[OT] -- Fry's and other retailers

[Robert Hendley]

I agree I will not go to Fry's CompUsa or shop any retail place were I know more than the salesperson helping me as well which leaves me
few choices but I manage never the less and have less stress as a result. It amazes me that so many people shop at big box retailers
these days. Sure I was caught up in the slick marketing with the advent of these companies. I have a story I offten tell which
illistrates my point.
I had a plumbing problem(I'll spare you the details) and need to get either a plumber or at least a plunger right away. So I went down
the street to ACE hardware and bought a plunger. A week later or so I needed some hardware store stuff and went to HOME DEPOT and got
the stuff I needed. While there I happened upon the same plunger (same exact one) and noted the price seem to be higher. Upon getting
home I checked my ACE recipt to find I paid on the order of half at ACE. So I thought maybe it was mis-marked and had some extra time so
I went to ACE with my home depot recipt and picked out exact items when possible and compared. The plunger was not missed marked nor
were several other pieces. In all I would have saved about 2.50 or so from what I recall if I had bought it all from ACE. In addition I
thought about it some more and realized that I recieve little to no help at Home Depot and it takes at least 45 mins to get in and out.
At Ace I am in and out in 5 mins  and get helped instantly and spend about the same. I realize that home depot probly has better
specials then ACE and has more stock for a large projects but to me it is not worth it. So I go to my local hardware store first then
the Big guys. But as a small sucessful electronics store owner I know more than the average consumer about small outfits and how the big
guys operate.


"der.hans" wrote:

> Am 10. Feb, 2001 schwäzte Kevin Brown so:
>
> > I know this is off topic, but I was wondering if anyone knew if places like
> > Fry's and CompUSA really have any legal right to search your purchases before
> > you leave after you have paid for them.
>
> Easiest way to take care of it is to not shop there. Haven't been in Fry's
> for quite some time. In addition to accusing me of stealing every time I
> leave* CompUSA is überexpensive anyway.
>
> Fry's also pisses me off because as a guy they want me to leave my
> backpack at the front door (they often want my helmet left as well and I
> told them where to put that request), but women/girls are allowed to bring
> in purses large enough to crate off a 21" monitor. It's not like I'm even
> limber enough to reach my backpack when it's on my back.
>
> I've also had friends who worked for incredible universe/fry's. One was a
> full-timer in the army working there part-time and mentioned that iu was
> far more militaristic than the army. I guess things got worse after it
> became a fry's.
>
> Unfortunately I do shop at Costco, though I did manage to avoid it for a
> few years.
>
> Maybe we should make a list of non-fascist places to purchase geek gear in
> the Valley as well as on the net.
>
> ciao,
>
> der.hans
>
> [*] If they need to check my receipt when I leave, they're implying that
> I've stolen something. If they'd just setup a decent checkout system, they
> wouldn't need to do that, e.g. don't have product displays after the
> checkout and more clearly separate people leaving without going through
> the checkouts.
>
> --
> #  der.hans@LuftHans.com   home.pages.de/~lufthans/   www.YourCompanyHere.net ;-)
> #  If you're not learning, you're not living. - der.hans
>
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