Brick-and-Mortar Store Thread - Page 19

tcv · 11-25-2006, 10:57 PM

FWIW:

I went to the Borders in Metairie, Louisiana today. (This is a suburb of New Orleans.) All they had were Sony Reader brochures hidden behind the clerk's computer monitor. I inquired about them and they said, "Uhmm... I don't know if we even have them." And that was that.

evil_bunny · 11-26-2006, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWood

I wonder if the Boarders discount would apply to the cards? Those of us in the USA could make a small sideline of buying the cards and then selling them via PayPal or something else to the other members that are outside of the USA and only have credit cards with non-USA addresses.

I can tell you that you will not receive a Personal Shopping Day discount on them. I am 95% sure that you may not use Holiday Rewards on them, and 90% sure that they do not count for Holiday Rewards.

They exist in the system as gift cards, are purchased using the same methodologies, and therefore are exempt from the ideas of value and worth.

evil_bunny · 11-26-2006, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcv

FWIW:

I went to the Borders in Metairie, Louisiana today. (This is a suburb of New Orleans.) All they had were Sony Reader brochures hidden behind the clerk's computer monitor. I inquired about them and they said, "Uhmm... I don't know if we even have them." And that was that.

Not all stores received stock of them. The stores that did not were given the opportunity to request stock, however I believe the inventory is not there to fulfill those requests... Not that the information stated should be considered true or an accurate representation of reality.

lbealsjr · 11-30-2006, 03:11 PM

Was in the Borders store at South Coast Plaza, CA and they had two (make that one now) Readers and one display model with a couple of covers and a cradle. Staff seemed somewhat on top of the issue and said they had sold fairly well.

The Sony Style store on the other hand didn't appear to have any in stock and the sales clerks there were a bit clueless.

Purchased one to use on future thru-hikes, Pacific Crest Trail in 2007, as a way of carrying trail guides, maps and reference materials. Lots of typing in my future :-).

At first blush the Reader is very easy on the eyes and even my aunt (a noted technophobe but a world traveler) thought it was a pretty interesting idea but interest waned a bit when the list of books available was a bit thin.

Lawrence

MWetherspoon · 11-30-2006, 03:12 PM

Borders on RT1 in Princeton NJ has about 8 - 10 left in stock as of a little more than a week ago if anyone in this area is looking for them.

Also had the covers and three or four of the sync cradles.

JoeTampa · 12-01-2006, 01:29 AM

I bought mine yesterday at a Borders in Fairview Heights, IL. Of interest:

* The display model had been locked with a code -- apparently by a patron. They could not demo the unit and had no idea how to unlock it or factory reset it, saying they'd have to call Sony in the morning.

* The staff told me that the unit was NOT returnable. This seemed in contrast with their posted policy (which states that non-returnables include what you'd normally expect - opened videos, tapes, etc). However, on the back of the receipt, "electronics" is added to the list of nonreturnables in barely readable print. I'm not from IL and don't know the law here, but in NY it wouldn't fly as the return policy must be stated PRE-purchase. Be careful if you're thinking you'll buy it and return it in a few days if it's just not right for you. However, the manager at this store DID say that he'd take it back because I was unable to try out the display unit. YMMV.

* They had around 4-5 units in stock, but did NOT appear to have any cradles. They had a few extra cases, but I personally like the black case.

* If they sell eBooks there, they don't know it.

* A few of the staff members plan to buy one.

* They had, based on the conversations they had amongst themselves, just gotten their stock and display in quite recently.

NatCh · 12-01-2006, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeTampa

The display model had been locked with a code -- apparently by a patron.

That's really obnoxious. It really burns me up when people do stupid stuff like that.

ThomWill · 12-01-2006, 11:59 AM

Computer sellers have had those problems for years, folks putting on BIOS level password on display models etc. Of course there is the alternative of not letting anyone handle them. My local Fry's lost my purchase of the reader to the local Borders because their display unit was in a cage screwed down to the display and they were unwilling to let me get a new one out and lay my hands on it before paying $350 for it.

NatCh · 12-01-2006, 12:35 PM

I suppose we MobileReaders could carry the Hard Reset instructions with us, and perform the 'Public Service' of resetting any locked units we run across.

tcv · 12-01-2006, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

That's really obnoxious. It really burns me up when people do stupid stuff like that.

What's really bad about it is that the store will view this as vandalism and then they'll pressure companies like Sony to send them non-working units. Remember the good old days when you could go into a store, pick up a PDA and play with it fully?

NatCh · 12-01-2006, 06:15 PM

You still can in (the few) stores where the sales people know enough to handle such idiocy.

tcv · 12-01-2006, 06:18 PM

Well, I have noticed that the stores are getting a bit better with the kiosks that are either locked down pretty well or you simply can't access some of the buttons. Best Buy, for instance, displays the Samsung Q1 in a case that allows you to use it, pick it up, but not access the power button!

NatCh · 12-01-2006, 06:25 PM

Microcenter and Fry's were the ones I was thinking of. Although Fry's' sales people's knowledge is certainly debatable.

They usually have the styli removed, but I carry my own with me anyway.

William Moates · 12-01-2006, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThomWill

Computer sellers have had those problems for years, folks putting on BIOS level password on display models etc. Of course there is the alternative of not letting anyone handle them.

