Poindexter

I'd like to see a separate forum for Fry's please...

I found CC's ad was misleading. I was in the store at the time it opened and was told they had already sold out of the loudly adverised laptops. They wasted hours of my time waiting in their line. So as I've needed other things in the last year I have totally avoided CC. I won't go there for anything. I continue to enjoy a laptop I bought at Comp USA some 4 or 5 years ago.

I wanted one item they advertised on sale beginning at 9:00 pm Thursday. I was in the door at about 9:01. But I never saw the item. In addition, it seems the real reason for these limited quantity sales with mass advertising is to get a number of customers coming into the store even many hours later, asking about items that were gone at the beginning of the day. The idea is the customer will buy something else while there. I don't fall for that. But go in the store and listen to others whine about it. They spent their gas and made the trip anyway, late in the day. I did make a purchase of a couple of items that were 'free with rebate' Thursday night. There was a very long line to check out. One man with a Comp USA tag came around working the line trying to sell additional things. "Do you have cables? Do you have paper?" After turning him down on his first encounter, he came back two more times with the same dumb questions. He had the answer. It's impossible to have a positive view of these practices. Then when I finally got to the register I found out what was delaying things so much. Clerks at the registers were arguing with customers that they need to buy extended warranties. They even tried to sell me an extended warranty on the router that was advertised for $1.97 "after rebates." Some people in line with merchandise found that some items didn't go on sale until the next day, while the explanation of this was in the fine print of the ad. Again it's impossible to have a positive view of this store. The rumor is the best specials went to store employees who got theirs before the store opened. I guess if I learn Spanish I could write to the owner and complain. He's in Mexico City, and known as "Mr. Slim"

Best Buy got bad press from Channel 8 News in Dallas, over the way they handled all of this. And they deserved it. In addition, it seems the real reason for these limited quantity sales with mass advertising is to get a number of customers coming into the store even many hours later, asking about items that were gone at the beginning of the day. The idea is the customer will buy something else while there. I don't fall for that. But go in the store and listen to them whine. They made the trip anyway. I heard someone who arrived at 3:00 a.m. told they did not have any more laptops, once the store opened at 5:00. The response was "read about it in the newspaper." Maybe they will.