Eastbourne and Bexhill

RSS Take a Town Feed

Back

11 May 2010

Special deal on a Sony Blu-ray

I WAS in the Sony Centre in Eastbourne’s Arndale Centre, as I wanted to buy a Blu-ray player.
The salesman who greeted me was in the middle of explaining Blu-ray to an elderly gentleman.
I began to browse the products on display. The salesman concluded his sale and asked if I wanted one as well, but I told him that I wanted to know a bit more about the technology first.
There were three Blu-ray players on display. The BDP-S373, with back-lit remote control, and the BDP-S760, were priced at £179.99 and £399.99 respectively.
I thought there was a printing error on the price ticket for the BDP-S560, which was priced at £99.95, but Mark explained that it wasn’t an error.
The price was a special deal to get rid of a discontinued line, which previously had sold at £299.99.
Mark said that the reduced model featured technology that would enable me to enjoy BD Live functions and download updates wirelessly.
He explained that the player also upscaled DVDs, but he advised me to consider buying a quality HDMI cable.
Mark said: “When you budget for your Blu-ray player, budget for a cable as well, to enable you to buy a quality cable. I’d recommend you consider buying an £80 or £45 Ixos HDMI cable.”
I asked for some information to take away and Mark gave me printouts of each of the models he had presented and he showed me the two HDMI cables.
He pointed out that if I went for the Blu-ray player that was on offer and bought an £80 HDMI cable, I’d be getting a better-specified Blu-ray player for the same price as the store’s entry-level Blu-ray player.
He checked the stock levels and confirmed that there were just four players left. I thanked Mark for his help and vowed to return to make my purchase.
Summary: Mark knew his stuff. He was able to talk about Blu-ray, he introduced accessory sales into the equation by mentioning buying a quality HDMI cable and, with the special price and limited stock, he gave me reasons to buy. I took off one point as he did not give me a demonstration.

Score: 9 out of 10

Heads-up for a trade-in

AS I walked into Drays on Western Road in Bexhill, two salesmen were checking a delivery, but still greeted me.
Looking for a TV, I headed to the back of the store, where I was joined by a salesmen.
I told him that I had seen a sign outside the store, which said the store was offering a £100 trade-in against the purchase of a new TV. The salesman explained that the promotion was running on selected sets and he showed me which ones were included in the offer.
“If you’ve got an old TV, no matter how big or small it is, whether it’s working or not, we’ll give you £100 off the price of your new TV,” the man said.
He asked me what size set I was looking for and I said a 32in set would be ideal. He led me to a Panasonic 32in model (TXL32G10) with Freesat built in.
The man said the store also sold Sony TVs, which came with a five-year warranty, which he said was worth more than the trade-in.
He showed me a 32in Sony TV (LDL32EX403) at £549.99 – included in that price was a five-year warranty. I asked for some information to take away and he gave me a Sony product guide.
Just as I was about to leave the store, the man said: “Just to give you the heads-up, at the end of next week, we’re running a Sony trade-in. There will be £50 off that set, so if you’ve got an old TV, trade it in to get the money off.”
Summary: It was disappointing that the TVs were switched off, which also meant that they could not be demonstrated. However, by highlighting the future promotion, I was more inclined to go back to the store to buy later.

Score: 8 out of 10

A lost cause

MAYBE John Browett, chief executive of Currys owner DSG International, should issue his staff with satellite navigation devices so that they can find the customers.
I had decided to ditch my dog-eared road maps in favour of a satnav, so I headed to the Currys store on the Hampden Retail Park in search of one.
Adam, the store greeter, did his job well and I headed to the satnav display, which I have to say, looked very professional, thanks to a sizeable investment from TomTom I’d guess.
The TomTom Go Live 750, on sale at £249.99, seemed to tick most of my wants. Not only did it have maps of the UK, Ireland and Europe, but it also offered Bluetooth hands-free calling.
Two members of staff were chatting reasonably close to me, but there was no sign of an approach.
After five minutes of browsing and making copious amounts of notes, it became obvious that staff were not going to speak to me, so I walked out.
Summary: If it were not for Adam, this store would have scored a zero. Having a store greeter is a good idea, to put the customer at ease and to create a good impression. But it’s only worth having a store greeter, if the rest of the team is geared up to help customers.

