Sunday's Micro Center Adventure (NJ) - HORRIBLE Experience

I just shop Newegg, for any computer build, I hate Fry's as I had worked there, and they are getting so desperate, that they will price match online stores, not had a problem with Micro Center yet, and I generally let the latest overpriced tech sell for a month or so before I buy it, so I can see the potential problems I might face with specific parts.
 
Tustin store earlier today listed as having 20+ in stock. Man having to wait 3 more days to avoid the horror would of been impossible? Now 2 in stock. :D
 
Outamyhead said:
I just shop Newegg, for any computer build, I hate Fry's as I had worked there, and they are getting so desperate, that they will price match online stores, not had a problem with Micro Center yet, and I generally let the latest overpriced tech sell for a month or so before I buy it, so I can see the potential problems I might face with specific parts.
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I agree, being an early adopter can be frustrating. I like to let BIOS issues get sorted and wait to get more info to make OC etc less painful, if it occurs in the beginning.
 
When I lived in DC, I always used the MC in Fairfax, VA...Never had any issues when getting an order. I always found it easier to call ahead for them to check the physical stock. Never any issues asking them to put an item aside and picking it up later.

I now live in San Francisco. I shop at both Frys (there are like 10 of them on the bay area) and Microcenter (Santa Clara) I always call ahead at MC and they still have the same policy, I ask, they put it aside and I pick it the same night.

Neither location(s) have given me any issue....
 
Avoid launch day, always.

I ordered my 2500K w/ P8P67 Pro for 340 + tax at 7:30am this morning, got the confirmation email at 9:30am and headed out at 12noon. Awesome drive on the GSP, super light traffic, got my stuff, verified the serial # on the mobo matched the box and I was out within 10 minutes
 
The Cobra said:
When I lived in DC, I always used the MC in Fairfax, VA...Never had any issues when getting an order. I always found it easier to call ahead for them to check the physical stock. Never any issues asking them to put an item aside and picking it up later.

I now live in San Francisco. I shop at both Frys (there are like 10 of them on the bay area) and Microcenter (Santa Clara) I always call ahead at MC and they still have the same policy, I ask, they put it aside and I pick it the same night.

Neither location(s) have given me any issue....
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Agreed on MC Fairfax.

I live in southern Maryland (southern PG) and am thus equidistant to Fairfax and Rockville.
While Rockville costs less via mass transit (four busses, with transfers at Southern Avenue, Friendship Heights, and Medical Center/NNMC) Fairfax has better stock and better in-store service; therefore I take the extra bite in the wallet and go to Fairfax most of the time (however, I DO check Rockville, as they at times will have items in stock that Fairfax won't). No Fry's in the DC area.
 
jnick said:
I live in NY...drove an hour and 5 minutes to NJ because the Yonkers store was OOS.
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sorry man :) was there bright and early for an 2500k. I also checked the stock at about 2-3PM, they still had 5. They had 15 at 10AM.
 
I don't live very close to the Microcenter NJ store, but while driving through Jersey I've stopped by a few times. Once I bought a Q9450 and another time a i7 920 and a few associated goodies, and did not have a problem either time. Sounds like a few idiot employees there are ruining the experience, but I could tell you horror stories about Best Buy and the (now defunct) Circuit City as well. I think it just goes with the low wage retail tech job market - the smartest people seem to move on quickly.
 
Wow. Crazy story. Never had an issue at the Orange county store here in CA. Always friendly help (not always the most up to date knowledge) but friendly none the less. Great in store selection.
 
So you wanted him to give you other persons web orders, got upset when he didn't, then was revolted when he finally did? Sounds like there is enough blame to go around here.
 
Dan_D said:
Microcenter is usually much cheaper on the higher dollar and enthusiast items. Additionally Fry's is a nightmare here in the DFW area. Half of everything has been returned at least once, is missing accessories, is in a crushed box, etc. Some items are reasonably priced while others are in the stratosphere.
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Same in Vegas. Hunt through 10 video cards to find one that han'e been returned. Oh but they are giving you $5.00 oss for missing everything but the card!!!
 
tokey43074 said:
Holy crap. The Columbus Ohio store was completely organised and very friendly. I wasn't in there long but after getting there 10 min after they opened they were surprisingly dead. plenty of people there to help us. heck the guy offered to let me walk out of the store with 2 cpu's.


