"Apple is dead."
>One salesman, after finding out it was for an Apple, stated: "Apple is dead." Whether this is true or not is another story but the PERCEPTION is devastating.<
So what else is new -- he was trying to make a commission. Can't remember the link or writer's name but I saved this story. Actually, CompUSA now has 54 Apple Stores. The Manhattan store looks pretty nice. - soup.
> I went to CompUSA yesterday evening, the following is what I
found:
(Walk in the store - 3 rows of microcomputers, 1/2 row of them is
Macs. All the Windows machines running multimedia demos while the
Apple units sat turned off)
Jack (CompUSA sales) : Hi! Can I help you?
Me: Yes, I am looking to purchase a new computer.
Jack: Let me show you what we have...
Me: Ok. (Jack takes me to an isle of Windows machines)
Jack: We recommend you take a look at some deals we have going
with Sony and IBM. The 166 Mhz MMX Sony is only $2299 this week
(with 15 inch monitor)
Me: Great, but I am looking for something that can be used for web
publishing and has built in features like a SCSI port and a really
fast processor. I was looking at something that can make programs
like photoshop really scream. Also, I want to run 2 monitors.
Jack (here is where the lies start) : Well, no systems we sell
have SCSI built in, but you can add a card (Jack takes me to a PCI
scsi card for PCs.
Me: Well, this is $350. That added to the $2299 is pretty steep.
Jack: Yes, but this is the "fastest pc you can buy". Nothing out
there can run Photorun (not a typo) faster..
Me: What about two monitors? I want a system which can use two
monitors as one work space.
Jack: Well, no system support two monitors at the same time...
Besides, the Sony unit comes with 2 megs of video ram. Thats the
most you can get on a computer. It also has level-cache. (no typo)
Me: What about the Power Macintosh systems over there (pointing to
the mac systems)
Jack: If you are going to get into serious graphics and Photorun
(again, no typo), you need something with more power than an Apple
system. Apple is really struggling to keep people buying their
systems, but the new MMX pentiums are dusting them. They are too
slow.
Me: (hiding my anger) - But, doesn't the MAC have SCSI and the
ability to support dual monitors?
Jack: No, you cannot "add" SCSI to a mac. They are not expandible.
Me: Not expandible? They are PCI based like PCs, right?
Jack: No, they have no expansion like this Sony (trying to drag me
to the Sony row again) They even require a special tool to open
the case that ONLY Apple has. Apple charges you a ton of money
just to open up these systems.
Me: (pointing to a 7600/132 and 7300/180 and 9600/200) - You mean,
I couldn't open these up?
Jack: Sad isn't it? That is one of the main reasons we do not sell
very many. Apple is so proprietary. Even the memory is Apple Only
- non standard. You have to pay $300 for 16 meg "chip".
Me: $300? Wow that is high.
Jack: Lets look at some "real" computers -- this Sony with this
SCSI card can do the trick.
Me: Tell me Jack, what kind of people buy Apple units here?
Jack: Well, the die hards -- people "still living in the 80s".
Windows is much superior now. Mac is based on an outdated OS --
and there is no software available for it.
At this point I let him have it. I informed him of the post I read
earlier, and that the reason he is not selling Macs is he (and
CompUSA) is no way knowledgable about the systems. I went to a
7300 and pulled the lid off the CPU (no monitor was on it) and he
just sat there. I showed him the "PCI slots". I also told him that
Mac memory is CHEAP - to the tune of $75 for 16 megs.
I am going to send a copy of this conversation to the CompUSA
national headquarters, Apple, and Mac Addict. Jack probably now
classifies me as "someone living in the 80s" -- Apple needs to do
something here. CompUSA should not be Apple authorized - they are
an insult to Apple and (given the speech above) it is AMAZING that
anyone would buy a Mac.
If Apple can isolate a problem with marketing, it is the serious
MISINFORMATION regarding Apple system given by "authorized"
dealers. If you were a new computer user and heard the line of
lies from Jack, would you have choosen the Sony or the Mac?<
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