COMP USA is a lousy place to shop for computer equipment.

So are you asking for help or just complaining? Unfortunately, the "Complaints about major electronics retailers" forum is off-line.

I bought a Sony CD-RW drive to replace the one in my Dimension 4100
and had no problems.

Also bought a second hard drive again no problems.

It seems to me to rather silly to blame CompUSA.
It's not like Sony drives sold there are going to be different from those sold at Best Buy.

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@Rivieraranch wrote:

Lousy (absent) customer service/assistance is the point you all are missing.

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I don't see customer service as being the problem here.
If you'd gone to Best Buy or Circuit City you'd gotten the same result.
A CD drive is pretty much a commodity item ie they are all the same.

If there is something unusual with your Dell - which I doubt -
then you should just buy your CD drive from Dell.

My Dell Dimension 4100 has had 2 different DVD drives added,
a new faster CD drive to replace the original,
a 2nd hard drive, a USB2/Firewire card -
all bought retail and not a single problem

Blaming CompUSA is absolutely ridiculous in this case.

Message Edited by ieee488 on 07-27-2005 09:01 PM

Message Edited by ieee488 on 07-27-2005 09:04 PM

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@Rivieraranch wrote:

Ordering from Dell is a good idea and I will by all means do that. Your comments show that you are being disparaging instead of helpful. There is a problem when you go into a computer store and there is nobody to offer product assistance/advice.

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I think you are expecting too much from a store such as CompUSA or Best Buy or Circuit City.

People I know who are technically inclined with PCs buy most of their computer items online.
They only shop at CompUSA or such when there is a really good sale.

The key these days is to do a little research.
I still have the manual that came with my Dimension 4100 that I bought 5 years.

Rivieraranch:

I couldn't agree with you more but these big box electronic retailers don't seem to put a premium on customer service. It's very hit and miss. You may find a store where they have really good, customer oriented people but generally you will not.

I still fail to see how competent customer support in this case
would have been of any use. Can someone explain that????

Most CD drives sold are the same size. They are commodity items.

Are you guys saying that if there was a "helpful" salesperson
that he would have intuitively been able to see inside the
PC of the computer you have at home and known that the *standard*
CD drives sold at CompUSA would not have fit???

Or are you saying that the salesperson should know about
every single non-standard PCs out on the market and be able
to help you select just the right one????

I read the Dell manual for the 4300 about adding another drive.
There is nothing in the manual to indidcate it was non-standard.
It did say that there are two different rails.

He said he asked a "stock" guy because he couldn't find
anyone to help him. I've been my local CompUSA a few times.
The people I've seen on the floor have all been sales.
How knowledgeable the sales guys are is another question.

Anyhow.
My point is whether there was sales help or not the end
result would have been the same - a CD drive that did not
fit his Dell 4300.

If I was the salesperon, I'd suggest the Sony CD drive too.
I bought one for my Dimension 4100, and it worked.
Then "riveriaranch" would have gone home with that CD drive
and still have the same problem. Then his complaint would be
about the incompetent staff.

The CD drive should have worked. Mine did. We wouldn't even
be reading about this if there isn't something different
about the Dell 4300 he has at home.
No amount of help would change the fact that an off-the-shelf
standard CD drive does not fit in it.

If the CD drive had fit, he'd been happy as a clam.
No complaints on the Dell message board.

So, is CompUSA really the problem here or is it that his Dell
doesn't work with a standard off-the-shelf CD drive???

Message Edited by ieee488 on 07-29-2005 06:51 PM

Ieee488:

This is clearly a situation where the average computer store person should be able to help the avery non-computer customer. If it were my shop, I wouldn't let the guy walk out of the store without trying to help. Am I surprised that CompUSA wouldn't help him? No. They think they're in the business of selling computer parts. They should be in the business of helping people enjoy their computers. And that's why they're not keeping up with the industry.

When I worked at "kinkos", people would call us for tech support for all kinds of electronic items: computers, digital cameras, printers, etc.

CompUSA is a "retail" store. They sell items to you and it is your choice what to buy. If you want tech support from them, you should have had them install it for you, or like someone else said, do some research. I once bought a Compaq from CompUSA, was not satified with it, but did not blame them. I blamed myself for not knowing what I wanted and needed. Gave the computer to the kids and bought a Dell.

I came really close at kinkos to tell one of them on the phone to go to dos promt and type format:C and press OK.

Who would ever think a copy shop could give you tech support.

You really don't want a sales (retail) associate from CompUSA  giving you much advise. Most knowledgable people that are technical don't work in retail.