Harvey Norman Cable Scam

In sane circles that's a compliment.

Folks, some people need an audience. You are providing them one. If you're using Outlook Express, just do this if you don't want to hear someone.

'Message'->'block sender'.

Done.

-Andrew M

TIME**.

the

probably

Was it Mr. Norman Syngent Pole-vaulter from Monty Python that enjoyed shouting all the time?

TT ;-)

Probably just a case of incompetent salesman failing to articulate what he was actually demonstrating.

component is better than composite, and a component cable costs a few bux more. end of story.

facial

action

who

I once had a salesman at a stereo shop try to convince me that the amplifier that sounded louder when both amp's volume control set to say 11 o'clock position was clearly the better one. Sure.... I didn't buy anything there.

True, but the component cable need not cost 20 times as much....

They aren't interested.

I had a nasty situation about 4 years back where a salesperson sold me a PDA, then proceeded to pull the display one off the in-store display (that everyone of the general public had been handling and fiddling with for days) and put it back in it's box. They refused to even order in a new boxed unit. For a $1000 sale - Im sure they would have been happy to get one shipped in overnight, but I was wrong.

I was less than amused - didn't go ahead with the sale, stating that I "would go to cash converters if I wanted to buy used goods" and complained in writing to the head office. They more or less replied - "why did you bother us with this for ? - it's an independent franchise, take it up with the store itself". Naturally the store did nothing, and It would appear that they don't really care much about what their franchisees do, or of the "good name" of the company.

In the end - the (now extinct) chandlers "X-site" bent over backwards to look after me. They didn't have stock of many PDA's generally, but got the thing in for me overnight.

(Before anyone comments - there were no other dealers of PDA units anywhere near where I live at that time.)

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I would imagine that most retailers that engage in this sort of deceptive act would work on the basis that 99% of their customers will cop whatever shit is dished out to them, and the profit that they make out of those sales will much, much more than cover the 1% who actually demand a refund, do a chargeback, or ultimately take the matter to the ACCC or small claims court - even if they do win. it would be like a drop in the ocean.

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 12:12:48 GMT, "Poxy" put finger to keyboard and composed:

I visited the horse's mouth to see what they had to say. I don't know exactly which cable HN was using, but here is Monster Cable's "Z300 Ultra High-Resolution Precision Component Video Cable":

The claimed features are:

Silver coated center conductor for improved frequency response. High density double shielding for ultimate rejection of interference. Nitrogen-injected dielectric insulator for maximum signal strength. Patented 24k gold contact Turbine® RCA connectors for superior signal transfer.

IMO, anyone comtemplating the surrender of a day or two's wages in exchange for a 1m cable needs medical help. Of course the same could be said of the people who set the prices. Notice that a 2m cable costs US$80 more than a 1m cable, but an additional 2m (2m -> 4m) costs only $30 extra.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: MODEL: U.S. RETAIL PRICE:

1 m. length Z300CV-1M $119.95 2 m. length Z300CV-2M $199.95 4 m. length Z300CV-4M $229.95

- Franc Zabkar

--
Please remove one 's' from my address when replying by email.

supplier

Yes, *IF* a choice is given, there should be no argument.

"poetic

have

Yep, his profit is far more important than customer service.

to

mad

would

retail

Unfortunately many do, even when they are in the wrong.

if

Would have asked if he wanted the demo in the first place!

was

Yep, but it is annoying when you have already gotten to the wrap it up stage.

WALK,

Sometimes it's more complicated than that. Many years ago I put a camera on layby. When I picked it up, the new camera had been swapped for a demo model. After speaking to the Dept manager and shop manager, they still refused a replacement or refund (no more stock) Only after I went to consumer affairs did I get a refund. I never went in that shop again for over 10 years, and it was one of Melb's largest dept stores. It isn't any longer and I'm not surprised. Why Gerry Harvey has done so well DOES surprise me though.

change

So you should have to ask a salesperson to be honest, and I guess you'll believe them afterwards :-)

cos

Not surprising then that customers are sick of know it all salespeople who really know nothing.

week

didnt

I guess consumers are better off now you've gone at least.

MrT.

Agree. In my years in retail sales I had many occassions where the only item left was the demo, so before the customer decided to buy or not to buy I would make sure they knew that we only had the demo, and that it would take x weeks to get another, or that they were no longer available - as the case may be. Then it was up to the customer and no nasty surprises! If they took the demo model they were always offered something in return - either a discount, or something extra thrown in, up to them, but all this was told to them *well* before we got to the "I'll take it" stage!!

If for some reason it did get to that stage and I discovered that we had no stock left, then I would put it to the customer and ask them what they wanted to do - *never* just re-pack the demo and presume they would take it without complaint! It takes but a few extra minutes to go that extra little distance for a customer, but it can help your reputation immensly. I had customers that would visit my store, having driven past two or three other branches of the same store, just because they knew I wouldn't stuff them around or lead them astray.

And there is little excuse for this, especially given today's tracking abilities of the store register/computer. There is no reason that a salesperson couldn't check stock, or if they suddenly discovered only the demo left, at the very least ask the customer if that is OK first. You can get $1000's off a demo car as opposed to a brand new one, but I'm yet to see a car saleperson drive the demo out the back and then produce it as a brand new model!!

