colterphoto1 Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 do a blind A/B test for him and prove him to be an idiot. then prepare to get a new job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RT FAN Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 In this economic enviroment I would recommend that you put your morals and your pride in your backpocket. You can always soft sell the items, and if you have a customer that has more money than sense, then sell them expensive cables. I imagine you are on commission, correct? I'm afraid your motto must be: "My mission is commission." Save the moral anguish for your debate with St. Peter before the Pearly Gates, I'm sure you will have better things to talk about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tin_ear Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 My Advice: Learn about the different technologies and sell the products based on that. Compare the cheaper monster cable to the more expensive, and explain why the more expensive cable costs more. It doesn't really matter whether you think they make a difference or not. Ultimately, it's the customer who decides whether they want to spend the extra money or not. If a customer asks you if you think it makes a difference, just say, I haven't done a comparison on my system at home, but I plan to try some day. I've had friends/other customers tell me that it made a big difference, though. You aren't lying to them by saying that, and they will probably be satisfied with the answer. I think Todd's advice makes a lot of sense. Know enough to give the customer technical information on the products but avoid giving opinions on whether the products improve performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fotog Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 1. I have no dog in this fight so it really doesn't matter to me what your final decision is. 2. Integrity and telling the truth is paramount (in my opinion) - regardless of the consequences. 3. As other have suggested, there are compromise positions - mainly extolling the particular elements that make one cable a different price point than another. 4. Be factual on the particulars. Tell the truth on the particulars. Do not intentionally mislead. Give the buyer enough information to make up their own mind. It is afterall, their money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmikid Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Exactly! Another way of addressing this is to make up your own mind. Some more expensive cables have other advantages that gadget freaks will like. For instance, they are bigger and stronger, look tougher and cooler and... what sometimes is the truth, have better connectors and are better shielded and protected from rusting. If you sell those cables or what not for whatever reason without lying, who cares? A good salesman will find pros to a product, unless it's crap, that are truthful, even though to rational people it may not be essential. But who's rational nowadys? Good luck! ps: I hope your boss will see that in the long run an honest salesman, means he's also an honest and commited collegue. Means a lot these days IM (not humble) O. Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyboy Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Wow, thanks for all the responses there, gents. I agree with the general consensus that we've achieved here, i.e. customers will buy based upon what they feel comfortable spending. My biggest problem is that the emphasis is really being put on selling them the more expensive cables "because they need them." I definitely agree that it comes with the territory, and that "packing the deal" is a way of life in big-box electronics retailers. All I can really do is roll with the punches, or look for a new job. Tommorow morning at 9 am we are having a meeting to learn new selling strategies for offering accessories... That should be interesting. Well, how did your meeting go??? [*-)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I worked at bestbuy after I worked at the apple store, completely different mindset and such. I think Bestbuy gets what they deserve, chapter 11. When I worked DI (digital imaging)/Wireless my manager who became zone manager because the normal one left to go to circuit city, told me to make sure when people buy ipods or such to make sure they get the wall charger.She told me to emphasize that your battery will die faster if you use the usb charge off the computer. Which is a plain lie. In fact usb chargers have less voltage so it charges the battery slower which means it will hold the charge longer and lowers wear and tear on the battery. I explained that to her and her response was like, well mine died quick due to the usb..... I was a seasonal employee and I was not hired after the season. She was fired a month after I was laid off. When I worked at apple, it was a completely different mindset. I told the truth and was rewarded by manager and customer alike. The managers knew that you don't lie to a customer or they will not come back. Also I worked in a rather upscale mall, sometimes the people I talked to had PhD in engineering or a science and they went oh yeah, how did you know that or such. Its sorta like the Miracle on 34th Street Movie where Santa tells the customer where its cheaper and the customer appreciated it, enough so that they would still buy it in the store versus a big box store. I could tell you some people wanted to get it but could not afford the item so I gave them alternatives, they thanked me and came by later and brought other apple things cause of the advice I gave them. We even had some regular black card regulars that came in and I would help them out. They even