That sucks for you
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yeah they always seem to have it together, no problems other than really small print displaying mail in rebate, below the price advertised, that was 2 years ago though.
 
Hello JNICK,

Were you contacted to go in and get the item that was being held for you as previously indicated?
 
To answer the OP's original statement. Drive another hour to St. David's PA Microcenter. I've bought several things from there and never once was I pressured. :p
 
Yonkers, NY.

My wife had to wait 40 bloody minutes two weeks ago since they could not open the bloody window to get the CPU out. I am sorry but MC stores are really hopeless. The only reason I go there is to look at things.

Talking of Jersey, the only good thing about Jersey is the IKEA. I am sorry.

p.s. normally I do not swear
 
I was in and out of the store in Sharonville Ohio, internet order for mobo/i5-2500k in hand, in maybe five minutes.

Saved $60 over newegg prices.
 
I've spent maybe $1000 at Newegg over the last last 12 months.

I spent maybe $3,000 else where on computer parts.

I wonder if they have any clue how many people are stretching their dollars elsewhere?
 
I had no problems getting mine on the release day at the KC Microcenter. I figured that if I was able to get one, I'd order a mobo from Newegg as soon as I got home.

Wouldn't you know it? The timing belt broke on my car as I pulled into my driveway. So, my car is fixed now (I was gonna trade it in that next day too) and my shiny new 2600K is still sitting in it's box on my desk.
 
GoldenTiger said:
Wow, sounds like pcgeek86's thread about the motherboard wasn't the only shenanigans going on with MicroCenter... sorry to hear your story as well OP, sounds like a place to avoid unless I need a miscellaneous cable if they ever open up shop near me.
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Sad thing is pcgeek got flamed, and it turns out he was right all along.
That's why people need to shut the fuck up and get off their ego high horses...

People just dont realize what sort of BS companies are doing these days...
Just look at all the underhanded shit some counselpeople and congress people pull ...just because people are adults doesn't make them any more mature than 12 year olds...
 
Without reading through this entire thread all I can say is that the MC in St. Davids/Philadelphia has been nothing but great for me any time i go there.
 
vortican said:
People still buy this stuff at local stores? Huh...
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People still pay over $300 for a core i7? Huh... When Newegg and the rest of the online retailers can match or beat microcenters prices I'll consider them, but right now processors, video cards and many other items are cheaper at Microcenter. I've been going to MC for years and I've never really had a bad experience. You can't judge an entire chain because of one lousy experience or store. OP needs to get over it, writing a 1000 word essay on hardforum isn't going to accomplish anything.
 
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Harry1969 said:
People still pay over $300 for a core i7? Huh... When Newegg and the rest of the online retailers can match or beat microcenters prices I'll consider them, but right now processors, video cards and many other items are cheaper at Microcenter. I've been going to MC for years and I've never really had a bad experience. You can't judge an entire chain because of one lousy experience or store. OP needs to get over it, writing a 1000 word essay on hardforum isn't going to accomplish anything.
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Opinions are like asses...everyone has one...
And that's your opinion.
But whatever floats your boat, man...
 
Some Thoughts:

The launch of the new CPU and the discounts which MC offers gets a lot of people excited. Most of them are young. Thanks to the limited supply of the components, MC could not serve all the customers who lined up. Further their combo discounts are loss-leaders to get you into the store. You should expect that.

The manager got five employees with him, simply to protect himself. What would you do when you have a bunch of disgruntled young guns, who were expecting to save 20% on the latest gizmo who are disappointed? You will not enter alone. Plus it allows the manager to give orders to his sales staff in case he needs them to take care of something.

Your uncle got served first simply because he is older and MC expects him to perhaps provide more business. They know that most of the young guns are savvy web-shoppers who are there primarily to save that 20% on the latest gizmo and are unlikely to buy anything else.

I do agree that MC's web system should not have allowed web-orders on the combos when they knew that they had a very small quantity and the folks who lined up would become upset if they are first in line and did not get any.
 
I don't see why you have to post this here and make Microcenter look bad in this kind of way and eventually cost them business.

Why were you asking for the manager and causing trouble in the store when it was made clear to you several times that there aren't any processors available at the time, because pre-paid web orders get priority over your "reserveration" it was made clear that you'd have to wait for stock. Yet you still caused trouble and eventually the store manager gave up and gave someone elses order to you. This is the reason you have to slander Microcenter here?

