Comments for Clif Guy all the time http://clifguy.com Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:03:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 Comment on Worst? Buy by mack maker http://clifguy.com/2008/10/30/worst-buy/#comment-4318 mack maker Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:44:47 +0000 http://clifguy.com/?p=610#comment-4318 If you really wanted to have some fun, you could have called the RIAA and unleashed them on Best Buy and the employee. If the laptop truly did have pirated music and torrents on it, the RIAA would just LOVE to sue Best Buy for reselling pirated music. I am sure the RIAA would have more than compensated you for the cost of the laptop. Oh yes, and I'm sure that was not a legitimate version of MS Office either. If you really wanted to have some fun, you could have called the RIAA and unleashed them on Best Buy and the employee. If the laptop truly did have pirated music and torrents on it, the RIAA would just LOVE to sue Best Buy for reselling pirated music. I am sure the RIAA would have more than compensated you for the cost of the laptop. Oh yes, and I’m sure that was not a legitimate version of MS Office either.

]]> Comment on Worst? Buy by Pat http://clifguy.com/2008/10/30/worst-buy/#comment-4315 Pat Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:05:56 +0000 http://clifguy.com/?p=610#comment-4315 Clifg, Everything else has been said. But allow me - you acted with both class and style. Kudos! Clifg,

Everything else has been said. But allow me - you acted with both class and style. Kudos!

]]> Comment on Worst? Buy by Jeremy http://clifguy.com/2008/10/30/worst-buy/#comment-4309 Jeremy Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:09:50 +0000 http://clifguy.com/?p=610#comment-4309 Were the movies at least anything good? Were the movies at least anything good?

]]> Comment on Worst? Buy by Justin http://clifguy.com/2008/10/30/worst-buy/#comment-4308 Justin Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:55:25 +0000 http://clifguy.com/?p=610#comment-4308 You got picked up by Consumerist! The thing I don't understand is how BB's system didn't tell them it was an open box. When I worked at CC, there were several categories for inventory like OB (open box), DP (display model), and of course one that I can't remember the abbreviation for that was new in box. Or maybe they just didn't care. I'm going with option B You got picked up by Consumerist!

The thing I don’t understand is how BB’s system didn’t tell them it was an open box. When I worked at CC, there were several categories for inventory like OB (open box), DP (display model), and of course one that I can’t remember the abbreviation for that was new in box.

Or maybe they just didn’t care. I’m going with option B

]]> Comment on Worst? Buy by Jason Reece http://clifguy.com/2008/10/30/worst-buy/#comment-4307 Jason Reece Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:52:01 +0000 http://clifguy.com/?p=610#comment-4307 Stories like sound so insane that nobody could even make it up, it has to be true! The first distrubing fact-- Mr. GeekSquad is apparently unaware of the System Recovery partition included on virtually every laptop for the last five years or more! Making it even more incredulous, Dell is one of the few notebook manufacturers that still includes a Windows re-installation CD, redundant with the System Recovery partition but very useful if the hard drive was damaged.....and I'd think Mr; Geek Squad could at least slide that disc into the slot loading DVD drive before returning it? Big problem number 2- selling you an "Open Box" item without you knowing it. At least the manager took it back and gave you a slightly better configuration (for the same price, correct?). If you've seen any of the nightmare tales from Circuit City customers (at THe Consumerist), just keep in mind that it actually could have been much worse than the way it turned out. With Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart and any other retail store- AIM LOW and you won't be disappointed. =) I also try to avoid making any sort of technical purchase (not even digital cameras, cordless phones or DVD players). Alarm clocks, maybe! lol I've seen a few stories (published in tech/computer magazines such as PC Mag, PC World and even Consumer Reports) where writers from each respective publication compared the experience of buying a laptop at a brick-and-mortar retail store. The included Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal Mart, Fry's and one even shopped the Apple store, too. Without fail, each writer encountered unfriendly store associates who were so ignorant about the products in their store that they either lied, made up incorrect answers to questions and some that even argued after they had proven wrong!!! The Apple store was a polar opposite experience- either they grow their employees in pods in the stock room OR it is possible to pay people to care! The thought of going into a store and buying a laptop or letting a friend, family member or even co-worker wander into a store to buy a laptop makes me nauseous. I talk to a lot of folks online asking for advice on what kind of laptop to buy and where to buy it. I do my best to keep them out of the stores and, if that isn't possible for some reason, I try to help them prepare their shield against store employees! They can't do anything that will make the purchase easier or better in any way...don't even make eye contact if you don't have to....sunglasses come in handy so they can't try to lock eyes and go in for the kill! (BTW, the advice I give for buying a laptop in a retail store is the same exact advice I give for anyone going to test drive and/or to purchase a car!) Like a car, I consider a laptop to be a MAJOR purchase. Anything over $500, I consider to be MAJOR. As such, preparing, conducting product research and comparisons, shopping around for the best pricing and anything else to help me make an educated decision that I won't regret are essential. The best way to buy a laptop, with very few exceptions, is either directly from the manufacturer (HP, Dell, Toshiba, etc.) or from a reputable online retailer with a clearly-stated return and refund policy! I'm a big fan of Newegg.com, as far as online retailers go. If you MUST have a laptop from Circuit CIty or Best Buy, go to theiir website and try to order it online for store pickup. Pay online with your credit card if it offers that choice. The goal is to have your choice set in stone, pulled from stock and waiting for you when you arrive. This eliminates any chance of an employee ruining any and everything! It usually eliminates the Extended Warranty Sales Pitch- which I pre-empt before they can utter the words both in stores and when I'm buying a car! LOL Despite the disdain many of us have for Best Buy, for many folks like myself (in Atlanta) BB will soon be our only choice for an electronics store. All 16 Circuit City stores are closing here.,.....and I'll be surprised if Circuit City exists anywhere in a few more months! Stories like sound so insane that nobody could even make it up, it has to be true! The first distrubing fact– Mr. GeekSquad is apparently unaware of the System Recovery partition included on virtually every laptop for the last five years or more! Making it even more incredulous, Dell is one of the few notebook manufacturers that still includes a Windows re-installation CD, redundant with the System Recovery partition but very useful if the hard drive was damaged…..and I’d think Mr; Geek Squad could at least slide that disc into the slot loading DVD drive before returning it?

