🚀 go-pugleaf

Fellow Technology Junkies:

Enclosed is the latest salvo fired at that well known provider of low price
and lower service, Fry's Electronics.  I've been wrestling with this issue 
off and on for 3 months, and have decided that enough is enough.  In the letter
below, I describe my wonderful adventures.

What is not included is that I then spoke with the manager of the Fremont
store who graciously gave me two minutes of his time because he had a big sale
on.  He then promised to call me back later that day or the next
day, at the latest.  It's now several days after that, and in spite of sending
another copy of this letter to him with an additional note saying that I was
going to make this a public issue if not resolved to my satisfaction, I've
still not heard from him.  So....read and feel free to comment.

By the way, I've gotten Contact 4 involved.  Apparently KRON-TV wants to get in
on the Action Line consumer protection biz.  By the way, anyone have Action
Line phone number/email address handy?

It ain't the money, it's the principle.  Ok, I'll take the money, too.

If anyone else has had problems of this nature with Fry's please post them here.
The thread may grow to be quite long, but I think it'll help me out when I
take this to the next step....

Anyone know how to get a hold of 60 minutes....? Maybe Dateline NBC ? :-)

P.S.  Sorry about the ^M's.  

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


May 9, 1995
Fry's Electronics, Fremont

As explained to you on the phone:

Over six months ago, I purchased a 486VL3H mother board, with an AMD 486-66
CPU, no cache memory, and used 4 MB RAM which I had purchased from Fry's at an
earlier date to construct a machine.

About 4 months ago, I purchased an additional 16 MB RAM, and 256k cache
memory.  When I took the components home and attempted to install the cache,
the machine would not boot.  I spent a couple of hours verifying that
everything was in place.  After determining that it was, I called Fry's and
spoke with XXX, who told me to bring the machine in (it's 30 miles each way
from Alameda to Fry's Fremont), and she would test it for me.  

When I got there, she said she would not test it; she would test only the
cache.  Needless to say, I was very upset about the situation.  Service
refused to do anything without being paid for the effort.  XXX offered me
replacement cache chips but said I had to install it myself.  I was not about
to  drive 60 miles to find out that it still didn't work.  So I was forced to
work on my machine, in the components department.  All pertinent information
for my business is on this machine.  For the next 2 hours, as I was standing
in various lines, getting tools, and taking the entire machine apart to swap
the chips, my business was scattered all over the counter of the components
department with Fry's customers looking through the components, some of whom
were picking them up, exposing them to potential damage from static
electricity and other risks.  

When all was said and done, the machine wouldn't boot.  XXX then went with me
to service where they tested the system and determined that there was an
incompatibility between the AMD chip, the cache memory and the motherboard. 
Service recommended that I purchase an Intel 486 DX2.  I was very upset, as I
had been promised that all of the components that Fry's sells are compatible. 
Obviously, they are not.  

I then stood in line for another 40 minutes waiting to purchase the new chip. 
The manager of service (whose name I don't recall) consented to replace the
AMD chip with the Intel chip.  When I finally got to the front of the line,
the counter person demanded that I pay another $20 to 'upgrade' the chip.  By
this point, I had been in the store for over 3 hours and I had to leave.  So I
paid the $20, and took the machine to service where they tested the machine
and verified that all was in order.  We put the machine back together and I
took it home.  This exercise took almost 4 hours all told.  

Ever since this adventure, the machine has had GPF's, rebooted itself, or just
dropped out of windows at least once a day.  I have determined that this only
occurs when the cache is enabled, leading me to believe that once again, the
problem is an incompatibility between the cache and the motherboard.

Obviously, this is unacceptable.   I believe Fry's has committed several
egregious errors with regard to this machine and as such, has cost me
significant time and money.  As Fry's represented that all components sold
were compatible, I believe that it misrepresented itself and its products,
costing me 8 hours (several trips of 60 miles each, and 4 hours of time in the
store.  This was billable time for which I could not, in good faith, charge my
clients.  My firm's consulting rates are $1500 per day.  Doing the math, you
can see that this exercise has not only led to significant downtime, but also
directly cost my $1500 of revenue.


