I'm Fuming - Comet sells "Extended Warranty" to disabled 90-some y.o.

ZarZar1990

I never said there were no pushy salesmen, of course there are.

I have respect for the elderly, and would never try and pressure someone into buying something, or tell them it was compulsory, I just didn't like the way it was implied that elderly people cannot reach their own decisions is all.

UK2010

dfh wrote: »

In case people haven't noticed,older people were brought up to be polite and find it more difficult to say no to spotty faced salesmen.

So polite people end up being sold more stuff they don't want than everyone else. Get real! Why would someone who's polite not be able to decline an item. Surely they'd be better than everyone else with their abilities to politely decline the sale!

dfh wrote: »

Another sad example of broken Britain.

Cynics will call it that due to their negative outlook on everything. Everyone else who isn't all doom and gloom seems to be managing fine!

marvic31

I would like to know who took this woman to Comet. I dont suppose she got there by herself.

How come the person who was with her did not pipe up and say it was not necessary.

Maybe the rant should be directed to them

el_gringo_3

As someone who used to work in one of their competitors I can see the problem the salesmen face, assuming they did not actually tell her she 'had' to take the warrenty - they are often between a rock and a hard place.

Salesmen in these stores are usually expected to hit a % target of warrenties/insurance on their overall sales, and may face disciplinary action if they do not. I clearly remember selling an insurance policy once on a phone late one saturday afternoon where the excess was more than the phone was worth, the customer didn't seem like the brightest bean but had I not done it I would have been up for my third week in a month of not hitting target, and likely fired on the monday morning.

Equally I remember having used the opposite strategy - talking myself out of a sale on which I didn't think I would have a hope in hell of selling the insurance as it would have taken me under insurance target. Sod the £2 commission, I'd rather have a job to go to next week.

Essentially, what I am saying is don't look at all retail staff as money hungry demons who'd sell their own mother for commission, most I met were just in it for the basic plus a little extra from easy sales - otherwise they would have all gone and worked in positions with higher comms rates in the car sales industry or whatnot.

Equaliser123

el_gringo wrote: »

I clearly remember selling an insurance policy once on a phone late one saturday afternoon where the excess was more than the phone was worth, the customer didn't seem like the brightest bean but had I not done it I would have been up for my third week in a month of not hitting target, and likely fired on the monday morning.

Equally I remember having used the opposite strategy - talking myself out of a sale on which I didn't think I would have a hope in hell of selling the insurance as it would have taken me under insurance target.

Essentially, what I am saying is don't look at all retail staff as money hungry demons who'd sell their own mother for commission,

Given the two examples you've given, you are hardly painting a wonderful picture of sales staff, are you?

ZarZar1990

You can't generalise, not all sales staff are the same, its like saying 'well you're not giving doctors a very good name' if one or two give bad treatment, there are hundreds and thousands or sales staff in the UK.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but it does bug me when people assume I'm immoral because I work in sales.

adamg

this thread makes me laugh, the lady in question choose to go into comet. She was not forced she went in through choice. she had the right to choose what she wanted to buy and did not want to buy. Comet did not knock on her door trying to sell her products. The lady did not buy a warrenty nor a insurance agreement (as comet do not sell these) but a extracare plan. If the OP is so upset about this then your friend legally has the right to cancel the plan for a full refund (as long as it has not been used) for 45 days after original day of purchase. It is no worse then shops like superdrug/boots etc putting chocolate along the queues at tills hoping children pick them up and the parents buy.
And before you ask no I do not work for Comet but trading standards!

Equaliser123

adamg wrote: »

And before you ask no I do not work for Comet but trading standards!

Clearly shows the sort of people that work for Trading Standards then.

Personally, I've never had a positive encounter with any TSD.

epatolles

marvic31 wrote: »

I would like to know who took this woman to Comet. I dont suppose she got there by herself.

How come the person who was with her did not pipe up and say it was not necessary.

Maybe the rant should be directed to them

AGREE! my grandma isn't by any means stupid or feeble at 80 but whenever she goes out to buy something expensive or gets repairs to her house we always make sure someone in the family is there with her!

and to be honest I think no matter WHAT age you are I think making large purchases alone can leave you a bit more vunerable because you only have yourself to argue with! I always like having someone else there just to make sure I don't get caught up in the moment :-)

dampdaveski

jamespir wrote: »

so what was a 90 year old something buying a new tv for in the first place

I hope that if I reach the grand old age of 90 i'm fit enough to throw it at you, and I might pay over the odds for an exended warranty to try and claim for the repair when it breaks on your head.:D