Score: 1 out of 10

Cash back on a Canon

PETRA was on top form and I would have bought from her there and then – but ERT might have to pay me more!
In the Arndale Centre in Eastbourne, I was visiting the Jessops store to upgrade my digital SLR to a more sophisticated model.
Petra greeted me from behind the counter and asked if I needed any help. I explained that I wanted to upgrade my camera and she asked if I wanted to stick with the brand I already had.
I said that I fancied a change and that I had previously owned a Canon camera, back in 35mm film days and I felt quite comfortable with that brand.
Petra presented the Canon EOS 50D and the Canon 7D. I said that I would be keener in looking at the EOS 50D as it came with a lens, whereas the 7D was offered as body only.
Petra explained that the 50D was currently part of a cash-back promotion. I’d pay £1,029 for it, but I would be able to claim £65 cash back.
She opened the display cabinet, handed me the 50D and encouraged me to take some shots.
She said the 50D was a 15 megapixel camera and she said that it took Compact Flash cards.
An 8GB Compact Flash card would cost £59, she said.
Talking me through the camera, she explained that it came with an 18-200mm lens.
I asked her for some information to take away and she gave me a full specification printout.
As she was collating the printout, she pointed out that it would cost £129 to protect the camera against accidental damage for three years.
“If something happens, we’ll send it away for repair, or replace it,” she said, “because anything can happen.”
Just as I was about to leave the store, Petra mentioned that I could pay for the camera on interest-free credit.
All I would need to do is provide suitable ID and a 10 per cent deposit, to get six or 12 months interest-free.
She then checked the store’s computer system, and confirmed that the store had two of the 50Ds in stock.
I thanked Petra for her help.
Summary: Petra was an absolute joy to meet. She was helpful and informative. Although her product knowledge was not the greatest, she more than made up for that by her attempts to close the sale.

Score: 9 out of 10

Tony wastes no time

STRAIGHT to the point, Tony wanted to know what my budget was, so he didn’t waste his time, or mine.
I was after a new washing machine, so I went to C H Seymour on St Leonards Road in Bexhill.
Four staff were gathered by the till area and I was greeted by all of them. Tony approached me and asked if I needed any help. I explained what I was looking for a replacement machine.
He asked me what our old machine was and I said it was a 1,000rpm spin model, which we had owned for six or so years. I said I wanted to get a better-specified machine, but that I also wanted it to be economical.
Tony asked if I could give him a budget figure to work to and I said that I did not really want to spend more than £400.
“I always say to people that there’s no point me talking about things I wouldn’t want to buy and, perhaps, you wouldn’t want to buy,” he said.
He showed me a 6kg, 1,200rpm spin machine from Bosch and he pointed out that Bosch was Which? magazine’s top brand. He said the model came with a two-year parts-and-labour guarantee and was “straightforward” to use.
The machine was priced at £319, which Tony said included delivery and connection.
“The only thing on top of that would be £10 to remove the old one,” he said. “You’d have to spend a lot more money to get anything significantly better.”
I asked Tony what other products he’d recommend and he showed me a Whirlpool model, which was priced at £339, and a 1,400 spin Zanussi at £359.
He then showed me a Hotpoint washer-dryer, which was priced at £429. “This does everything,” he claimed, “you’ve got a complete launderette in there, so you can do your washing and, in the winter, if you’ve got nowhere to put it, you can tumble-dry it, too.
“Set it up and it’ll do the whole lot for you.”
The man said the machine could take a 7kg load for washing or 5kg for washing and drying.
I asked for some information to take away, but the man apologised for not having any brochures.
Summary: What Tony lacked in product knowledge, he seemed to make up for in enthusiasm. By asking what my budget was, he recommended products, but by showing me a washer-dryer, which I had not considered, he hooked me in and I would have been willing to top my budget to get it.

Score: 7 out of 10

I’m not forcing you

MY DAY on the south coast continued with a visit to Adams Electrical Retail on Ninfield Road in Sidley, Bexhill.
I was greeted by a salesman who asked if I needed any help. I explained that I was looking to buy my first digital radio.
The salesman said that the store stocked two models – the Hitachi (TRK100DAB) at £69.99 and the Roberts (RD-7) at £120.
“It’s purely your choice,” the man said.
I asked what the difference was between the two products.
“Roberts is one of the best makes on the market,” the man said, “and you can spend up to £300 on one of its radios.
“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the Hitachi, it’s a quality machine, but it’s your choice.”
The man continued: “I’m not going to force you to buy one or the other, I won’t do that. I’m not into that and I won’t do it.”
The man then asked me where I live and whether there were loads of trees around me. I said I lived in Hastings and there were no trees near us.
“Either model will work,” the man said.
I told the man that I did not know what content was available on digital radio.
“Loads,” the man said, “you get your normal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and Radio 7 and you get a load of others.”
I asked for some information to take away and he gave me a copy of a Roberts brochure.
Summary: The salesman here did not really seem all that clued up on digital radio to be fair. His outburst was somewhat comical, but at the end of the day, I left the store no more knowledgeable about DAB than I had been beforehand.

Score: 1 out of 10

Beside the seaside

DRIVING along the appropriately named Seaside in Eastbourne, I was impressed by the massive shop front of DB Domestics.
Outside the store, a salesman was moving products in to the store and he greeted me as he tried to manoeuvre a freestanding cooker through the door.
I headed to the washing machine display, as our machine had packed up that morning.
As I browsed, I noticed a woman was standing behind the counter. I was the only customer in the shop.
Two washing machines caught my eye. The Zanussi (ZWF16581W) was a 7kg, 1,600rpm spin machine on sale at £399; the Indesit (IWC6165) was a 6kg, 1,600 spin machine priced at £339.
Point-of-sale materials indicated that the prices on display included delivery and connection.
After five minutes, I decided to leave the store, thoroughly disappointed.
Summary: This store had one of the biggest store fronts I have ever seen on an independent store. However, other than the greeting and the store front, this was about as good as the visit got.

