Quote:
Originally Posted by bookwerm
IMHO, I don't think it's fair to compare an Apple employee, who only sell one manufacturer's line of products, with a Best Buy or Target employee who has to sell multiple manufacturer's lines of products. Yes, Apple has a variety of products, but they have similarities in OS's, interfaces, user experiences, etc., so the differences between how say an iPod Touch and an iPad are nowhere near as complex as what a BB employee has to learn, like the difference between a Roxio player and an HP netbook (just as an example - not even sure if those products exist). Yes, employee training on products can always be improved, but Apple is a different kind of store and it's unfairly disadvantages Target and BB to insinuate they sell the same kind of products.
Just my $.02.
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You're right; it's not fair to compare the two. However, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know when a display is malfunctioning. Employees should at least be trained to remove those display models.
Quote:
Originally Posted by =X=
Well you should compare apples to apples (no pun intended)
If you go to a Sony Style store you will find all of the SONY devices working properly with reps knowledgeable on the product.
Same when I went to a B&N store they had a fully functional nook.
It's when you go to large retailers (Target/Wal Mart/ Best Buy/Office Depot/Staples) Where the display product is not working properly and the reps don't know much about the product.
=X=
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I didn't know Sony had dedicated physical stores. I checked after reading your post, and there are none in my area, but it would make for a more fair comparison.
As to the B&N Stores, the last time I inquired about a Nook in one was just before they were released. I walked up the the counter just under "Nook, the world's most advanced e-reader" banner and asked a couple of questions. The employees were completely in the dark. Things may have changed, but that's how it was late last year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsvick
When I was researching before I bought mine I went to three stores to look at different readers, none of the readers worked at any of them. At two of the BB stores I went to the display models were right at the front of store, just begging to be touched, poked, and played with by everyone that walked by. At one they called their "reader expert" over to help me. She turned it off, turned it on, pushed a few buttons. Declared it dead, removed it from the display and told me they'd order another display model and I should call in a week or two.
For expensive devices like that I think it would be totally appropriate to keep a display model locked up and to only let people that ask for it to hold it.
Back to the topic at hand, I think that this is something Amazon almost has to do to stay competitive. Almost all the other devices you can go get your hands on them prior to ordering. Also, there is the immediate gratification factor at Target, you see it, you play with it, you like it , you can go home with it right away.
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Not a bad idea, although many people will be reluctant to ask. It could result in fewer sales.