There are times when I could save myself a lot of heart ache if I followed my instincts or took my own advice. Recently, I’ve been back in Dublin, OH doing some work for a new client out that way. The start date was kind of rushed so I didn’t get everything packed I wanted to or configured the way it would be needed. I even had to use my own notebook at the client site, a thing which doesn’t happen often in this day and age. Of course, this is one of the last few remaining sites in the world still using Windows on the desktop, so my unused Vista Home Premium partition has been pressed into service.
I guess you could say this frustration started a few years ago. After having nothing but miserable experiences with the Winbook I purchased at Micro Center. I was told by many that the motherboard in it was by Toshiba, yet, a year or so later when they had supposedly high end Toshiba A215 notebooks on sale for next to no money, I ignored my own advice and bought one. It’s a classic Toshiba product, a boat anchor the day it was made. Advertized as having a “faxmodem”, just like the Winbook, it has only a modem. The thing was also strangled with only 2Gig of RAM. Ubuntu could work fine, but multiple terminal sessions open along with a couple browser windows and Vista was wheezing like death warmed over.
I tolerated this condition for a couple of weeks, but could take it no longer. Despite knowing I would be better off to buy the memory at Micro Center and installing it myself, I called the local Worst Buy to chat with the Geek Squad since they were close to the hotel where I was staying. They wanted $39 labor to put the thing in. I knew I was being Googled by that fee, but I persisted. I asked them to quote the memory price (knowing full well a 2Gig module for this notebook goes for around $50) and the person on the phone said they had them for around $55.
After arriving at the store, I was told I had to go pick out the memory from the store floor. Naturally the only memory module they had was listing for over $70. The sales rep swore I couldn’t possibly have been quoted a price of around $50. I took the thing back over to the Geek Squad desk and told him about the price shaft. After confering with the person in the back, the one I actually spoke with, he told me I was quoted an “Internet Only” price, but if they could find a matching price they could price match it for me. I stood there for a while longer letting the price of not having brought a toolkit sink in. This $50 upgrade was now over $120 and climbing. Finally, I picked up my notebook and walked out of the store.
Life sucked at work the following day without having done the memory upgrade. When it was over I surfed to the Micro Center Web site and sure enough, they had the EXACT SAME BRAND memory module for $55. Apparently the Geek Squad computers don’t bother checking the stores which will actually be lower in price. Guess what? They also had a screw driver set on sale for $4.99 as I walked in the door.
Once I arrived back at the hotel room, it took longer to cut the memory module out of its plastic container than it did to do the actual installation.
Actual cost of Upgrade? $60 + tax.
Not getting Googled by Geek Squad? Priceless
