[Stewartj1]

(EDIT) - This story has nothing to do with what tab is best, it's about my reaction to a rude and condecending Future Shop sales rep. The fact it was about tabs is purely incidental. He was a and I pushed back. The conversation went on for 5 or 6 minutes so was too long to to post verbatim so I tried to include only the highlights. Clearly I could have done much better.

This is too good not to share, but I swear I didn't go looking for a fight, the other guy started it.

I was in Future Shop the other day and asked the FS guy (FSG) to get me a Playbook out of the locked display.

FSG: (edit) (In a very condecending tone) WHY would you want something so small? The iPad is SO much b etter.

(EDIT) Me: Well I've done my homework and the PB is the one I want.

(EDIT) Several exchanges where FSG tries to tell me NO, that's NOT what you want.

(EDIT) (Having had more than enough of this guy and deciding to push back where I know it will hurt) Me: Well it fits in my pocket and it has a HUGE screen.

FSG: (facpe etting red, jaw clenched). Are you kidding me? Its way smaller than my iPad!

Me: Dangling a $15 mini hdmi cable in front of him). When I get it home it has a 47" display - much bigger than your puny little 10".

FSG: (clearly getting angry)

Me: Tell ya what, let's put a PB and an ipad side by side and compare resolution. Let's go to ctv.ca/video and stream Greys Anatomy or something.... Oh wait, that's a Flash site, you can't play that.

Me: Okay, how about we go to Youtube and start streaming multiple videos in seperate windows and see which Tab chokes first?

Me: Dont even get me started on conectivity more than 30' from a wifi. Never mind, I'll buy one somewhere else. (Turned and walked out)

[ilikebacon]

lol. nice!!!

[totti_07]

haha atta boy

[kennyliu]

Now, imagine a similar story by an Apple fan:

"Me: Let's talk to my wife. She is online in Skype. Oh wait, I just got an email from her asking to watch something on Netflix. I guess I'll do that after I am done reading my Kindle book.

Me: Did you say the pixel density is better on that thing? Wait a month or two and we'll talk about it. iPad 3 should be out right after that thing gets an email app."

Conclusion: All tablets have their strengths and weaknesses.

[nomadGT]

good for you......i know what ur talking about, sold ipad to buy a pb, never looked back

[andy957]

I wonder if it was the FS on Yonge & Dundas in Toronto.

[Blacklatino]

LMAO. Nice story.

[ericlc2]

LOL @ OP that's awesome!

[llllBULLSEYE]

hahahaha stop trolling

kennyliu that's a good argument, but not everyone uses Skype.
I personally don't have a single friend/family member
(that I know of) that uses Skype. If it wasn't for Crackberry
I would have no idea Skype was a big deal to some people.
Netflix can be use on the go on the Playbook if you can figure it out

BTW:The bezel is the best feature for me on the Playbook every tablet
is gonna end up copying this I'm sure.

[sleepngbear]

Now, imagine a similar story by an Apple fan:

"Me: Let's talk to my wife. She is online in Skype. Oh wait, I just got an email from her asking to watch something on Netflix. I guess I'll do that after I am done reading my Kindle book.

Me: Did you say the pixel density is better on that thing? Wait a month or two and we'll talk about it. iPad 3 should be out right after that thing gets an email app."

Conclusion: All tablets have their strengths and weaknesses.

We're all painfully aware of all the iPad's strengths. The guy specifically asked to see a PlayBook, but the sales guy instead chose to give him a ration of crap. He could have constructively explained his understanding of the strengths of one over the other and let the customer decide for himself rather than just slam the other product right out of the gate. If he'd have just shut the he11 up and got out the PB that was asked for, geez, he might actually have made a sale. Guess he thought it better to send a customer away dissatisfied, a customer who might likely never shop there again because of the experience. Brilliant sales strategy.

Edit: @stewartj1, if you truly are a troll, you're our kinda troll.

Edit2: @kennyliu, apologies if this came across as a swipe at you ... wasn't intended that way.

[kennyliu]

hahahaha stop trolling

kennyliu that's a good argument, but not everyone uses Skype.
I personally don't have a single friend/family member
(that I know of) that uses Skype. If it wasn't for Crackberry
I would have no idea Skype was a big deal to some people.
Netflix can be use on the go on the Playbook if you can figure it out

BTW:The bezel is the best feature for me on the Playbook every tablet
is gonna end up copying this I'm sure.

Agree. The UI beats all other tablets IMO.

Skype is indeed a big deal for some. Especially, those who have relatives, friends, or business partners abroad. I use it to talk to my family and colleagues as it's the safest way to communicate without fearing that your phone conversation is being wiretapped by secret service.

[Stewartj1]

Conclusion: All tablets have their strengths and weaknesses.

Agree 100%. My problem wasn't with his pref of Tablet, rather it was with his horribe attitude.

[Chaddface]

Now, imagine a similar story by an Apple fan:

"Me: Let's talk to my wife. She is online in Skype. Oh wait, I just got an email from her asking to watch something on Netflix. I guess I'll do that after I am done reading my Kindle book.

Me: Did you say the pixel density is better on that thing? Wait a month or two and we'll talk about it. iPad 3 should be out right after that thing gets an email app."

Conclusion: All tablets have their strengths and weaknesses.

