Text 8669, 562 rader
Skriven 2005-12-06 17:56:52 av Rich Gauszka (1:379/45)
   Kommentar till text 8668 av Gary Britt (1:379/45)
Ärende: Re: But it had a hole for a parallel port
=================================================
From: "Rich Gauszka" <gauszka@hotmail.com>

I didn't and don't.  I didn't originate the story about the Circuit City
laptop. It's just that having gone through idiotic return people at various
stores I thought it an interesting repost  of a blog complaint.

 I was in line recently at Best Buy where a man was trying to return an
unopened digital camera. They were insisting on charging him the restocking fee
even though the sales slip clearly said it was only applicable to opened items.
I kept hearing  his shouts of 'unopened' as I left the store <g>




"Gary Britt" <email@from_Gary_Britt.org> wrote in message
news:43960f85$1@w3.nls.net...
> Why did you want a parallel port on the laptop then?
>
> 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
> 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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