DISQUS

Gonçalo Moura · 2 months ago

Fnac customer service has been bloody awful for the last few years. Save for the ever rarer exception of the employee who *gasp* actually knows his stuff, the bar has been set so low I rarely bother. Some time ago, a friend was shopping for a USB FM radio dongle, and we where having trouble finding one at Fnac Cascais. When we asked one of the employees there, he was completely lost. His colleague then blurted out this particular gem (in portuguese): "O que ela quer é uma pen Wi-Fi, dá-lhe isso". Technically wrong (without even asking the customer if he was correct) and extremely rude. Winning combination. Sigh.

Having been in customer service myself before graduating college, I find this type of behavior inadmissible. Consequently, I do most of my shopping online these days. Better prices, and not having the hassle of dealing with jerks like the one above.

João Lúcio · 2 months ago

http://www.sony.pt/product/t32-v-series/kdl-40v...
Acabei de comprar este modelo em 32" e só tenho a dizer bem. Excelente imagem mesmo em SD, 4 HDMIs, yada yada yada. Isto depois de ler várias análises, entrar em várias lojas, etc. Acabei por comprar na Pixmania e poupar quase €200.

jeroenh · 2 months ago

Prices of TVs have become top secret hush-hush business these days. Stores will not advertise their prices in ads outside of their own buildings for fear of competition.

It really does make sense to shop around though. I recently bought a Samsung LED LCD TV, and got a €100 discount on the spot when I mentioned cheaper prices in an online store.

João Alexandre Madail · 2 months ago

As already said, Fnac as been degrading the customer service year after year.

Had a similar experience, precisely in the Vasco da Gama store, but I was taking
notes on paper (how primitive, I know) and an attendant just steps in asking if I needed
some help but actually reading what I writing instead of looking at me as he speak.

Also, the prices aren't interesting at all. You can probably get the same product at MediaMarket
cheaper and the quality of the service involved isn't much different...

ianhirst · 2 months ago

I had a similar experience in IKEA in Bristol UK. I was taking photos of items which might fit our proposed refurbishment, and was asked to stop - it was against the stores policy.
I protested and stopped, but felt very angry - because of the public embarassment they exposed me to.
regards
Ian

Daniel · 2 months ago

This kind of behaviour will be the norm in a near future... With the ability of the today's phones to photograph code bars and through the browser compare prices on the spot with other retail stores or amazon and the likes, the managers of these stores will become more and more defensive about their costumers taking photos with their phones. But if they make it a store policy I think they should publicize it in the most visible manner... I'm not sure though about the legality of such policy...?

Edit: as for the TV I would advise you to check Samsung LED TV line, and to be really future proof consider that the next buzzword/technologic leap in TV Screens will be 3D....

jeroenh · 2 months ago

I have a Samsung LED TV and it's great indeed.

The sound completely is pretty bad though. But then again, that goes for most TVs these days. There just isn't enough room in those things to put in decent speakers anymore.

oomu · 2 months ago

hu...

I often use my iphone in fnacs (France) or other shop, Of course I take picture, browse the web and compare

and I do my business, I don't listen to vendors (never one stood before me) and I leave after I got the information I wanted. Maybe I will come back some day later to buy, maybe not, who knows ?

the point is : don't care about salesman.

-
heck, I remember, how one day I checked a mac in a fnac, opened the disk utility, the Information System and launched a bazillion of applications (to see if that mac is so much better), a salesman did try to tell me to stop. I watched the time it took to finish and I say "I'm looking to buy a computer. goodbye".

what can they do to you ? to push you out of the shop ? Fine, I'm in a hurry too :)

Brian W... · 2 months ago

Not only does the service at FNAC suck big time but you have to be very careful with their prices. It's rare to find anything at FNAC cheaper than elsewhere if you shop around. Incidentally, the same goes for Worten who's instore service is awful and one final warning on prices. Pixmania. Always check their prices against other online stores and don't be lulled into a false sense of security by their special guarantees. They wont exchange anything faulty unless it has been returned to the manufacturer so you could actually be waiting for weeks before a faulty item is exchanged. Their after sales service is terrible and in order to find out how to return things you need to be an information technology genius as everything you need is well hidden.

As far as taking photos in store. Legally if they say you can't then you can't unless you are on public property. (issue aired many times over on Flickr) best thing to do is make sure no one is around or otherwise occupied. Turn off your flash, snap and walk away nonchalantly like nothing happened.

Brian W... · 2 months ago

Not only does the service at FNAC suck big time but you have to be very careful with their prices. It's rare to find anything at FNAC cheaper than elsewhere if you shop around. Incidentally, the same goes for Worten who's instore service is awful and one final warning on prices. Pixmania. Always check their prices against other online stores and don't be lulled into a false sense of security by their special guarantees. They wont exchange anything faulty unless it has been returned to the manufacturer so you could actually be waiting for weeks before a faulty item is exchanged. Their after sales service is terrible and in order to find out how to return things you need to be an information technology genius as everything you need is well hidden.

As far as taking photos in store. Legally if they say you can't then you can't unless you are on public property. (issue aired many times over on Flickr) best thing to do is make sure no one is around or otherwise occupied. Turn off your flash, snap and walk away nonchalantly like nothing happened.

alfieb · 2 months ago

Tell me about it. I had the same experience in the micasa store in Volketswil, Switzerland. Will never do business there, ever again.

097115 · 2 months ago

> My new TV can play just about anything from H.264 to .mkv (including DivX HD)

So, could you please tell what exactly model have you bought? :)