|
Let The Games Begin (11/16/98)
|
 
|
| | |
Reports continue to trickle in about the less-than-terrific performance of Best Buy's sales associates when it comes to selling iMacs. The latest incident to reach our ears involves a store employee who, when asked which scanner was appropriate for the iMac, had to go and look up the answer-- and returned claiming that the $179.99 Umax Astra 1200S was the one to buy. Close, but not quite; the 1200S is a SCSI scanner, and is therefore useless to an iMac owner. Perhaps with a bit more study, the Best Buy employee in question will answer the question correctly the next time around, and point the customer towards the Astra 1220U USB scanner instead. Hrmph.
Many of you thought it couldn't be possible, but it certainly seems that Best Buy's sales associates are even less Mac-savvy than than the average CompUSA employee. The good news, however, is that if the iMac's popularity continues, soon both companies may have little choice but to brush up on their Mac facts. Now that CompUSA's no longer the only national retailer in town (at least when it comes to the iMac), competition between CompUSA and Best Buy can mean only good things for the consumer with his or her eye on the iMac. We're already starting to see how this competition can benefit the buying public-- just take a look at the short article in Computer Retail Week about how CompUSA stole Best Buy's thunder during their inaugural iMac weekend.
As widely reported by faithful viewers, Best Buy was selling iMacs bundled with Epson printers for $1499 a pop; unfortunately for them, CompUSA did them one better by selling the iMac bundled with an Epson printer and an Astra 1220U scanner for only $1299 after rebates. CompUSA's "significantly" better deal decidedly "marred" Best Buy's iMac sales figures. If Best Buy wants a piece of the iMac pie, they're going to have to try harder-- and that may mean, among other things, making sure their staff is trained to answer Mac-specific questions. And if Best Buy really does start to shape up, then CompUSA will have to do something else to keep from being eclipsed. See? Isn't competition wonderful?
| |
| |
 |
SceneLink (1151)
|  |
 |
|
And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
| | | |
|
| |
|
 | | The above scene was taken from the 11/16/98 episode: November 16, 1998: The iMac continues to win awards-- but this time, it's the retail sales associates themselves bestowing the honors. Meanwhile, Best Buy is far from the perfect place to buy an iMac, but if the competition between them and CompUSA continues, that may have to change; and in "Redmond Justice" news, everyone enjoys a hearty chuckle at Bill Gates' expense-- even the judge...
Other scenes from that episode: 1150: The Bottom Line (11/16/98) By now everyone's used to the iMac getting more than its share of recognition; after all, it's been the talk of the town ever since its surprise unveiling last May. But while it's easy to be jaded when hearing more praise for the little blue lump, you should try to take notice of its latest accomplishment, because it could mean Big Things™ for everyone's favorite consumer Mac... 1152: More Comic Relief (11/16/98) Legal Question of the Week: when you're the CEO of the world's most influential software company and said company is on trial for alleged antitrust behavior, is it a bad thing when the judge laughs at you?...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
|
|
