Consumerist

Hey consumerist! This is an awfully tiny window you have me typing in here! ;) Following is a letter I am sending off to Micro Center Customer Ralations regarding a positive experience I had at my local store. It is exceedingly long for your format, so please feel free to edit the hell of it if you'd like to use it. -Aaron
On Saturday, March 15^th, I purchased a $400 digital camera from my local Microcenter (3710 Highway 100 South, St. Louis Park, MN). Considering how difficult it can be to actually exchange cash for goods and services at retail stores these days, I thought I would write this letter outlining my very positive experience.   Micro Center’s March ad showed a Canon Powershot 5IS for $400.00. I have been looking at a number of cameras over the past month and this was one of those atop my list. It was available on the internet for as little as $289, but based on anecdotal horror stories about buying cameras online, I decided to purchase locally.   In my town, we have both Best Buy and Circuit City. Neither of these choices appeals to me, as I have had less than stellar experience at both. Once inside a Circuit City I feel as if I am being literally accosted by no less than six sales people in any given department; perhaps I tend to come in when business is slow. Best Buy is the polar opposite; I generally can’t find an employee to save my life; not that I’d want to talk to one anyway. I do my research and find that I am considerably more informed about a given product than any of their “trained” staff. I also abhor the receipt checking that goes on there. Suffice it to say, I refuse to give either of these chains my money, despite the fact that they both had the camera for $50 less than Micro Center’s advertised sale price. I also avoid Wal-Mart, but that’s based on a completely different set of principles.   I did not consider the $50 a problem; I could just print out the price from Circuit City’s website and ask for the difference.   I wandered into the ridiculously crowded camera/memory/accessories area. With so many customers around, I wondered if I was going to be able to talk to anyone. I found the camera I wanted, but the display case was devoid of anything, not just the Canon. I worried that they might not have much in the way of stock, so I got an associate’s attention and asked if they had the camera. After checking the computer, Brandon indicated they had several. I showed him my printout and he agreed to do match the price, provided that Circuit City had the camera in stock. Apparently it is policy to match prices only on in-stock items. Not surprisingly, he could not get a person on the line at two different Circuit City stores. Since their website indicated that the item was available for pickup, he decided that was enough to adjust the price.   Now, one of my biggest complaints regarding the two previously mentioned stores, is the relentless pursuit of the extended warranty. I never buy them, ever. I did ask Brandon to list the benefits of Micro Center’s, but at a cost of $100-150, it was far too expensive. I told him I still had the six year old camera I was replacing, and it was in perfect condition; I was careful with my electronics. His response? “Okay. Some people aren’t quite so careful, and need a plan to protect them.” That was it, no hard sell. I felt as though he respected that I fully understood the implications of forgoing the warranty, and was making an informed choice.   As we headed for the checkout, Brandon enquired as to whether I need and memory cards; since I have other devices which use SD memory, I did not.   Now, I tend to be wary of the inflation of a purchase with over-priced, unneeded accessories, but I really got the impression Brandon was concerned with my having everything I needed, rather than his commission.   He did remind me about batteries, and I discovered a fifteen minute quick charger complete with four Nimh cells. I think it was the car adapter that sold me on the rather high $40 cost.   Brandon offered to meet me at the register while I was off getting batteries, saving us both time.   I paid $427 for the camera and rechargeable kit, and off I went. I was genuinely happy both with my purchase and the experience. I am usually quite ticked off upon leaving one of the other stores.   In closing, thank you, Micro Center for operating a retail store with a consumer-friendly environment. And, thank you Brandon Hoel for respecting me and my time and getting me in and out of your store quickly and smoothly.   I want to mention that I work as a desktop technician, and often I am asked by my customers where they should purchase a cable, upgrade, or accessory. Based on my repeated experience at Micro Center, I have in the past, and will in the future, feel perfectly comfortable in sending customers your way.