Apple

CompUSA scenario recently

Not in the Mac section but...


ME: Hey, you guys have any Stowaway Keyboards for the Compaq iPAQ handheld?

Sales Moron: Mmmmm, no. They don't carry those.

ME (spying it behind him on the wall): Oh, that's one there isn't it?

Sales Moron: Oh yes. We do have those, but they don't work with the Palm Pilot.



blakespot

It's about time

Man, I hope this strategy actually works. My girlfriend went there to look at the new macs and there was no one in the mac section to help her out. Then, when she found someone, she asked about a few things, including camcorders that can hook up to the mac, and if they sold them. CompUSA told her, "Oh, they don't make camcorders compatible with the mac."

<<sigh>>

I can speak from first hand experience that there are Apple employees working the floor at the downtown S.F. Market Street CompUSA. My wife and I were so impressed with her new iBook that we decided to buy one for her mother as a birtthday present. They were all sold out in the mail order internet channels and the old Mac store downtown had closed so we steeled ourselves for battle and went to CompUSA.

Amazingly the sales person in the Apple Store was incredibly nice, very helpful and knowledgeable. When we wanted to add memory to the base iBook and discovered that CompUSA would charge you a bundle and keep the machine for two days, our sales person told us we could just do it ourselevs in a few minutes and that no, it would *not* void our warranty (like the CompUSA memory tech claimed). Only when we got to the checkout did I notice that this fellow had an Apple badge. I thought he did a great job, and if that's what we're going to see in other stores, well Apple might actually stand a chance at CompUSA.

I think most people..

have had bad experiences at Comp USA. Like I noticed that Comp USA said in there catalog that they Have the new imac and they say, "Ah ... we have a mac section??? " I have to guide the Moron to the section before he says oh "nope we have none left." I'm now staring at him blankly seeing that they have at least 20 imac box's with imac in them.
Maybe now the will have half educated staff.

You are lucky up thre

Down here in Venezuela the sales people said "Macs are only good for graphic designers, if you gonna work Excel you need a PC". We do not have a Comp USA , but guess where all the "factory refurbish merchandise" from the US ends..... And they are sold like brand new, even with the yellow tapes all around the original boxes.

Down here Mac is for rich people, but I would say for people that know how to buy, and average Mac last for 3 years now. An average PC, 6 months in good hands. Mac is like Toyota's, they last forever.

It is good that Apple is taking "the bull from the horns", they have to educate the average costumer from the begining, there are too manny false myths (most from the 80's) around.

CompLoseSA

Well, AMAZINGLY, there is one totally Apple competent rep at the local CompUSA in San Bernardino, CA, BUT he didn't know anything about the features of the digital camcorder... In that area, I knew more.. I guess you have to be totally self taught anymore in what interests you as far too many things become far too specialized.
I bought my iBook from them because I appreciated the fact they had a knowledgable salesperson. . who even recommended me to other stores for products they didn't have.. Miracle on 34th Street, or Hospitality Lane..

My Comp USA guys no nothing.

You're Right!!!

Most CompUSA guys know nothing. I'm a CompUSA employee, and most of my coworkers don't even give a rats ass about Macs. BUT!!!!! Myself, and two others who work in the Pittsburgh CompUSA are APP (Apple Product Professionals) so we know our stuff. Whenever there is a person in the PC section...I ALWAYS at least suggest a Mac to them. Not everyone is ready for a Mac though...but I do my best. We are by far the best CompUSA store for Macintosh in our region at least...and maybe even east of the mississippi. There is always at least one of us around, and the managers and the other employees know that we are good...really good. So next time you are in the Pittsburgh area...come to store #441 and ask for the mac people. We'll be around to help.

-Pete

I stand corrected

Are u g*d of the mac comp usa people? People have been trying to find you guys for Years!

close

Actually no. My coworker is. He used to be an Apple demo days rep, and he has a larger Mac knowledge than any other I have seen. He and I both together make an AWESOME troubleshooting team. We are both very passionate about it.

Say...does anyone know of an Apple Store opening in the Pittsburgh area? I heard a few rumors, but nothing substantial. It's my short term dream to work at a local mac store. Wow..to get paid to teach and sell what I love...it's a dream come true!! If I wasn't going to school I would consider moving if I could get a decent job at one. When I visit california in two weeks, I plan to stop by the Apple Store there, and to see how far cupertino is from LA!!

-Pete

P.S. ww.dealnn.com has 512mb 133 memory for $60!!! It doesnt seem like really cheap quality memory, but then again it's not PNY or Kensington. I was thinking of buying 1.5 gigs of it for my G4. Do you think it's worth it??? I already have 512. The memory is 7 nanosecond afterall, and comes with a lifetime replacement warrantee. What do you say?

P.S. #2 My store led the NATION in all Cube sales while it was is production. That's including the huge NY and California stores.

