A trip to COMPUSA

[Dane D.]

The other day I went to COMPUSA to try the Intel-based Macs. Of course no salesperson was in the Apple section so I was free to toy with all the products. Then a salesperson came up and asked if I needed help.

"No," I replied, "just checking them out."
He then said that he hates Macs, his quote "they are too simple, I like complicated stuff"
I just looked at him and laughed in is face. I then told him how my kids since they could sit up on their own have been using Macs. How the Mac is safe from all the various 'wares that infect PCs. How easy the software is to install and use. How even a child can enjoy a computer without calling Dad to help them.
"But," he says, "look at all the software available for the PC and all the games."
I laughed again, "I purchase my software online, there doesn't seem to be a lack of software to me, if you know where to look. "
"But, what about the lack of game software?" he said.
"No problem, I'm not a heavy gamer."
"But PCs run games better."
"So, I have a life, a career, a family, games just aren't that important to me."
"But what about all that other software?"
"It is already installed with the OS and if I need something, I find it on the net."
I then asked about external HD enclosures for IDE/ATA type drives. I follow him to that section of the store.
Of course they had no Firewire enclosures, just USB 2 types. I told him I only want Firewire, my is USB 1. O. The next thing out of his month was this;
"You know I have never even seen the inside of a Mac."
"Well, they are simple like the OS."
"But, what about replacing parts?'
"I have yet to replace a motherboard, a videocard, or any other component because of failure."
"But, you can't build your own can you?'
"Not from the ground up like a PC."
"See, I can build my own and do it alot cheaper then buying a Mac."
"I see, and what OS will you be running?"
"Windows of course."
"Ah, but a Mac can run Windows now since they have Intel chip and Apple's Bootcamp software."

I won't bore you with whole story but you can see where this is going. I walked out of the store glad to own and use Macs. If this is any indication of the majority of PC users then I don't feel sorry for them. They are clueless to the Mac way of life.

 

[jhu]

kudos to you. meanwhile, there are millions of starving children in africa and asia.

 

[xyian]

This is a very typical Compusa story as well.

Ignorance is ignorant, right?

I'll keep on enjoying my computing experience while the rest of the world languishes on in crash hell!

 

[iSaint]

Nice to know Apple has such fine representation at CompUSA.

You! Not the salesman!

 

[Cooknn]

This is a very typical Compusa story as well...

Not typical for the CompUSA in Fort Myers, Florida. There is a full-time rep from Apple on site and always friendly associates around if you need them. At the OS X Tiger event all the sales associates were tied up when I was ready to pull the trigger on my new 23-inch Cinema HD Display so the Apple rep climbed up on the ladder herself and got one down for me. I was impressed.

 

[Prelude2Tragedy]

Also not the norm for the Mt. Laurel, New Jersey one. Full-time apple rep and almost every hardware salesman in that store owns at least one mac. They push out so many apple computers that the apple rep made 6 figures last year. It pretty crazy since there is also an apple store right down the road. I guarantee these guys know more about apple computers than the people who work at that apple store.

 

[Benjamin]

funny story, but i doubt that guy was assigned to the apple section.

 

[BornAgainMac]

I saw the Orlando CompUSA packed with more people in the tiny Mac section than the entire store. I am curious what the percentage of total sales is Mac related vs PC crap. Of course some software and hardware works with both so I am sure they count that as Windows related sales.

I would like to visit a CompUSA in 10 years and see a tiny section in the corner of Microsoft Windows Vista and the rest of the store focused on Apple and Linux. I am sure Microsoft will still be on Vista by then.

 

[Sdashiki]

I guarantee these guys know more about apple computers than the people who work at that apple store.

which, to all who have applied to no avail, we all know is the saddest thing...

EVER!

 

[WaveSurfer]

which, to all who have applied to no avail, we all know is the saddest thing...

EVER!

Have you ever applied at an Apple Store?

 

[neoelectronaut]

Stop by my store in Metairie, LA. We have Shawn, our true Apple rep, and me, I'm sort of the in-store-on-the-payroll Apple rep.

Or at least that's what I consider myself.

 

[ChrisA]

Just a minute. You are saying that some guy working in retail sales is clueless and uninformmed. What do you expect? Comp USA pays like $7.00 per hour.

I remember being at Fry's (big california discount chain) someone asked a technical about a graphic card. The sales person took the box from the customer and attempeted to answer the question by reading aloud the back of the box as if he was helpig a customer who could not read. Of course he had no clue that what he was reading did not address the question. Fry starts new sales people at minimum wage.

I once asked a question at Fry's about the difference between two CRT monitors that for All I could see had identical specs and the same manufacturer. The salesman when to get his supervisior. The "expert" came out of the back room and said that one of the two hade "more megahertz inside" and he thinks the "co-processor is faster". I give credit the the saleman who admited "I don't know" then to his boss. (turned out one CRT had higher max vertical refresh)

 

[iPhil]

I remember being at Fry's (big california discount chain) someone asked a technical about a graphic card. The sales person took the box from the customer and attempeted to answer the question by reading aloud the back of the box as if he was helpig a customer who could not read. Of course he had no clue that what he was reading did not address the question. Fry starts new sales people at minimum wage.

The pay scale @ Fry's is wide range of pay.. For me (i'm a computer accessory sales associate) and its above the california minimum wage or federal minimum wage.. The Computer sales is still above state minimum wage/federal minimum wage but that's only pay scale per hr not including commission

I once asked a question at Fry's about the difference between two CRT monitors that for All I could see had identical specs and the same manufacturer. The salesman when to get his supervisior. The "expert" came out of the back room and said that one of the two hade "more megahertz inside" and he thinks the "co-processor is faster". I give credit the the saleman who admited "I don't know" then to his boss. (turned out one CRT had higher max vertical refresh)

If the Fry's associate doesn't know, there supposed to say lets find out ..

Thats how Fry's does fast,friendly,courteous customer service ..

 

[dpaanlka]

Fry's has awesome prices, but atrociously clueless salespeople. People always seem to have no idea what I'm talking about, even when it comes to non-Mac-related things. But especially with Mac-related things.

I was looking for a Keyspan USB Remote for my Mac. The salesperson insisted I could buy one of the $25 replacement Front Row iMac remotes to use with my AGP G4.

Once I asked to see all of their ViewSonic displays, and the guy could not find a single one, even though I could spot three surrounding us.

 

[Sdashiki]

Have you ever applied at an Apple Store?

I did a few times, to numerous ones.

They say you need to apply online.

but no one I know who got hired did that, they walked in and talked up the management, knew someone who worked there, or sucked the right ****. LoL.

To get a job at an Apple Store, its a friggen crapshoot.

 

[WaveSurfer]

I did a few times, to numerous ones.

They say you need to apply online.

but no one I know who got hired did that, they walked in and talked up the management, knew someone who worked there, or sucked the right ****. LoL.

To get a job at an Apple Store, its a friggen crapshoot.

Well, one of the biggest mistakes people make when applying for a job at Apple is that they come off as a Mac zealot. Apple retail isn't looking for Mac zealots, they want unique personalities to put by their product and be the face of the company. You gotta be kind of laid back about the whole thing and give them something unique or interesting about yourself that doesn't relate to computers. Sometimes in an interview they'll ask you off the wall questions like "describe an exciting vacation experience" or "tell me something unique about yourself"...just a tip if you try again...

 

[IJ Reilly]

I'm not sure I could have walked out of that store without reporting the employee to management. No sales representative should be dissing any product they sell. This guy is too stupid to be talking to customers, even at CompUSA.

 

[Moshiiii]

You pwned him.