# Would it kill computer salespeople to know something about computers? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 24, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759 "2009-01-24T03:56:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/21 "2009-01-24T14:28:15Z")
The idiot thing here is that the minimum graphics card is usually listed on the minimum game requirements as well as the computer specs, and it doesn’t take knowing much about graphics cards to be able to tell than an NVidia 6100 is well below what’s on the market today. Lesson learned–never ask a big box electronic salesperson to tell you about their stuff. I’ll buy computer parts at Best Buy, but if I need questions answered that’s the last place I’d go for them. (Unfortunately the only independent computer shop I know of locally is well out of the way, or I’d go there more often). ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/22 "2009-01-24T14:36:07Z")
**olivesmarch4th** , some tips and a question: 1. Check the warranty on the PC you just bought. See if something gets voided because you install 3rd party hardware that didn’t come with the original purchase. Best Buy is exactly the type of store that if you brought in a PC with a dead hard drive, they’d say, “Whoops, can’t help you. This isn’t the video card that came with the machine and we believe that’s the problem.” :rolleyes: My sister has some absolutely horror stories when dealing with Best Buy and computers. 2. What precisely is the brand and model you bought? 3. Next time you’re buying a computer, I strongly suggest you come here and ask about what you’re thinking about buying. Lots of us are total geeks and can help. The first thing any of us would have likely told you is to not buy a computer from Best Buy. They’re way overpriced and they often don’t include the best components – as you’ve found out. I’m not trying to rain on your parade and I genuinely hope that you don’t have any problems. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/23 "2009-01-24T14:38:09Z")
I ask on the SDMB for computer advice. It works quite nicely. You just need to wait for enough replies to filter out the garbage and the folks who clearly didn’t actually read your post. Then you have to follow through with the advice, which is my problem. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/24 "2009-01-24T16:30:44Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > It had to do with a lawsuit that was filed against Microsoft, claiming that having the full version of Microsoft Office pre-installed on computers was unfairly affecting the sales of other office suites. If your computer came with MS Office, you were less likely to spend the money to buy a competing product. In my case, the end result was that after my trial period expired, I went online and downloaded Open Office, a free program which as far as I’m concerned works just as well, and allows me to save files in formats readable by other programs. I have great respect for Open Office (I discovered it during my, ‘‘I’m going to use Linux Ubuntu as my primary OS’’ phase) and have been using it for a couple of years now as a temporary solution, but it just doesn’t fit my needs. I write a lot, and I need full Spanish support (OpenOffice has a Spanish language version, but it’s not up to snuff.) In addition, I have a bunch of other completely unreasonable nitpicks, like the fact that OpenOffice doesn’t recognize special characters on the international keyboard setting. Drives me fuck up the wall. It’s also a pain in the ass to make an all-black background in a single document–I write enough that the white kills my eyes after a time, so I use a color-on-black scheme most of the time and convert it later. We have Office 2007 at work and I like it, so this is a decision I made thoughtfully and with about 800 people telling me I’m completely wasting my money. I’m one of those jackasses who would pay $50 for the perfect pen. I’m just picky as fuck about word processing. I gotta run but will reply more later. ---
**Author:** ![Ro\_Carter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7feea3/32.png) [@Ro\_Carter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ro_Carter)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/25 "2009-01-24T18:39:39Z")
You know the most hilarious part about Best Buy? Echoing what Alistair McCello said earlier, I’m getting a computer-related degree (Information Systems), and, somewhat unsurprisingly, I know plenty of people in my major or in the field that either work, or have worked for Best Buy. Guess how many of them worked for Geek Squad? A grand total of ONE. Another guy currently heads the laptop sales section, but all the rest of them were either greeters or worked in a completely unrelated section, such as movies & DVDs, cameras, or appliances. Bottom line? Never, ever ever expect Geek Squad to know ANYTHING, not even their own names. You’d probably be better off asking the guy over in music & movies for advice on computer-related things than the guy actually working in the department. Also, if you do actually find a person working in Best Buy that knows what he/she/it is actually talking about and is helpful, thank your lucky stars and do your level best to let that person know how much you appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/26 "2009-01-24T18:54:33Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > **olivesmarch4th** , some tips and a question: > > 1. Check the warranty on the PC you just bought. See if something gets voided because you install 3rd party hardware that didn’t come with the original purchase. Best Buy is exactly the type of store that if you brought in a PC with a dead hard drive, they’d say, “Whoops, can’t help you. This isn’t the video card that came with the machine and we believe that’s the problem.” :rolleyes: My sister has some absolutely horror stories when dealing with Best Buy and computers. Oooh, thanks for the warning. If it comes to that I’ll probably end up taking my chances, but it’s good to know. I’ve purchased two laptops and an assload of other electronic gadgets from Best Buy and this is the first time I’ve ever been less than thrilled with them. They’ve given me good advice before. > [@](#): > > 1. What precisely is the brand and model you bought? It’s an HP a6700y. Shown [here](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9168205&type=product&id=1218041999474). I