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Yose · Nov 4, 2003, 08:49 AM

ARGHH!

So this damned rant starts off like this... A while ago I ordered a 20" Cinema display, gig' o ram and a Dual G5 2ghz from my campus bookstore. I'm a patient guy and I know there has been delays in the dualies so when the machine came in on friday I was VERY excited. They were also closed for inventory so I waited until monday where I popped in after my lecture before heading back to work... One employee pointed to my machine sitting on the floor (with a bootkick to the side of the box no less) and the LCD beside it�however�he asked me to come back the next day so the computer store manager could put the ram in (not a hard task and I do work as a mac service tech) and finally realized that the ram was locked away and he couldn't get at it anyways.

So last night after the computer section CLOSED (I was in the school that evening) someone walked in with their irate father and BOUGHT MY MACHINE. This guy had never made an order for the purchase, had put down no deposit�NOTHING.

So now the bookstore is ordering another machine on "rush" priority but hell that could take weeks still.

My 6 month Apple Loan is ticking down (I think) and probably by the time I get it I'll only have 5 months left on the interest free time.

I'm exasperated�So angry I don't know who to direct this at.

Damnit.

Uncle Skeleton · Nov 4, 2003, 01:09 PM

why didn't you take on the irate father while he was still there?

xylon · Nov 4, 2003, 01:34 PM

Originally posted by Uncle Skeleton:
why didn't you take on the irate father while he was still there?

Haha, or even better take on the manager. Seriously. An issue like this should result in some kind of compensation. The store is entirely at fault and should be held accountable. I'm pissed just reading this. Now look, you've gone and ruined my day.

PacHead · Nov 4, 2003, 02:33 PM

Yo, if you're smart you can use this situation to your advantage.

Be rude, and make a big stink about it, they deserve it.

If it were me, I'd be there cussing at the top of my lungs, until they promised to offer me something, inorder to compensate for their idiotic, unprofessional incompetant behavior.

You should at least get the ram for free, or something similiar.

Stores treat people differently, according to how customers react. If they see you are some polite person, they will screw you over, because they can get away with it. Be a D*ck about it, and they might be more likely to accomodate you.

If nothing comes of it, then at least you have spoken your mind.

roders · Nov 4, 2003, 03:20 PM

U know Pachead, the opposite sometimes works too...

Yose · Nov 4, 2003, 09:36 PM

Uncle Skeleton:
why didn't you take on the irate father while he was still there?

While I was at the schoo I was really working up in the print lab tutoring people... They claimed to close at 4:30 (computer section) whereas the rest of the bookstore closes at 7pm... as far as I knew I wasn't ABLE to go down and get my machine after 4:30pm.

I have 5 Dual G5's and one 20" Cinema sitting in the store room at my store (I get better prices through the bookstore) and I feel like making the bookstore purchase the G5's from my company at retail prices (not my company, just the one I'm a service tech at).

Either way... I'm in no shape to get angry right now... I've spent half the day drinking with mates from school and would fall on my face before making my point.

Bleh.

fromthecloud · Nov 4, 2003, 10:25 PM

Originally posted by PacHead:
Stores treat people differently, according to how customers react. If they see you are some polite person, they will screw you over, because they can get away with it. Be a D*ck about it, and they might be more likely to accomodate you.

I used to work in the electronics section of a general retailer and most often you'll find exactly the opposite is the case. If you're a d*ck, I'll 'forget' about those 'buy one get one free' coupons I have sitting behind the counter, etc. or I'll be much less willing to go searching for that one last digital camera I saw sitting back in the stockroom.

Be nice to the employees...you'll get much further.

roders · Nov 4, 2003, 10:26 PM

"I've spent half the day drinking with mates from school and would fall on my face before making my point"

U never know, could work?

cbrown7 · Nov 4, 2003, 10:41 PM

Yose,

Speaking as a manager of a campas computer store I have to stand right there next to you. That is ridiculous. I can understand taking awhile for the 2.0GHz's to come in because they did take awhile but we have had our demo out for about a week now. We don't put demos out until the presold computers come in. Inventory can be a problem just because we have to put the "sold" computers in a special section so that they are not inventoried. But selling the computer from underneath you is inexcusable If it is any consolation those computers are shipping same day right now.

Originally posted by Yose:
ARGHH!

So this damned rant starts off like this... A while ago I ordered a 20" Cinema display, gig' o ram and a Dual G5 2ghz from my campus bookstore. I'm a patient guy and I know there has been delays in the dualies so when the machine came in on friday I was VERY excited. They were also closed for inventory so I waited until monday where I popped in after my lecture before heading back to work... One employee pointed to my machine sitting on the floor (with a bootkick to the side of the box no less) and the LCD beside it�however�he asked me to come back the next day so the computer store manager could put the ram in (not a hard task and I do work as a mac service tech) and finally realized that the ram was locked away and he couldn't get at it anyways.

So last night after the computer section CLOSED (I was in the school that evening) someone walked in with their irate father and BOUGHT MY MACHINE. This guy had never made an order for the purchase, had put down no deposit�NOTHING.

So now the bookstore is ordering another machine on "rush" priority but hell that could take weeks still.

My 6 month Apple Loan is ticking down (I think) and probably by the time I get it I'll only have 5 months left on the interest free time.

I'm exasperated�So angry I don't know who to direct this at.

Damnit.

Yose · Nov 4, 2003, 10:47 PM

cbrown7:
If it is any consolation those computers are shipping same day right now.

The bookstore has an ETA of next friday (the 14th) since it has to come across the border from cupertino into canada. One of my OTHER problems is the rumours of new Apple LCD's being released mid november�if I had my machine in my hands today I would have no problem with new LCD's being released in two weeks�it's how the world works. If they are released two days after my computer arrives................... (these ellipsis emphasis my emotional tension)

I've gotten in touch with my lawyer (my brother but details aren't important*

*) and he'll be dealing with them tomorrow�I'll let you all know what happens.

dtriska · Nov 4, 2003, 11:34 PM

I'm all for treating employees with respect and whatnot, but Yose got seriously screwed over. I'd be all over the employee who sold my machine and the store manager demanding compensation. That could be a better price with next day shipping, free goods and/or services, or anything else.

In fact, depending on the price differences with other stores, I'd waste as much time as possible with the store manager, extracting as much as I could, and then tell him to f*ck off, and purchase the goods from another store. Oh, and I'd make sure the manager knew I paid a higher price just in spite.

Give 'em hell, Yose.

cbrown7 · Nov 4, 2003, 11:38 PM

Don't get me wrong. I agree with Yose. I would never do what they did to him. He should get free RAM. Hard to do with the little margin out there anymore on computers. Going to another store is not a big deal but saying that you will tell all of your friends would scare the hell out of me.

Originally posted by dtriska:
I'm all for treating employees with respect and whatnot, but Yose got seriously screwed over. I'd be all over the employee who sold my machine and the store manager demanding compensation. That could be a better price with next day shipping, free goods and/or services, or anything else.

In fact, depending on the price differences with other stores, I'd waste as much time as possible with the store manager, extracting as much as I could, and then tell him to f*ck off, and purchase the goods from another store. Oh, and I'd make sure the manager knew I paid a higher price just in spite.

Give 'em hell, Yose.