Sunday, November 26, 2006

Signs of Periweeblepause


I've been wondering when one officially becomes a Weeble, wondering what the signs for periweeblepause might be. I think I might have discovered one today.


This afternoon Himself and I went to Staples to research an Epson photo printer. I'd like to get one, but want to see if the colors print true, and if the quality of the photos look like they were done at a photo lab.


We went to the Staples in Auburn. They didn't have the models I was looking at online, but they had two. The sales clerk was very helpful in answering questions about the two printers. Neither model was set up for a demo.


We went to the Staples in Shrewsbury. They had the model we saw in Auburn, and it was set up for a demo, but had no paper. A sales clerk came over to help us. The printer gave an error message that the print cartridges needed to be replaced. He went to ask his supervisor and was told to switch the cartridges from the other model. He tried and the machine still gave an error message. I asked if he could open up new cartridges. He went to get his supervisor.


The supervisor told us the manager wouldn't allow them to "waste" $40 for a demo. We left and I began fuming in the car. I think this must be a sign of periweeblepause. They don't want to waste $40 to put cartridges in a machine set up to do a demo, but they don't mind the thought of losing a potential sale of $129 plus tax, plus photo paper plus tax? Doesn't it stand to reason, another person might ask to see the machine demoed? If they don't want to do the demo, don't have the machine set up for it. It doesn't make sense, it's just bad marketing.


3 comments:

Donna Alice said...

Sounds more to me like a case of idiotitis. Anytime they have to "ask the supervisor" it's best to get out of the store. Asking some little tin god in charge never leads to any good. My line would have been, "I wonder if EPSON would like to know you don't want to waste money demonstrating their product?"

Anonymous said...

crud, if that's that definition, I'm a weeble too!
Tis not the season for such antics!

Erica Vetsch said...

I think one of the signs of periweeblepause is thinking your goofy point of view is valid...the supervisor definitely shows all the signs of blowing through periweeblepause to full-blown OPD with all attendant complications.

Try HP.