appreciated the honest opinion, I would mention that they would not need that option nor ever use it, they go oh thanks and then they usually buy something else that equals itself out. Another black card holder that was a mother appreciated the attention that we provided her, most of the time her question was "what is that" (items being purchased for her three children age 9, 5, 3) in which I would smile and politely say that your kids would love it. She knew us enough to trust our judgement. She would come by a week later or so and thank us and ask us if there is anything else new and exciting for her kids. We built personal relationships at the apple store, bestbuy just honestly wanted you in and out with less of your money in your wallet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddvj Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Awwwww. That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about the Apple Store.[8-)] Seriously, though, I really do like shopping at the Apple store. It's great that they exist. I like Best Buy, too though. Really, it just boils down to 2 different business models, and both are very successful (have you ever seen either not packed with customers?) They are both in business to sell product, though. I have to say, though, that any time I hear a salesperson telling a customer "you don't need that" I cringe. Nobody better ever presume to tell me what I need or don't need, whether they think they are doing me a favor or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I do not tell them outgoingly that they don't need it. Its when they had a sincere help me out I do not really know enough to answer this that I give my honest opinion and reasons why i would not need it. Also I did not own an apple computer btw yet. I was the anti apple person working at the apple store. They knew I owned two dells when they hired me. This was back in 2005 when they still used g4/g5 chips and people did not think the ipod worked for pcs. I helped branch people to that. Most people are like I own a pc can someone help me with my ipod? They would point to me, if it was broken I would take it back to the backroom where there was a compaq that we were not technically allowed to have in the store to do a system restore. Also I do not even have a iphone, I have a current generation nano though 16 gig. I have a Google G1 android as my phone. I still will not place form over function nor pay the apple tax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 We even had some regular black card regulars that came in and I would help them out I had never heard of The Black Card, so I clicked on your link. Wow, only $2500 annual fee! It'd be worth it to me, just to use the personal shoppers at Gucci and Neiman Marcus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Actually that info is wrong now, its 5000 the first year and 3000 every year after. Its rather silly though its actually made of titanium and is thicker than most cards so it does not read right all the time. multiple swipes necessary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuyOtherSoundEquipment Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 The meeting was small and boring, but I did mention that we should set up a blu-ray comparison with a $29 Dynex (store-brand) HDMI cable vs. a $129 Monster 1000 Series HDM. Much to my chagrin, one of my coworkers piped up immediately and said "Oh, well you know most customers won't notice that in the store environment, blah blah blah." I let it go there, for the time being. Someone asked earlier if I work on commission, and the answer is no. The main motivation for selling people Monster cables is simply because "they need them" and that's what really bothers me the most. It just so happens that when I first joined up with Best Buy (and before I joined the forum), I took a sip of the kool-aid and bought a Monster "M-Series High Resolution Digital Coaxial Cable" that retailed for $109.99 that I bought for $39 with my discount. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7858348&st=m-series&lp=10&type=product&cp=1&id=1156607397819 I'm thinking it will be fun to do blind A/B tests for my bosses like Colter suggested, only in my own home, "off the clock." I'm thinking of a comparo between the M-series and a super cheap RCA on my RF-82s... Should be fun. I may even tell them I'm using the M-series while I actually use the cheapo... and gauge their reactions. [8-|] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltie dave Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 BOSE, your job is dependant on four things, namely -selling enough gear to make a substantial profit for your business unit -developing relationships that will foster continued business -being percieved as a person of integrity, honesty, and truthfulness -making your manager and bosses happy. If you can't learn how to seperate answering a question honestly, and always answering using truthspeak, you will have a rough go in sales, period. Most customers want honest answers, and then they can use their own BS scale to determine what they are going to buy. At the $200 and less items, many people are not going to be financially strapped if they buy stupidly. It generally is not necessary for you to set them on the straight and narrow UNLESS they directly and specifically qualify that they need to know the unvarnished truth. Most of the posters here want to know the real truth....ie these $120 cables truly do ..suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I guess I should also post the proverbial www.monoprice.com and they make profit too with the cables they sell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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