Interesting sales experience at Dick Smith

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jbard

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#84340 28-May-2011 19:20

So i went into my local Dick Smith to buy a laptop today. I had already looked at models online and knew which one i wanted so i went straight in and took the model i wanted to the counter.

The store manager was serving me - and before i had said anything to him he immediately tried to sell me Norton 360 to go with my laptop. This is what he said:

"You look like the sort of people who use a free antivirus. Well i used to as well until one day i was given a copy of Norton and it found 30 viruses and some of them 2-3 years old, this shows you how crap these free antiviruses are, But no worries because i can let you have Norton 360 for $49 seen as your buying an laptop today."

Now i declined his generous off and was left wondering what "People who use free antivirus" look like.

After this he started explaining about their extended warrenty system, after his 5 minutes speech i said i was happy with my coverage under the CGA and didn't want an extended warrenty.

So he then went on to say that extended warrenty coverage has a guaranteed repair time of 7 days were as with the CGA their is no time restriction and in his experience "items have often taken 2-3 months to be repaired"

He also said i wouldn't be covered under the CGA for anything after 12 months in any circumstances.

At this point i explained some of the points of the CGA that he must have missed and quickly left with my laptop.

He is one of the worst salesman i have ever met.

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#475232 28-May-2011 19:32

I was looking at buying a MacBook Pro from them soon, along with my previous experiences and others I have heard of, I will now be buying it elsewhere.

billgates

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#475234 28-May-2011 19:43

codyc1515: I was looking at buying a MacBook Pro from them soon, along with my previous experiences and others I have heard of, I will now be buying it elsewhere.

You will find them elsewhere as well. Who will not want to make a quick $10 ~$20 extra commission selling extended warranties and OEM AV's? There are bad and good sales people in every major retail outlet.

Do whatever you want to do man.

codyc1515

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#475236 28-May-2011 19:44

billgates:
codyc1515: I was looking at buying a MacBook Pro from them soon, along with my previous experiences and others I have heard of, I will now be buying it elsewhere.

You will find them elsewhere as well. Who will not want to make a quick $10 ~$20 extra commission selling extended warranties and OEM AV's? There are bad and good sales people in every major retail outlet.

I'm not saying that all dse stores/salespeople are bad, however, in my opinion: this has usually been the case.

tdgeek

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#475246 28-May-2011 20:03

Ive found them fine, and also very good on the 7 day right of return. I got an AV Sender they said if it doesnt do it well just bring it back, which I did.

But a few months back I got another WDTV Live. Took it to the counter, the girl offered an extended warranty. I declined. She said, "Why?" In a terse and unhappy voice. I was actually shocked by her manner, I should have had a go at her, as I am the customer, I don't have to justify my decisions to anyone. Clearly there is an incentive, or at least at minimum a strongly enforced performance target she as behind on. Next time I need something I will go back to that store and hope to see her again, for some Customer Relations 101

shrub

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#475248 28-May-2011 20:13

Does not matter where you buy your stuff from you will always get the same speels about extended this and buy this and i will discount this. I let them waste there comission time on me just for for a laugh when i point out there flaws most go red in the face and dont say a word more. I leave satisfied i made there day a whole heap worse than it could of been.
Big companys like to make there sales people robots that prompt for everything./FACT

Dunnersfella

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#475253 28-May-2011 20:51

shrub:I leave satisfied i made there day a whole heap worse than it could of been.

Just quietly, you don't sound like a very nice person./FACT

CADMAX

274 posts

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#475259 28-May-2011 21:13

LOL well when i got my last Mac off DSE they tried up selling me good old Norton 360 to run on the Mac. After i told this that last time i checked if it has windows 7 on the side of the box.......... its not mac conpatable!
sales person: well its works on all other laptops.......

DSE has some smart people........ not.

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tdgeek

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#475262 28-May-2011 21:22

Dunnersfella +1

mattRSK

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#475270 28-May-2011 21:56

I was asked 5 times if I wanted an extended warranty. The salesperson didn't want to know me after I said no the 5th time.

nigelj

856 posts

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#475277 28-May-2011 22:36

jbard: After this he started explaining about their extended warrenty system, after his 5 minutes speech i said i was happy with my coverage under the CGA and didn't want an extended warrenty.

So he then went on to say that extended warrenty coverage has a guaranteed repair time of 7 days were as with the CGA their is no time restriction and in his experience "items have often taken 2-3 months to be repaired"

He also said i wouldn't be covered under the CGA for anything after 12 months in any circumstances.

At this point i explained some of the points of the CGA that he must have missed and quickly left with my laptop.

He is one of the worst salesman i have ever met.

I've had similar experiences, did they write on your docket "Customer refused extended warranty, will risk CGA"? That's what they did on one purchase. Even better was when we went on & on about how the extended warranty was only $30-$40, where as taking DSE to Small Claims would cost $50+.

