stereo and a new DVD
> player/recorder/VCR combo. So when we decided to replace our 4-year-old
> laptop computer, we agreed that we would go back to Circuit City.
>
> First we searched their Web site to narrow down our choices. We have some
> old parallel printers that we're not ready to replace (our old laptop had
a
> parallel port), so we looked through the specs for several laptops,
looking
> for one with a parallel port. When we saw that the Toshiba M45 S169 laptop
> had a parallel port, we got pretty excited, because it also had everything
> else we wanted for under $1000! And a $55 rebate! Cool. I wrote down the
> specs for that model and for the L25 S119, which did not have a parallel
> port and would need a RAM upgrade, but had everything else I needed and
was
> $200 less. I also wasn't sure what the "DVD super multi drive" on the M45
> was, and I wanted to make sure it would read and write CD's. I wanted to
> discuss these options with a Circuit City expert before finalizing the
> decision.
>
> So I called the local Circuit City store and talked with an "advisor"
named
> Jeremy. He answered my questions about the parallel port and the DVD
> super-multi-drive on the M45, and told me that would definitely be my best
> option if I needed a parallel port. I asked what options were available
for
> making parallel printers work with the L25, and he said there weren't any
> options except perhaps buying a docking station. We discussed how the
price
> of that would outweigh the price differential between the two computers.
> Then he did a hard-sell on their setup services and extended warranties. I
> asked him about the notice on the site that said "Web Only Special" on the
> M45 , because I couldn't figure out if it applied to the price, the
> no-interest-until-2007, or the rebate. At first he said he was certain
that
> the store could match whatever was on the site, so I could just come in
and
> buy it. But then he decided to check with someone else, and he came back
and
> said I would have to order it from the site to get the rebate. He told me
to
> be sure to track him down when I came in to pick it up so he could get me
> all set up. He said he worked from 9 to 1 tomorrow. So I ordered the M45
on
> the Web site.
>
> The next morning I went to the local Circuit City at 9:15 to pick it up.
But
> the store didn't open until 10, and I live out in the country, so I sat in
> my truck for 45 minutes. Whatever.
>
> When they opened I tracked down Jeremy out of courtesy. I didn't mention
> that I'd been sitting there for 45 minutes waiting. But I also didn't
intend
> for him to help me with anything on my new PC. I guessed that he was a
young
> punk who thought he knew a whole lot more than he actually knew, but I
> figured I'd give him a break. I was right - a young punk with a bad
haircut
> and a very high opinion of himself. He's leading another customer toward
the
> surge protectors, and I say "great, I need one of those too". So we head
> over there and Jeremy says to both of us, "I suggest you buy one with lots
> of Joules". I laughed a little, and asked why he thought so. He told me
> quite confidently that lightning has 2500 joules, so the 2800 joule surge
> suppressor (the highest one they had) would be my best bet. I laughed out
> loud, and the guy next to me grinned as he looked sidways at me. Jeremy
> proceeded to tell us a bunch of other pretty amazing things, which we both
> ignored. The other guy went away with his surge protector, and I chose
mine.
>
> So now Jeremy is ready to help me get my new Toshiba notebook PC fixed up
> and ready to go. He says he can do the data migration for $60, and four
> other things for $159 (including virus protection, spyware protection,
> registry settings to boost performance, and create recovery disks). I tell
> him I already have a subscription to virus and spyware programs, and I can
> do the rest of that stuff myself. He tells me that my virus subscription
> won't transfer over to my new computer, especially if it's one that I have
> been updating through the Internet. And he also tells me that computers
> these days come with all this pre-loaded software for which there is no CD
> or DVD backup, so I really needed to get them to do the recovery disk for
> me. I told him that a recovery disk is something different from a software
> backup, and that I was sure he was mistaken about the virus software, but
he
> insisted that everything he was saying was true and that I would be sorry
if
> I didn't pay them to get my computer set up right. Then he went into his
> hard sell again about the extended (2 year) warranties - both the
technical
> ($169.99) and the accidental ($259.99) ones. I told him I wouldn't even
> consider the accidental, but I hadn't decided about the technical. Then he
> told me that the LCD screen is a big problem with all these notebooks, and
> that if anything went wrong with the LCD screen, it wouldn't be covered
> unless I bought the accidental. He told me that sometimes these LCD panels
> just crack for no reason, and that only the accidental warranty would
cover
> that. When I just looked at him and stopped responding, he kept going on
and
> on, making up other things to try to convince me. I finally told him he
> needed to go help someone else so I could make up my mind without his
input.
