Text 8670, 688 rader
Skriven 2005-12-06 18:07:28 av Gary Britt (1:379/45)
   Kommentar till text 8669 av Rich Gauszka (1:379/45)
Ärende: Re: But it had a hole for a parallel port
=================================================
From: "Gary Britt" <email@from_Gary_Britt.org>

OK, I get it now.  Sorry for being so dense.  Yeah Best Buy is going to be the
same way to a great extent.  They try to sell the setup charges extended
warranties also.  I question them about this stuff so I can make sure that I
say the magic words necessary to keep them from *assisting* me with the setup,
because I wouldn't want these lame brains touching my new computer, much less
paying them for it.

I ended up getting my new laptop from HSN (its a gateway).  I never watch HSN
but just happened to be channel surfing over HSN at the precise moment they
were showing this laptop and its price.  It seemed like such a good deal that I
paused and started to listen.  Turned out it was a good deal (I found out later
it was highlighted as a good deal on one or more of these "deal" type
websites), so I bought it.

I've been pleased with everything except the fact that you get a recovery CD
only, and Gateway because of Microsoft's licensing will NOT send you an OEM
operating system CD, not even a discount given of even $1.

The Tru-Brite display has too much reflection of surrounding images and glare
for my tastes compare to non-Tru Brite, but I knew about my feelings on this
before I bought the laptop and I knew what I was getting so can't complain.

Somebody should come out with the clear material that is used on non-tru brite
LCD displays so you can overlay it over the tru-brite display and get rid of
the background annoyance without darkening the screen image.

Gary
"Rich Gauszka" <gauszka@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:439616b1$1@w3.nls.net...
> 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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