Big problem number 2- selling you an “Open Box” item without you knowing it. At least the manager took it back and gave you a slightly better configuration (for the same price, correct?). If you’ve seen any of the nightmare tales from Circuit City customers (at THe Consumerist), just keep in mind that it actually could have been much worse than the way it turned out. With Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart and any other retail store- AIM LOW and you won’t be disappointed. =) I also try to avoid making any sort of technical purchase (not even digital cameras, cordless phones or DVD players). Alarm clocks, maybe! lol

I’ve seen a few stories (published in tech/computer magazines such as PC Mag, PC World and even Consumer Reports) where writers from each respective publication compared the experience of buying a laptop at a brick-and-mortar retail store. The included Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal Mart, Fry’s and one even shopped the Apple store, too. Without fail, each writer encountered unfriendly store associates who were so ignorant about the products in their store that they either lied, made up incorrect answers to questions and some that even argued after they had proven wrong!!! The Apple store was a polar opposite experience- either they grow their employees in pods in the stock room OR it is possible to pay people to care!

The thought of going into a store and buying a laptop or letting a friend, family member or even co-worker wander into a store to buy a laptop makes me nauseous. I talk to a lot of folks online asking for advice on what kind of laptop to buy and where to buy it. I do my best to keep them out of the stores and, if that isn’t possible for some reason, I try to help them prepare their shield against store employees! They can’t do anything that will make the purchase easier or better in any way…don’t even make eye contact if you don’t have to….sunglasses come in handy so they can’t try to lock eyes and go in for the kill! (BTW, the advice I give for buying a laptop in a retail store is the same exact advice I give for anyone going to test drive and/or to purchase a car!)

Like a car, I consider a laptop to be a MAJOR purchase. Anything over $500, I consider to be MAJOR. As such, preparing, conducting product research and comparisons, shopping around for the best pricing and anything else to help me make an educated decision that I won’t regret are essential.

The best way to buy a laptop, with very few exceptions, is either directly from the manufacturer (HP, Dell, Toshiba, etc.) or from a reputable online retailer with a clearly-stated return and refund policy! I’m a big fan of Newegg.com, as far as online retailers go. If you MUST have a laptop from Circuit CIty or Best Buy, go to theiir website and try to order it online for store pickup. Pay online with your credit card if it offers that choice. The goal is to have your choice set in stone, pulled from stock and waiting for you when you arrive. This eliminates any chance of an employee ruining any and everything! It usually eliminates the Extended Warranty Sales Pitch- which I pre-empt before they can utter the words both in stores and when I’m buying a car! LOL

Despite the disdain many of us have for Best Buy, for many folks like myself (in Atlanta) BB will soon be our only choice for an electronics store. All 16 Circuit City stores are closing here.,…..and I’ll be surprised if Circuit City exists anywhere in a few more months!

