Text 8667, 508 rader
Skriven 2005-12-06 17:23:06 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>

I didn't for the laptop, plasma TV, or my latest vehicles, but I do consider it
for very large purchases like vehicles.

Over my life, I am way ahead on costs versus saved warranty premiums.

Gary

"Rich Gauszka" <gauszka@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4395fcf4$1@w3.nls.net...
> I didn't have a problem , I just reposted a blog story about Circuit City.
> I've seen people get similar runarounds at both Best Buy and Circuit City
> though. I thought the explanation that a hole was a parallel port amusing
>
> I don't own a PC that has a parallel port and don't miss them. I have an
old
> ( keeps on truckin ) HP laserjet 4L hooked to a linksys wireless print
> server that fulfills about 80% of my printing needs. A wireless HP
> all-in-one deskjet fulfills the remaining needs
>
> I somewhat agree on extended warantees but I did  make an exception for my
> laptops and plasma TV ( 3 yrs ).
>
>
>
> "Gary Britt" <email@from_Gary_Britt.org> wrote in message
> news:4395f8f7@w3.nls.net...
> > 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 M
45
> >> 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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