Score: 1 out of 10

Nothing like a good chat

IT IS not uncommon to come across a couple of members of staff chatting, but this was the first time I had seen four staff engrossed in conversation.
I was keen on buying a vacuum cleaner, so I had headed to Debenhams on Eastbourne’s Terminus Road. The electricals are located within the home department, which is in the store’s basement.
The department was devoid of customers and four members of staff were busy chatting.
Among the products on display, two models from Miele caught my eye. The 1,600W (52110) was priced at £139, while the company’s Cat & Dog Turbo (TT5000) was £179.
A piece of point-of-sale material attached to the Cat & Dog cleaner highlighted that for £30, customers can buy a 10-year warranty for the vacuum cleaner.
After five minutes browsing and wondering what or who was being gossiped about – and with no sign of anyone being interested in serving me – I decided to leave.
As I was walking up the stairs, I turned round and saw that their conversation had ended and they were all going their separate ways.
Summary: To be ignored by one member of staff is one thing, but to be ignored by four members of staff is completely inexcusable. I will forward a copy of this report to Rob Templeman, chief executive of Debenhams.

Score: 0 out of 10

Easy to be cine-cal

NEXT on my list of stores to visit was the Currys Digital store in the Arndale Centre, where I was looking to buy a high-definition camcorder.
Looking around the store, I noticed that I was the only customer. A member of staff was on the phone behind the counter, just six feet or so way from where I was standing, while two other members of staff were deep in conversation on the other side of the small store.
I was keen to find out more about two Panasonic products. The H86 model, with an 8GB hard disk, was priced at £329.99, while the SD10 at £299.99 was described on the price ticket as being the lightest SD camcorder on the market.
Further point-of-sale stated that for £35, customers could buy a tripod and holdall. These items would normally sell for £99.98 separately.
After five minutes, with no sign of any approach, one salesman on the phone and the other two still chatting, I left the store, which was now empty except for the staff.
Summary: As I seem to write every month, stores can ill afford to ignore their customers. This is retail suicide. You have been warned.

Score: 0 out of 10

Third time unlucky

IGNORANCE is bliss, unless, of course, it’s retail staff that one is referring to. In which case, surely ignorance is unprofessional?
At Comet, on Eastbourne’s Hampden Retail Park, I was looking to buy a fridge-freezer, so I headed to the refrigeration section at the rear of the store.
I was admiring a Panasonic frost-free fridge-freezer (NR-B30FG1WB), which was priced at £699.99, when Emma rudely walked between me and the product I was looking at, without saying a word.
I continued to look at the product and opened the fridge door to have a nose inside. As I did so, Matthew walked behind my back, without saying a word; followed just seconds later by Emma.
Staggered that two members of staff had walked past me and ignored me three times, I walked out of the store.
Summary: This visit has left a bad taste in the mouth. So often, mystery shoppers get ignored from a distance, but in this store – three times – I was ignored by people who got within inches of me.

Score: 0 out of 10

Summary

WELL, I have to say my team has had better days. Despite Eastbourne holding the record for the highest recorded amount of sunshine in a month – my team’s day on the south coast was anything but sunny.
Before I get on to this month’s plaudits, I will first name those that fell below the expected mark.
I sometimes think I should have ‘Ignoring customers is a retail sin’ tattooed across my forehead. Stores that would have done well to heed this advice were Currys Digital, Comet, and spectacularly, Debenhams. That’s what happened in DB Domestic Appliances and Currys.
As the UK struggles out of recession, it is vital that all sales staff make sure that everyone who walks into their store leaves a satisfied customer.
Now that I’ve got that off my chest, it’s time to congratulate just four stores, who could each teach the other six some valuable lessons.
Congratulations to Mark at the Sony Centre, Petra at Jessops, Tony at C H Seymour and the salesman at Drays.
The mystery shoppers who visited your stores were very impressed and, in particular, this month’s winners, Mark and Petra, were singled out for excellent performances in-store.
As you all scored more than seven points, your names will go into the hat for the industry’s most prestigious awards programme, the ERT Industry Awards, which will take place later this year.

Top of the Town

Independents		Multiples
Winner:	Sony Centre	Winner:	Jessops
Commended:	Drays	Commended:	None

PREMIER LEAGUE

	No. of visits	Total points	Average per call
B&O	3	30	10
Apple	3	25	8.3
Panasonic Stores	8	58	7.3
Sony Centres	26	183	7
Independents	84	528	6.3
Richer Sounds	10	49	4.9
Currys.Digital	23	90	3.9
Jessops	21	67	3.2
Comet	24	72	3
Department Stores	27	65	2.4
Maplin	1	1	1
Currys	22	19	0.9
PC World	5	1	0.2
Marks & Spencer	1	0	0

Email the editor

Print this article