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#1
08-19-2019, 12:59 PM
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Perfect example of why shopping online is better
(non-guitar content)
I love a good old brick and morter, mom-and-pop store in my local community and I have raved when there are good ones. But my ire is so strong today I never wanna step foot in a store again. I have a Verizon cell phone plan. My son needs to upgrade his phone. We know what he wants. I walk in the store and tried for a very long time to be understanding and kind. Two "sales" clowns pounce on me. I explain that I just recently changed my data plan, I don't use my tablet, I don't need any accessories, I don't need two new phones - I just want to buy a new phone my for son, replace his broken phone which is old and keep everything the same. No problem......out comes a sheet and options checked for my new data plan. I dont want that. I dont want anything but a new phone and no changes to anything. Ok, no problem......out comes the accessory bundle option (screen protectorm case, extra charger). I dont want that. I dont want anything but a new phone and no changes to anything. OK, no problem........out comes the discount for my tablet upgraded data plan. I dont want that. I dont want anything but a new phone and no changes to anything. OK, no problem, out come...... You get the idea. At one point I stopped them politely and said "I am getting frustrated with the upsell. I dont want anything I know exactly which model phone I want - I want to give you money and walk out the door with a phone. nothing more. nothing less" OK, no problem.......sales pitch for upgraded insurance followed, then another form listing my upgraded data plan, then another discussion about why I have to have a screen protector and case bundle. Total slimeball sales. I hope they go bankrupt and I'll buy all my phones on Amazon.
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Fazool "The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter" Taylor GC7, GA3-12, SB2-C, SB2-Cp...... Ibanez AVC-11MHx , AC-240 Last edited by TomB'sox; 08-19-2019 at 01:11 PM. Reason: typo 
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#2
08-19-2019, 02:05 PM
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?
So has anything remotely like that happened to you in a guitar store?
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- Tacoma ER22C - Tacoma CiC Chief - Tacoma EK36C (ancient cedar Little Jumbo, '01, #145/150) - Seagull SWS Maritime Mini Jumbo ('16) - Simon & Patrick Pro Folk Rosewood ('01) - Godin Montreal Premiere Supreme - Ibanez Mikro Bass
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#4
08-19-2019, 02:52 PM
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Quote:
"Slimeball"? That's a tad unnecessary, don't you think? This is what they do for a job. Often times, they're required to offer all of the things you don't want to hear about or they'll be disciplined, if not fired. Was there anything which precluded you from going the online route to begin with?
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#5
08-19-2019, 03:13 PM
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Different scenario in the UK. Probably the same stuff for sale, but the fist challenge would be to get one of the sales people to even look up from their phones to even talk to you.
I had a smart phine but all it ever said to me was "Android has stopped, OK?" I eventually found a "sales person" who admitted that the phone they'd sold me was crap, and he removed all the "smart" stuff off so I could use it as a PAYG "dumb" phone. More and more websites that I use for financial stuff want to sent me a "one time pass code" to my phone. Which means I've got to find it! argh!
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
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#6
08-19-2019, 03:16 PM
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Seems like you had a problem with individual salespeople in the store and not an issue with the store itself (meaning a different location could easily bring a totally different experience). Buying online wouldn't make all that much of a difference as you still need Verizon to activate the phone. When you try to do that you'll be faced with the same kind of "options" whether or not you're on the phone, in person or online. I find it just as easy to be rude to a pushy salesperson as to ignore the online suggestions. YOU are the customer so just be clear upfront in telling them what YOU want and then repeating it until you get it or walk out. The rest is irrelevant.
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#7
08-19-2019, 03:39 PM
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I have spent my career on the supplier side of the desk working with retailers-America’s largest retailers.
The battle for retail survival will be a real thing in the next few years. The strong brick and mortar companies will survive because of addressing shopper needs and eliminating wasted expense. Many, many retailers will need to retool their strategy-it won’t be enough to offer a robust on-line presence. Consumers will spend more time browsing at physical locations and shopping on line, and not necessarily at the retailers site. Successful retailers are going to have to downsize their footprint and pinpoint their inventory to make it. Sales associates had better be friendly and educated. (I don’t believe that will be a widespread occurrence.) I’m sorry for your bad experience. I have had to endure the same pain. The older I get the less tolerant I am of the BS. My time is to valuable!
