Gettin Dissed at Tweeter!

amulford

I have been shopping for a new set of tunes for the truck. So I stopped at Tweeter to check out what they had.

I went in stealth mode, acting like I had no clue ( which might apply to car audio). The salesman gobbled it up and took me into the "high end" room.

Lo and Behold, but what do I see??? Polk speakers, along with offerings by JLAudio, and a couple of others. He asked me how I liked my tunes, of course the reply was LOUD.

So he sets up this system, which totaled out to more than my tight **** budget will allow BTW, which souded really good.

The amp was JLAudio, with same component fronts and coax rears, and some sub, which I forget the name of.

I saw the Polks right next to them, (which were over a franklin less) and asked him about them. His reply was they (Polk) might be good in home audio, but they aren't really up to snuff. There are other's that are SO much more (and cost SO MUCH MORE, too!).

(BTW, after doing some A/B comparisons. The Polk's better suited my tastes. I did like the amp.)

Something to say for strategic alliances, huh? Needless to say, we know where I won't be getting my mobile stereo, don't we?

Demiurge

Are they on commission there? I used to notice that crap a lot at Circuit City, but it stopped when they weren't commissioned salespeople anymore. Of course the person selling is always going to have an opinion, but the are often not very knowledgable about what they're selling. I always try to do my research at home, demo stuff, do more research then just go in and buy what I want.

I honestly don't know if the guy was trying to rake you over the coals, but I doubt it...unless of course he was a commissioned salesman.

amulford

I'm sure commission was involved.

exalted512

another big reason why i shop online now...lol
-Cody

RobXant

Tweeter went to a new sales system that isn't strictly commisson/percentage based just a few weeks ago. Now, a salesperson earns a set 'bonus' (for lack of a slicker term) for each that is sold. I think the bonus is based somehow on the class and brand of item sold, price playing in somehow as well, but I think to a lesser extent.

Rob

MacLeod

My local Tweeter seems to be pushing the Polks more, which is good.

I took my trusty Dream Theater test CD in there a while back and did a A/B comparo and in my opinion the $300 Polks spanked most everything they had.

The only ones that sounded as good were the $380 JL Audio XR's, the $580 MB Quart Premium and the $600 Boston Pros.

The only one that sounded better was the $1300 MB Quart Q, which happens to be my favorite speaker on the market right now.

Ive always said Polk Audio aint the best in the world but dollar for dollar they are.

swerve

Buy online if you can. Seriously I hate how everyone is trying to push something really hard down customer's throats.

At cc I just explain where everything is at and let them decide. but I do try to push our promotions and stuff when we have them running. I.E. buy one P.Miller sub get one free!!!!

-adam

brettw22

Originally posted by swerve
\I.E. buy one P.Miller sub get one free!!!!

W(ho)TF is P.Miller?

PolkThug

Originally posted by brettw22
W(ho)TF is P.Miller?

Master-P

You bout it?

dorokusai

F Tweeter.

disneyjoe7

Originally posted by dorokusai
F Tweeter.

After the Rti10 BullSh*T, I agree.

MacLeod

As far as buying online, I will only buy from authorized dealers and in that case local shops can be as cheap as internet dealers. I bought my Crossfire amp from a dealer cheaper than I could get them online from and authorized dealer. Now I just ordered a set of Polk Audio MM6 speakers from SoundDomain as they were $350 speakers closing out for $160!!! No dealer can touch that!

I dont pay much attention to which products a particular dealer likes but I do value their input on issues like installation, proper powering and so on.

fireshoes

Originally posted by Demiurge
Are they on commission there? I used to notice that crap a lot at Circuit City, but it stopped when they weren't commissioned salespeople anymore. Of course the person selling is always going to have an opinion, but the are often not very knowledgable about what they're selling. I always try to do my research at home, demo stuff, do more research then just go in and buy what I want.

I honestly don't know if the guy was trying to rake you over the coals, but I doubt it...unless of course he was a commissioned salesman.

I really think whether a salesperson is commissioned of not, they will give you a good idea what they like or not. In this particular case, JL Audio has some pretty big nuthuggers, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if the guy just lliked the product better.

There are good and bad commissioned salespeople and good and bad hourly salepeople. A good commissioned salesperson will sell you the product that meets your needs first and foremost, but if more than one will accomplish that, they will try to sell you the more profitable one.

If they stick you with something you don't really want, they won't get your repeat business either.

swerve

Originally posted by PolkThug
Master-P

You bout it?

I'm bout it bout it...

I try to focus on the better products cc has... but I always list adv. and disadv. of others as well....

-adam

Demiurge

Originally posted by fireshoes
I really think whether a salesperson is commissioned of not, they will give you a good idea what they like or not. In this particular case, JL Audio has some pretty big nuthuggers, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if the guy just lliked the product better.

