Etc is very right. Females are given better chance as sales reps, seen as "more honest" EXCEPT...

We have so many customers that will not listen to Women when it comes to home theater. We are a very busy store, and it is very difficult to find an associate, but we'll have some dudes that will not listen to any women when it comes to home theater items like tvs or sound systems.

I'd assume off the top of my head it has to be almost the same thing with vehicles. I see a lot more men selling cars and trucks than women.

There is one girl at my store that is like a home theater guru, and she always gets passed by customers. I had a customer wait for me for an hour while she was available. I know diddly squat about home theater.

I just want a reasonable amount of honesty, and a smidgen of respect.

I know that you're trying to sell me something, so the facts might get fudged a little bit. Just don't outright LIE. I went with a friend to the BB in Amherst since he didn't know shit about HDTVs. The salesman was flat out bullshiting much of the conversation. The worst was the calibration nonsense.

They had two TVs setup next to each other. One had a decent picture, one was crap. That was their 'proof' that calibration was needed. Both were 'displaying HD video' , except there was one problem. The crappy TV was hooked up with a standard RCA jack, the good one was connected with HDMI.

A standard single RCA jack can't carry HD video.

My other pet peeve is their pushiness on extended warranties. If I decline, don't keep pushing it. Also, don't try to sell me a $20 warranty on a $15 item. Before I moved into my house, I went out to get an antenna because my DirecTV dish was already taken down. They seriously asked me 4 times if I wanted a $20 extended warranty on the el cheapo antenna that was $14.99.

Ponderous, just ponderous.

The Amherst store is awful, before I continue my story...

But I think some people (I am not talking about you, squanto, just people in general) are too paranoid that we are trying to lie to them.

Some people get it. They believe us, they know how it is, and they take our suggestions.

We have no reason to lie. We do not run on commission. They don't look at individual numbers too often.

I'm a computer guy, and every day I give honest answers about my opinion on the products. If I didn't, I wouldn't feel very truthful to myself. I do not tell people Microsoft office is going to be difficult to install. I do not tell people that we need to install windows for them. Best buy is around for a good reason. People do not fully understand technology yet. They think they do, but the average joe does not.

I've even been called out about being honest to customers, by customers, which is ridiculous. I had one instance where a guy wasn't giving me a chance about a set of speakers, and he asked what my personal "favorite" was. I told him for the money, the store brand insignias were not bad. Then he said money was not what he asked about, so I said the high end Logitech would be a good choice, which he replied "Way too much for the money, RAWRRR" and then "don't bullshit me, I just want an honest answer RAWRRR"

Sure it is a decent feeling when you get 500 dollars worth of services on a sale, but the customer usually needs it and feels good too. The regular computer tech doesn't need it, but do not snarl at me when I offer an anti virus free for 6 months and say "RAWRR I can download AVG, Best Buy is trying to rip me off!!! RAWRRR"

People suck.

I think to some extent, that can be justified. Best Buy does not have the greatest reputation with honesty. I'm not saying you or your store should be lumped together with the bad eggs, but nationally they're not regarded very well.

The Consumerist, part of the Consumer Reports family, recently did some secret shopper tests. They got reports of Best Buy employees that forced you to buy computers with the Geek Squad 'optimization' service already done by telling you that that unopened and unoptimized laptops were 'out of stock'.

They found that more often than not, at the locations that were tested, the stores told shoppers that only 'optimized' laptops were in stock. Subsequent phone calls to store managers showed that stores DID have those unopened laptops in stock.

Now, I'm sure every store has salespeople that bend the rules for whatever reason. However, when there's nationwide trends of this happening, you have to wonder if there is a corporate mandate for this, and it's going to foster an air of mistrust.

I like best buy if I'm going to make a major purchase ($150 or more) because of the offered extended protection plans at a reasonable price; but for cords and such, I typically go to an online retailer such as newegg, or tigerdirect. They tend to have better prices. I paid 35 bucks for an optical cord at bestbuy, granted it was a quality cord, but seems a bit pricey.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

I agree with most of what ETC said, but if the female sales rep comes off to me even the least bit as undereducated, then I will move on straight away. I'll give a male rep a bit more time to convince me he doesn't know shit.

