Raistlin Posted January 22, 2002 Share Posted January 22, 2002 After seeing the thread on 'Saw an elderly couple get ripped off ' I thought I would post an interesting anecdote that happened to me a few years ago. I was at Future Shop. For the Canadian public, we all know about these stores, but for the rest of the world...well you will see the calibre of their work in a moment. Corel Draw 6 had just come out. I was at Future Shop minding my P's and Q's when I overheard a scam artist re salesman talk about Corel Draw 3. 'It is great' he said. The older couple (who only wanted a software package to edit some older scanned photos, and nothing really fancy) were wary of purchasing such an expensive package such as Corel Draw 6 (with Corel Photopaint, etc) The salesman then turned around and tried to sell the couple Corel Draw 3. It was cheaper (but still a couple hundred dollars). The couple asked 'Why should be buy this, when we can get the newest version 6)?' This was the scheister's response... 'It is faster, better and has more features than Corel Draw 6. Corel Draw 6 has less features, but somehow are getting away with selling it for more money than the 3rd version. You can't beat this version 3.' The couple thought about it for a minute. The salesman piped up and quickly said 'You won't find Version 3 anywhere...it is exclusive to Future SHop'. The couple quickly grabbed the dusty box and went up to the cash register (after the salesman/scheister quickly entered the purchase into the computer so he could get his commission). Well at first I almost started to laugh at the pure audacity of this fool, but then I got angry. How can anyone is good conscience do this? So I went up to the old couple and pointed out that not only was Corel Draw 3 a total waste of time, but Corel Draw 6 was way more than what they needed. I recommended a nice little photo package that allows for editing and correcting of photographs (can't remember off hand what the package was called though), but it was only about 40 dollars. All of a sudden I was approached by a manager and asked not to spread rumours and disrupt customers, and told to leave. I laughed and just left, and the old couple still bought the Corel Draw 3. The thing that got me is that the couple gave me dirty looks. Just because I was wearing a leather jacket and have long hair I was made out to be the 'bad guy'. Go figure Anyway, post your own anecdotes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shied Posted January 22, 2002 Share Posted January 22, 2002 totally off topic but did/do you play D2 under RaistlinX or something similar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raistlin Posted January 22, 2002 Author Share Posted January 22, 2002 Originally posted by pilz totally off topic but did/do you play D2 under RaistlinX or something similar... Depends, is RaistlinX any good? Just kidding, sorry no, that isn't me. Raist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dARKSTAr Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 Raistlin...had the same thing happen to me about 6 months ago at a Best Buy in So Cal. I was there with a friend who was getting a replacement for his fuxored mouse and this other guy was wanting to buy a soundcard. The salesman was trying to sell him this basic SB Live card, not platinum, not gamer, just a basic SB Live card and the damn thing was marked at like 70 something dollars. The salesman throws his crap out and runs off for a few seconds thinking he's got a sale and i go tell the guy that he can get the exact same card down the street at a reliable hardware shop for no more than $50. Then i give him the URL of the place and the address. He's extremely happy about all this and walks off. A few minutes later one of the tech department weenies comes up and asks me to leave. Seems the customer told the sales guy that he wasn't interested in getting the card after i told him about the other deal. I just laughed and walked out of the store and back to the car to wait for my buddy. I could never work for one of those places. You would not believe the crap i've heard salesmen try to pass off as gospel at Best Buy, CompUSA and the like. Actually, you probably would believe it considering your story, hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[saint lucifer] Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 These kind of stories remind me of that one Simpson's episode. If someone can tell me the episode, they will win a prize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xcalibur Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 hehehe... this is just too funny.. its even funnier to me since i'm canadian.. i go to futureshop quite a lot.. and its absolutely hillarious how some people get ripped off.. but i never get ripped off.. i hate getting help from a salesperson.. when i'm in there trying to buy something, i just tell them that i'm just browsing and then they walk away.. i then pay for the product at the front cashiers.. and no one makes commision.. even if they did help me, i'm too smart to get ripped off by a stupid minimum wage, commision making sales person.. :D Xcalibur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xcalibur Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 Originally posted by [saint lucifer]These kind of stories remind me of that one Simpson's episode. If someone can tell me the episode, they will win a prize. what's the prize? i might consider doing the research to find it if the prize is a new computer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[saint lucifer] Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 Yes......the prize is.....a.....new..........computer! Yeah that's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xcalibur Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 you put just a little too much sarcasm in that .. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvorgold Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 now thats just lame of them and mean :(, if i were them i'dd search the net n do a lil reasearch on it, n ya, all computer stores have rip offs, they go "oh this is better" although its like 5 years old, and once saw Frontpage 97 (i think) at a local computer store only a year ago, and the price tag said $300 CDN geez, also saw AppleWorks 5.0 (windows/mac) n its selling for over $100 CDN! n its basically 4 years old software Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xcalibur Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 hey lucifer.. try this link for the simpsons episodes.. http://www.snpp.com/guides/computers.file.