Microcenter is a ******* joke.

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teh_tourist

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So I started to get all pumped up for the Sandy Bridge release, and even more pumped that I now live by a Microcenter and can go pickup my parts rather than wait for shipping. I checked my local Microcenters hours (11-5 Sunday) and started to plan to get there a few hours early to make sure I could be first in line for e 2600K, but then I found the nifty 18 minute in-store pickup option. With this option you "reserve" items that your store has in stock adn they hold it for you, so I can sleep in AND get my 2600K with $90 instant rebate? AWESOME. So I stay up Saturday night and wait for the SB SKUs to go live on the Microcenter site so I can get my reservation in early. I make my reservation for a 2600K and a ASUS P8P67 Deluxe around 4A.M. EST and head to bed. I wake up around 10:00 A.M. and see an email from Microcenter that confirms my "reservation" and informs me that my items are being held and I have until Wednesday to pick them up. I take my time getting ready for my big day, with my new top-o-the-line Sandy Bridge build and head towards Microcenter to pickup my items. Now I've never been to a Microcenter before so waling into this large store filled with computer equipment was heavenly for me, it was like Newegg... but in person! After some perusing I made my way over to the 18 minute pickup counter, gave the clerk my name, and showed them my e-mail confirmation. He proceeded to walk to the back where my items were being held, I started to think about how easy this whole process is when he comes back to me empty handed. He calls some sort of manager to the desk, and when she arrives she calls another manager to the desk... Now I'm starting to worry. He asks me what I'm looking for and I inform him that I have a reservation for a Intel i7-2600K and an ASUS P8P67 Deluxe, "walk with me" me says. We made our way through the store to a display of 1155 motherboards, "here are the boards, pick yours out from here. I'll be right back with your processor." he says to me. I study the table before me and see boards from all the big manufacturers, even an ASUS P8P67 PRO, but not the P8P67 Deluxe that I "reserved". Looking a little worried the manager comes back to me saying that the processor I wanted sold like crazy and that they were all gone, so I asked him about the motherboard that I also came for and he went to check his computer. "We never had that part in, I don't know how it let you reserve one" he tells me. "We get in weekly shipments so you can come back and we should have both of them next week" he tells me. I didn't want to be that customer that throws a big fit in the middle of the store so I thanked him for his time and effort and quickly made my way out of the store. Once I get to the parking lot the rage in my heart is really starting to burn. What's the point of "reserving" and item if they're just going to sell it to someone else? What kind of miserable company sends you an email confirming that your items have been pulled off the shelf and put in holding for you if they don't even have some of them? This was my worst experience with any store, and Microcenter has lost any future sales from me or positive words. What started out as a magical adventure to my new favorite store ended up being a terrible hell-ride of incompetency. Microcenter is a F****** joke
 
Send an email to the company management and complain. I have called the store and asked the name of the employee who 'held' the item for me at the front desk while I drove there and picked it up. The employees put their sticker on the items they sell for commission purposes I assume. Looks like an employee put his sticker on your procesor and MB for the commission. Make a complaint.
 

Psychoteddy

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I understand that you're frustrated but these things happen all the time in retail sales, especially with commissioned sales (I'm not sure if MC is commissioned or not). Oftentimes salesmen will pull reserved items off the shelf to make a sale even though that item was never meant to be sold in the first place. The thing is, there's no way to prove that any one person took it, so it's a very common practice. I never did it myself when I worked as a salesman but I saw it happen on several occasions. Don't blame MC, give them another chance. More than likely it was just a matter of the typical a-hole salesman trying to bump his commission a couple bucks.
 

teh_tourist

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Just because it's common doesn't make it okay. Maybe someday MC will put some procedures in place to prevent his type of thing from happening, but I won't be shopping there for the foreseeable future or really until I forget about this episode.
 

Psychoteddy

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The thing is: the procedures are already in place, and I can guarantee you that if they found out who did that, they'd be fired on the spot. It's just too hard to prove.

HOWEVER: Microcenter should have offered you some sort of apology in the form of a discount, gift card, or other material compensation for the inconvenience. If they didn't, then I would fully blame them and never shop there again. It's one thing to make a mistake, it's another to refuse to own up to it and try to make it right.
 

DDTA

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Sorry to bring this thread up again after a month but I had a good laugh at this. I see Microcenter still hasn't "improved" this whole concept of "reserving" your order for pickup. I remember when they first touted this service a couple of years ago (I can't remember how long exactly) I tried it out and placed an order for htpc case they had. Went to pick it up and ran into the exact same sequence of events you described...person gets a manager, manager asks me "what model case was that?", gets me to follow them to the section where they shelve cases to help them find it, conclude the case is no longer there followed by apologies then nothing else...me leaving there and never having bought anything from them since (but do go back for their free SD card or USB stick offer I get on occasion). This is the Dallas location. They have a Razoos in walking distance so I make it worthwhile to have lunch, then go pick up the freebies.

