It almost didn’t happen. Best Buy almost let us down today. We decided on the Canon model we wanted to purchase. Amazon was offering it for $50 less than Best Buy, but I wanted to test it out before biting the bullet.
Best Buy has great selection of cameras on display. At least 30-40 models in different brands. I went to test the two cameras that made our shortlist. However, the models on display didn’t work because the circuit board controlling them was broken. I also noticed that the batteries were dead for most of the other cameras in the store. Why bother selling cameras if customers can’t try them out? So I complained to both saleskids, who couldn’t give a flying f**k that the cameras weren’t working.
At that point, I became cheeky – and commented that I was ready, willing and able to buy a camera today in their store but they were losing an easy sale because I couldn’t test any of them out. I quickly saw that I was talking to two human walls, so Chloe and I decided to leave. At the exit, however, I thought I’d lodge a formal complaint. The security guard found me the supervisor of the camera department who offered to let me test the two cameras. He apologized for the sorry state of the cameras on display and the sorry state of his saleskids, and proceeded to take new cameras from their respective boxes. I got to do what I had come to do and test them, he agreed to meet me halfway on the price and made the sale. I left the store happy that I had a new camera in hand and he was a couple hundred dollars closer to meeting whatever sales goals he needed to meet for the month.
Stupid saleskids. Don’t they realize they’re lucky to have jobs in this crummy economy? That if they don’t provide good service people won’t buy the store’s goods, the store will close and they’ll be out of jobs? I suppose that’s too much thinking for them. The two teens spent more time talking about the candy they were eating than trying to help potential customers who wanted to put money into Best Buy’s coffers.
Needless to say, I took the photo of Chloe with the new gadget. So far, so good. Now, if I can just prevent it from getting stolen or broken or lost…at least until 2011.
