brisbin@peyote.cactus.org (Shelly Brisbin) (02/27/91)
I have never dealt with Bottom Line, but it might be instructive to note that they are actually run by MacProducts USA, of whom I have heard decidedly mixed reviews. I also personally oppose the use of 900 numbers, so I would avoid doing business with them. But that's only one person's opinion. -- _________________________________________________________________ Shelly Brisbin Leopard Communication brisbin@peyote.cactus.org
paryavi@harris.cis.ksu.edu (Saiid Paryavi) (02/27/91)
In article <5619@peyote.cactus.org> brisbin@peyote.cactus.org (Shelly Brisbin) writes: >I have never dealt with Bottom Line, but it might be instructive to note that >they are actually run by MacProducts USA, of whom I have heard decidedly >mixed reviews. I also personally oppose the use of 900 numbers, so I would >avoid doing business with them. But that's only one person's opinion. > After seeing Bottom Line's "low" prices, especially the $545 13" Apple monitor, I just couldn't help myself but to make my first 900 call. Well, to my surprise the number was busy almost all day long. Finally I got through using my friendly automatic redialing phone. A recording came on saying that all the representatives are busy .... and that the charges of $2 per minute would begin as soon as a sale representative picked up. I said to myself, well this is not as bad as I thought it would be. After about 5 minutes a guy answers (I assume the charges began at this point) and asks me what department I want. Naturally I said sales. He says thank you and asks me to hold. I hold about 2-3 minutes and then the same guy comes on the phone and tells me that all the sales people are still busy and if he could be of any assistance. I told him that I needed to check on a few prices and he said, "oh, I could help you with that." I asked about the 13" RGB monitor. He said it is $645. 12"? $429. I asked for some other prices and then I asked if they had the classic or LC in stock, the answer: NO. Asking why the prices in the ad are lower than what he quoted me, his answer was that the ad was not updated in time. I said bye and hung up. This costly experience (about $15, that is if I was not charged for listening to their waiting music) proved to me again that "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch!" Seems like their ad is misleading just to lure callers into calling their 900 number. Once you are hooked, they have robbed you of at least a few dollars. I wonder if they even stock any goods, 'cause they seem to be making lost of money just turning people away! In either case, this was my first AND LAST 900 call. me -- Saiid Paryavi CIS Department Internet: paryavi@harris.cis.ksu.edu Nichols Hall, KSU UUCP: {rutgers, texbell}!ksuvax1!harry!paryavi Manhattan, KS 66506
dave@PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek) (02/28/91)
In article <$#}&'N^@rpi.edu> Abraxas@itsgw.rpi.edu (Yi Sun) writes: >I saw the ad from BottomLine mail-order in Feb issue of MacWorld. >They seem to have very low price. For example both apple 13" RGB >and seiko 14" RGB are adverised at $545. However, they charge >$2/min on the phone. I have had no dealings with them, and plan to keep it that way. I simply do not find it credible that an honest company would charge you to talk to their salesmen. And if something you buy doesn't work, or they make an error in shipping, how much time are you going to spend on the phone trying to get it straightened out? And how much incentive do they have to get it right in the first place? I'm not calling them crooks, because this isn't a crooked business practice. It's a scummy business practice. -- Dave Matuszek (dave@prc.unisys.com) I don't speak for my employer. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | When I was young, my family bought a color TV. Our neigbors, who | | were poorer, had only a black-and-white set. They bought a piece of | | cellophane, red on top, yellow in the middle, and blue on the bottom, | | and taped it over their screen, so they could claim that they had a | | color TV, too. | | Now there's Windows 3.0. | -------------------------------------------------------------------------
smisra@eos.ncsu.edu (02/28/91)
In article <16646@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM>, dave@PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek) writes: > In article <$#}&'N^@rpi.edu> Abraxas@itsgw.rpi.edu (Yi Sun) writes: > >I saw the ad from BottomLine mail-order in Feb issue of MacWorld. > >They seem to have very low price. For example both apple 13" RGB > >and seiko 14" RGB are adverised at $545. However, they charge > >$2/min on the phone. > > I have had no dealings with them, and plan to keep it that way. I > simply do not find it credible that an honest company would charge you > to talk to their salesmen. And if something you buy doesn't work, or > they make an error in shipping, how much time are you going to spend on > the phone trying to get it straightened out? And how much incentive > do they have to get it right in the first place? > > I'm not calling them crooks, because this isn't a crooked business > practice. It's a scummy business practice. > > > -- Dave Matuszek (dave@prc.unisys.com) I don't speak for my employer. -- > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > | When I was young, my family bought a color TV. Our neigbors, who | > | were poorer, had only a black-and-white set. They bought a piece of | > | cellophane, red on top, yellow in the middle, and blue on the bottom, | > | and taped it over their screen, so they could claim that they had a | > | color TV, too. | > | Now there's Windows 3.0. | > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I totally agree with Dave. You should always be careful of greedy businesses! Better yet, you should AVOID greedy businesses, and a business that charges $2/min just so that you can offer you business to them is very, very GREEDY Saurabh