By now you have seen all the Xoom posts by Troy. A great product and one I’ll likely pick up at some point in the future. And if I have the same purchasing experience as Troy (I was there to witness it – and the 4 year old girl running around the store with no supervision – tsk tsk parents) it could be the distant future, indeed.
Several of us were in Chandler, Arizona for meetings the day the Xoom was released. We elected for a later dinner (what’s a few hours when your flight home is at midnight, anyway) and headed to the Verizon store.
0 minutes: We arrived at the store and were greeted as we all flocked to the back of the store to see the floor model. Troy was able to let them know he wanted one in the process.
2 minutes: Troy heads over to the counter with the sales rep (who was wonderful and did not design the process below).
15 minutes: We walk over to the counter (all of us have played with the Xoom and the other gadgets we don’t already have) to see if Troy is ready. No. The rep is still working the system. Something about paying off any Verizon bills first.
20 minutes: Troy needs print outs of the receipts. He is holding one but the rep has to go into the back – sneaker net? – to finish the process.
25 minutes: Back at the counter. Now we are talking about data plans. I am getting a bit restless but I think I hear a different plan makes sense. Troy asks about texting and the rep confirms the Xoom texts.
27 minutes: Troy asks the rep if he gets an employee discount. Good and bad. More typing (reminded me of buying a ticket at the airport). Sorry. No discount, Troy.
30 minutes: I’m not sure what is happening but it looks like progress because the rep is about to go get the Xoom from the back. I’m not moving from the desk in hopes my presence will make things move more quickly (false assumption).
33 minutes: The rep returns with the box and comes to the desk. She asks if Troy would like any accessories (If course Troy does).
34 minutes: We walk back to the accessory wall and Gill asks to see the Xoom (yes, I’m guilty, too). There is no wrapping on the box and Troy makes a quasi joke about fingerprints. Sigh. Yes. The box had been opened before and there are fingerprints.
35 minutes: The rep returns to the back to get a new Xoom and the rest of us decide to check out the iPhone cases again.
40 minutes: Troy and the rep are back at the desk and I’m getting hopeful. I walk over and they are laughing as though they too see the light. Gill and crew (poor Ryan is the crew, also suffering) think we’re good…
41 minutes: The rep announces that she now needs to configure the Xoom. Gill is now making jokes directly about the process – he’s hungry.
50 minutes: We’re done! I’ve convinced the 4 year old (still running unsupervised throughout the store) to ask her grandmother for an iPad. The grandmother sarcastically thanks me and we leave the store.
I am 100% convinced that long lines outside of stores when new phones/tablets are released are entirely due to the sales process. Compare this to buying a $3000 television at Best Buy. In and out in 15 (as long as you decline the warranty…made that mistake before).
16 hours: Troy emails Gill that the Xoom DOES NOT text…