Funny how they just keep e-mailing me survey invites...and never really change much of anything as I read from your experience.
 

teh_tourist

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Yeah, i'm pretty much burned out on all brick and mortar electronics retailers now.
 

pleasenoname

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I only use Microcenter for small items that would double in price if I added shipping; such as connectors,mounting hardware and hard drives(HDD). Also Its nice to browse in person and see what all is on the shelves.
 

CySU

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Worked retail a good bit to know that this is not a store-level fault, but corporate-level. We also had "systems" in place that allowed consumers to check inventory online, do pick-up in store, etc. and it really pissed us off in sales to no end whenever a customer would come in saying that they'd either checked online or reserved one, and we'd never get a notice. If HQ wants to give the consumer the ease of doing this they need to make sure it goddamn works. :pfff:

I share your frustration, but from the other side of the fence. That's inexcusable for Microcenter to do.
 

pleasenoname

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C'mon man, I can't spend all day sequestered in my house, I have to go outside and browse.
 

Orich

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Their store in new jersey never, EVER picks up the phone... im so glad i read this thread.. i was ready to drop $1500 on parts from this place... luckily ive tried calling every sales department and it rings until it disconnects me... no one EVER answers
 

Daave12

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That is really unfair, I think such action should be complained about. I hope you have or doing something against it.
 

anhtice

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well in all defense, I love micocenter. It might be your store/place specifically :/ . They take return/exchange on parts np. I've done it plenty.. The people are pretty cool and they will match prices on Newegg (cant do rebates tho).

Also I got my 2500k i5 and p8p67 rev 3 for $290. the i5 alone is $180 at microcenter. That mobo was $190 and I think 180$ on newegg but the combo deal knocked it down to 109$

they matched the xfx video card price too.
 

K-zon

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Isn't like on the idea of Micro stores for the whole point of not having to use the interenet and long distant traveling for purchases?

Not trying to saying anything bad of it, its just with in it, of the store to say of anything to be of "normal" on the point of it all, might have a lose of say "use" for the idea of internet. Usuaully, you get a big comment, "We are waiting for email, or confirm from "main place"..." and/or with "Even though its in our systems we need to check to make sure.."

Does not fair well, thats for sure...
 




Don't u know, always to call (prior to visit) to verify and also ask for that persons name. That way I never had a problem.
BTW its a great store.
 

K-zon

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For sack of argument, think you would of had to of placed an order to say to even have an expense of gas issue for the say issue. So, probably not much of an arguement, but just that of one.

Which might be cheap for the issue, Obviously your expense of expense wasn't of one for the issue at least, since you didn't buy anything.

Usually reservation holds no place against one that isn't. Why, I don't know.

To say that there is much of anything to again argue with is probably almost "none" . Rather as said of much of anything much different would be only that would of been said. Right?
 

hpfreak

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Well... this really changed my mind... I was looking at building a new AMD system... I put together a build on Newegg, and I decided to do the same for a retailer to see if there is a price difference... there was only like a 5 dollar difference, and that was if I changed a few parts xD
 
I have never had issues with MC.

As for online orders during selling sprees, if a person worked retail they would realize how such issues happen. Often the computer auto responds yes before stock can be checked or pulled. Instead of taking the lazy way waiting in line or buying after the initial rush is best.
 

toxin440

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i realize this was months ago from the original poster.

There is a microcenter in dallas - about a 45 minute drive from my house. I do love that place. Big/clean/organized, LOTS of stuff and I don't get pestered like I do in Fry's or Best buy.

I've never used their 18 minute pickup feature - but I would have totally complained to the manager and a higher up just because your time is just as valuable as everyone elses. Their system obviously sucks if it's not reserving parts that it promises.

That being said - I do love Microcenter - even factoring in Tax, I jumped on their i5 2500k deal for 179, in addition to taking 40 dollars off a brand new motherboard.

 
@tox

the issue is not as simple as most believe it to be. it is often compounded by many things. according to my retail experiences i'll list the order of events in general with possible issues in parethesis:

online store says item is in stock
(retail store inventory is often wrong or can change quickly)

purchase order online
(either stock is wrong or there is a confirmation email sent later to verify order)

associates at store receive page for order
(either stock is wrong or there is zero time to pull all orders if very busy)

email verification if sent is often auto-yes if timed out or marked yes by managers
(often they want to give you a substitute item and try to keep all purchases)

customer goes to store to pick up item
(often does not wait for confirmation email)

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as you can see there are quite a few steps along the way that can generate issues. also factor in that items can be quickly sold out in the time it can take an associate to look for the order and to pull it. purchasing an item does not magically make an item disappear from stock in a retail store. if it is visible it will be sold (unless pulled to a special area by an associate).

warehouse businesses such as newegg typically are better with orders as they do not have the influence of walk-ins to deal with and have more accurate inventories.
 

jman_26

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This is not 'cheap' - it is common sense! Well... okay, I would not ask them for "gas money," but I definitley would have DEMANDED a 20% discount due to inconvenience - AND, if the manager did not give it, then I would send faxes, letters and emails to corporate, with the MANAGER'S NAME, saying that he was totally unsympathetic and gave ZERO explanation for why the parts were not "RESERVED" as the system indicated they were.