I think the better alternative is to have more educated sales staff, but that probably won't happen. Most retailers are more interested in cutting expenses instead of quality service.

(Sorry about that. I went into Grumpy Old Man mode, and I'm not even 40 yet. :sheepish_grin: )

ThomWill · 12-01-2006, 10:50 PM

I really wasn't suggesting that the "lock it down, lock it away" is better, just the way that some retailers have gone. The folks who lock these things down are probably the same folks who pick up expensive steaks from the meat department and then "decide" they don't want them and just set them down in another part of the store. I worked on some retail management software once and one of the store managers we worked with assured me that some of that middling vandalism madness was actually his competition trying to whittle away at his margins!

11-30-2006, 03:11 PM	#274
lbealsjr Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony E-Reader	Borders - South Coast Plaza, CA Was in the Borders store at South Coast Plaza, CA and they had two (make that one now) Readers and one display model with a couple of covers and a cradle. Staff seemed somewhat on top of the issue and said they had sold fairly well. The Sony Style store on the other hand didn't appear to have any in stock and the sales clerks there were a bit clueless. Purchased one to use on future thru-hikes, Pacific Crest Trail in 2007, as a way of carrying trail guides, maps and reference materials. Lots of typing in my future :-). At first blush the Reader is very easy on the eyes and even my aunt (a noted technophobe but a world traveler) thought it was a pretty interesting idea but interest waned a bit when the list of books available was a bit thin. Lawrence

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11-25-2006, 10:57 PM	#271
tcv Addict Posts: 330 Karma: 596 Join Date: Oct 2006	FWIW: I went to the Borders in Metairie, Louisiana today. (This is a suburb of New Orleans.) All they had were Sony Reader brochures hidden behind the clerk's computer monitor. I inquired about them and they said, "Uhmm... I don't know if we even have them." And that was that.

11-30-2006, 03:12 PM	#275
MWetherspoon Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 24 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: New Jersey, USA Device: NI-Adam Pixel-QI / IPAD I	Borders on RT1 in Princeton NJ has about 8 - 10 left in stock as of a little more than a week ago if anyone in this area is looking for them. Also had the covers and three or four of the sync cradles.

12-01-2006, 01:29 AM	#276
JoeTampa Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: Sony Reader	I bought mine yesterday at a Borders in Fairview Heights, IL. Of interest: * The display model had been locked with a code -- apparently by a patron. They could not demo the unit and had no idea how to unlock it or factory reset it, saying they'd have to call Sony in the morning. * The staff told me that the unit was NOT returnable. This seemed in contrast with their posted policy (which states that non-returnables include what you'd normally expect - opened videos, tapes, etc). However, on the back of the receipt, "electronics" is added to the list of nonreturnables in barely readable print. I'm not from IL and don't know the law here, but in NY it wouldn't fly as the return policy must be stated PRE-purchase. Be careful if you're thinking you'll buy it and return it in a few days if it's just not right for you. However, the manager at this store DID say that he'd take it back because I was unable to try out the display unit. YMMV. * They had around 4-5 units in stock, but did NOT appear to have any cradles. They had a few extra cases, but I personally like the black case. * If they sell eBooks there, they don't know it. * A few of the staff members plan to buy one. * They had, based on the conversations they had amongst themselves, just gotten their stock and display in quite recently.

12-01-2006, 11:59 AM	#278
ThomWill Enthusiast Posts: 31 Karma: 68 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: PRS-500 (Sony Reader)	Computer sellers have had those problems for years, folks putting on BIOS level password on display models etc. Of course there is the alternative of not letting anyone handle them. My local Fry's lost my purchase of the reader to the local Borders because their display unit was in a cage screwed down to the display and they were unwilling to let me get a new one out and lay my hands on it before paying $350 for it.

12-01-2006, 12:35 PM	#279
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I suppose we MobileReaders could carry the Hard Reset instructions with us, and perform the 'Public Service' of resetting any locked units we run across.

12-01-2006, 06:15 PM	#281
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	You still can in (the few) stores where the sales people know enough to handle such idiocy.

12-01-2006, 06:18 PM	#282
tcv Addict Posts: 330 Karma: 596 Join Date: Oct 2006	Well, I have noticed that the stores are getting a bit better with the kiosks that are either locked down pretty well or you simply can't access some of the buttons. Best Buy, for instance, displays the Samsung Q1 in a case that allows you to use it, pick it up, but not access the power button!

12-01-2006, 06:25 PM	#283
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Microcenter and Fry's were the ones I was thinking of. Although Fry's' sales people's knowledge is certainly debatable. They usually have the styli removed, but I carry my own with me anyway.

12-01-2006, 10:50 PM	#285
ThomWill Enthusiast Posts: 31 Karma: 68 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: PRS-500 (Sony Reader)	I really wasn't suggesting that the "lock it down, lock it away" is better, just the way that some retailers have gone. The folks who lock these things down are probably the same folks who pick up expensive steaks from the meat department and then "decide" they don't want them and just set them down in another part of the store. I worked on some retail management software once and one of the store managers we worked with assured me that some of that middling vandalism madness was actually his competition trying to whittle away at his margins!

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