From: dcg5662@hertz.njit.edu (Dave Grabowski (KxiK))
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Big NASTY Brother Radio Shack
Date: 17 Nov 92 07:19:23 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.


  Well, seeing this blooming thread, I just HAD to put in my two cents.
I'm sure everyone is SICK of "RS Sucks" stories.. well, TOO BAD, because
here's another:

  A few months ago, a visited a RS store that I've frequented since I
was old enough to crawl in the front door. I needed a 3-amp fuse for my
car radio. Grabbed a pack off the shelf, and noticed the price: a
whopping 79 cents. A small price to pay for good tunes in the ol' Honda.
The salesman scans it, and asks for $1.05 (99 cents plus 6 cents NJ
sales tax). Being the consciencious (sp) consumer, I mentioned the
twenty cent discrepancy. He refused to do ANYTHING about it -- said that
"we're going through price changes." I'm sure that some of you have had
similar problems, and what they are SUPPOSED to do is merely take off
the difference as "Customer Satisfaction."
  Oh, but there's more. He refused to do so. We argued. Finally, I gave
in. Now he refused to sell it to me. "Here's my money," I said. "Gimmie
my damn fuses." He claimed that he didn't have to sell me anything if he
didn't want to. He put the fuses behind the counter.
  Leaving my $1.05 on the counter, I went to the back of the store and
grabbed another pack off the shelf. It was hilarious watching him chase
me around, saying, "Gimmie that! Gimmie!" I headed for the door. He beat
me to it (knocking over a display of clock radios) and locked me in. The
people in the store just sorta stood there, while passers by looked
really puzzled at this salesman spread-eagle across the door, holding
the lock, keeping me in. I asked if he felt that I was stealing
something. I said I couldn't be stealing anything -- I PAID FOR IT. My
money was on the counter. "I'll call the police," he said.
  "Go right ahead," I replied and started to giggle. I sat down at a
cheezy computer desk and stared at him. He stood there, dumbfounded, and
paused for a few seconds before opening the door and telling me to
leave. "Are you sure you want me to leave?" I asked. "Aren't the police
coming to arrest me?"
  "Thank you for never shopping here again," he said as I walked ouf the
door.

  Nice story, eh? I wrote a two-page letter to Lenny Klegg at RS, and
sent a copy to the manager of the store (who would get a copy anyway,
from the district manager). I even mentioned the name of the evil
salesperson. No reply from the store manager, but I
received an apologetic reply from Klegg. No free stuff, though. I would
have liked some free stuff. (I doubt it's RS's policy to give free stuff
to unhappy patrons).

  The moral of the story: RS sucks, and we all know that. The
salespeople don't know anything (not even about FEDERAL LAW), the prices
are outrageous, the selection is pitiful, etc. etc. etc. However, when
you're hurtin' for another transistor because you just blew your last
one with 120VAC, it's a 5-minute drive away.. *sigh*

-Dave
-- 
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Kappa Xi Kappa - Over & Above!                         dcg5662@hertz.njit.edu
9 Sussex Ave., Newark, NJ (car theft capital USA)   70721.2222@compuserve.com