]]> Comment on Worst? Buy by James http://clifguy.com/2008/10/30/worst-buy/#comment-4304 James Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:03:34 +0000 http://clifguy.com/?p=610#comment-4304 Geek Squad has gone from being a joke in the IT Community to being downright despised. I'm not saying that the individuals are all bad by association (though some are). In several Best Buy locations I frequent, the only Geek Squad on staff are as fresh out of high school as you can get. What's worse is they seem to have an elitist attitude, since they (last I heard) were required to pass CompTIA's A+ Certification. To quote someone else, that falls somewhere between breathing and tying your shoes. There are tons of stories circulating on the 'net about the trustworthiness of Geek Squad with your Data. I've told people looking for PC repair that I would rather hand my notebook over to someone on the streets than Geek Squad. Chances are they wouldn't know how to get to my data. The goons at Geek Squad actually might have half a clue on how to get to my goodies, as well as some bad intentions. I have never handed anything over to Geek Squad, do they sign off on any kind of non-disclosure agreement as to not copying/transmitting your data? Geek Squad has gone from being a joke in the IT Community to being downright despised. I’m not saying that the individuals are all bad by association (though some are). In several Best Buy locations I frequent, the only Geek Squad on staff are as fresh out of high school as you can get. What’s worse is they seem to have an elitist attitude, since they (last I heard) were required to pass CompTIA’s A+ Certification. To quote someone else, that falls somewhere between breathing and tying your shoes.
There are tons of stories circulating on the ‘net about the trustworthiness of Geek Squad with your Data. I’ve told people looking for PC repair that I would rather hand my notebook over to someone on the streets than Geek Squad. Chances are they wouldn’t know how to get to my data. The goons at Geek Squad actually might have half a clue on how to get to my goodies, as well as some bad intentions.
I have never handed anything over to Geek Squad, do they sign off on any kind of non-disclosure agreement as to not copying/transmitting your data?

]]> Comment on Worst? Buy by Randy http://clifguy.com/2008/10/30/worst-buy/#comment-4303 Randy Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:26:02 +0000 http://clifguy.com/?p=610#comment-4303 i had a similar situation happen when i was scammed into buying what i thought was a new hp i had a similar situation happen when i was scammed into buying what i thought was a new hp

]]> Comment on Worst? Buy by Hammie http://clifguy.com/2008/10/30/worst-buy/#comment-4296 Hammie Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:51:08 +0000 http://clifguy.com/?p=610#comment-4296 The response from the manager was really tacky. "We screwed up but we fixed it!" Great! But then: "Care to enroll in our protection scam, I mean warranty?" I believe said warranty is serviced by Geek Squad. The response from the manager was really tacky. “We screwed up but we fixed it!” Great! But then: “Care to enroll in our protection scam, I mean warranty?” I believe said warranty is serviced by Geek Squad.

]]> Comment on Worst? Buy by B http://clifguy.com/2008/10/30/worst-buy/#comment-4292 B Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:46:13 +0000 http://clifguy.com/?p=610#comment-4292 i hope you at least grabbed all the torrents. i hope you at least grabbed all the torrents.

]]> Comment on Worst? Buy by deviantmonk http://clifguy.com/2008/10/30/worst-buy/#comment-4262 deviantmonk Sun, 02 Nov 2008 07:39:07 +0000 http://clifguy.com/?p=610#comment-4262 Best Buy is a pretty worthless store, IMO. I went in after getting my new computer to spend some money on a new monitor. I couldn't get anybody to talk to me, show me where the actual inventory was or anything else. So I left and bought it online. I pretty much plan on never buying anything from them ever again. That being said, I'm kind of surprised (in the 'having some faith left in humanity' sense rather than the 'Best Buy surely has some measure of responsibility' sense) that the manager didn't throw in the extended warranty. At the same time I'm not that surprised since the warranties, from what I understand, are where they make a lot of money. Best Buy is a pretty worthless store, IMO. I went in after getting my new computer to spend some money on a new monitor. I couldn’t get anybody to talk to me, show me where the actual inventory was or anything else. So I left and bought it online. I pretty much plan on never buying anything from them ever again.

That being said, I’m kind of surprised (in the ‘having some faith left in humanity’ sense rather than the ‘Best Buy surely has some measure of responsibility’ sense) that the manager didn’t throw in the extended warranty. At the same time I’m not that surprised since the warranties, from what I understand, are where they make a lot of money.

]]>