do like the machine and would recommend it for anyone not into gaming. It’s speedy for your every day browsing/downloading stuff. Also, the [monitor](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OK1046/ref=asc_df_B000OK1046695118?smid=A3LJ5WMKNRFKQS&tag=shopzilla_rev_1334-20&linkCode=asn) is fucking gorgeous. My only real complaint so far is just the graphics card. > [@](#): > > 1. Next time you’re buying a computer, I strongly suggest you come here and ask about what you’re thinking about buying. Lots of us are total geeks and can help. The first thing any of us would have likely told you is to not buy a computer from Best Buy. They’re way overpriced and they often don’t include the best components – as you’ve found out. > > I’m not trying to rain on your parade and I genuinely hope that you don’t have any problems. I am certainly taking this advice to heart. As I said, I’m optimistic it will still work out for me, but it’s a good lesson for the future. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/27 "2009-01-24T19:00:21Z")
Nobody knows anything about anything anymore as a salesperson. Knowledge and experience simply aren’t valued. Cheap labor is. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/28 "2009-01-24T19:18:57Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > Best Buy is exactly the type of store that if you brought in a PC with a dead hard drive, they’d say, “Whoops, can’t help you. This isn’t the video card that came with the machine and we believe that’s the problem.” :rolleyes: It’s good advice to know they might try to pull this kind of thing, but all you really have to do is know it’s bullshit and be prepared for it. My response would be, “this computer is advertised as having three available expansion slots. Are you telling me that the warranty requires that they never be used? Let me talk to your manager.” ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/29 "2009-01-24T19:44:17Z")
Best Buy? The title said “computer salespeople”. Best Buy doesn’t hire computer salespeople. Best Buy hires warm bodies, some of whom can read, sort of. So if you’re lucky, when you ask a question about a DVD player or a laptop or a video camera, they might be able to slowly read you words off the box that you already read yourself six times while waiting for someone to help you. If you’re unlucky, they’ll just stare at you and mumble random words until you give up and leave them alone. ---
**Author:** ![Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/13edae/32.png) [@Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interconnected_Series_of_Tubes)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/30 "2009-01-24T20:14:02Z")
Wait. You bought a gaming computer? From Best Buy? Please excuse me while I laugh hysterically. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/31 "2009-01-24T20:34:30Z")
My question is, why the fuck would you expect to get unbiased information from a salesman? I’m surprised he didn’t try and sell you a $4000 computer and tack on a $500 video card as well… and then tell you that would be “good enough” for single player use, but if you wanted to play online, you should buy this $20,000 satellite system so you can have an ultrahighspeed internet connection routed through _Spirit_ and _Opportunity_ on Mars. When someone has a vested interest in selling you as much expensive crap as they can, and absolutely zero interest in actually satisfying you, that’s not really the person with whom you should discuss major purchasing decisions. > [@Rigamarole](#): > > ``` > Nobody knows anything about anything anymore as a salesperson. Knowledge and experience simply aren't valued. Cheap labor is. > > ``` Knowledge and experience are too valued. That’s why there are no knowledgeable people at Best buy – people with skills and knowledge get real jobs. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/32 "2009-01-24T20:46:24Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > When someone has a vested interest in selling you as much expensive crap as they can, and absolutely zero interest in actually satisfying you, that’s not really the person with whom you should discuss major purchasing decisions. While i’m on board with some of your rant, i was under the impression that most of the big-box electronics retailers actually abandoned the commission model for sales staff some time ago. [This article](http://www.therealaustin.net/?p=873) by a former Circuit City employer discusses the shift from commission sales to hourly rates. > [@](#): > > When I started in 1997 Circuit City was expanding stores like crazy, most of which were close to a Best Buy or any other major electronic big box. The major difference between a Best buy and Circuit City was Circuit City was more upscale. The sales guys wore sport coats and were paid a nice commission. Because each person’s paycheck was impacted by how much they sold and didn’t get returned, salesmen know they had to learn the products and go around helping people. If they didn’t learn or maintain good sales numbers they were weeded out. The only down side as a shopper is a sales guy pushing expensive accessories and extended warranties but they knew the products (for the most part). This meant Circuit City’s main focus was expert knowledge and customer service. This is great for big ticket items like TVs, computers and sound systems. No so great for items like batteries or cordless phones. People like to just grab it off the shelf and get out with out getting shook down for a warranty. > > \ > > The next nail was commission employees were forced into hourly rates. Talented sales people liked commission and some ended up leaving. Others got the pay rate of what they averaged in their sales. Eventually they would be fired and allowed to reapply at a lower wage. Anyone they hired in on an hourly rate would get paid much less. So now people have no incentive to chase sales, learn products, or help customers. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the salesperson isn’t still trying to sell you stuff, but when his/her paycheck isn’t affected by what you purchase, they might have _some_ incentive to sell you what you need, rather than the most expensive shit in the store. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/33 "2009-01-24T21:36:19Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Of course, this doesn’t mean that the salesperson isn’t still trying to sell you stuff, but when his/her paycheck isn’t affected by what you purchase, they might have some incentive to sell you what you need, rather than the most expensive shit in the store. Commission or no, their continued employment depends on how well they do their job, which is getting people to buy stuff. Other than getting you out the door happy (which is easy with a car full of expensive electronics, an ass full of smoke and the bill isn’t even on the way yet), I don’t see what their incentive is to satisfy the interests of the customer. Oh, and I didn’t intend to inslut **olivesmarch** with the “why the fuck would you expect…” business, I just generally hate salespeople and got carried away because we’re in the pit. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/34 "2009-01-24T21:44:56Z")