There are good and bad commissioned salespeople and good and bad hourly salepeople. A good commissioned salesperson will sell you the product that meets your needs first and foremost, but if more than one will accomplish that, they will try to sell you the more profitable one.

If they stick you with something you don't really want, they won't get your repeat business either.

With all due respect most people at these joints are young adults and teenagers.....By nature they're going to be more about the sale than the service. It's just how it is.

spwuinmk67

Originally posted by fireshoes
JL Audio has some pretty big nuthuggers

Yes they do! Last shop I went to, the manager had JL everything in his car;wires, subs, amps, comps, coax, he also had a Jl jacket, his employees used JL, as well as the install they were curently re-doing...

amulford

Originally posted by dorokusai
F Tweeter.

You said it Paco. I kind of got that same thought when I was asked to open a credit account, to pay for this ****, after I told this jerkoff that it was over the budget limit. No, well we might be able to work within your budget.

I did find some decent stuff, but I ain't paying their prices. They can stick that where the sun....

Yeah, f#ck Tweeter...

exalted512

i buy from onlinecarstereo.com a lot, theyre not authorized but they do have a 1 yr warranty through the website--just because theyre not authorized doesnt mean theyre not good, i went through hell and back with thezeb.com and theyre authorized...
-Cody

Grimster74

Tweeter hates to see me pull in the parking lot anymore. The last time I was there some guy was in one of the listening rooms going threw the whole JL and MB Quart sales pitch with the saleman. The gentleman asked my opinion about the whole thing with the saleman standing there and of course a big popped up on my face. Lets step outside sir was my remark. After a demo in my truck needless to say the saleman was pissed. If I'm not mistaken the gentleman went home with damn near the same setup I had. My whole point to this thread, you don't need to spend a **** load of money to get a kick **** sounding system.

swerve

I sell polk speakers at cc... alot of them get returned because the factory speakers have more bass people claim. I'd like to choke these people.

it's happend atleast 3 times since I've started working there.

-adam

amulford

Originally posted by Grimster74
My whole point to this thread, you don't need to spend a **** load of money to get a kick **** sounding system.

My point exactly. Wait'll I'M done....:D

MacLeod

Originally posted by swerve
I sell polk speakers at cc... alot of them get returned because the factory speakers have more bass people claim. I'd like to choke these people.

it's happend atleast 3 times since I've started working there.

-adam

Thats the way CC customers are nowadays. The DB's are 100 times better than ANY OEM setup. You buy these speakers cause you want detail and good clean SQ. You buy subs to have bass.

I dont think I would have the patience to work at CC.

I dont think Tweeter is all that bad. I go in there about once a month or so just cause I like listening to the MB Quart Q's and Boston Pros. Ill put in my trust Dream Theater CD and play around for at least a half hour then leave. They never give me any ****.

swerve

Originally posted by MacLeod
Thats the way CC customers are nowadays. The DB's are 100 times better than ANY OEM setup. You buy these speakers cause you want detail and good clean SQ. You buy subs to have bass.

I dont think I would have the patience to work at CC.

I dont think Tweeter is all that bad. I go in there about once a month or so just cause I like listening to the MB Quart Q's and Boston Pros. Ill put in my trust Dream Theater CD and play around for at least a half hour then leave. They never give me any ****.

I hate it... but it's a start so i can't complain. The customers who listen to me really are impressed and buy and come back satisfied... but what can i do?

-adam

exalted512

oops

exalted512

Originally posted by MacLeod
I dont think Tweeter is all that bad. I go in there about once a month or so just cause I like listening to the MB Quart Q's and Boston Pros. Ill put in my trust Dream Theater CD and play around for at least a half hour then leave. They never give me any ****.

dude, youre a haus, theyre probably scared to say anything to you

F1nut

Some of you guys crack me up........some cheap a$$ ****'s here and some with little ****'.

Tweeter is what it is, you take the good with the bad and if you think you know more than the salesman, hey good on you, but I don't think that gives one the right to take the high road because there's always someone else who knows more than you.

I haven't spent much time in any Tweeter stores, but one time I did meet a very nice and knowledgable salesman named John in the Towson store. We actually sat down and had a great chat about things audio.

Jstas

Jesse, I think your experience at Tweeter was the exception and not the norm. Also, keep in mind that the Tweeter experience that started this thread was with car audio. In that department, the average age of the salesman is in his/her late teens or early twenties. On top of that, they are not always the brightest person in the store. They are gullible and fall into the brand loyalty trap where nothing but thier favorite brand will do. It's kind of a pseudo-elitist attitude.

