Comp USA ripoff convinced of toshiba, microsoft office, mcafee bargain New York New York

After having researched prices online, I recently went to CompUSA to buy a Toshiba computer that I needed ASAP. When I arrived I found the model I wanted, and asked the salesman (named Jose) for it and a bag to carry it. That was all I wanted. Quickly and faster than I could process I got wrapped up in an endless "I am going to cut you a really good bargain" discussion where now I realize I got ripped off.

First off, I was convinced by the salesman that the computer did not have either an antivirus software nor Microsoft Office installed, so if I were to purchase a $399 two year international warranty from Comp USA, he would cut me a deal by reducing the price of the computer by $100, give me Office for $249 (told me the list price was $399 -- I am not a computer person, so all I could do is believe the salesman who clearly should know what he's talking about). He said I would need anti-virus software and offered to give me McAfee for $19.99.

Upon further consideration, given the faster than the speed of light offers of "I will cut this from here add that to here put that here" and here's your great deal: $2183!! (when really my original purchase would have been around $1500). I got fed up with all the comings and goings (he kept going to the "back" to check with his manager), so at some point I said, listen, just give me the computer and the bag, I'll deal with the rest later. All these deals he kept saying were contingent on the $399 Comp USA 2 yr. warranty, which he was also trying to convince me was a deal -- thankfully he didn't succeed.

At some point I left the store to think about this "deal" that was being pushed on me, and the manager came out and tried to convince me that if I left the store the deal was out. Since I was adamant that I was going to go out and come back, he shifted again and said, fine, as long as you come today the deal is good -- otherwise it's off.

As it turns out, I was going to return the same day anyway because I needed the computer that day, period. Sadly and regretably, I really didn't have the time to tool around the city comparing deals and getting the best one. I knew Comp USA's price was pretty much as what I had seen for that computer online, so I returned to the store after a lunch break.

Again, I was kept waiting forever, too many different "good deals" kept being offered to me, I can't even relay all the many "I'll take this off of here, put that here" etc. I kept refusing and saying I just wanted the computer and the bag and I needed to go, finally he arrived and said, fine, "even if you don't get the warranty, I want to cut you a good deal, so you still get $100 off the computer, we give you the bag for free, you get the anti-virus for $19.99" (mind you the computer as it turns out already had Norton Anti-Virus installed for a 3 month period --- something he failed to tell me), and he continued, "which means I will basically be giving you Microsoft Office for $99!!!"

Partly out of exhaustion, and partly because indeed at some point the minus and minus of so many numbers (when they had started so high) started to sound like a good deal, I said fine.

Well, as it turns out, what they sold me was not Microsoft Office buy just the serial number with which to activate the programs already installed (I imagine I could have done this directly through Microsoft, no? Makes me wonder what back deal they are cashing in on, especially given the fact that, and I only noticed this once I though of "returning" the "program" I was sold, it had been rung up as a "Miscellaneous Part" and NOT as Microsoft Office) --- guess what, the anti-virus was also rung up as a "Miscellaneous Part" (again . . . so who is pocketing that money? and why aren't things I was sold appear as such on my receipt?!!!. When I complained about the fact that the programs were being given to me as lose disks in a little pouch, where was the box, etc., he said, "oh, that's the way programs come now."

Somewhere it all sounded a little fishy, but I was so tired at that point, had been in the store way longer than planned, that I just thought, I guess he knows what he's talking about, again my biggest pitfall is that I am not computer savvy, so I chided myself for being so skeptical and left.

All in all, and only because I resisted the initial push of buying the warranty, I was jipped out of approx $200. What kind of dishonest way of doing business is that??? I went in in good faith to buy a computer I needed, and trusted my saleman in telling me the truth about the products I was buying -- well he wasn't.

I plan to go back to the store and complain and try to resolve this matter, but I don't see why a simple trip to buy a computer has to generate all this hassle!! It was a worse headache and more time-consuming than trying to get a good deal in Chinatown -- is that really how a National Brand store wants to run???

Carla
brooklyn, New York
U.S.A.

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