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Non-Tech : CompUSA (CPU) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Steven L who wrote (1305)	2/28/1999 7:26:00 PM
From: blankmind	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3187

cpu is not the only store which has the practice of checking receipts and merchandise on the exit. for those on the west coast, fry's has done this for years and those who shop at costco also know the routine. studies have shown stores which follow this practice reduce shoplifting. and stores claim they merchandise which might be more apt to be lifted on the shelf for the customer to do self-help. now the customer does not need find a rep to order the merchandise, but need only show the reciept at the exit. the customer can save time and the store can place items out for the public.

To: Steven L who wrote (1305)	2/28/1999 7:48:00 PM
From: Ploni	Respond to of 3187

WalMart has the greeters who welcome people to the store. CPU's people sometimes say "Welcome," but often don't, and their real purpose seems to be to stamp the receipt as you are on your way out the door with a purchase. They don't usually even compare the receipt to the items in the bag. I wonder if the chain has a lower loss rate due to shoplifting, because of the "checkers." Your incident with the credit card is unfortunate. I wonder if it was supposed to be active, or if you were supposed to call to activate it. In any event, you are correct that the check-out girl could have handled it better. I also get frustrated dealing with rude or uncaring help. You mentioned Best Buy, which is a store I hate and won't ever return to, because I feel they are thieves. I think CPU is much better, though not without its share of problems. I went to Best Buy in mid-January and was going to buy a printer, and was hounded by one of the "help" who wanted me to buy an extended warranty. I had the same problem when I bought a VCR there. They always insist they aren't on commission, so why do they push the warranties? The final straw on that visit was when the Best Buy pest wanted me to sign something that said the printer would have a 15% restocking fee if returned. I refused, noting that their posted policy only mentioned laptops, digital cameras, radar detectors, and maybe a few more items, but not computer printers as being a part of that policy. I went to Customer Service, where the teenaged girl told me printers had been added to the 15% restocking policy, and they hadn't had time to update their signs yet. I told her it was going to cost her a sale, and she just shrugged and turned away. I don't think Best Buy ever updated their signs regarding adding printers to the 15% restocking fee, and it's possible they recanted. But I bought that printer from Office Depot, though it cost me more money. I later returned to Best Buy and bought a different printer, but the experience was a nightmare, and I'll never go back to that chain. I bought an open box item, marked about $60 off, and the box was marked "No cable." I got it home, and saw there actually was a cable in there, but the toner cartridge was missing -- and the toner cartridge is about a $70 item. I returned to the store, and the jerk in the computer department said that they had needed a toner cartridge, and decided to cannibalize it from that box, while adding back the missing cable. He claimed they would have told me about it if I hadn't grabbed the box and ran off. He then gave me the pitch about buying an extended warranty. He didn't have any new toner cartridges, so he gave me the one they had supposedly just taken from that box. When I returned home, I discovered that the printer used a special cable, and the cable they had put in the box wasn't the right kind. I went to CompUSA, where I bought the cable, which shocked me as being a $40 item. I think the jerks at Best Buy knew exactly what they were doing. I think they are crooks and scum of the earth, and urge everyone to boycott the chain. If you do go there, don't ever buy an open box item. Even if you open the box and inspect everything, you might be surprised to find that the cables or accessories in the box don't actually fit the equipment. CPU is 100 times better than Best Buy.