🚀 go-pugleaf

In <1993Jan8.150029.5391@gvl.unisys.com> pastor@prc.unisys.com (Jon Pastor) writes:

>And... spira@panix.com (Greg "Sarcasm Is A Way Of Life" Spira) writes:

>|> Gentlemen, you;'re discussing 2 different things.  The CD-Rom is the same
>|> price with system as without.  Mr. Wallcave, however, is talking about
>|> the Microsoft Sound System, which is a different price bought separately
>|> as opposed to when it's packaged with a system.  And his customer rep
>|> wanted to charge him the extra $20 if it shipped without a system, but
>|> that extra $20 should only be charged when it's ordered without a system.

>Hmmm...  I was told that if I didn't have a Gateway system, I couldn't even
>order peripherals from them, and that if I did have one, I could order any
>peripheral at the advertised price.  Is there fine print for the sound card?

Check the ads; it's pretty clear on this point.  They either only have
the $149 price and say "with the pucharse of a system," or add that it is
"$169 without."  Of course, if you don't have a Gateway system, they won't
sell it to you for any price.

Originally, Gateway's contract with Microsoft on this prohobited them to
sell the MSS without a system.  There was a last-minute adjustment to the
contract right when the MSS went on sale that enabled Gateway to sell it
separately.  There very well might be a clause in the contract which forces
Gateway to sell it at a higher price when separate.

Aside from software, I don't think there are any peripherals other than the
sound system which there are any restrictions or higher prices charged when
sold separately. 

It seems to me that Microsoft stuff always has these restrictions.  For
example, when buying a GW, you can save money by eliminating most parts
that you don't need - floppies, hard drives, monitor, video card.  But
you can't get a GW without a Microsoft Mouse.

>|> Well, it's not nearly as bad as getting through to sales.  The quality
>|> of tech support varies - some good, some not - but you can get through
>|> to them a lot faster than you can get a salesman on the phone.          

>My experience with sales was not the same.  Yes, getting through on the "first
>time call" line is a pain, but once I got the direct-line number and the
>extension for my salesman, I could usually get through pretty quickly, and he
>*always* called me back quickly, typically within a half hour!

It really depends on the salespeople.  Some are good at calling back, some
aren't.  My saleslady was very nice and helpful, but she never called me
back when she was supposed to.

Greg