Also you post how you were in shock and awe as the manager gave someone elses processor to your uncle yet you didn't say anything about it and neither did your uncle. You took the processor and left the store.

I know Jersey people are a pain but this takes the piss.
 
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You might want to read their reservation policy next time before you decide to drive for an hour, look closely at step 3.

http://www.microcenter.com/customer_support/pickup.html

"When your reservation is ready, you will receive a Reservation Ready email"

You didn't receive this email instead you got a nice email which states your order has been cancelled.

You fail.
 
Granted i havnt been to the mc in cambridge ma in a few months, that store is usually pretty solid. They let me browse all day without bugging and they get my stuff and pricematch if i ask. Good store up there in boston.
 
unkletom said:
I don't see why you have to post this here and make Microcenter look bad in this kind of way and eventually cost them business.

Why were you asking for the manager and causing trouble in the store when it was made clear to you several times that there aren't any processors available at the time, because pre-paid web orders get priority over your "reserveration" it was made clear that you'd have to wait for stock. Yet you still caused trouble and eventually the store manager gave up and gave someone elses order to you. This is the reason you have to slander Microcenter here?

Also you post how you were in shock and awe as the manager gave someone elses processor to your uncle yet you didn't say anything about it and neither did your uncle. You took the processor and left the store.

I know Jersey people are a pain but this takes the piss.
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This is a forum, as in a place where people can come to have public debate or tell other people about their experiences... Its hardly 'slander' and who are you to care if it costs MC business? If they want our business they have to earn it, its called capitalism. Frankly, based on the story the manager was just being a jerk and his store wasn't being well run. If they were out of processors then A) their website shouldn't be telling people they have them and B) they could be a lot more forthcoming about whats going on as opposed to having people wait in line for stuff they can't buy. not to mention, they DID get an "order ready" e-mail, for the uncle's order.. which is strange because out of 3 orders, the first and last orders were cancelled the the middle one was randomly accepted? weird.

Oh yea, and nice shot at people from New Jersey... because we're all from Seaside Heights and have blowouts and fake tans, right? jackass
 
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Activate: AMD said:
This is a forum, as in a place where people can come to have public debate or tell other people about their experiences... Its hardly 'slander' and who are you to care if it costs MC business?
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It doesn't come to me as a surprise that you lack the capacity to understand the situation and that you totally ignored the valid points I raised in my replies.

Frankly, based on the story the manager was just being a jerk and his store wasn't being well run. If they were out of processors then A) their website shouldn't be telling people they have them
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They did have the processors in stock however weborders that already paid for the orders get priority over reservations. This is quite logical.

B) they could be a lot more forthcoming about whats going on as opposed to having people wait in line for stuff they can't buy. not to mention, they DID get an "order ready" e-mail, for the uncle's order
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What's wrong with waiting in line to get what you need? The employee has to look on the computer if the parts are in stock. Topic starter is talking about 10 minute intervals in his post and probaby exagerating in alot of ways. Topicstarter made a reservation at home and drove out without waiting for the ready mail. Everyones order except the uncle's got cancelled. Fair enough the uncle got his processor in the end after I assume alot of pressure and attitude from the entire family.
Topicstarter didn't get his new toys to play with. "Oh wait till I get home. I'll teach Microcenter a lesson on hardforum and cost them business"
 
unkletom said:
It doesn't come to me as a surprise that you lack the capacity to understand the situation and that you totally ignored the valid points I raised in my replies.
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Except you haven't stated why its not okay for someone to present their experience, instead painting the picture that its somehow "slander" It doesn't come as a surprise to me that you lack the capacity to understand a free market economy or the definition of slander, (i.e. making unjust or ridiculous claims to smear someones name, such as: Unkletom is a philandering drunkard who makes love to horses). Presenting one's side of the story is hardly slander


unkletom said:
They did have the processors in stock however weborders that already paid for the orders get priority over reservations. This is quite logical.
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Except you can't buy the processors online at the prices they advertise.. those are "in store" prices only. I agree with you that paid orders should get preference and never said otherwise. What I said was that they shouldn't be misleading people into thinking that they have stock when they don't.. if they didn't have enough processors then they shouldn't be wasting my time.