I would have made sure I got the manager's business card, so as to include that in the letter - makes it easier for them to ding him on his yearly review.

It is incredibly easy for them to just give the customer a voucher for an additional 20% off, next week, when the parts do come in. That way, MicroCenter loses NOTHING, and gains a "return customer."

This was "teh_tourist"'s (customer's) opportunity to demand some sort of reparation for, basically, what amounts to FALSE ADVERTISING - by that, I mean that, if you, as Wal-Mart of MicroCenter, say, "Hey, we just reserved your item - please come pick it up" - then it darned well better BE there, when I go to pick it up! I NEVER have had problems with Wally World (Wal-Mart) or Best Buy - I'm pretty sure I reserved items at Best Buy before; and I know I did at Wal-Mart.
 

jman_26

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The "LAZY WAY?!" That is a total crap statement! This person took ONE of the many options that is supposed to be VALID.

It has nothing to do with being LAZY.

For that matter, there is no way to know for sure that, if you wait in line, they won't run out of whatever thing everyone is waiting in line for. It has happened to me many times.

Geez, I hate people who 'stereotype,' based on something THEY might do, and then call someone LAZY for doing something perfectly normal, or a different way from them.

Reserved means RESERVED (pulled from the shelf and 'held' for THAT person, NOT TO BE SOLD TO ANYONE ELSE) - so "NO," there is NO excuse! Wal-Mart and Best Buy do reservations just fine - I've worked for both - MicroCenter is the ones who are LAZY - not pulling it off the shelf as they should.
But, a big part of it is often the 'system' - as someone pointed out - if the system never sent the salesman an 'immediate' pull order, then the item never got pulled; but, in MicroCenter's case, I'd say it's a bit of several things - sounds like "tourist" did not get the confirmation until LATE that next morning - meaning all of it had actually been sold by the time the 'pull order' was sent to the store - but lag in updating system inventory at "the specific store" did not catch up with the "reserved status" from the corporate system. Again - a bit of "system" [laziness] if you will, on the part of those who programmed the whole MicroCenter reservation system.

BUT - one even bigger problem is when the manager told him "Oh, THAT part never was in stock." That is a TOTAL failure of MicroCenter's inventory and reservation system! To me, it sounds like they are using their reservation system as a "bait-and-switch" - not REALLY reserving anything, and just SAYING that it's reserved, to get you into the store.

Additionally, if MicroCenter does not have IMMEDIATE MEANS OF NOTIFICATION of 'reserved items,' then they can make the LAZINESS excuse as well and say, "Oh, umm... well, I didn't CHECK the reserved orders before I sold it."

AND, last but not least, there most certainly is a way to tell 'WHO' sold it - IF it was tagged properly - each sale gives WHO sold it, listed on the receipt. BUT, you would have to be able to track that back to a tagged / reserved item - OR get store camera footage of someone grabbing stuff from the RESERVED stack, just to make commission on a sale (making the presumption that they pulled it and put in a 'reserved' area)

So, no, I don't think using the "reservation system" is at all LAZY - your comment is uncalled for. Reserving an item - even a REDBOX MOVIE - should be a 'no-brainer.' Who wants to go wait in line and take a chance that the item will "sell out," when you can take the SMART WAY, and reserve it before you get there? So, bottom line, the CUSTOMER ("teh_tourist") is NOT at all at fault, nor lazy; MICROCENTER is at fault; and likely had several failures on their part.

BUT, 'tourist' should have [called] to confirm, since it sounds like this was a 'hot item' and a frenzied sale.
And DEFINITELY should call and email and send a letter + fax to Coporate MicroCenter to complain!

Just my thoughts.
 
@jman

i'm not saying that microcenter (as a company) is not at fault, however the actual employees dealt with are not. most of the practices come down from top tier management.

in a warehouse environment without a storefront pulling items is easy. when you have a storefront pulling items from the same stock at the same time mix ups like this happen (rather frequently too). compound on this the problems from the system.

granted, reserving or buying online is a valid means of ordering, but also keep in mind that unless you get a confirmation email/call saying your product has been pulled for you assume the item has NOT been pulled. i've worked retail: if i have 50 customers standing around waiting for an item, and 20 online orders which i have to check to see if we even have in stock... guess who ends up waiting? at times there just isnt any time to handle online orders in a timely manner. this "stock checking" phase is supposed to make sure people do not get false confirmations if it is implemented correctly but during rushes it fails completely.

i do agree saying "the lazy way" was a bit harsh as some people who aren't close to the store might have a valid reason. however, most people assume that once they click the button its yours (and do not wait for confirmation).

--

as far as wrong stock goes: have you ever seen some of the companies hired by retailers to check their stock? if you have you would realize how/why counts can be off by over 30. stock should be checked in house only.

as far as bait and switch: that comes down from top tier. quite a few major retailers use this tactic. if the item isnt in stock we were forced to press "yes we have it" and the customer was then given to the manager on duty to try and figure out an alternative. i've seen quite a few angry people.

--

i agree with complaining to upper tier management about the "the system". however, the manager really didnt have any other options available.
 
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