Norfolk niggle
Richard Dix, owner of independent PC retailer Positive Computing in Heachem, Norfolk, has complained to trade association ITACS (Independent Trade Association of Computing Specialists) about what he considers to be underhand tactics from his local (Kings Lynn) branch of PC World.
It seems he recommended one of his customers, Mrs Eileen Robinson, buy a new notebook (Acer Aspire 5735z) from PC World as he didn't stock it. However, they agreed that she would then buy her software from him and he would install it.
When Mrs Robinson got to the store, the sales assistant was understandably keen to for her to buy the software and services from PC World. "We said we just wanted a computer and said we had someone reputable to do it," she told HEXUS.channel.
"After asking who we were using, he said ‘I'll be back in a minute'. When he came back he said he'd just rung them and that he could do what we wanted a lot more cheaply than they could. We felt a little bit intimidated - maybe because we're elderly he felt he could be a bit pushy."
We also spoke to indie retailer Dix. He confirmed he had received a call on the day asking for the prices, but the caller hadn't identified himself and hung up before Dix had a chance to ask.
While Dix accepted the validity of PC World wanting to compete on price, the fact that he had referred his customer to PC World in the first place and the anonymity of the call inquiring about his prices left a bad taste in his mouth.