OK, so yep - Kaleta gets his dick wet a lot and tits sell anything

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mechaphil

I'm jealous, and you're right!!!

On a side note, I am hoping that they are saving Kaleta a bit for the playoff run - our top two centers are Charmin soft, and I don't believe they can survive the rigors of the playoffs, without people like Kaleta keeping the opponents occupied!!

Just my $.20

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"I don't feel like Satan, but I am to them"
Neil Young

As much as I agree that having Pattymouth back in the lineup would be awesome, I wouldn't wanna mess with the lines as they are now (with the exception of the last 2 games really). But then again, Maybe sitting someone like a Mac and adding in a somewhat fresh face to the lineup is just what this team needs. Shake things up a bit. I mean crap, you're hittin the road, why not try something new?If it fails big time, you don't have to hear it first hand from the home town faithful. Maybe from Bucky or Sullivan in the paper, but that doesn't mean much

Looking at the next 2 games though before we head out west, we need these points as a real good start. So it'd be nice to have somewhat set lines going into this trip!

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If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy

Mac plays a scoring role (or should), so he would need to be replaced, were he benched, by another scorer.

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

I have no problem with Kaleta sitting while the team is going really well. Wait until someone F's up and Lindy wants to make a statement to work Kaleta back in.
Honestly, I'm just happy it isn't, "why is Peters playing over Kaleta tonight?!" anymore.

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Keep your eyes focused this time. Keep us infront of your sights. I've waited long for this; our time to shine, I just hope we have the time.

I would love to see Kaleta as an everyday player and I think lindy sees it that way too.
I think they are just being careful with a head injury especially for our most physical player.

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Original inventor of the "Taco in a bag."

©2006

I see what you're saying. In employee news, BB has made a huge point lately that it is illegal to FORCE a customer into buying the services on one of those pre setups.

For free, we happily restore the computer to day 1 if the customer doesn't want the services.

Sadly, customers get very frustrated because it would take roughly 3 hours to restore each computer, so it never really works out perfectly.

On the counter, we are screwed either way. Customers get mad if they want services and it takes too long, and the only way to even it out is to create pre setups. Now when it is the last one in store, the customer usually yells something close to "BAIT AND SWITCH"

The only part that makes me angry is that customers think they can haggle the price. The computers we sell at BB are sold at cost for the most part. In a lot of cases, we lose money on computer sales. That is pretty standard for computer retail. Too many customers are looking for "coupons" that we somehow would magically have in store, or think we are screwing them if we offer them anything else.

The company needs to mark those USB cables up. Without it, I don't think we would survive. An average printer cable at BB is sold for 35 dollars. It costs 1.50 to make that cable.

There is the rough part I guess.

ETC Got his wish.

Kaleta will play tonight in Atlanta. Matt Ellis will be a healthy scratch.

http://www.wgr550.com/Kaleta-Back-in-th ... up/6117539

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Wheelhouse

Everyone who knows anything about cables and the internet knows not to buy cables from a store.

And everyone haggles with prices, if you don't get a good price why would you want to buy it really?

How many people buy anything over $500 bucks without at least trying to get the price down.

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I know for a fact that best buy doesn't sell their products at cost or below it. Especially their computers.

Perhaps during inventory turnover, but definitely not on a regular or even semi regular basis.

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Wheelhouse

I have to disagree about the cost thing. I have worked for 3 major computer retailers, and have found that margin is 0 on pretty much any brand of Laptop.

I mean, a 399 computer that has 4gb of ram, 500gb of hard drive, a 200 dollar operating system, the chassis...the intel or amd processor.

There is not a lot of money, if any, a retailer is going to make on that.

I know what the margin prices are for quite a few products in the store, and Computers and APPLE products are one of the few that have zero margin or are sold at LESS than cost. Best buy only sells ipods and such because we can sell people 40 dollar ipod cases and headphones.

Now, if ANY money is ever made on a laptop, it is reinbursing best buy. I know hp and companies like them have certain deals that if they sell a certain amount those companies will give BB an increment of money.

I have a few friends that work for hewlett Packard, and I know that the laptop I paid 699 that I am typing on right now is well below cost.

Well Kaleta won't be in the doghouse now...nice goal

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

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"Go out and run 'em."
- Lindy Ruff, 23 Feb. 2007