>
> I opted not to buy the extended warranty or any of the other services, and
I
> picked up my new computer at the service desk and took it home.
>
> Naturally, I took everything out of the box and started it up . . .
anxious
> to get all my programs and data migrated from my old notebook. It wasn't
> long into the process that I decided to try out the parallel port. I
looked
> all over and didn't see one. Then I thought, "hmmm, I wonder if I am
> confused about what a parallel port is?" (I'm not THAT technical, so it's
> possible.) But I was not mistaken . . . and I looked in the manuals, and
> online, and NOWHERE did it say anything about a parallel port. So I
examined
> the computer again, and I found a "door" on the left side toward the back.
> Aha - it's the parallel port. So I tried to open that little door . . . I
> pried it, and pushed it, but it wouldn't budge. I finally decided that
> something is just not right here. I called Circuit City, and nobody
answered
> the first time. I waited a few minutes and called back. Jeremy answered,
and
> I started to tell him the problem. He told me to just bring it in. I said,
> "No! I live out of town! You need to check the one you have in the store
so
> we can work this out!". He said he didn't have time to talk to me at the
> moment, that he was really busy with customers in the store. He told me to
> call him back in about 15 minutes. I told him I thought this was a poor
> excuse for customer service, and that perhaps he should call ME back when
> he's done with those customers. He told me that he would forget, so I
needed
> to call him. OK. Whatever.
>
> I ate my lunch and called back, hoping Jeremy would be gone by then.
> Thankfully, another person answered, and went to look at the M45 model
they
> had on display. He saw the door, and said "yes, you just have to pry that
> little door off, and the parallel port will be behind it. I told him I was
> afraid I would damage it if I did, because I had already tried. He assured
> me that it would be ok. So I hung up and tried a few more times with
> increasingly stronger "tools", and finally got a small screwdriver. I
> finally managed to pry it off with minimal damage to the computer, and, as
I
> was beginning to suspect, there was no parallel port behind it. So I'm
> getting a little ticked off by now, and I decided to package up the whole
> thing and return it. After all, the product was not as advertised, and the
> main reason I opted for that model as opposed to a lesser one was for the
> parallel port. I just knew that the folks at the store would be completely
> apologetic. I considered just looking for a different computer there, but
I
> had decided that I did not want to do business with that department
because
> of Jeremy. I resigned myself to just do some more research and find a
> different computer somewhere else.
>
> So I boxed it all up and took it back. I explained the situation to the
> young lady behind the service desk. She informed me that I would have to
pay
> a 15% restocking fee unless I picked out another computer instead . I
> laughed and asked if I could speak with the manager. The manager comes out
> and I explain the situation to her. She takes the computer out of the box,
> and I show her the hole and the door I removed. She trots over to a
computer
> to look up the M45 on the Web site, to verify that it does in fact
advertise
> that it has a parallel port. I'm thinking, "OK, she just needs to verify
> that the Web site actually does have the wrong information before she can
> override the restocking fee". She comes back and doesn't say anything, so
I
> ask her, "It does say parallel port, right?" She says, "Yes", and she
points
> to the hole and says, "This IS a parallel port". I'm a little incredulous
at
> this response . . . I just stare at her for a moment, and try to come up
> with something to say. I explained to her that all the ports are listed
> together on the site - it says "3 USB, 1 firewire, 1 parallel". Does this
> mean that there are holes for all those, and I need to have your folks
> actually install the part that lets me plug something into it? No, I say,
> this is not a parallel port. It's a hole for a parallel port, There's a
big
> difference. I'm halfway laughing. But I'm getting upset. Unbelievable.
>
> In case you're wondering if I have lost control and started screaming by
now
> . . . no, I practice yoga and I'm keenly aware that my ability to restrain
> my emotions is being tested to the maximum. My heart rate is a little
> elevated, and my chest is getting tight. But I'm working really hard and
I'm
> being nice.