As far as the other story, I saw some shocking upselling by a Manager at another DSE, women brought a $20 (or so) MP3 player, he tried to load her up on iTunes vouchers, mobile top-ups and a Wall-USB charger. Obviously high profit margin items that help bump his [store's] performance ratings.

I don't blame them really, but they seem to be much more persistent now than other chains.

codyc1515

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#475279 28-May-2011 22:39

nigelj:
jbard: After this he started explaining about their extended warrenty system, after his 5 minutes speech i said i was happy with my coverage under the CGA and didn't want an extended warrenty.

So he then went on to say that extended warrenty coverage has a guaranteed repair time of 7 days were as with the CGA their is no time restriction and in his experience "items have often taken 2-3 months to be repaired"

He also said i wouldn't be covered under the CGA for anything after 12 months in any circumstances.

At this point i explained some of the points of the CGA that he must have missed and quickly left with my laptop.

He is one of the worst salesman i have ever met.

I've had similar experiences, did they write on your docket "Customer refused extended warranty, will risk CGA"? That's what they did on one purchase. Even better was when we went on & on about how the extended warranty was only $30-$40, where as taking DSE to Small Claims would cost $50+.

As far as the other story, I saw some shocking upselling by a Manager at another DSE, women brought a $20 (or so) MP3 player, he tried to load her up on iTunes vouchers, mobile top-ups and a Wall-USB charger. Obviously high profit margin items that help bump his [store's] performance ratings.

I don't blame them really, but they seem to be much more persistent now than other chains.

I tend to purchase things now exclusively from Noel Leeming and Harvey Norman (Palmerston North) as the two other larger stores (DSE & Bond and Bond) are simply frustrating with their constant pestering for "extended warranties", accessories, and the like just as you mention.

Honesty, if they try this on me they just lost a customer.

Technofreak

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#475284 28-May-2011 23:10

I've had generally good experiences with DSE, my main gripe, apart from the fact they don't sell discrete components any more, is some staff have poor product knowledge, however there are others that have excellent product knowledge. I've never had a problem when I've had to return stuff.

The problem with the extended warranty up sell etc is that's where the salespersons make most of their money. I don't think it was DSE, but a similar type of store where the sales staff didn't get any commission at all from selling the big ticket item i.e. laptop, the only money they made was from any upselling. It's no wonder they pester you about the extended warranties etc.

If they're getting stuff all as a retainer and nothing or next to nothing as a commission on the major items and you won't buy the extended warranty, then you go elsewhere because they pestered you, they really don't loose anything do they? Some no doubt get pushy in desperation.

I'm not saying it's a the right way to treat customers, it's just the way it is at some of the big retail chains.

Also like a lot of things, one person can ask a question or make a statement without the recipient being offended yet someone else will create offence with the same question or statement.

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wmoore

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#475286 28-May-2011 23:17

It's simply called up selling. Do whatever means possible to make the sale.
Same with HDMI cables etc.

When the guy said "One day i was given a copy of Norton and it found 30 viruses and some of them 2-3 years old"

You should of said in a loud voice...."Was that from all the Porn sites you had visited"

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DeroyBoy

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#475292 28-May-2011 23:37

I purchased a tv from dick smith On hp and the saleswoman said 'and I've added a five year warranty and some screen cleaning wipes' without even asking if I wanted them. I said no thanks I don't want them.

She took the screen cleaning wipes off without to much arguing but gave me the real hard sell on the warranty. I said I will just rely on the CGA. She said she does not know anything about that and pushed and pushed the extended warranty.

In the end I said ok I'll take it just to shut her up. I went back the next day and spoke to a different staff member and said I didn't want it. They agreed to cancel it.

Probably wouldn't buy there next time but any store you go to usually push warranties hard.

Loismustdye

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#475295 29-May-2011 00:08

I was with a friend a few months back who was buying a laptop fro his parents from DSE, after declining the extended warranty, the salesman (i use the term loosely,... he looked 12 and hadn't cut his hair in months) helpfully explained that the CGA doesn't work and that his manager ahd recently been at small claims where someone had tried to use CGA to get an item fixed, and they lost. I leaned forward, smiled at the salesperson, and promptly told him the only real benefit for a warranty is the quick turn around and the fact you don't have to fight to get the item fixed/returned, told him I'd give him $30 for it, which he declined and so my friend didn't get the warranty.

Although to be fair, no matter where you go every salesperson these days pushs the extended warranty/extra cables/virus software etc for the sale.
I've found the worst culprits in my town (palmy north) to be B+B, NL, HN and DSE, with JB Hifi being the "least pushy".

I'm guessing they all have sales targets to meet now.

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