[James Baker]

Had an hour to kill earlier so thought I would have a look and see what currys had on show and was shocked by what I belive is a dodgy way of selling 'expensive' cables...

Currys now have a wall with 'hdmi' 'component' 'scart' and 'standard' with a screen above each showing the picture each signal gets...however as you moved away from HDMI > Standard the contrast was turned down on the screen and brightness up!

Check the picture below - so people thinking the cables they are being sold (ripped off) are actually effecting the picture in a way that they dont!

So another reason to advise relatives and friends who dont know what they need not to go to currys as they ARE not going to get the best advice...Anyone agree?

As you can see on the first picture the contrast is set higher than the second picture which has had its contrast turned down and the brightness up! - Of all 4 sets HDMI was ok, with component lacking contrast and Scart and Standard being so bright they where unwatchable.

(obviously the signal effects the actual picture quality and definition but this was a deliberate act to mislead people buying the over priced cables)

The screens where all adjusted in such a way it hasnt been 'fiddled' with by a 'customer' as the remotes where nowhere to be seen...

[Deadringers]

by any chance was this just near moorgate tube station?

[James Baker]

Originally Posted by deadringers

by any chance was this just near moorgate tube station?

Wrexham North Wales.... So its not just this one store then... Looks like its a deliberate Curry selling ploy then?

[Deadringers]

saw exactly the same thing just in the city last year...been going on for a while! hmm!

[WalkInMyShoes]

This isnt new, I saw the exact same thing in the birmingham bullring branch.

[Abbeygoo]

What a disgrace that is. My mother-in-law is interested in a new TV and I'm going along with her just to see what the likes of Comet / Currys etc have to say.

When my Dad went in a few months ago, he was told that he needed to purchase the Monster SCART cable in order to get the best picture quality from his Sky+ box to his new 50" samsung as, in the sales advisor's words..... "it gets the HD signal from the box to the TV without any loss of quality"

Words failed me .....

[IronGiant]

I'm tempted to pop down to my local currys just to ask them to swap the cables over on the different screens


Given the multiple feeds the TV's have it would be relavely easy to set up one TV with composite, S-video, SCART RGB, Component and HDMI cheap and HDMI expensive. I'm sure they'd let me do that with all the inputs set on the same default settings if I asked nicely

Maybe I could just say they don't look that different to me on the TV they sold me barely a month ago, can I have a replacement as the HDMI obviously doesn't work properly.

Dave

[Abbeygoo]

Originally Posted by IronGiant

I'm tempted to pop down to my local currys just to ask them to swap the cables over on the different screens

Dave

Great idea but they probably wouldn't know how to ......

[IronGiant]

Fair point

On the other hand it might not make any difference if they're actually really all on the same analogue RF feed from a VHS player

[y2k]

Looks like the LED display in my local currys, it has the Samsung LED above a Panasonic plasma and the picture difference is huge when they are playing the same cartoon over and over again, the 2 TV's are in a corner on their own away from all the other displays.

[ps3mad]

We all know how c**p currys are.I remember asking a woman about an HDMI cable once,with a blank look on her face she said"How do you spell that" .The same shop told my cousin you dont need SKY HD as he had a HD tv,and everything on it will be in HD anyway .I was going to ask who trains currys staff,but we all already know the answer? NO ONE!

[IronGiant]

I would disagree, they are a useful place to shop if you know what you want and the price is in line with what you want to pay. Their staff are well trained within the limits of the business model they are working under. I don't subscribe to that way of thinking but it doesn't affect my ability to shop there.

Dave

[branny]

On 3 occasions now in Curry's at Middlebrook & Wigan on I hearing sales people trying to sell a £25 - 50 HDMI lead I have interrupted and told the people that the assistant is talking out of his pipe and that a £3 HDMI lead from Scan does the same job.

[IronGiant]

I started a thread on this HDMI nonsense in here as joke and fell out with a really Nice Guy over it

[branny]

Originally Posted by IronGiant

I started a thread on this HDMI nonsense in here as joke and fell out with a really Nice Guy over it

Nice guy or not, I guess he was talking out of his pipe too

[Sniper Ash6]

i saw a display similar to this a long time ago when i was in currys

I also nearly jumped into a conversation/arguement with the person working there as he was trying to sell this women a £100 HDMI cable she didnt need and she didnt really have a clue about. In the end luckily she turned around and said "Im not sure my Sky box has this connection". What annoyed me more is they have a 10/20 quid HDMI cable at the front of store my the checkouts (sorta on the end of them) which although still fairly expensive for some will be the same.

i remember the last thread about this though

[Mr Incredible]

I'm surprised there were any pictures at all..... the leads appear to be hanging over the front of each TV......

/me coat

[dunks517]

I look forward to the monthly Currys/DSG bashing thread!! Long may this tradition continue!!!

Did I tell you about the time PC World sold me a NAS with 'Rab's' data already on it?

