Yes, I want Fry's with that

[hrj]

You'd think that a store that advertises itself as the end-all and be-all of modern electronics would work just a little be harder to sell people things. For quite some time now I've been yearning after a computer projector -- just the thing for giving lectures and presentations. They're pricey ... majorly pricey ... but I do enough of this sort of presentation that having one would make my life much easier. And I can justify that it's coming out of my annual bonus with plenty of room to spare. As I mentioned previously, when I was in the Palo Alto Fry's a couple weeks ago, I would have bought one then if any salesperson had considered me worth talking to.

Well, having decided to take the plunge, among various other shopping errands yesterday, I went out to the Concord Fry's (which actually ended up having a smaller selection of projectors, but it didn't really matter). They have this big display with all sorts of projectors set up. And they have this reference book with all sorts of projector models listed with specifications and prices. But there's no obvious connection between the two. The projectors rarely have their model numbers in a visible place (and there's this big sign saying not to handle the projectors) and the reference book doesn't have pictures. So after walking around the display several times craning my head to try to identify models (and, again, with nobody coming over to ask if I needed help) I went to the sales station in that department and stood there trying to look like a customer who would dearly like to hand them gobs of money.

There were about five salesmen hanging around the station, a couple helping customers, a couple just chatting with each other. Still nobody asking if they could help me. I actually had to ask for assistance before anyone noticed me. I told him I wanted to talk to someone about projectors and he says, "Well, I don't really know anything about them, but let's go look." This does not sound promising. He leafs through the specification book. He cranes his head over the display trying to match up descriptions with models. At this point I've established what my intended purpose and general specifications are. He says, "Well, this one" pointing at one of the reference sheets "looks like it's what you're looking for. But lets check the inventory to see if we have any." We troupe back to the sales station. He starts talking to another salesman about an entirely different topic. Then he gets back to my inquiry and pulls it up on the inventory log. Nope, they don't have any of those -- only the display model, and he can't sell me that one.

At this point, for some reason, I get handed off to a different salesman. He says, "How about I go look in the back and see what we do have in stock?" He disappears for a while. Eventually he returns carrying a projector. "We have this one, and it's actually better than the one you were looking at before." I review the specs. Indeed, it's better and for a lower price than the one I'd been looking at. It doesn't seem to have been included in the reference book at the model display, though. But there is an actual projector of this model on display there. I inspect it and play with the features and decide it will do. I tell the salesman that I'll take it. We return to the sales station and then I get handed off to a third salesman who starts entering information for the paperwork. He encounters some difficulties in the process (like: how to spell my name ????) and salesman #4 has to help complete the transaction. Salesman #4 then carries the merchandise to the front counter for me.

What is wrong with this picture?

Lots of little errands got done and not much else. I took advantage of being over on the peninsula with a car and stopped at Union Square for some shopping. (A couple more pieces of my china pattern.) Then down to an odd little shop on Folsom St. that I'd been told was my best (and perhaps only) chance to find a replacement carafe for my espresso maker. Success. If you ever need a replacement part or accessory for some kitchen appliance, check out the Gourmet Depot. Then off to Fry's as described above, then back to Berkeley to REI looking for something else entirely, but picked up a couple of sports bras since they happened to have a selection in my size at the moment. Then uptown to Rasputins to pick up several newly released DVDs (HP4, Pride & Prejudice, Howl's Moving Castle) and do some fruitless browsing at Moe's Books. The antiquarian shop still has that copy of Edward Jones's "Relicks of the Welsh Bards" but I think I've gotten over my lust for it.

It was too cold and rainy to do any yardwork all weekend. Cold enough for a fire, one more time. I've actually scraped bottom on one side of the woodshed, which means I may have to actually go out and purchase wood some time this year. Some weather reports suggested that there might even be snow down to sea level, but I haven't seen any.

Comments

[johno.livejournal.com]

That is one of the ways Fry's shows that the Fry Brothers learned how to run a buisness from their Dad. You don't ask grocery store worker which brand/type of peas is better or what the best way to prepare is, and you don't ask a Fry's clerk which is the better projector.