unkletom said:
What's wrong with waiting in line to get what you need? The employee has to look on the computer if the parts are in stock. Topic starter is talking about 10 minute intervals in his post and probaby exagerating in alot of ways. Topicstarter made a reservation at home and drove out without waiting for the ready mail. Everyones order except the uncle's got cancelled. Fair enough the uncle got his processor in the end after I assume alot of pressure and attitude from the entire family.
Topicstarter didn't get his new toys to play with. "Oh wait till I get home. I'll teach Microcenter a lesson on hardforum and cost them business"
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Nothing wrong with waiting on line.. but the manager could have just said "hey everybody, we're out of 2600k's and then probably 80% of the people would have left the line..Uncle's order shouldn't have been fulfilled since it wasn't the first one ordered and strictly out of fairness they should have at the very least given it to the people who ordered first.. which just adds to the whole impression that this situation as handled by the manager was total bullshit.

As the customer in a free market economy, I am always right and if they want my money they should create a situation and environment that makes me want to spend money there.. otherwise they can go out of business
 
technically the online orders aren't "paid", they are only "reservations".

When you go to the store, you actually swipe your card then and pay.

If you don't pick up, MC will hold it for 3 days, then release it. they won't charge your card
 
paperwastage said:
technically the online orders aren't "paid", they are only "reservations".

When you go to the store, you actually swipe your card then and pay.

If you don't pick up, MC will hold it for 3 days, then release it. they won't charge your card
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True but when you receive your email saysing your item is ready for pickup they already pulled the item and its on hold for you.. not just hand it to someone else.

I've got that email and then 30 minutes later got a call that 2 of my 580s were being sold. So that proves that some sales person gave away my cards to someone else when they were already on hold for me which there not supposed to do.
 
spacing guild said:
To answer the OP's original statement. Drive another hour to St. David's PA Microcenter. I've bought several things from there and never once was I pressured. :p
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St. Davids had *better* be organized - they have a crowd from major colleges (in three states - four if you include those in Maryland closer to St. Davids than either Rockville or Fairfax, VA) and the business/corporate/government crowd in those same states.

Thanks to their US 30 location (within walking distance of three not-insignificant colleges - Haverford, Bryn Mawr, and Villanova University - and the Valley Forge Military Academy, which is a military/JROTC private high-school), St. Davids covers the entire eastern half of the state of Pennsylvania, all of Delaware, New Jersey south of Trenton, and central/eastern Maryland.

The US 30 location is also a major pain in the rear, as US 30 from Philadelphia west to Malvern, PA (if not to Exton!) is almost as snarled as US 1 is in Philadelphia (and for the same reason - US 30 is the *Main Street* of every town it passes through as soon as it leaves Lancaster, PA on the eastbound trek to Philadelphia (paralleling the AMTRAK/SEPTA "Keystoner" electrified heavy-rail line that crosses the state lengthwise). As opposed to taking US 30 west from the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), better alternatives are I-476 (the old *Blue Route*) which has an interchange with I-76 just north of the US 30 interchange) or even going as far north as the Eisenhower/King of Prussia Interchange (US 202, US 422, I-76 and I-276 all meet there) and taking US 202 west.
 
PGHammer said:
St. Davids had *better* be organized - they have a crowd from major colleges (in three states - four if you include those in Maryland closer to St. Davids than either Rockville or Fairfax, VA) and the business/corporate/government crowd in those same states.

Thanks to their US 30 location (within walking distance of three not-insignificant colleges - Haverford, Bryn Mawr, and Villanova University - and the Valley Forge Military Academy, which is a military/JROTC private high-school), St. Davids covers the entire eastern half of the state of Pennsylvania, all of Delaware, New Jersey south of Trenton, and central/eastern Maryland.

The US 30 location is also a major pain in the rear, as US 30 from Philadelphia west to Malvern, PA (if not to Exton!) is almost as snarled as US 1 is in Philadelphia (and for the same reason - US 30 is the *Main Street* of every town it passes through as soon as it leaves Lancaster, PA on the eastbound trek to Philadelphia (paralleling the AMTRAK/SEPTA "Keystoner" electrified heavy-rail line that crosses the state lengthwise). As opposed to taking US 30 west from the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), better alternatives are I-476 (the old *Blue Route*) which has an interchange with I-76 just north of the US 30 interchange) or even going as far north as the Eisenhower/King of Prussia Interchange (US 202, US 422, I-76 and I-276 all meet there) and taking US 202 west.
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Good job w/ the 9-month bump ;S
 
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