[Mitch]

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
            Mitchell A. Shapiro          mshapiro@netcom.com          

                 S T R E E T S C I E N C E,   I N C.
                Trading Systems Consulting Worldwide

            U.S.: (510) 521-0877      FAX: (415) 591-2219

               Continually flying the friendly skies....
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Followup-To: poster
Subject: Fry's Electronics Horror Story
Newsgroups: ba.market,ba.general,ba.consumers,ba.market.computers
Distribution: usa


Fellow Technology Junkies:

Enclosed is the latest salvo fired at that well known provider of low price
and lower service, Fry's Electronics.  I've been wrestling with this issue 
off and on for 3 months, and have decided that enough is enough.  In the letter
below, I describe my wonderful adventures.

What is not included is that I then spoke with the manager of the Fremont
store who graciously gave me two minutes of his time because he had a big sale
on.  He then promised to call me back later taht day or the next
day, at the latest.  It's now several days after that, and in spite of sending
another copy of this letter to him with an additional note saying that I was
going to make this a public issue if not resolved to my satisfaction, I've
still not heard from him.  So....read and feel free to comment.

By the way, I've gotten Contact 4 involved.  Apparently KRON-TV wants to get in
on the Action Line consumer protection biz.  By the way, anyone have Action
Line phone number/email address handy?

It ain't the money, it's the principle.  Ok, I'll take the money, too.

If anyone else has had problems of this nature with Fry's please post them here.
The thread may grow to be quite long, but I think it'll help me out when I
take this to the next step....

Anyone know how to get a hold of 60 minutes....? Maybe Dateline NBC ? :-)

P.S.  Sorry about the ^M's.  

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


May 9, 1995
Fry's Electronics, Fremont

As explained to you on the phone:

Over six months ago, I purchased a 486VL3H mother board, with an AMD 486-66
CPU, no cache memory, and used 4 MB RAM which I had purchased from Fry's at an
earlier date to construct a machine.

About 4 months ago, I purchased an additional 16 MB RAM, and 256k cache
memory.  When I took the components home and attempted to install the cache,
the machine would not boot.  I spent a couple of hours verifying that
everything was in place.  After determining that it was, I called Fry's and
spoke with XXX, who told me to bring the machine in (it's 30 miles each way
from Alameda to Fry's Fremont), and she would test it for me.  

When I got there, she said she would not test it; she would test only the
cache.  Needless to say, I was very upset about the situation.  Service
refused to do anything without being paid for the effort.  XXX offered me
replacement cache chips but said I had to install it myself.  I was not about
to  drive 60 miles to find out that it still didn't work.  So I was forced to
work on my machine, in the components department.  All pertinent information
for my business is on this machine.  For the next 2 hours, as I was standing
in various lines, getting tools, and taking the entire machine apart to swap
the chips, my business was scattered all over the counter of the components
department with Fry's customers looking through the components, some of whom
were picking them up, exposing them to potential damage from static
electricity and other risks.  

When all was said and done, the machine wouldn't boot.  XXX then went with me
to service where they tested the system and determined that there was an
incompatibility between the AMD chip, the cache memory and the motherboard. 
Service recommended that I purchase an Intel 486 DX2.  I was very upset, as I
had been promised that all of the components that Fry's sells are compatible. 
Obviously, they are not.  

I then stood in line for another 40 minutes waiting to purchase the new chip. 
The manager of service (whose name I don't recall) consented to replace the
AMD chip with the Intel chip.  When I finally got to the front of the line,
the counter person demanded that I pay another $20 to 'upgrade' the chip.  By
this point, I had been in the store for over 3 hours and I had to leave.  So I
paid the $20, and took the machine to service where they tested the machine
and verified that all was in order.  We put the machine back together and I
took it home.  This exercise took almost 4 hours all told.  

Ever since this adventure, the machine has had GPF's, rebooted itself, or just
dropped out of windows at least once a day.  I have determined that this only
occurs when the cache is enabled, leading me to believe that once again, the
problem is an incompatibility between the cache and the motherboard.

Obviously, this is unacceptable.   I believe Fry's has committed several
egregious errors with regard to this machine and as such, has cost me
significant time and money.  As Fry's represented that all components sold
were compatible, I believe that it misrepresented itself and its products,
costing me 8 hours (several trips of 60 miles each, and 4 hours of time in the
store.  This was billable time for which I could not, in good faith, charge my
clients.  My firm's consulting rates are $1500 per day.  Doing the math, you
can see that this exercise has not only led to significant downtime, but also
directly cost my $1500 of revenue.