While I haven't gotten the motivation to do anything particularly effective yet, I did drop into a different Harvey Normans while I was near this afternoon. I mooched about the big-screen TV area until a sales guy sauntered up - I mentioned that a friend had purchased a plasma the other day and had been shown the image quality of some Monster cables - she had been very impressed by the difference they made, and I was hoping to see if the difference was as marked as she had said.

Straight up, the guy said it was a scam, and asked me if I knew the difference between composite and component. Indicating that I might, he claimed that the particular split-screen or picture-in-picture demonstration my friend had seen was in fact promoted as a sales technique by Monster cables. It just involved showing the composite signal on one side, and component on the other.

While he went on about the demonstration being misleading, and that they didn't sell Monster cables out of "principle" (oh the irony - this coming from a guy in sales) he showed me some "Geko" or something brand - $125 for

1.5m - he said I could have it for $100, which probably meant he was only making $50 on it...

The guy confirmed their store was different franchise to the one where my friend had bought her Plasma. What I did find interesting was the claim that Monster (or the Oz distributor) encouraged this misleading demonstration.

While I'm not that motivated to go hassle some scummy HN franchise who couldn't give a rat's about sales ethics (or the Trade Practices Act), giving the king of all snake-oil companies, Monster, a kick in the ribs holds some attraction - I'm only human after all...

"Poxy"

** Quote from earlier in this thread:

" 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

TOP POST and SHOUT !!! (sorry, but I do feel pretty strong about this)

CRAP!!!

Phil does not put up with D/Heads or stupid crap. and he tells you so...!!! But at the end of all, he does know his shit better than a lot of you know it alls..!!

so don't poke the bear, unless you want a response, that might piss you off. as he hold no punches....!!

facial

in

who

the

morning.

Clearly a psychiatric hospital somewhere has just installed Net-ready computers in all their rooms. Pity.

know

off.

Is there a hint of fake ID trolling here?

Note the user "Alan" who signs off the post with "Allan". Not exactly consistent is it?

Piss poor troll attempt.

strong about this)

a lot of you know

Hey Alan *IF* wonder boy knows so much why did he buy some dud Quad ESL63s last year???? Also just ask him what "crap" he listens to - like his single DAC, worn out Sony CD player, his Jaycar kit speakers and some relic guitar amp. This idiot wouldn't know hi-fi from a toaster!

might piss you off.

No you are wrong. He is the vilest scum bag on Usenet and usually abuses people for no reason so just wait until he has the dirts with you and see how you like the treatment!

Regards TT

Look, you've taken the trouble to "Warn Others" (below), and that is good.

Now, printout your story/warning & add some details of place, date, customer number (maybe get your friend to sign & have notarised a Stat Dec with her story on it) & (together) file a complaint with your State/Territory Consumer Affairs office.

IT COSTS COMPANIES MONEY TO BE COMPLAINED ABOUT... COMPLAINING CAN HELP THEM DECIDE TO STOP DOING THIS

Oh, and why not send a copy to your city's [Letters to the] Editor (newspaper), ring your local TalkJocks (on the ABC, if you want a chance to be heard without being insulted... ;-), put up the story on bulletin boards at/near the shopping center where your HN is.

Oh, and - of course - speak to the manager.

Other posters: Why not -encourage- this kind of pro- active response happening, ie instead of reducing the chance that it will...

(eg, don't suggest a person might not have the confidence to speak to the manager... why I do it all the time, and I get a deep satisfaction from -adding- that I'll be telling the story - both locally (at various clubs & association meetings) -and- on the Internet.

(Of course, speak assertively, and -not- insultingly to the manager & - to avoid a law suit - be careful not to commit libel when you publish the story of what happened.

"I was told..." is better than "S/he said..." (one tells YOUR perceptions (hence your best memory), the other may be disputed & even be deemed libelous, in some cases.)

Oh, when I am in a -crowded- store, and I've got an obvious scam... I usually speak LOUDER so other would-be customers can hear me (not loud enough to be deemed a public nuisance) and my points clearly.

A manager often changes tune (and even make more than a token offer to "settle" the matter, so I'll go away quickly ;-)

Of course, it's good to have a reasonable counteroffer, at such times, ie, so your time will be (almost) compensated. :-)

TV.

cable

input.

the

a

Monster

the

the

dubious

Many, MANY moons ago, a salesman at one of Melbourne's most reputable HiFi stores explained to me that their expensive speaker cables had thick strands for the low notes and thin strands fot the high notes. I'd never name them of course. Think Bridge road. Think Richmond.

Some psycho gear box mechanic who HATES hi-fi spewed.

** False in every respect.

** The Sony CDP 101 is one of the best performing CD players ever made.

Mine is still in perfect working order.

** Vifa two ways in fact with full electronic x-over system and sub woofer.

Previously I owned Quad ESLs for 26 years.

** Absolutely false - TT is a congenital, bloody LIAR. ** TT is a demented gear box mechanic, Nazi and an utter f****it from Bunbury. ** He is pretty much right - actually.

** Nope - Terrence Tencer is the one vying for that dishonour.

** Bunbury's leading expert at net stalking and libelling is the psycho TerrenceTencer.

See:

TT is the crazy looking one with the wrench in his hand.......

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