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#8
08-19-2019, 03:46 PM
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I'm sorry you had a bad experience. The Verizon owned stores are usually the best among their peers. You can also order via the Verizon app and pick up in store or do that if the store is busy.
If you're a Verizon customer, their phone app is way safer than risking an Amazon seller having issues. There can be poor sales people but I try to have empathy and even coach a person or someone who might help. I've had some really rotten jobs in my life and once chose a transfer to sales department as an alternative to a layoff. Unless the person is truly a jerk it seems like we all benefit from trying to be nice. Related or not, I did chuckle last week when we ordered our new range from COSTCO via phone app. COSTCO had best price, included the install plus take away. Easy, straight forward and less money by $170 than other chain store sellers.
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ƃuoɹʍ llɐ ʇno əɯɐɔ ʇɐɥʇ
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#10
08-19-2019, 06:40 PM
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I've had the same issues with the Verizon store I go to. They are just like car sales people. And I just bought a new car not long ago. It's a miserable battle and not an enjoyable experience. What a business model. I have to be in a confrontational attitude to deal with these types of sales tactics. They try to get your money by wearing you down by attrition. The sales people are taught to deal with the customers in this fashion. They are using the decentness and pleasantness of people against themselves. And if you, the customer, get curt of short with them the it's you that has the issue and not the nice sales person that won't take no for an answer. Some jobs are toxic.
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Waterloo WL-S, K & K mini Waterloo WL-S Deluxe, K & K mini Iris OG, 12 fret, slot head, K & K mini Follow The Yellow Brick Road
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#11
08-19-2019, 08:00 PM
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If Verizon is like a lot of retailers the store manager is only the store manager as long as they "hit their numbers". So they most likely require their sales people to pound people into submission.
Don't ask me how I know.
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#12
08-19-2019, 08:11 PM
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I hear you Fazool. I had that same experience a couple years ago. Then the last time I needed a new phone, I got it at Sam's Club. Literally took three minutes to buy and activate a new phone. And just a phone. No add-ons, no warranties or changes to my plan, etc. Just what I wanted. Imagine that. Guess where I'll buy my next one?
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#13
08-19-2019, 09:31 PM
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For starters, Verizon stores are not mom & pop stores. Next you don't say what phone you have. If it's an iPhone, you can simply go to the Apple store or order it on line. You never have to go into a Verizon store. One shouldn't have to endure upsale tactics especially when you've already told them you only want a phone. In the future save yourself some aggravation - let your son go to buy his new phone. That might make him more likely to protect the one he has.
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#14
08-19-2019, 11:22 PM
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Quote:
I'm on Verizon too and have only one salesman that I'll deal with because he actually listens to what I've asked and then takes care of it. He may from time to time offer suggestions, but only where they seem advisable. Slimeball sales clowns everywhere these days and believe me, none of their feelings have been hurt except for the high pressure Verizon forum members here.
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Journey OF660, Adamas 1581, 1587, 1881, SMT - PRS Cu22, Ibanez JEM-FP, S540, RG550, Fender Stratocaster Heil PR-35 : Audio Technica AE-6100, ATM5R : Beyer TG-V90r : Sennheiser 441, 609, 845, 906 : ElectroVoice ND767 HK 608i Friedman WW Smallbox, Marshall 4212
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#15
08-20-2019, 12:13 AM
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I came here thinking it was about buying guitars online as opposed to in person.
While i think two phones of the same model are probably about equal, we sure can't say that about instruments. I have played three brand new D-18s in the store where I teach and one of them was far better than either of the others. When I bought my Eastman mandolin a decade ago, I took 3 or 4 into a back room at Toronto's Twelfth Fret and played the same passage on each and one of them blew the others away. It's now mine. If I'd bought it on line, I wouldn't have had this choice. My wife did buy me an octave mandolin through Mandolin Brothers about 20 some odd years ago and I was quite happy with it, but we had no local stores that sold octave mandos.
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Jim _____________________ -1962 Martin D-21 -1950 Gibson LG1 -1958 Goya M-26 -Various banjos, mandolins, dulcimers, ukuleles, Autoharps, mouth harps. . .
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