[Edited by ptrauber on 07-29-2001 at 04:07 PM]

Memory speed

Keep in mind with that deal on PC133, it's almost certainly CL3 (3-2-2 timing) memory which will slow the G4 down a bit. I believe it's in the ballpark of 5-7% speed decrease. I shelled out $125 for 512MB of CL2 (2-2-2) from transintl.com and am pleased I spend the extra $$. Will put it in my dual-800 G4 when it arrives.


bp

Nothing but crap..

Everytime I go to CompUSA I leave with an ulser. They are soo stupid. One time that I was there I sold two iMac's while the employee scared people off. Hopefuly Apple employees will make it a better experience.

ptrauber

I heard if you go to apple.com they have job opps... more then usually. So ur bound to find a stop in ur neighborhood.
And thomas I helped sell 14 imac's against the will of the dumb ass Comp usa people. No offense to the mac comp usa people.

Don't stop ragging on CompUSA people on my account!!! I know that there is a stereotype that CompUSA employees know nothing...and that is very true. Myself and probably about 5 in each store are the exceptions. The fact is that CompUSA is not about getting people to know what computers are the best for them, or hiring knowledgable sales people. CompUSA is about SELLING COMPUTERS!!!! They hire based on ability to sell, and computer knowledge is secondary. Some bonehead customer asked a coworker of mine how many RPMs a processor ran at, and the salesperson had to ask another salesperson what the answer was because he couldn't simply correct the customer due to lack of basic computer knowledge. That the kind of **** that I have to deal with every day at work.

The only place to get real computer advice is usually the parts desk, but CompUSA is in a major overhall right now...and they are doing away with the seperate parts desk. You will still be able to buy the parts, but there won't be a certain person always there to tell you specifics on each individual part. I can't see CompUSA lasting more than another 5 years or so.

-Pete

P.S. NEVER as for a manager unless it is about a customer service problem. They usually know less than the employees!!!

Yo, I'm not on your case!

Please, The first thing I want from a computer store is Computer Knowledge! I know there Trying to sell the stuff, duh, I want people to give me the right choice for my needs.
I'm NOT ON UR CASE!!!!! And apple is offering jobs at the new stores... Check it out...

overheard

My girlfriend overheard this while studying at college:

"Ok, CPU, what's that?"
"Well, it's like the hard drive"
"Ok thanks, I get it"

DUMB

Computer illiteracy is everywhere. Hopefully apple can change some of that.

whoa...calm down Macman

I tend to disagree

COmpUSA employees can be good. In Manhattan, they arent half as bad. Thats where I bought my PB 2 years back. I asked if the screen was an LCD and the employee flicked at it with his fingers and started playing drums on it, adding sound effects. He said, "ofcourse". Ptrauber, how can CompUSA, a company that actually made a lot of profits in this fiscal year, (last quarter actually), go bankrupt in the next 5 years. CompUSA wont go bankrup just cause macs wont be there. You know it still caters to the PC freaks out there.

- ciao MAX

There store isn't good

People will soon see that comp USA isn't a great store. Even the PC section "anit no great shake." It's weird how apple dosen't get many job ops and yet they are putting 70 people not in their own STORES!!!! I mean put the people in places where there needed like lower manhatten.

Stay with us, Macman...


blakespot

You're right, CompUSA won't go out because macs arent there, but think of the rest of the reasons:

1. In that industry (large technology superstores aka bestbuy/sun/office max/staples...) most big corps don't last very long. The max is around 10 years. I see CompUSA near the end of their tenure.

2. Look at the computers that CompUSA offers. Only HP, Compaq, and Sony. The only reputable brand there is Sony, with HP and Compaq having reliability problems plaguing their systems since the beginning of time. Customers know that even though their computer systems are getting better. Every customer comes in and says somthing about a friend who had an HP or Compaq that sucked. CompUSA lacks Dell computers, the largest computer seller in the world.Dell systems are simply too good, and other companies can't compete. I had a Dell once, and everything about it was great. Especially the customer service. They are unrivaled in today's failing customer service age.

3. Prices change too quickly for retail stores to keep up with, and because of that prices are usually higher than online stores. Prices are also higher because CompUSA has to deal with a middle man reseller usually, and nowadays consumers are getting educated on the internet, and are willing to purchase through it.

CompUSA does not and will never depend on Macintosh sales to stay afloat, it is the multitude of other reasons will throw CompUSA under in this next decade.

-Pete

please help me make best buy get terminated soon-i hate that place

My 90th post!

Yay! Apple needs people to be where people go and that is not Comp Usa. I'm sorry but there own Store should cause it's a different approach to sell Computers. Comp Usa is not a store that by any Streach of the imagination gets people attention. "wow the is a Comp Usa here wana go in" "nope I can get all the things from them on the Internet."