My first experience with Abt Electronics...

So I've been looking all over hell and back for a specific model of a Home Theater In-a-Box for the bedroom.

I needed a system that would meet certain requirements...

1. Budget = $300
2. Speakers will fit under the TV (so they can't be on a stand)
3. A good brand
4. Good reviews
5. Does not include a DVD player since I already have one
6. Has at least 4 inputs

The Sony HT-DDW900 stuck out to me since it met all 6 requirements but also had HDMI passthrough which will basically add an additional HDMI port for me. (which will be a good thing if I get Apple TV for the bedroom.

So, the decision on which model to buy was easy. Finding said model? Not so much...

Amazon = backorder till March, Best Buy = sold out, Circuit City = out of stock, Wal-Mart = out of stock, B&H = taking orders (for next shipment), J&R = out of stock...

I even looked at those price grabber sites! There were a few companies that listed them as in stock but since I've never heard of them, I won't shop there.

Then I noticed that Abt Electronics had it in stock. I've been to Abt once in 2003 during an extended lunch break with Debbie. It's real impressive on the inside. A place that's right up my alley. But as prices go, they're on commission (which I don't like) and their prices aren't that good unless you go through the hassle of beating them up on the price.

Since they're semi-local... to my office anyway, I called them using their Chicagoland phone number and worked my way through their system to Sales. A woman named Karen picked up. I asked her to confirm that they do indeed have them and asked her if she would price match. She said they were in stock and they do price match. I gave her Amazon's price of $249 and she said she would match it. (but I'd have to pay tax on it) I told her I'd be in during lunch to pick one up.

An hour or so later, I drove to Abt (about 15 min away) and headed to the cashier's desk. They in turn pawned me off on the audio dept. and I gave them the model number. They audio guy said that the computer said they have 2 in stock but when the stock is so low, the computer's usually wrong and they don't have any.

He was trying to send me on my way... he didn't really want to help me. I asked him if they could physically check the warehouse to see. He said okay and he called, gave them the model # and waited for a call back.

A few minutes later they called back and said they didn't have any. I asked if they had any on order... he checked.... they have 3 PO's in for them but Sony had problems keeping up with demand with the holiday season I guess.

I left... I was upset since I pissed away a bunch of my lunch driving there. (and back)

So... my first experience was poor.

A couple of days later I began to check again to see if any one's inventory has changed. And again, Abt showed it as in stock. Abt has this live sales support chat thing built into their website. So I decided to use it...

Craig: Can you verify if you physically have the Sony HT-DDW900 in stock. I drove up to you guys on Monday and you didn't. Your site still says you do.

I meant Tuesday

A representative will be with you in about 5 minutes.

[Brian English - A representative has joined the session.]

Brian English: Welcome to AbtElectronics.com Live Sales Support - Online Help

Brian English: You were here this past Monday?

A question only meant to blow off mine with minimal effort.

Craig: yes

Brian English: We haven't received any since Monday, so if they didn't have it then, we still won't

Craig: inventory said 2 in stock but I was told the inventory was inaccurate... you didn't have any. Not even a floor model

Craig: ok

Craig: you should probably change your site to not show it "In Stock"... it's misleading

Yes, so some to spare another customer from wasting a lunch.

Then... 10 minutes after I signed off, I received the e-mailed transcript of the conversation and was just going to delete it but I noticed this line at the bottom...

Brian English: Still here Craig? We have located the 2 units that are in stock

[Brian English - user has closed this session]

So, I replied to his e-mail...

Brian,

Are you absolutely positive you located them? I wasted my entire lunch driving up from Buffalo Grove and back earlier this week and I do not want to do that again!

A completely reasonable request to have them double check.

Before I drove up, I spoke to Karen who answered the number on your website. She verified the stock and said she would match amazon.com's price of $249 on this item.

If you confirm 100% that I can grab one of the ones in stock, I will drive over during lunch again today... but for my trouble I think you guys should also eat the tax on this. So I can be out the door for $249.

I believe completely reasonable since it was their fault I did waste a lunch + gas and the tax would only be around $20

Let me know.

27 minutes later, I received this once sentence reply...

I personally saw them. They are there.

Please note the lack of answering all of my questions.
Then I replied...

Excellent! Can you put one on hold for me and I'll be there in the 1 o'clock hour to buy it?

What did you find out about the pricing?

$249.00 out the door okay?

Then 46 minutes later, yet another 1 sentence reply...

I would recommend contacting your saleperson (sic), Karen, regarding pricing.

Then I replied...

Okay.. I will do that. Can you put one aside for me for the next 2 hours or so?

At this point, he didn't feel like replying anymore.

So, I called Karen and left her a voice mail to call me. An hour went by without a call back and it was getting real close to lunch time and I needed to know if I was going there or not. So I called again. This time I got her. For some reason she seemed rather defensive. I refreshed her memory about the price match, explained to her what happened on Tuesday. She told me that they DID have them on Tuesday but apparently the dude in the audio section was too lazy to look for it himself. Since she admitted this, I asked her if there's anything she can do price wise for me due to the wasted lunch. She was I was already getting $50 off the price with the price match and that was the best they could do. I would have to pay tax.

I asked if she could hold one for me. She said I could place an order and have it 'will call' when I get there. I begrudgingly agreed.

So, yes I'm an asshole for even buying anything there after they wasted my time but no one else had what I needed, so I bent over and took it up the ass like a good little American consumer.

Will I go there again? Yes... Like I said, it's really cool looking and there's a lot of stuff to see.

Will I buy anything from them? Unless their price is extremely low, I doubt it. And since you have to wheel & deal with their default high pricing, I seriously doubt it.

Follow up: I just got an e-mail from Circuit City informing me that they now have it in stock (mail order only) Figures.