[riprse]

People, not all but most, are stupid. I work for Blockbuster & we sell HDMI cables. Now we have some expensive ones in nice formed packets & we have some cheap ones that come in little bags with no fancy lables. Twice this week ive told customers "really theres no differance" the lady said "i think ill take that one as the packets nicer" the next customer a bloke said "no i dont believe that, ill take that expensive one there must be reason its more expensive". I replyed "yes sir your paying extra for the packet"

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by riprse

People, not all but most, are stupid.

It isn't a matter of stupidity as it's a natural assumption for most people to make that more expensive equates with better quality and perhaps you look untrustworthy.

[Getgaff]

I recently witnessed one Currys munter purchase three Belkin HDMI cables at £98 each. £294 for three cables ! I think it was my jaw hitting the floor that rendered me speechless...

[Abbeygoo]

Originally Posted by riprse

People, not all but most, are stupid. I work for Blockbuster & we sell HDMI cables. Now we have some expensive ones in nice formed packets & we have some cheap ones that come in little bags with no fancy lables. Twice this week ive told customers "really theres no differance" the lady said "i think ill take that one as the packets nicer" the next customer a bloke said "no i dont believe that, ill take that expensive one there must be reason its more expensive". I replyed "yes sir your paying extra for the packet"

I suppose this is where the difference comes in between Customer Service and Customer Advice. Surely, in your position, you should take the responsibility to advise the client that the purchase of the more expensive cable is unnecessary and explain why instead of branding them stupid. I would even suggest that if the client is about to purchase something expensive and unnecessary you should point this out clearly almost to the point of refusing to let them buy one. I would say thats superb service and more preferable to just accepting their cash and let them go on their way.

I think this is where a lot of shops go wrong. The employees should be giving people advice around their budget, screen size, intended use, existing equipment etc instead of just saying HDMI is better on a huge display when the person concerned may not have any equipment that connects via HDMI ... that doesn't make sense.

I agree with Iron Giant about Currys/Comet etc as the products they supply and the prices are actually pretty competitive and the online service (I have used a couple of times) actually offers decent service and price.

[riprse]

you cant force people to take something you can only advise them. most people dont listen when you tell them that expensive does not mean better.
trust me when you have served as many people as i have who refuse to take your advise you will think they are stupid too.

[Abbeygoo]

Originally Posted by riprse

you cant force people to take something you can only advise them. most people dont listen when you tell them that expensive does not mean better.
trust me when you have served as many people as i have who refuse to take your advise you will think they are stupid too.

Well you're saying that but I would suggest that you take the time to explain yourself, be professional and if the product is not the best thing for the customer then you should look yourself in the mirror and ask if you're doing the right thing. Calling them stupid is bizarre ........

I would have much more respect for someone serving me in a shop if they took the time to do this rather than just punch the number in the till, let me go away and then call me stupid behind my back.

[Sniper Ash6]

Originally Posted by Getgaff

I recently witnessed one Currys munter purchase three Belkin HDMI cables at £98 each. £294 for three cables ! I think it was my jaw hitting the floor that rendered me speechless...

thats crazy

[bosque]

Originally Posted by Abbeygoo

I suppose this is where the difference comes in between Customer Service and Customer Advice. Surely, in your position, you should take the responsibility to advise the client that the purchase of the more expensive cable is unnecessary and explain why instead of branding them stupid. I would even suggest that if the client is about to purchase something expensive and unnecessary you should point this out clearly almost to the point of refusing to let them buy one. I would say thats superb service and more preferable to just accepting their cash and let them go on their way.

I think this is where a lot of shops go wrong. The employees should be giving people advice around their budget, screen size, intended use, existing equipment etc instead of just saying HDMI is better on a huge display when the person concerned may not have any equipment that connects via HDMI ... that doesn't make sense.

"...and congratulations to our saleman of the month who successfully managed to persuade customers to buy the cheapest possible goods. Unfortunately the company is now bankrupt, and you're all of out of work. Bye !"

[Abbeygoo]

Originally Posted by bosque

"...and congratulations to our saleman of the month who successfully managed to persuade customers to buy the cheapest possible goods. Unfortunately the company is now bankrupt, and you're all of out of work. Bye !"

You never get repeat business and referrals from somebody you have ripped off.

[Sniper Ash6]

Originally Posted by Abbeygoo

You never get repeat business and referrals from somebody you have ripped off.

+1

and people are more likely to come back if treated fairly and get a good product for a good price etc

[riprse]

Originally Posted by Abbeygoo

Well you're saying that but I would suggest that you take the time to explain yourself, be professional and if the product is not the best thing for the customer then you should look yourself in the mirror and ask if you're doing the right thing. Calling them stupid is bizarre ........

I would have much more respect for someone serving me in a shop if they took the time to do this rather than just punch the number in the till, let me go away and then call me stupid behind my back.

Yer so once you've done all of the above which I have & they still want to buy the expensive one they are stupid. Much as your being for not reading my post properley when I said I explained the expaensive one was not the best & they still took it

[Jay]

It seems you like these types of threads:

LINK

LINK