Re: The H**L With Circuit City!!!! {NDC}

On Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:23:23 GMT, "DGDevin" <dgdevin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

"The old geezer" <JYOB@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1175249758.154871.232500@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So let them save their $1 an hour. And let them do without your
business.


But everybody wants a deal, the lowest price, so they shop at Mega Discount
Electronics online, thus local brick-and-mortar stores lose sales so they
have to cut costs to stay in business. Ask anyone who runs a retail
business, every day they hear the same thing, "But I can get it way cheaper
online." People expect their local music store to sell them a guitar for
their kid at the same price as the online outlets, but of course they want a
full setup on it as well at no extra charge; they want the local bicycle
store to sell them parts and accessories at the rock bottom price but also
help install them; cameras, computers--you name it, they want full service
but the same price as they can get online at some zero-service warehouse
dealer.

Companies like Circuit City are responding to the choices consumers make
every day, and if consumers vote with their dollars for the lowest price and
nothing but then companies with local outlets (and higher operating costs)
will hire the cheapest staff they can. If you think nothing but greed is
involved, that these companies are not facing potential failure, then maybe
you can explain why Comp USA just closed a bunch of their locations.

You're right about this. The trend to make purchasing decisions based
solely on the lowest possible price (which, of course, is a perfectly
justifiable reason to buy from a specific place) makes it hard for
stores to actually offer service. And yet people complain when they
get things at rock-bottom prices and don't get outstanding service
with that low price.

Can you honestly say that if are shopping for a big-ticket electronic item
you'd happily pay more at a local shop with experienced, knowledgeable staff
rather than going to the Discount Electronics Barn with mouth-breathing kids
for employees, your buying decisions are never price-driven? Do you really
go to a local shop and pay $999.99 for something you can get online for
$749.95? If so you're a rare breed indeed.

If I'm shopping for a big-ticket electronic item I'm not buying it
on-line. I want to be able to listen to the stereo component or watch
the big-screen TV before I spend lots of money on something. Online
doesn't give me that opportunity.

When I put my current stereo system together (which I've had more or
less intact for 15 years now) I shopped at a place that let me really
listen to all the components, often for hours, before purchasing. I'd
let them know I wanted to come in on a specific day to listen to some
components, they would set up a room with a similar setup to what I
had at home along with the new component I was considering. The sales
guy I dealt with primarily was a Deadhead - I think he was as pscyhed
for some of the listening sessions as I was. I'm sure I paid a little
more for the components than if I shopped a lot of different stores
but the quality of service was worth it to me. Of course, since I was
a good customer and bought my whole system from them (one piece at a
time) they also gave me discounts on most of my purchases without my
having to ask. Good service generated a good customer which led to
better discounts. That model doesn't seem to work too well any more
(the store has since been sold to a larger regional chain, the sales
guys I bought from were all let go and the service has gone to hell).

If a local merchant that spent time with me, let me try a variety of
TVs and had a selling price of $999 when I could buy the same TV
online for $749 I'd ask them if they could do any better on the price.
I wouldn't expect them to match it, but if they could make a
concession I'd be happy to buy from them. And, strangely, when you
spend time working with a sales person and get to know them they will
often offer you a break on the price. Service has value to me.
.

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