Ever Have Snotty Service At An A/V Store?

[Sehnzeleid]

Unsure where to put this...

So this morning I walk into my local Tweeter (formerly Bryn Mawr Stereo) to kill some time waiting on brake service. I'm merely looking around like the few other customers in the store. I walk into their audio room to look at their overpriced mid-range receivers and a sales associate approaches:

Associate: "Hi, can I help you with anything?"

Me: "Nah, that's okay, I'm just looking..."

Associate: "Are You sure?"

Me: "Nah, it's okay. Thanks."

Associate: "Well, have a good time...looking..."

And he walks off. Immediately I get pretty freakin' upset and proceed to walk out. As I'm walking out I catch him conversing with another associate saying something like "How could he just want to look?, I mean really..." snidely.

At this point I flip out.

"GOD FORBID SOMEONE JUST LOOKS AT PRODUCTS! THAT'S UNHEARD OF! OH YEAH, ALL THIS S*** IS SOOOO IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND! HOW CAN ANYONE BUT YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS S***!"

Or at least I think that's what I said, I then storm out ready to rip someone's head off.

What really gets me is this wasn't the first time this has happened at this particular location, and even not going in over the span of months with different associates doesn't seem to help them from being know-it-all pricks (that probably don't even own actual A/V components). Like my money isn't green and some 110 pound soaking wet 19 year old sales associate is going to be the end-all authority on the world of audio/video equipment. The majority of brands and items they carry aren't even that impressive, even though that kind of "we don't want you here" service shouldn't even be in store that has the absolute best of the best. Heck, I've repeatedly gotten superior service (including substanial one-on-one price breaks) from the Magnolia Home Theaters that have been populating Best Buy locations. Plus the brands they carry met and exceed anything I've seen in Tweeter.

Geez dude...

[chlngr1970]

I'm not about to deride any competitor, but sound like one of those places you go into, ask a couple questions about a product, then when you get the service you talk about, buy a more expensive product elsewhere, and bring in the receipt to rub into their collective faces...not that I would ever recomend doing that

It's also good to hear you had good experiences at my little bro stores ( MHT ) It's also helpfull to vent, so ...

If'n you don't mind me asking, was there anything in particular you were looking at?

j

[Sehnzeleid]

I was just looking at their receiver selection.

[SilentBob]

Originally Posted by Sehnzeleid

I was just looking at their receiver selection.

Well i hope you have a better experence elsewhere . . . looking





Still i can see where you are coming from. I'm a 25 year old guy which still needs to be ID every now and then for Lottery tickets. So recently in the past few months when i was looking for my new receiver i too would be looking around sadly so where some older looking people as well. They completely ignore me and go straight to the older people who must own a home and could afford a system. Even when i was about 2 weeks from my Onkyo receiver purchase i went to ask questions at the store (who i had to buy from in the end) about the 605 which was on the site (2001audiovideo) and not instore. I tried to ask a few times and was kind of ignored with barely anyone in the store and when i did get a chance it was "I don't know" for all my questions. When will you get them in? I don't know, but are you sure we carry them. Went back a few days later and sure enough they were finally in store on display and had a great guy that knew his stuff and was a great help for me (Store Mangaer it turned out to be) So you can get the assholes who think of themelves as high and mighty over you or you can get a real person who knows their stuff and cares about making a sale.

[tomdkat]

I had an experience like this once. I went into my local VideoOnly and axed just one question: Do you have any THX certified receivers?

The sales guy answered, "No we don't, but ....," and went into this almost 10-minute tyrade about how THX doesn't mean anything, yadda-yadda. The only time I stepped foot into that store was to help my mom buy a TV (32" tube) she saw there for the right price.

I could see the guy giving me his core dump if I had axed a THX-specific question (why are some receivers THX certified but others not?, as an example) but for him to dump when I axed a yes or no question I thought was completely inappropriate.

When my local Good Guys was open, I had difficulty getting ANY kind of service since I tended to dress in a manner which made them think I was some kind of thug or something. The funny thing is, most of the time I just needed a sales person to ring me up since I already knew what I wanted.

Peace...

[plissken99]

Funny, I got kind of a snooty vibe from the guys at Tweeter when I bought my HD-A1 there(at the time it was the only place that still had one, and only open box at that). Being open box I asked about a discount at which they scoffed, as it was such a new item, how could they possibly discount it? After going through logic with them, I got a 5% discount, better than nothing.

But yeah those places are for getting hands on impressions and buying stuff cheaper elsewhere.

As for your experience Silentbob, those must have been some dumb ass salespeople. In the 3 months I've worked at BestBuy, I learned age doesn't always matter, think I made a $5,000+ CASH sale to a 21 year old. Sure I think he probably deals drugs, but there are younger people with money, lol. I'm 24 myself and have top end Klipsch speakers, an expensive subwoofer, reciever and a kick ass front projector. I'm living proof age isn't a factor.

[Iguana Man]

I had an online experience that stunk, but so far not a one with any mid/high end specialty store in person. In fact, I got a sweet deal from Sound City on a Velo sub years ago.

[sub780lime]

Most of my experience just looking around in Magnolia has just been fine, but every once and a while in electronic stores I run into these people, who think they know more then you and usually they don't, but when you start talking techy speak to them since you know your crap, when they don't they almost act like - so what if you actually know about these products. Other times I have had experiences with people who work at these stores who do know their stuff (probably like interacting with plissken99 at Best buy) and those are great experiences because we can actually go back and forth and have a serious discussion.

[mighty mint]

Advance Audio & Video has the worst sales associates I have ever met...snobby as the day is long. Five salesmen and me the only customer in their section wandering around, pushing buttons, looking behind the tvs at the inputs and not one came over. Other times when I have gone in it has seemed like an imposition for me to ask questions even when I was serious about buying.

[chiprocks1]

I use to have this problem from time to time. But it hasnt happened at all since I did 2 things to tilt it in my advantage.

1) I do as much research about whatever product I intend to buy and its different competing brands for that product. (The higher the price I will be paying, the more anal I become in learning as much as possible). Why do I do this? Do I really need to know all this shit? Yes. Going into a store with all the knowledge is the smart thing to do. That way when they start their sales pitch, you will know if they know what they are talking about. Over half the people I have dealt with dont know shit. I love going into a store and putting a sales person on the spot by asking them questions I know they dont have a clue about regarding a product. Especially after they have "tried" to get a sale out of me.

2) If Im just window shopping because I happen to be there, with no intent to buy, (no research, etc...), and a sales person ask me if I need help, I come right out and tell them "I dont need help and if and when I do, I will come get you. Till then, your just wasting your time". This might sound like Im being rude. But when you just dont want to be bothered with sales pitches, its better to just be up front about it. Their time and mine time arent wasted.

If neither one of these tactics are your cup of tea. Watch Larry David tackle this very same topic on Curb Your Enthusiasm, and see about trying this.