This is really about morons selling what is really superb modern electronics. It's also about how one of the bigest retailers on Earth can fail to deliver the goods.
Over the years I read of people having nightmarish trials with retailers of high-tek kit. This is a first for me cos I can usually cause enough of a storm to get what I want. Not this time. They are unimpressed by some strange Gringo that talks funny...and doesn't even carry a gun.
Well, I went in on Monday. Deal done for the - New this year - Samsung 650 120Hz. I told them that B-B had one for less, and ended up paying nowt.
I knew that things were not going to go well when the thermal paper ran out in the till and he cut up some sales promotion paper and used that. You can just see the writing.
"Can't deliver it till the 20th."
It's only Sears. I wouldn't want to put this little company to any trouble, so I said Okay. Evening of the 19th, message says Ring before eight, and we'll let you know what time the set is coming.
"Eight in the morning!!!???" Says I. Anyway, I wanted out of the light engine arena, so I phoned.
Que? Que? .... never heard of me. Five calls later, they say that they need to "Bridge" to the installer. They can deliver, but not install. Very specialized, installing. A young lady uses her cell to call an 800 number 300 miles away.
I didn't want to be accused of busting it, so I agreed.
This evening A PRIVATE OPEN TRUCK PULLS UP, WITH ME BATTERED BOX IN THE BACK...along with stepladders and satellite dishes etc.
The packing polystyrene was so smashed that practically none of it is in one piece and some of the paperwork is missing.
The set goes, and is a heck of a step away from the monolith that I'd taken such care of. As I was getting the old box out of the garage, he plonked my old set on the drive, scratched his head at the mint condition packaging, and slid the $7,000* piece of kit - on its back - into the box. Well, I'm glad I didn't put a single fingermark on that for two and a half years.
So, what would you do if faced with madness like this? It (the new one) has obviously been dropped on one end...a testimony to packaging manufacturers.
4 months of dealing with utter morons. I feel defeated tonight, do I walk away, or demand a new set?
Tomorrow, I might just have the devil in me again.
* $2,400 + repairs now signed out by me for the remainder. No wonder Sony has lost over HALF A BILLION last year.