By the way, it’s not as if you can’t get information from the internet. When I built my current PC about 6 months ago I spent a few days poring over a few sites: Tom’s Hardware Sharky Extreme AnandTech …and there are lots of others. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/35 "2009-01-24T21:51:39Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Commission or no, their continued employment depends on how well they do their job, which is getting people to buy stuff. Other than getting you out the door happy (which is easy with a car full of expensive electronics, an ass full of smoke and the bill isn’t even on the way yet), I don’t see what their incentive is to satisfy the interests of the customer. > > Oh, and I didn’t intend to inslut **olivesmarch** with the “why the fuck would you expect…” business, I just generally hate salespeople and got carried away because we’re in the pit. It’s okay. The guy was actually pretty low pressure for a salesman. He didn’t try to upsell me at all. Now that I think about it, that may have been part of the problem. I thought $1000 was a reasonable amount to pay and when he asked me how much I was looking to spend, I said $1000 even though I was willing to spend a bit more if necessary. He did not at any time suggest that finding a good gaming computer would actually cost more than $1000. Instead I think he picked the best thing for my price range. If he’d said, ‘‘Actually you can’t really get a good gaming computer for $1000’’ someone might think he was being a high-pressure asshole, but in fact he would just have been honest. I would have preferred honesty. Still I got lucky in all this. I could have spent $2000 on a ‘‘gaming computer’’ which is essentially tacking on 3x the price of a good video card just because they can. Instead I get a good one for about $1000 and with another $300 and a little elbow grease I can produce the same results for less money. **Zipper** ’s right. I did essentially win in this situation, and it brought me one step closer to being more researched in my purchasing decisions. Another hopeful byproduct is that it will teach me a little more about computer hardware. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/36 "2009-01-24T22:21:01Z")
Don’t forget, the video card needs to be plugged into the power supply. Six-prong connector. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/37 "2009-01-24T22:24:35Z")
Next time come over to the SDMB and have us speck out a PC for you and you build it yourself. If we have to have 5 SDMB people on video chat to get you set up, It’ll happen. The last gaming PC I built for a friend cost $600 and it owns. That being said, you did pretty good, and that video card is going to run Oblivion nicely. But don’t forget to install mods for it! out of the box it’s great game, but with a few mods (The natural environments mod, new gear mods, the archeology guild mods and a few others) it goes from being great to being FANTASTIC. Also, pick up NWN 2 and join our SDMB group (check out the gaming forum for details)! Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/38 "2009-01-24T22:24:47Z")
I am totally not a gamer. You have no idea how totally I am not a gamer The latest and most intensive game I’ve played on a computer is “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”. The one before that was “The Uninvited” with black and white graphics on an original ‘toaster’ Mac. But I know this much about games: there’s nothing remotely trivial about what they require of your computer. The word “just” has no proper place in the following sentence: "I just wanted a computer good enough to do a kickass job of playing ‘Oblivion’! " Five year old computers that will otherwise handle anything ordinary mortals would ever throw at it will croak if you try to run today’s games on 'em. A shiny new non-cheap cutting edge brand name computer will NOT necessarily run today’s games _well_. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/39 "2009-01-24T22:29:58Z")
I blame intel and the retailers. The retailers because the continue to push intel integrated video with otherwise high end gear and calling it a gaming machine. Intel because they don’t mind what the retailers do at all, and in fact encourage that practice. Their integrated video chips SUCK. ---
**Author:** ![flood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@flood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flood)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759/40 "2009-01-24T23:37:04Z")
I have nothing really valuable to add except that I worked at Best Buy for three years. I was an appliance salesperson there for the majority of the time I was with the company; I actually knew what I was talking about though. When the department was really slow (most of the time), they’d send me over to random departments (where we sold products I knew nothing about) to contact customers and see if I could help them. I’d usually go over and wander around for a few minutes, try to help someone or get someone to help them, then go back to my department. It was the easiest job I’ve ever had and pretty rewarding when I could help a little old lady buy a new stove or dishwasher, or whenever I’d make a huge sale with people furnishing a brand new home (even though we weren’t on commission). I had to put up with alot of bullshit though…kinda makes me wanna start a new thread just to talk about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-kill-computer-salespeople-to-know-something-about-computers/482759.md?page=3)