Mitchell A. Shapiro
StreetScience, Inc.
-- 
[Mitch]

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
            Mitchell A. Shapiro          mshapiro@netcom.com          

                 S T R E E T S C I E N C E,   I N C.
                Trading Systems Consulting Worldwide

            U.S.: (510) 521-0877      FAX: (415) 591-2219

               Continually flying the friendly skies....
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Followup-To: poster
Subject: Fry's Electronics Horror Story
Newsgroups: ba.market,ba.general,ba.consumers,ba.market.computers
Distribution: usa


Fellow Technology Junkies:

Enclosed is the latest salvo fired at that well known provider of low price
and lower service, Fry's Electronics.  I've been wrestling with this issue 
off and on for 3 months, and have decided that enough is enough.  In the letter
below, I describe my wonderful adventures.

What is not included is that I then spoke with the manager of the Fremont
store who graciously gave me two minutes of his time because he had a big sale
on.  He then promised to call me back later taht day or the next
day, at the latest.  It's now several days after that, and in spite of sending
another copy of this letter to him with an additional note saying that I was
going to make this a public issue if not resolved to my satisfaction, I've
still not heard from him.  So....read and feel free to comment.

By the way, I've gotten Contact 4 involved.  Apparently KRON-TV wants to get in
on the Action Line consumer protection biz.  By the way, anyone have Action
Line phone number/email address handy?

It ain't the money, it's the principle.  Ok, I'll take the money, too.

If anyone else has had problems of this nature with Fry's please post them here.
The thread may grow to be quite long, but I think it'll help me out when I
take this to the next step....

Anyone know how to get a hold of 60 minutes....? Maybe Dateline NBC ? :-)

P.S.  Sorry about the ^M's.  

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


May 9, 1995
Fry's Electronics, Fremont
Georgette

As explained to you on the phone:

Over six months ago, I purchased a 486VL3H mother board, with an AMD 486-66
CPU, no cache memory, and used 4 MB RAM which I had purchased from Fry's at an
earlier date to construct a machine.

About 4 months ago, I purchased an additional 16 MB RAM, and 256k cache
memory.  When I took the components home and attempted to install the cache,
the machine would not boot.  I spent a couple of hours verifying that
everything was in place.  After determining that it was, I called Fry's and
spoke with XXX, who told me to bring the machine in (it's 30 miles each way
from Alameda to Fry's Fremont), and she would test it for me.  

When I got there, she said she would not test it; she would test only the
cache.  Needless to say, I was very upset about the situation.  Service
refused to do anything without being paid for the effort.  XXX offered me
replacement cache chips but said I had to install it myself.  I was not about
to  drive 60 miles to find out that it still didn't work.  So I was forced to
work on my machine, in the components department.  All pertinent information
for my business is on this machine.  For the next 2 hours, as I was standing
in various lines, getting tools, and taking the entire machine apart to swap
the chips, my business was scattered all over the counter of the components
department with Fry's customers looking through the components, some of whom
were picking them up, exposing them to potential damage from static
electricity and other risks.  

When all was said and done, the machine wouldn't boot.  XXX then went with me
to service where they tested the system and determined that there was an
incompatibility between the AMD chip, the cache memory and the motherboard. 
Service recommended that I purchase an Intel 486 DX2.  I was very upset, as I
had been promised that all of the components that Fry's sells are compatible. 
Obviously, they are not.  

I then stood in line for another 40 minutes waiting to purchase the new chip. 
The manager of service (whose name I don't recall) consented to replace the
AMD chip with the Intel chip.  When I finally got to the front of the line,
the counter person demanded that I pay another $20 to 'upgrade' the chip.  By
this point, I had been in the store for over 3 hours and I had to leave.  So I
paid the $20, and took the machine to service where they tested the machine
and verified that all was in order.  We put the machine back together and I
took it home.  This exercise took almost 4 hours all told.  

Ever since this adventure, the machine has had GPF's, rebooted itself, or just
dropped out of windows at least once a day.  I have determined that this only
occurs when the cache is enabled, leading me to believe that once again, the
problem is an incompatibility between the cache and the motherboard.

Obviously, this is unacceptable.   I believe Fry's has committed several
egregious errors with regard to this machine and as such, has cost me
significant time and money.  As Fry's represented that all components sold
were compatible, I believe that it misrepresented itself and its products,
costing me 8 hours (several trips of 60 miles each, and 4 hours of time in the
store.  This was billable time for which I could not, in good faith, charge my
clients.  My firm's consulting rates are $1500 per day.  Doing the math, you
can see that this exercise has not only led to significant downtime, but also
directly cost my $1500 of revenue.


Mitchell A. Shapiro
StreetScience, Inc.