Would you like a Game System to go with your Game?

[Miss Fatale]

This isn't the cashier's fault -- it's the fault of the higher ups who thought it was a good idea.

I went to a video game store yesterday to buy a used copy of Fable II. As he is ringing me up, the cashier asks, "Do you want to get the XBox 360 bundle that has Fable II and Halo 3?" I laughed and said I already had a 360, I don't need two.

The cashier and his CW laughed; the cashier said, "See, they always say that."

I mean, people do buy games for others, but it seems like a silly question to ask everyone. If I wanted to spend several hundred bucks on a new system, I'm not going to do it as an impulse buy.

[Bright_Star]

Most people who buy video games already have the systems to play those games on or are buying them for someone else. For a retailer to think that someone is going to buy a video game system on impulse are fooling themselves. Those babys aren't cheap...lol.

[wolfie]

Had a similar one at The Source by Circuit City (formerly Radio Shack, but when CC bought out the Canadian branch of the chain, RS head office wouldn't let them keep using the name). I needed an extra vehicle kit for a Sirius plug-and-play satelite radio, and saw they were clearing out one model of radio (complete with vehicle kit) for $29.99 (vehicle kit, which never goes on sale, was $69.99). Because I was at the end of the counter, I saw on their screen that it prompted them to ask me (add-on sales) if I wanted to buy an extra vehicle kit for my radio.

They didn't ask, but that's probably because I had mentioned that I was looking for a vehicle kit, and this was a cheaper way of getting it.

[ottid]

Were they addin ghte vehicle kit or was it a built in part of the package? Why would the computer prompt for it if it was already part of the package?

[edible_hat]

Why would the computer prompt for it if it was already part of the package?

The same reason computers do anything stupid: it was programmed by someone who didn't know what they were doing.

[wolfie]

Were they addin ghte vehicle kit or was it a built in part of the package? Why would the computer prompt for it if it was already part of the package?

The package consists of the radio, the mounting bracket/connection socket, 2 different mounts for the bracket (vent clip and suction cup), a magnet-mount antenna, and a power adapter that plugs into the cigarette lighter. This was normally a $100 or so package, but marked down to $30 because the radio in it was obsolescent (but all of the Sirius "plug and play" series will plug into the same mounting bracket). The vehicle kit contains all of the above except for the radio, costs about $70, and never goes on sale.

It prompts them to ask if you want to buy a vehicle kit as well on the theory that your household might have 2 (or more) vehicles, so you install one kit in each vehicle, then plug the radio into whichever vehicle you happen to be driving.

[ottid]

Ah, ok, makes sense. Just me being a practical person would have moved the vehicle kit to the other vehicle if I was using it, saves me money, maybe not time though

[wolfie]

Ah, ok, makes sense. Just me being a practical person would have moved the vehicle kit to the other vehicle if I was using it, saves me money, maybe not time though

With these radios, parts of the kit are semi-permanent mounting. For example, the antenna is supposed to go 3" from the edge of the roof (has a rubber spacer that fits over the wire between the antenna and the moulding around the windshield, and has peel-and-stick adhesive). You then run the wire under the moulding at the top and down the side of the windshield to the top of the fender (on most cars, you can sneak the wire inside past the weatherstrip for the door without it being exposed on the side of the car) and behind trim panels to get to where the radio is mounted. In a lot of cases, if you do a good job of hiding the wiring, it's not even worth it to remove the vehicle kit when trading in the car.