My Satelite Radio Saga
Man, some research/marketing company should be paying me for this entry. (Other than the usual "blah blah blah" at the beginning of the entry, that is. :)
So I got this stupid new temp job at a big title company. To make a long story short, the temp agency that I have been working for for years is getting progressively worse, espeically the Sacramento branch. The agency (employer) is treating us like shit. The client has all these strigent rules that make me feel like I'm working in a factory at some third world country. Why do I keep the job? Well, the hours are okay and the place is close to home. ^_^ Figure I'll just stay till I find something better, or when hubby returns, whichever comes first. :)
So, since it's a stupid, boring, and mindless job that actually let us listen to music (with headphones even) at work (I think they really do that to minimize talking and get the most of us, think factory), I figured if I get myself a satelite radio, the job will be more bearable. Hence the search began.
First stop: Fry's Electronic (4100 Northgate Blvd, Sacramento, CA)
Asked the guy to point me towards the direction of the satelite radio, he asked me, "Home or car one?" I said I thought they were the same. So he went on to explain to me about the home/car kit that's required to work with the receiver. I said I thought it was like a radio and it's portable. He gave me the what-a-stupid-woman smirk and said, "of course not, you'd need an antenna to receive the signal" and that perhaps I can "walk around with the antenna on my head." What an ass. Besides, both mounting stations and the receivers are in the same area, what difference does it make wether I was looking for the home or car setup? Regardless, I took a look and decided these folks here are useless for my purposes (who expects services at Fry's eh?), I left. Thinking that I can always get it elsewhere.
Second stop: Best Buy (9131 W Stockton Blvd, Elk Grove, CA)
They put the products right next to the car stereo which was blasting so loud that I couldn't even hear myself talk. I decided against screaming at the top of my lung at a sale rep to try to have my questions answered.
Third stop: Good Guys (7020 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA)
A sales rep actually approached me as I walked into their car stereo section and offered to help. Unfortunately he knew almost nothing about the product and kept saying, "I'd ask someone else," but never did. The XM radio looked like I might be able to plug headphones in and make it work the way I wanted it to. Regardless, they don't have the mini home kit for the Sirius receiver so I was unable to give them my money.
Fourth stop: Back to Fry's Electronics (4100 Northgate Blvd, Sacramento, CA)
This time keeping in mind to avoid the butthead I encountered yesterday at the cellphones section, I head straight towards the products of desire. I grabbed the receiver AND the home kit, then found the guy(s) who looked like they worked at the right section and asked them my questions. They told me I won't be needing to install external antenna on the roof (they didn't look like the believe me, but that's what it says on the Sirius website. Guy also told me that I will NOT be able to put headphones in. I find it odd that you can hook it up to speakers but not headphones, but I was not about to spend $170 to find out.
So, two days and 3 stores later, I have yet to buy the product(s) that I want. Granted, $170 is not exactly a $70,000 home theater setup, but you'd think a store would care a bit more than that. They don't even need to convince me to buy the product(s), I was more than ready to make the purchase. All I need was to have a few questions answered!!
Tomorrow, stop #5: Circuit City (7272 55th St, Sacramento, CA). Hopefully I'll get some decent treatment as a customer and get to spend some of my hard earned cash.
***
38 Days, 913 Hours left.
So I got this stupid new temp job at a big title company. To make a long story short, the temp agency that I have been working for for years is getting progressively worse, espeically the Sacramento branch. The agency (employer) is treating us like shit. The client has all these strigent rules that make me feel like I'm working in a factory at some third world country. Why do I keep the job? Well, the hours are okay and the place is close to home. ^_^ Figure I'll just stay till I find something better, or when hubby returns, whichever comes first. :)
So, since it's a stupid, boring, and mindless job that actually let us listen to music (with headphones even) at work (I think they really do that to minimize talking and get the most of us, think factory), I figured if I get myself a satelite radio, the job will be more bearable. Hence the search began.
First stop: Fry's Electronic (4100 Northgate Blvd, Sacramento, CA)
Asked the guy to point me towards the direction of the satelite radio, he asked me, "Home or car one?" I said I thought they were the same. So he went on to explain to me about the home/car kit that's required to work with the receiver. I said I thought it was like a radio and it's portable. He gave me the what-a-stupid-woman smirk and said, "of course not, you'd need an antenna to receive the signal" and that perhaps I can "walk around with the antenna on my head." What an ass. Besides, both mounting stations and the receivers are in the same area, what difference does it make wether I was looking for the home or car setup? Regardless, I took a look and decided these folks here are useless for my purposes (who expects services at Fry's eh?), I left. Thinking that I can always get it elsewhere.
Second stop: Best Buy (9131 W Stockton Blvd, Elk Grove, CA)
They put the products right next to the car stereo which was blasting so loud that I couldn't even hear myself talk. I decided against screaming at the top of my lung at a sale rep to try to have my questions answered.
Third stop: Good Guys (7020 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA)
A sales rep actually approached me as I walked into their car stereo section and offered to help. Unfortunately he knew almost nothing about the product and kept saying, "I'd ask someone else," but never did. The XM radio looked like I might be able to plug headphones in and make it work the way I wanted it to. Regardless, they don't have the mini home kit for the Sirius receiver so I was unable to give them my money.
Fourth stop: Back to Fry's Electronics (4100 Northgate Blvd, Sacramento, CA)
This time keeping in mind to avoid the butthead I encountered yesterday at the cellphones section, I head straight towards the products of desire. I grabbed the receiver AND the home kit, then found the guy(s) who looked like they worked at the right section and asked them my questions. They told me I won't be needing to install external antenna on the roof (they didn't look like the believe me, but that's what it says on the Sirius website. Guy also told me that I will NOT be able to put headphones in. I find it odd that you can hook it up to speakers but not headphones, but I was not about to spend $170 to find out.
So, two days and 3 stores later, I have yet to buy the product(s) that I want. Granted, $170 is not exactly a $70,000 home theater setup, but you'd think a store would care a bit more than that. They don't even need to convince me to buy the product(s), I was more than ready to make the purchase. All I need was to have a few questions answered!!
Tomorrow, stop #5: Circuit City (7272 55th St, Sacramento, CA). Hopefully I'll get some decent treatment as a customer and get to spend some of my hard earned cash.
***
38 Days, 913 Hours left.
posted by cahalan @ 22:56
|
<< Home