[Barnes]

Hi All,
Thanks for the advice over the weekend. I've ordered the cam from e-buyer for £157, delivery tomorrow,can't wait.
However, I thought I'd phone the local Jessops before buying to ask what stock they had & to pop in to look at the JVC's. They didn't have one in stock. I asked if the JVC was a good buy & were there any other options (Sony etc) in the price range. I informed him that I'd discussed the JVC on the Forum & it was a good choice.
The guy was no help at all. "Have a look on our web site & compare the specs of others in the price range" & that was that.No advice about low level lighting performance or anything else I asked.
I phoned the next nearest store & was given pretty much the same answer.
I've had similar experiences with Comet/Dixons/Curry's Staff but they can be forgiven.
I, genuinely expected Staff at a specialist company to be "experts" or at least enthusiastic about the products they sell.
If I was in their position I'd make sure I was clued up about what I was selling.
Anyway many, many thanks for your invaluable advice.
Best wishes,
Steve.

[jetinder]

Glad you got the GRD770 , after getting it home let us know how you feel about it.

In general Jessops and other large retailers like Comet etc have poor product knowledge simply because they dont have the time or money to spend on staff training, they should spend money on this but they dont as to most people working in those shops its "just a job" and not a career which requires specialised knowledge of the job hence you get poor product knowledge.

A local specialists camera shop owned by one person or one family will have a lot more knowledge of the products they sell, but unlike Jessops etc prices in specialists camera shops are also a lot higher than in Jessops/comet etc etc.

My local Jessops/comet/currys have been good and get most of the info i want but in other towns its different.

[DigiStuff]

Plus Jessops is in a small spot of trouble, this from the BBC site..

"Photographic retailer Jessops plans to close 81 High Street stores, about a quarter in total, and cut 550 jobs."

If I thought I was going to lose my job would I be interested in giving good service!?!?!

And I did work in photo retail myself some years back and it would really p*** you off if a customer came in took all our knowledge on a product and then would go and buy it elsewhere because it was a few quid cheaper...!!!!

If you want good service and product knowledge then it does come at a price. If you want to pay little and buy a box......

Rant over!! Sorry.....!!!

[DpM]

I gave up asking any advice in any stores a long time ago. Things have changed. 11 years ago when I had my first job working in B&Q at the weekend and eveings I would try and learn about things as they were asked, I had no real interest in DIY (what kid does at 15) but I felt I should know the basics to advise customers as it was part of my job. If i didn't know the answer id go and find out form someone who did. Now you ask in a shop and you end up getting either no help or the wrong advice.
I was in Comet 2 years ago when looking for my new TV as I wanted to get an idea of what was about, the kid that insisted on telling me about the TV's they had when I didn't even ask about them, he was telling me that I wanted one with s-video as it was the best quallity connection and that component was the worst, it was hard not to laugh at the kid. 2 years later im stood in currys for 15 miuntes at the camcorder desk with a bag in my had to try their cam's to see how the fit was. 3 kids are all obviously avoiding me so they don't have to help the only person working was an older guy who was already with a customer. I think some (not all) kid's these days need to try so much harder than they do.

I feel so sorry for consumers that don't know any better or trust bogas advice just because a person works in an electrical store.

Rant over!

[Hooky]

Originally Posted by jetinder

Glad you got the GRD770 , after getting it home let us know how you feel about it.

In general Jessops and other large retailers like Comet etc have poor product knowledge simply because they dont have the time or money to spend on staff training, they should spend money on this but they dont as to most people working in those shops its "just a job" and not a career which requires specialised knowledge of the job hence you get poor product knowledge.

A local specialists camera shop owned by one person or one family will have a lot more knowledge of the products they sell, but unlike Jessops etc prices in specialists camera shops are also a lot higher than in Jessops/comet etc etc.

My local Jessops/comet/currys have been good and get most of the info i want but in other towns its different.

This is spot on advice