Quote:
Originally Posted by Solicitous
Just my recommendation on Harvey Norman, don't go in there with questions, go in merely to have a look at the iRiver Story (if that is one you are thinking about). The sales staff there know nothing about them, best to ask questions on here and use a retail shop to have a physical look at it.
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I'd certainly second that!
Here's how my first visit there went:
Cocky Young Sales Boy sees Old Codger (me) who is clearly far too ancient to understand technology more complex than a knife and fork.
CYSB: Yeah?
OC: Could I have a closer look at the iRiver Story in that cabinet please?
CYSB: (opens cabinet) They're the only ones in Australia.
OC: Well, not quite - you can get Be-Books and Eco-Readers, and Kindles and ....
CYSB: (Beligerently) They're exclusive to Harvey Norman's!
OC: Oh. What about the other two Australian stockists listed on the iRiver web-site? No go?
CYSB: Wanna try?
OC: Thanks.
Now, I've owned computers literally since before CYSB was born, and have been assembling my own for nearly as long, but CYSB's like to think they know more than us old relics so I scrolled through and opened a book or two, checked out the zoom function and then tried a couple of questions.
OC: The font on this PDF is tiny, and the zoom option makes it even smaller, do you know how to make it more readable?
CYSB: Um.....(prod.... poke.... ) uh.....
OC: Never mind, I'll Google it. Are there any adjustable settings with the E-ink display?
CYSB: Um .... (prod....poke).....er...
OC: Don't bother, I'll Google it. Can you do any better than $398 for cash?
CYSB: ( Emphatically) No.
OC. OK. Thanks for the demo. I'll doing some more checking.
CYSB: They're selling quick.
Near the cabinet I noticed a pile of the sort of junk mail brochure that they try and stuff in your letter box. The iRiver Story was featured at a Special Price of $398. I glanced at the regular price on the box - it was $399.95. The Special Deal was whopping $1.95 discount, and I'd just passed on it!
A week later, after doing some more research, I went back. The sale was over, and I got a different salesman. The same number were still in stock (5).
Me: Do you know anything about these machines?
YSB: Yeah..... (however he rather spoiled the effect by having to then ask one of his mates how to turn it on
)
Me: Don't worry about a demo. Can you do better than that for cash?
YSB: (tap tap tap on calculator) $367? (i.e
$31 less than the Special Sale price they previously wouldn't budge from!)
Me: Thanks. I'll take it.
They call them Hardly Normal for a good reason it seems.
Chris