Sony Outlet Store - Not Gun Related

**SigP250** · June 29th, 2008, 11:40 AM

Ok...me and the wife decided it was time to upgrade our projection TV to a nice and slim LCD. We headed up yesterday to the Sony Outlet in Pottstown/Limerick since it seemed that the price were reasonable. We got there at around 6pm and 5 minutes in the store we were "attacked" by one of the clerks, which wasn't exactly what I would define knowledgeable on the merchandise she was desperately trying to sell. We started out looking at a couple of 46" until we noticed a nice 52" XBR for almost half the retail price (after 15% off and an additional 5% due to "floor model") that with the added stand would've came home for a whopping $2,800...not too shabby. So far so good...She leaves to look for the stock (they have a different meaning of "in stock" but will tell in a bit) level of the TV stand. While she off to the computer a second clerk comes out of nowhere and tells us they have a 52" in the front for $1.700 which grab our attention, so he takes us to see the other model, saying they "only have 5 left", start his sale pitch on it then leaves us to attend his personal business....in the meantime the first clerck comes back and start telling us how nice the TV is, how we need to buy a surrond sound, a BlueRay player (told her 4 times so far I have a PS3 for that) and the TV stand....so me and the wife discuss which one would be the best one, do we need a surround and all the usual.....

2 hours are gone by so far, discussing with the clerks about what they have available, what's the warranty, what is the difference between a new one and a refurbished and so forth.....

After the last test which was playing the same blue ray on both TV to really get an idea on the differences (very subtle to be honest) we are all ready to buy the cheaper model (a thousand bucks is a good chunk of change) and the TV stand to go along with...no surround sound, we need to investigate (i hate impulse buys). We head to the register and tell them "deal, we take the one upfront with the stand"...here when the "bait and switch" games becomes evident, after telling us 4 times and checking the computer that the TV we wanted was "in stock" they say we have to comeback in a couple days because they have them in the warehouse, if we want to buy it today we have to get the refurb (only $100 off and no warranty) or the floor model (same as the other one)...so I start to get a little but agitated due to the fact that I hate to be jerked around...wife is still reasonably calm...I start asking a bit more information and try to see if they can throw in a warranty since they are the ones who mislead us from the get go talking about the TV "being new"....Now is when it gets funny....the manager shows up, very unpleasant and cocky SOB, and arrogantly asked us "So you wanna buy the TV or not?"....that's when we took off like bat out of hell never to set foot in that shithole again....after letting him know they lost a done sale and if they were honest from the get go we would've bought the TV on the spot, even a refurb one...

They evidently don't like to do business, they lure you towards models they know they don't have in stock just to get you to buy what they want....

Stay clear of the store, is a bloody scam worse than a car dealer, the do the bait and switch .

**XD45** · June 29th, 2008, 11:55 AM

every TV in my house is from a sony outlet store, you can get the best deals you just need to work them and not let them work you. my last one was $1600 even for a 55in plasma, surround sound, and dvd player all NIB.

**ThoughtCriminal** · June 29th, 2008, 02:46 PM

Hey Sig, I would write a letter to one of the corporate officers at sony, especially the president. I have done this in the past, not for sony but other big corps., and they usually throw something in for free.

**JP8** · June 29th, 2008, 03:09 PM

I found a lot of these small family-owned computer and camera stores try the bait and switch routine too. I would expect more from a sony store.

**SigP250** · June 29th, 2008, 06:39 PM

Hey Sig, I would write a letter to one of the corporate officers at sony, especially the president. I have done this in the past, not for sony but other big corps., and they usually throw something in for free.

Is on the way tomorrow....snail mail and email to Sony HQ....

I found a lot of these small family-owned computer and camera stores try the bait and switch routine too. I would expect more from a sony store.

That's exactly what I was talking about with the wife today....quite honestly this episode (although can be an isolated one) is making me think that is this is Sony "policy" I might bring my business (and hard earned cash) somewhere else...and I quite fancy Sony products...

**toml** · June 29th, 2008, 08:28 PM

I got a refurb car stereo from them. Took a bit to try to grab someone on the floor to dig one out of stock, as the store was busy and the staff didn't go out of it's way to make themselves available.

The price on the radio was OK - not a great deal, but reasonable. The one real deal I did get was the HD Radio module for it. That lists at $99.95, and they had a stack of them factory new (not refurbs) for $10 each! The cheapest I could find it for online was over $60. The HD really sounds good (the difference is especially startling on AM), and gives you access to the additional programming on a lot of the local stations.