Well, that's one way not to get me to want DirecTV

[smileyeagle1021]

So, I was at Sams Club yesterday... I gave into the temptation to black friday shop (okay, so I needed to do my grocery shopping, and since I was low on some of the frozen/non-perishables that I tend to stock up on at Sams Club, went there rather than my normal grocery store). I went with my mom (well, it is technically her Sams Club membership, so technically she should go with me every time we go to Sams... but no one ever checks anyway) and we both got new TVs while we were there (I was looking for a new one anyway, because a former friend, for reasons other than this, that might be a good story to post, had his hellion of a daughter over a while ago and she decided my TV was a great place to practice her drumming skills... I had been just dealing with the crack in it until I could afford a new one, and oh buddy did I get a nice new one... but I'm getting off topic)... as we were walking through the aisles we were approached by one of the sales reps for DirecTV asking who our current providers were, I answered I only have an antenna and mom answered she was in her third month of a 2 year contract with UVerse. So, the guy turns to me and starts trying to do the hard sell, "what do you like to watch on TV"
I honestly told him, I don't watch that much TV, and he just says to me, "yeah right, I see that brand new TV in your cart, don't lie to me boy, I'm trying to help you here."
Umm... I have a TV in my cart, that doesn't mean that I watch TV... I play a lot of video games, I tend to watch movies, and yes, I guess I do watch TV shows on Netflix and Hulu occasionally, but mostly I use my TV for video games and movies, with the occasional show on Netflix or Hulu if I want to watch something but don't have the time for a movie. And, yes, I do have the antenna to watch TV, I watch the local news every morning. Either way, calling me a liar is not the best way to win me over to using your service.

[bainsidhe]

I bought a TV during black Friday two years ago, and it took me 9 months before I even unboxed it. Let's just say I don't watch regular TV and watching on my computer is convenient.

It just seems silly that when Sams had gobs of shoppers yesterday, this fella focused extra time trying to sway someone who was clearly uninterested. His time would have been better spent trying to convince someone already teetering, not someone adamant they didn't want the service.

[Slave to the Phone]

We don't have a TV. Haven't had one since 2002. That's what the internet is for

It seems as though I'm called a liar every other Sam's club shopping trip. The thing it has taught me is to not make eye contact and ignore the cable guys. I'm not usually rude, but they are the ones who taught me to be rude to them.

[notalwaysright]

I do have a tv, though I have no cable tv service. I need a second screen, since I nearly always have a show on while I am on my computer. I seriously can't just sit and watch a show, and not do something simultaneously unless it's an intense movie. I could just have dual monitors, but a 32" tv was really cheap so I figured why not? I am one of those weird people who actually miss regular tv. I know, I'm crazy, right? I just can't afford it, and no amount of pushy salespeople will change that.

I'm always surprised at how many people give in to hard sales. We would often lose a potential customers at the roofing company to a large competitor (who overcharged x10!) because of their pushiness. They would repeatedly call the customer telling them that the price was only good for a certain number of *hours.* So they'd better sign the contract or else! Oh well, we stayed in business, and didn't resort to threats.

[TheSHAD0W]

I had a DirecTV drone call me a liar recently. This person was going on about how "DirecTV is the only way to get 4K UHD programming!" I mentioned that I was using a 4K TV as a computer monitor. "No! The only way is with DirecTV!"

I'll admit it. I catbutt-faced. :-P

[eltf177]

I've got two: one downstairs and one in the bedroom. No cable, and only the old one upstairs has an antenna. Even then I have to unplug the DVD player and screw it in, only to get about 4 channels decently.

Both have DVD players and that's what they're for - I watch the FOX animated shows on Sunday along with the news, that's it. I do watch some things on YouTube at work during the week though...

[ComputerNecromancer]

I've got a 37" LCD TV. Got it from a windfall (state lost property office had something I didn't know about).

I've got cable TV, mostly because it's cheaper to get basic cable and basic internet as a bundle than to get *just* basic internet.

I watch the local news, and a few TV programs.

I've got an antenna hooked to the TV, but you have to realign it for some of the stations, so that's a pain.

I've got the bluray player and cable converter plugged into HDMI jacks on the TV, I've got a computer hooked to the VGA jack on the TV. And I have the stereo hooked to the digital audio output jack on the TV.

I have a bunch of video and music on network drives. The Bluray player will play most of them. The ones it won't, I can play thru the computer attached to the TV.

Most of the programs we watch other than the news we get over the internet and play when it's convenient for us, rather than when they're aired.

[jedimaster91]

The last time I got approached by the sales guys I had a very cranky newborn with me. I was trying to find him some gas relief drops which of course isn't in the pharmacy in the front of the store, but in the baby section in the back of the store. They usually camp out in electronics, which is right next to the baby stuff. So I had to pass them in order to get what I needed. I was a bit incredulous that they'd try their sales pitch on someone with a screaming, inconsolable baby. Like, really, do I look like I want to hear about cable service right now?

[bhskittykatt]

I have a TV that I use to watch movies and Netflix. It was used for gaming too before the husband left (I don't have time to game myself); he also used it as his regular computer monitor for a while.

I have neither time (2 jobs plus school) to regularly watch TV nor have the money to get afford cable/satellite.

You don't need cable/satellite to justify having a TV.

[MoonCat]

We have two TVs but no cable and no satellite. I refuse to pay the constant price increases for this stuff. There's only so much TV you can watch and I have internet for that if I want it. Which I generally don't. I lose interest quickly. I'd rather be reading or writing.

Years ago, a cable company gave employees of the company I work for a special deal on cable. I have one co-worker who still has that same deal. Are you ready for this? She pays $10 a month for basic. TEN. DOLLARS.

I told her to make sure she never cancels it, because if she does and then changes her mind, she'll NEVER get that good a deal again.

[cindybubbles]

I pay nada for cable because it is included as part of my condo's maintenance fee.

As for Internet, I've been paying about $45-$50/month for 300GB of bandwidth. I would have to pay lots more if I didn't get the back-to-school deal.

[EricKei]

I use a 50 inch TV as my computer monitor, simply because I don't watch enough TV/Netflix/etc to bother paying for them -- I can watch anytime I like just by walking over to my brother's house (after letting him know).

[Lovecats]

I pay nada for cable because it is included as part of my condo's maintenance fee.

As for Internet, I've been paying about $45-$50/month for 300GB of bandwidth. I would have to pay lots more if I didn't get the back-to-school deal.

When we first moved down to NC we lived in an apartment complex that included cable with the rent. Then when we moved into our house we eventually went to dish. But they kept raising the rates. So we now have 2 ROKUs (1 in the living room and 1 in the bedroom) and an antennae. I did go thru some withdrawal at first but I really feel no desire to go back.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

My family and I are rabid tv watchers. I've always been that way, and with Mom and brother home all day, they need something to occupy their time (Mom's not into gaming or computers at all) and she's gonna have her tv.

Currently we have Dish, and just pared down the bill b/c of the rate increases for everything (don't need all the movie channels . . . just give us the Encore and Showtime and we're good) and we have the next down from the top package for channels (that's b/c most of the channels we watch we can only get w/the 250 or Everything packages.)

And w/so much on tv this fall my Hopper (and my luck that it's all crammed in on about 4 nights a week w/half of them on at the same time as something else) I've got shows set up to record on Mom's Hopper (have 2 of these in the house and 4 Joey receivers for the other tv's)

Our tvs are the one thing we can all enjoy, so instead of vacations and fancy day trips, we enjoy our Dish.

You'll have to pry my remote from my cold, dead hands.

[April]

I always tell that I already have their service. No matter who they are. It's just easier that way