>
> So I try to explain it to her again, because I think she must not
understand
> something. I mention false advertising, and she insists that there is
> nothing she can do. I keep saying, "This is just not right." I'd like to
> tell her that she is a moron. But I don't. I tell her that I will simply
> void the credit card transaction. She says that is my choice. I ask if I
can
> borrow the phone to call my credit card company (because I don't know if I
> actually CAN void the transaction). So I call them, and sure enough, I
> cannot. The only thing I can do is allow them to charge me the restocking
> fee ($142.50, by the way), and then dispute it, which could take a month
or
> two. And there is no guarantee that I will not end up having to pay it
after
> that.
>
> This can't be happening. Surely I can talk logic with this woman . . . I
try
> again, and she says there is nothing she can do. I say, "Surely there is
> SOMEONE who can do something." She tells me that the customer service
center
> is my only possible source of help, and asks if I want the number. I say,
> "Yes, and may I please borrow your phone again?". She gives me the phone
and
> dials the number. After about 13 minutes on hold, I finally get to talk to
a
> representative, and she assures me that she is really sorry, but there is
> nothing she can do either. At some point in the conversation she puts me
on
> hold, and when she comes back she says she has just talked to the store
> manager, and there is nothing either of them can do. Again I am in
disbelief
> and I mention that their own Web site advertises this feature, and how can
I
> possibly be the loser in all of this? To no avail. She reminds me that I
can
> pick out another computer right here in the store. She doesn't understand
> why I wouldn't want to do that.
>
> Unbelievable. I want to storm out and never come back. But I'm not about
to
> lose $142.50. So another adviser from the computer area comes to help me
> pick out a different computer. I tell him what I'm looking for . . .
> parallel port, 512MB memory, etc. etc. around $1000. He already knows that
> this is not going to happen. And NOW I also know that parallel ports on
> normal notebook PC's are non-existent. But this guy has a brain and a
little
> knowledge, so he hesitantly makes a suggestion . . . he knows that
parallel
> to USB conversion cables exist, but they don't have them at Circuit City.
He
> calls over to Radio Shack, and they have one. Huh? Why didn't someone come
> up with this solution 2 hours ago? So now I'm thinking I can spend a
little
> less money on a lower end computer and just do a memory upgrade and buy
this
> cable. Nope, I'll still be charged the restocking fee unless I buy a
higher
> priced one. Unbelievable. OK then, I'll just take back the one I brought
in.
>
> So the nice young lady who first waited on me when I came in (she's
> incredibly apologetic and can't believe this is happening, as is the young
> man who tried to help me pick out another computer) is finalizing the
> transaction, and I ask her to make sure they still have the little door
that
> I removed from the computer so I can put it back. She informs me that I'm
> getting a brand new one. She tells me that the manager has already boxed
the
> other one up and has put it through the "defective product" process, so I
> can't have it back.
>
> That's interesting, so now that computer is defective. Hmmm.
>
> Whatever.
>
> By the way, I tried get the manager interested in why I did not want to
deal
> with Jeremy. She wasn't interested. I suggested that if she's had any
other
> customers complain about him, it might be time to do something. She said
> she's never had a single complaint about him. I offered that it might be
> because the people he's dealing with don't KNOW any better and they take
his
> bad advice out of fear. She was not the least bit interested, and did not
> ask a single thing about the misinformation he gave me.
>
> So I go to Radio Shack and pay $40 (including tax) for a cable. Why
couldn't
> someone from Circuit City go to Radio Shack and buy this cable and give it
> to me? Jeez, that seems like the least they could have done. Keep a good,
> regular customer happy. It would have been so incredibly easy.
>
> So the next day I decide to go to the Circuit City Web site and write a
> review about the product. Not to bash the product, but to warn anyone
who's
> looking at the product that it really DOES NOT have a parallel port. I
write
> the review, and just before I post it I decide that I'd better take a look
> one last time to make sure it says what I described.
>
> Hmmm, the Web site has now been changed. Unbelievable! So I guess that
> little door is NOT a parallel port after all, and SOMEONE in the company
> figured out that I was right about the false advertising. I love it when a
> company takes good care of its customers.
>
> So what does a reasonable person do when she gets abused like this? She
puts
> it on a blog. I hope nobody else has to endure the kind of treatment I
> received. As I keep saying, "This is just not right."
>
> There, I feel a little better now. May the whole world read it.
>
>

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