Harvey Norman Cable Scam

A friend was at Harvey Normans the other day, purchasing a plasma screen TV. After they'd negotiated the price - about $4,400 for an LG highish-res panel, the sales guy then suggested they purchase a special component cable for hooking up their DVD player to the screen to achieve the best quality from their new screen.

For demonstration, he switched the panel to split-screen mode showing the same DVD title playing on each half, but connected by different cables. He was attempting to imply that the marked difference between the two images was due to the use of a "Monster" brand component video cable on one input. My friend gave me a call at the time and explained what the sales guy was trying to say, and commented that the Monster side had better detail in the blacks and looked better than the other half. I told her that it sounded like a scam and hold off for the moment - she could always purchase it at a later date, as he wasn't offering any great deal on the cable.

Subsequently, I worked out that they had hooked up the component output of the DVD player to one side, and the composite output to the other, and was then trying to claim that the improved picture was purely due to the Monster brand cable.

This strikes me as a blatantly dishonest and misleading demonstration - the salesman never stated that the difference in quality was largely (if not entirely) due to the alternative signal format, rather he misrepresented the comparison with the goal of selling an obscenely overpriced cable of dubious benefit over a base-quality component cable.

Why? The 1m Monster cable costs $270.

Methinks a call to the ACCC is in order.

Reply to
Poxy
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Perhaps a "test" is in order, send someone else in to get the sales guy to run though the same pitch, but educate the person who is sent before hand on what each cable looks like so they can identify it. Preferably a person who seems naive to the world of hifi.

Reply to
What The

I expect that even if you catch the "salesman" red-handed in a calculated fraud, that Harvey Norman will deny that they have any legal responsibility for the unsanctioned excesses of their sub-contract employee.

Outside the law, in the past, this sort of person used to end up with a bit of a kicking. Today? Quien sabe?

Reply to
Bill Bailley

"Poxy"

** Fake demonstrations have been standard practice for sales charlatans for centuries - door to door vacuum cleaner salesmen had them perfected over 50 years ago. Almost any hi-fi salesman is expert at the art of creating biased and false demonstrations.

The resident charlatan on aus.hi-fi is Trevor Wilson - but he is a rank amateur compared to the reptiles in shiny suits that lurk in the posh, up-market stores.

Monster is just about the smoothest con ever - a blatant, right in your face scam.

If a shop even sells Monster Cables - I suggest you simply walk out.

Maybe tell the manager why first - if you have the nerve to.

.......... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

That pretty, clear transclucent insulation over those fine tin plated wire sheilds do look good though. i almost want to buy some thinking about it.

Reply to
The Real Andy

I think, though, that there is a difference between the "emperor has no clothes" type approach seen in the Hi-Fi world, where a customer is convinced that certain speaker cables sound better, where the only possible deception is a relatively poor understanding of the subjectivity of listening test, versus a live split-scren video comparison where the difference is clearly evident to even the most ignorant viewer.

To me, the difference is more like switching between FM radio and a CD, and claiming the clear difference heard is due to the RCA cables from the CD player being more expensive than those used to connect the tuner.

Of course, there is nothing new about dodgy salesmen, I'm just a little fired up because a friend almost got scammed by some lowly spiv. I imagine the ACCC will set me straight as to the likelyhood of any positive action to address this kind of scam (ie, little to none).

Reply to
Poxy

"Poxy"

** Sales charlatans gain a person's trust first and then exploit their naivety - that is how fake demos work. Whether by word, voice tone, facial expression, body langauge, inference or whatever a deception is created in the mind of the customer - a sale then follows. That is basic consumer fraud.
** It's a fake demo - a very blatant one.
** The right body in NSW is Fair Trading - you can get your friend to file a complaint report. The complaint will be referred to the store - who will simply deny.

Better if your friend HAD bought the Monster Cable, then you demo to him that it makes no difference when tested correctly - then HE returns the junk for a full refund with YOU as his witness on a busy Saturday morning.

Heaps of fun.

............ Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

PHIL ALLISON LIKES TO POST HELP OCCAISIONALLY TO GAIN YOUR TRUST, BUT DON'T BE FOOLED, HE IS A PAINFULL TROLL, WHO HURLS ABUSE AT EVERYONE.

PHIL ALLISON IS A FAKE WHEN HE PRETENDS TO CARE ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS. A VERY BLATANT ONE.

PHIL KNOWS ALL ABOUT FAIR TRADING...JUST ASK HIM ABOUT QUAD SPEAKERS.

A HINT OF WHAT PHIL IS REALLY LIKE. HE LIVES FOR ABUSIVE ARGUMENTS.

Reply to
abc

= Criminal, libelling troll

** The above anonymous, demented usenet menace needs to be dealt with - big time.

........... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

Go back to the store, ask to see the demo again but the brand of the cables reversed. The expensive cable should be worse.

Say its all a scam, and do a chargeback on the credit card (say its fraud/misrepresentation), return the TV. Tell them you will happily go to court.

gtoomey

Reply to
Gregory Toomey

I don't understand what you mean by this.

The cables were different types as well as brands.

Are you saying the sales droid should use a monster brand composite cable and a generic component cable? That definitely would show the fallacy of the test, and hence (unless the droid is really stupid - which is not unknown) he probably wouldn't do it that way.

Reply to
Caliban

I don't know, Terry. I think Phil's present behaviour probably justifies shouting.

Reply to
paul packer

I'd be doing the same, or similar! Go to the store and make out you want to purchase the TV, pick a nice big expensive one! Then when they do the test, show interest - then grab a different cable and substitute the Monster, or if possible put the Monster cable on the poorer output, whatever so that it is clearly evident that the salesman is trying to scam you and is wrong,

Then, talking very loudly, announce to all listening (i.e. customers) about the scam, how dishonest they are - maybe even complain to the manager - and promptly tell them you have no intention of dealing with such people and walk out!

I'm sure the fact that you just announced to all customers that they are dishonest, as well as the sale of a $5k+ TV that they think they just lost, will no doubt ruffle a few feathers!!! Definite fun!!!

Reply to
Martin, VK2UMJ

"paul packer"

** So you wanna buy me a beer do you - PP ??

I'm choosy who I drink with and you are way off the list.

........... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

lost,

Strange way to get your jollies. If you think the other customers would care, then you haven't actually tried it, have you?

MrT.

Reply to
Mr.T

Reply to
bassett

LOL. Nice one.

Matthew

Reply to
Matthew Gunn

You drink alone...

Reply to
Clockmeister

hardly normal have a big pond computer set up in store where the only thing you can do on it is to sign up for broadband. so i did. i never bothered to check if the lucky people at some random address got it connected, and paid the $3000.

Reply to
Ed ()

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