I'm at work now streaming slacker and responding to this post. Later I may plug into my monitor and play some episodes of The Office I have stored on a SD card on my phone. I am also BBM'ing(is that a word) my wife and sharing some videos of my daughter.
I should mention I am not allowed to connect to the wifi at work. In a few minutes I will take a break from this grueling job and drive to the McDonalds a couple blocks away and say goodnight to the wife via video chat.
I understand what your saying and I will take the strengths of BB and the PB over skype and netflix.

[llllBULLSEYE]

I do understand they Hype behind Skype after seen that big
Skype email campaign.
I'm just glad I never got into it or else I would of been
so mad at RIM.

[Stewartj1]

I wonder if it was the FS on Yonge & Dundas in Toronto.

Bedford Commons near Halifax.

They have a couple of pro ipad guys who also do a good job explaining other products but this guy got nasty as soon as I said Playbook.

[kennyliu]

We're all painfully aware of all the iPad's strengths. The guy specifically asked to see a PlayBook, but the sales guy instead chose to give him a ration of crap. He could have constructively explained his understanding of the strengths of one over the other and let the customer decide for himself rather than just slam the other product right out of the gate. If he'd have just shut the he11 up and got out the PB that was asked for, geez, he might actually have made a sale. Guess he thought it better to send a customer away dissatisfied, a customer who might likely never shop there again because of the experience. Brilliant sales strategy.

Edit: @stewartj1, if you truly are a troll, you're our kinda troll.

Edit2: @kennyliu, apologies if this came across as a swipe at you ... wasn't intended that way.

It's me who should apologize. I wanted to balance the story a bit, but ended up spoiling it . I probably overreacted to the troll word

Anyway, OP, great story. Thanks for sharing.

[kennyliu]

Btw, I have an idea: Let's do something like this:



Wear blue polos, go to the nearest Best Buy and spend an hour or two promoting the Playbook

[llllBULLSEYE]

lmao that was funny.

[Harborcoat]

I also bought my PlayBook at Future Shop. The salesman didn't try and talk me out of the PB, he mentioned his girlfriend got a Curve and loves it, but he did tell me RIM uses bad touch tech that wears out quickly? I honestly don't know anything about touch screens other than resistive sucks... I suspect it's nonsense, but can anyone elaborate?

[gotchagain]

just do what my buddy did here at FS. He asked for the 64gb and fsg started on about apple vs everything, so my buddy listened then turned to another fsg and asked him to get one from the case and bought it. 1st fsg said to 2nd fsg, I'll get it out and my buddy said, "no, keep telling me how great ipad is!

[swyost]

This is too good not to share, but I swear I didn't go looking for a fight, the other guy started it.

I was in Future Shop the other day and asked the FS guy (FSG) to get me a Playbook out of the locked display.

FSG: WHY would you want something so small?

Me: Well it fits in my pocket and it has a HUGE screen.

FSG: (facpe etting red, jaw clenched). Are you kidding me? Its way smaller than my iPad!

Me: Dangling a $15 mini hdmi cable in front of him). When I get it home it has a 47" display - much bigger than your puny little 10".

FSG: (clearly getting angry)

Me: Tell ya what, let's put a PB and an ipad side by side and compare resolution. Let's go to ctv.ca/video and stream Greys Anatomy or something.... Oh wait, that's a Flash site, you can't play that.

Me: Okay, how about we go to Youtube and start streaming multiple videos in seperate windows and see which Tab chokes first?

Me: Dont even get me started on conectivity more than 30' from a wifi. Never mind, I'll buy one somewhere else. (Turned and walked out)

It seems the person made a sum total of two statements and you were doing the baiting. Personally, I would suggest the one telling the story is the one overreacting. If the person said all of two things, both of which are consistent with being a sales person and neither of which are rude, yes you were being the equivalent of a real life (off the internet) troll. How was anything they said a hard sell to try to get you to buy something else? What, therefore, is the justication for being obnoxious? You baited someone who said two things and then you walked away. Not something of which I would be proud....

[Chaddface]

Swyost.
When you ask an associate to get something for you its not their position to question your choice. He wasn't asking for an opinion.
The way I see it once that guy challenges me then it's game on.
I had a similar experience in a staples store and I'm regretting keeping my mouth shut.

[Jfryton]

Every Playbook display unit at my local Future Shop doesn't work. It's the same at all of the Source I've been to here in Montreal. When I asked about one at The Source, I was told to ignore it because they're discontinued and that I should instead buy an HTC Flyer with a data plan contract.

[Stewartj1]

It seems the person made a sum total of two statements and you were doing the baiting. Personally, I would suggest the one telling the story is the one overreacting. If the person said all of two things, both of which are consistent with being a sales person and neither of which are rude, yes you were being the equivalent of a real life (off the internet) troll. How was anything they said a hard sell to try to get you to buy something else? What, therefore, is the justication for being obnoxious? You baited someone who said two things and then you walked away. Not something of which I would be proud....

I was trying to keep the post brief but in doing so left out some important info which understandably left that impression. The exchange went on for several minutes where this guy didn't give me one single fact or spec he just kept trashing the PB by calling it an expensive eReader, useless and so on with total disgard to anyting I had to say including my stating and restating I'd done my research and the PB best suits my needs so please just sell me one. I got fed up and pushed back.

[Stewartj1]

It's me who should apologize. I wanted to balance the story a bit, but ended up spoiling it . I probably overreacted to the troll word

Anyway, OP, great story. Thanks for sharing.

Actually, MY fault, in trying to keep it short I left out too much information. Truth is you were spot on that all the tabs have great features. I had a hard time chosing between Galaxy Tab, iPad and PB.

Sorry all.