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvorgold Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 Originally posted by Xcalibur hehehe... this is just too funny.. its even funnier to me since i'm canadian.. i go to futureshop quite a lot.. and its absolutely hillarious how some people get ripped off.. but i never get ripped off.. i hate getting help from a salesperson.. when i'm in there trying to buy something, i just tell them that i'm just browsing and then they walk away.. i then pay for the product at the front cashiers.. and no one makes commision.. even if they did help me, i'm too smart to get ripped off by a stupid minimum wage, commision making sales person.. :D Xcalibur i never wanna work in a comp store :D, ya, they get annoying if your just looking around, they really want $$$ from pay checks lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDQuiksilver Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 you could probably score a free "Peewee Herman's Secret Adventure" playset... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raistlin Posted January 23, 2002 Author Share Posted January 23, 2002 Another thing happened to me, I just remembered of a Future Shop salesman trying to pass off his non-knowledge to my apparent lack of knowledge (remember, long hair and leather jackets must scream computer illiterate). Anyway, my brother and I wanted to play Unreal Tourney head to head, so we decided instead of buying a hub and such, we would save a few bucks a buy a cross over cable and connect our computers together. Went into FS and looked at the cables. It didn't look like they had one, so I thought I would ask, but I did it in a way that really did sound like I didn't know what I was talking about. The salesman almost laughed at me. Serious! Then he said 'Well I am sorry, but cross over cables are the most popular cable there is, and that they all sold out at Christmas' Can you believe what he was shovelling. I looked at my brother who almost broke out in laughter there. Looked back at the salesman and asked when they would have them in and he said that it was hit and miss because as soon as they get them in, everyone buys them...they are the 'in' thing for computers nowadays. So hold on to your cross over cables everyone...they may be worth a fortune because they are in such demand hehehe :cheeky: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raistlin Posted January 23, 2002 Author Share Posted January 23, 2002 Originally posted by Xcalibur hehehe... this is just too funny.. its even funnier to me since i'm canadian.. i go to futureshop quite a lot.. and its absolutely hillarious how some people get ripped off.. but i never get ripped off.. i hate getting help from a salesperson.. when i'm in there trying to buy something, i just tell them that i'm just browsing and then they walk away.. i then pay for the product at the front cashiers.. and no one makes commision.. Good point Xcalibur, I have found however, they the salesmen, sorry, salespeople, predominately ignore me, because of my aforementioned long hair and leather jacket...either i look too imposing or they figure I am an illilterate and thin-walleted boob. Sobeit, I can usually find what I want without being hassled. The only times when I am swamped by Santa's Little Helpers is when I put a tie on and drop the leather jacket...Go fig. Not that the salesfolk have any knowledge to share anyway. Sometimes when I approach the salesman, I am told they can't help me, but will turn around and go and talk to the other salespeople until a thick-walleted sucker comes-a-walkin'. On a side note, other than breathing and lying, what kind of qualifications does one think is required of a poor sole (no pun) to be a Future SHop computer dept salesperson? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvorgold Posted January 24, 2002 Share Posted January 24, 2002 i call that discrimation! stop going to that comp store, nah, no one wants the salesppl to get a percentage of the money u spent on computer supplies, and its really irritating being bothered by the sales ppl, especially when they TELL you what you want when u know what u want :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xcalibur Posted January 24, 2002 Share Posted January 24, 2002 Originally posted by Raistlin On a side note, other than breathing and lying, what kind of qualifications does one think is required of a poor sole (no pun) to be a Future SHop computer dept salesperson? being able to pick out suckers from the croud :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvorgold Posted January 24, 2002 Share Posted January 24, 2002 probably the ability to make ppl p/o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raistlin Posted January 25, 2002 Author Share Posted January 25, 2002 Originally posted by Silvorgold i call that discrimation! stop going to that comp store, nah, no one wants the salesppl to get a percentage of the money u spent on computer supplies, and its really irritating being bothered by the sales ppl, especially when they TELL you what you want when u know what u want :( Honestly, though, they are all like that. I find that the smaller mom and pop type computer stores are great...they care about teh average customer, and aren't as apt to ripping the customer off, or lying to them. I find with the big chains like Future Shop that it is universal. Almost everyone I have been too (and I have been to about 20 different ones throughout Ontario), I get the same back door shenanegans. I should start up my own computer store, and only treat computer salesman badly hehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barzoom Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 Went to American Appliance looking to replace my junky ass speakers. Salesman told me you cant buy computer speakers separately, you have to buy a monitor with speakers attached. Disgusted with him I tried Circuit City. Salesman told me they dont make speakers for computers, that I could use any set of stereo speakers. I dont ask anybody anything anymore . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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