Honestly though, I wouldn't look so down upon the sales force at these stores if they didn't look down on me. I have been at the same Tweeter that amulford has. I have gone in there looking for items and been bothered by the salesmen who start asking question about what I am doing with what stereo and then proceed to laugh at the gear I am using...seriously. Even if they are selling the exact same gear. There are a few salesmen there that do not talk to me at all anymore and run to the back room when I walk in because they have attempted to "embarrass" me in the past only to have thier table turned on them. It usually involved posturing on thier part for some girl too.

The biggest problem with Tweeter is that they may have a "boat-load of know-how" but you have to wait for the sales pitch to get any answers. It really sucks when you walk in to a Tweeter to ask about a set of Polk Audio LSi 15's and the salsemen says "Well, have you seen these Martin Logans over here?" My usually response of "That's not what I asked." is not look upon kindly.

So yeah, I understand the frustration of going into a store, telling a salesman that you have this set of criteria and you are looking for something to fit it without killing your bank account and it seems that your words fall upon deaf ears. Telling a guy you have $1500 to spend and you want a stereo for your work truck and getting given a setup that cost twice as much as your plan and involves hours upon hours of custom work not suited for a work vehicle totally sucks and is disheartening at best.

So if getting frustrated with your salesman because he didn't think highly enough of you to listen to a word you said and forget the sales pitch to give you the help you are looking for is taking the high road then, I'm right up there with the rest of them. In my business, if we don't listen to our customer, we don't get our jobs done properly. That means lost income which means a tighter budget and quite possibly no more jobs. Agressive sales picthes are nice and probably work on the majority of the masses but when you get a snot-nosed punk-**** kid infront of you, trying to sell you something that you don't want because he has assumed that he knows more than you, it gets very frustrating. To the point of being infuriating. I know sometimes I can't help but make them feel like a jackass for treating me with such disrespect when I have given them the benefit of the doubt myself.

Honestly though, Tweeter's prices are high. They are reasonable for the Polk Audio stuff but you can beat Tweeter's prices on damn near everything else they carry. You don't have to go to un-authorized discounters to beat the prices either.

I also refuse to have them do an install because they use Monster Cable and Monster Cable accessories for installation.

F1nut

John, I understand exactly what you are saying and I also understand that, that kind of experience can happen at any retail store. My point would be that it's not the name of the store so much as who you're dealing with. In case like that one could just leave the store or ask to speak with another salesman or the manager.

Originally posted by Jstas
I also refuse to have them do an install because they use Monster Cable and Monster Cable accessories for installation.

Good on ya!

swerve

Originally posted by F1nut
My point would be that it's not the name of the store so much as who you're dealing with. In case like that one could just leave the store or ask to speak with another salesman or the manager.

I get this all the time... the customer will leave and come back the next day. He will be telling me that the person yesterday was no help because they had no clue what they were doing.

I've gotten numerous compliments already from dissatisfied customer who have returned. Makes me feeeeel grrrrrrrreat!

poor service and rude people, unfortunately, is not hard to come by in retail.

-adam

cfrizz

That's the problem with making sweeping generalized statements. It's not true for everyone.

I had ONE bad experience with a salesman in a Tweeter store in Brookline 15 yrs ago. However all of the assistance I have received in the Boston store has been outstanding.

When I bought my Denon from them, I told them I would have to wait to pick it up because I had thrown my shoulder out. The salesman BROUGHT IT TO MY APT. so I wouldn't have to wait!

When I had trouble setting it up, another salesman drew me a diagram & also talked me through it on the phone.

The service I have received has always been professional & curteous.

No offense, but I have to wonder if some of you go in with a bad attitude of your own and they end up just giving it back to you.

If not, then you should promptly go to a different salesman. If that doesn't work, walk out.

I don't think it is necessary to brand an entire chain of stores bad! You might want to look at your own snobbish attitude before you go talking about someone elses.

jdhdiggs

Sorry Cathy, you have an advantage the rest of us (Or at least most of us) don't.

Without being too insensitive, an explanation and example:

Being female and even somewhat knowledgable in audio helps out a lot. My wife went into a store to check out some items and the salesman wanted her to try a Bose setup, she just said that they sounded like crap to her and preferred a more complete sound and then asked to listen to some of the other offerings. All of a sudden, the salesman stopped being a pushy know-it-all and was overly helpfull. I was chuckling from the background since this was for her and I didn't want to color her decision. Besides, watching a dork flirt with her about audio is funny to me... :P

I seriously doubt that I could ever get any salesman to deliver something to my house because I was injured!

That being said, I totally agree with your second point: if you go in there as a jackass know-it-all determined to prove your superiority over the lowly employees, you will get jack squat as far as help but a huge helping of attitude.

Be honest and nice and most sales people will respond in kind