Comments on: PC World reveals its retail secrets

By: http://www.stockpicktime.info/microsoft-ever-a-penny-stock.html

http://www.stockpicktime.info/microsoft-ever-a-penny-stock.html — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:25:52 +0000

http://www.stockpicktime.info/microsoft-ever-a-penny-stock.html...

stock market vocabulary…

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By: John Wilkinson

John Wilkinson — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:36:08 +0000

John says

My own experience is that the shopfloor staff exhibit only superficial knowledge of the products on offer and lack real insight into current developments in information technology. I have found that they have attempted to tempt me with products that have unattractive features – whether components that are disappearing as later versions have been launched or the lack of features that have become commonplace. I understand now from your article that they must be sourcing these products at a considerable discount which is not passed on to the customer but retained to enhance the profitability of the store.

The ratings given in your tests must influence many people in their purchase decisions and cause the accummulation of surplus stocks of poorly rated items. I wonder where these items that receive poor ratings in your tests end up?

By: Carbon Fibre

Carbon Fibre — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:13:09 +0000

It’s business. It’s about profit and nothing else. Are you really that shocked?

You may not like the style and it was a silly error they made issuing that document, but can you blame them for wanting to make money?

Beautiful irony that they have an ad at the bottom of this page too

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:38:55 +0000

This reminds me of a recent TV program (Dispatches I think) that I saw on mobile phone stores. It was ranting on about how sales staff are pressured to bump people onto contracts rather than PAYG and to sell particular phones by putting much higher commission on them etc etc etc… Their main point was that ‘poor innocent victims’ were being upsold to products they didn’t need. Personally I think anybody who just walks into a national retailer, asks which product is best and then accepts the given price (and then buys the 5 year extended warranty that probably costs as much as the product did in the first place) deserves everything they get. I wasn’t surprised by that program and I’m not surprised here, although it’s always interesting to see some of the details.

By: Big Bad John

Big Bad John — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:13:18 +0000

What?
You’re shocked because a retailer asks its employees to do their job (sell) in a way that maximises its profits?
Whatever next?
SHOCK! HORROR! EXCLUSIVE! Secret Memo reveals PC Pro asks its contributors to write interesting articles…. that’s bound to maximise readership, subscriptions, and advertising revenue. Blatant profiteering at its worst.

By: Phil S

Phil S — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:49:52 +0000

“Blatant profiteering” is a gross exaggeration. A company abusing a monopoly (which PC World most certainly doesn’t have) would be guilty of that charge. Making a healthy margin on a new product is what subsidises the smaller profit (and often losses) on older stock. Why do they have stock? So that customers can go in and prod, touch, feel, experience the product at first hand – after which they will often walk out of the store and buy it online for less money.

Personally, I wouldn’t run a retail business for all the tea in the Co-op, and if you think there’s money to be made, try it sometime. Oh, and you might ask DSG International’s (the parent company) shareholders about “profiteering,” too. They have seen the value of their shares drop from 154p to a third of that in one year, with a 52-week low of just 34.75p.

You may dislike these vast retail sheds, but the cause isn’t furthered by inaccurate and snide remarks in response to a human error. I see nothing whatsoever reprehensible in circulating sales staff with bumph that encourages them to be enthusiastic and keen while at the same time helping to save their own jobs. You live in a capitalist country – that’s how it works, dear chap.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:13:11 +0000

Of course, it could also be crafty viral marketing….: “Ok, when you see that Mike Jennings, slip him this leaflet and he’ll blog about it on PCPro. We gotta shift this stuff somehow….”

By: Joehn

Joehn — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:53:48 +0000

So that’s why they want affiliates to sell the IQ500! Still, I can’t see anything particularly damning here except their embarrassing slip up. Can you go back and get the sales figures – perhaps ask for a “sales brochure”?

By: David King

David King — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:54:49 +0000

How completely incompetent of the PC World staff member who gave you the wrong leaflet, if the PC World bosses read your blog I bet they give him the sack! At least we have in insight into their inner workings, although I am not impressed by their overall approach, and have always thought that most products in PC World are overpriced. Now I know they are.