Do you ever wonder if 'the guy behind the counter' actually knows the product he sells?

I had some time to kill yesterday whilst in Nowra so I thought I'd go and get a few prices on a P4 3.2Ghz 800FSB 1mb cache processor. So here it goes.

1) I walk into the first computer shop, where a salesman in his 40's asks me if he can help. I tell him I want a price on a P4 3.2Ghz 800FSB processor. He went away and came back about 5 minutes later and gave me a qoute(on paper) of $430 plus gst(I love the plus gst bit). He asked if my motherboard would handle that speed and I said yes, and it also has 800FSB aswell. He then told me that didn't matter cause there wasn't such thing as a 800FSB CPU yet. I said, but you just gave me a qoute on one. He said, yeh, but they aren't real 800FSB, its a 533FSB. I just okay. Anyway, just so I could wrap the enquiry up, I asked if he had any in stock if I chose to get one today and he said he'd need a couple of days to order one in, that's fine. So I left that shop thinking ' was that guy even qualified?'

2) I went to another computer shop. I asked the same question to the late 20's/early 30's fella and he also took about 5 minutes to get a price. Only this time, I was told $570. Then I was asked why I wanted to go so fast?, why don't I get an AMD?, and a host of other questions that seemed quite irrelevant. Now, this dude proceeded to tell me the AMD's figure eg.3200 actually runs at 3.2ghz, whereas the P4's 3.2 only runs at around 3ghz. This maybe true, but as far as I was concerned, it was the opposite as my P4 1.8 runs at 1843 and my friends P4 2.4 runs at 2422ghz. Even after this guy tried different things including trying to sell me a whole system 'cause it's cheaper that way' he then told me P4's where his personal choice anyway. LOL, weird. So I left that shop thinking 'Does anyone know what they are talking about?'

3) I ring Umart in Sydney which is a place I often buy computer gear from, they had plenty of 3.2 800FSB's in stock and their price was $319 including gst. Cool.

Now I'm no computer expert, but I do have a fairly good knowledge. What worries me is the advice we are given from so-called 'professionals' and how accurate it really is. We as consumers often rely on these people for advice so we can make decisions of what we purchase given our particular needs. It doesn't stop there.

4) I got sick of the CPU hunting, so I thought I'd have a squiz in a Car Stereo outlet. I was enquiring about a stand alone DVD player(without screen) for the car to replace the Blaupunkt system. The assistant showed me a JVC system that was quite nice for about $900. I asked him if it had NTSC and he said no. I thought to myself, if I can get a converter, it might still be a good option, so I got a brochure anyway. I also asked him if it was a new model or one out of the demo panel, shoulda known....it was the last one they had. (But he said it was their latest model, so why would it be not kept in stock?) Anyway, sitting there waiting for my tyres to be fitted I was reading the JVC brochure when I noticed it said PAL/NTSC playback. Hmm, but the guy said.............ahh, whatever.

So just as a bit of advice to you guys and gals out there making purchases, do some homework on the product first either via the net or someone you can definately trust. I'm not saying all shopkeepers are the same, but it it pays to gather as much info as you can prior to making a big buck purchase. And definately shop around, you can literally save hundreds of $$$'s.

Sorry if I've waffled on, but I had to get this off my chest. And just for the record, I'm not hinting this at car tuners either, but even with them, same rules apply.......................shop around.

Rob

PS - I'm not from Nowra, so Nowra jokes won't worry me

Now, this dude proceeded to tell me the AMD's figure eg.3200 actually runs at 3.2ghz, whereas the P4's 3.2 only runs at around 3ghz.

AAAAHAHAHAHAHA man this guy is a bloody clown. You made the right choice with Umart, that's all I use up here in brissy. By the way AMD chips are named after the Intel hey are equivalent to. Ie the AMD 3200 or whatever it is it equivalent to Intel 3.2GHz, however it only runs at around 2200-2400 mhz or something like that.

But anyways yeah, I learned a looooong time ago, not to trust salesmen/people.

Adam

3) I ring Umart in Sydney which is a place I often buy computer gear from, they had plenty of 3.2 800FSB's in stock and their price was $319 including gst. Cool.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's a good price. My supplier has it for the same.

I never listen to the crap computer stores try give me, as a lot of others on here I have training and knowledge far more advanced than them. I do my own research and tell them what parts I want. If they try sell me something else I go elsewhere.

Try here if your in Sydney or Melb.

Really cheap parts. $287 for the P4 3.2/800

http://www.msy.com.au/

Saleen,

What do you expect from a country town.

I have also found this happens in most retail stores everywhere. It pays to know your stuff before you go in to the store. The only thing the counter geek is good for is screwing a better price out of.

I am a computer person and the crap that people have told me wonder where they get their info from....

Ah well, I am glad there is the internet and sites like Tom's Hardware site to give us the unbiased opinions

Another fan of Umart here, definitly a good place to get great prices.

With computer gear or any gear for that matter, homework before you buy will always pay off in time and money.

caveat emptor

Didnt price a couple of lcd's??

Ah well, I am glad there is the internet and sites like Tom's Hardware site to give us the unbiased opinions

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Haha... you think Tom's Hardware is unbiased?

I've worked in IT Sales for 5 years, trust me, the guys still working in corner stores pumping OEM H/W are there for a reason... ppl with any talent go a lot further than that

caveat emptor

Didnt price a couple of lcd's??

Nah, didn't need to. Looks like my monitor will be getting replaced under warranty. I'll gladly takes yours off your hands though.

Your quite right, I worked in retail for 10 years in a Harvey Norman store. I have to say you get plenty of training on faxes,pre built sytems,printers etc.

But when it comes to processors and cards theres not a lot of info around unless you a bit nerdy(not that there is anything wrong with that ,I luv my gadgets too.)

Always when buying for yourself and you dont know much about the products shop around and do your research.Generally if someone knows what they are talkin about, you will probably spot him very quickly with his repeat customers.