crazy rock bottom prices redux
So, I haven't been making a big fuss about my impending vacation for London and Iceland. That's because I'm still waiting for a new Canadian passport, and eventhough I've had sincere, heartfelt, cross-my-heart-hope-to-die-stick-a-needle-in-my-eye promises from the Canadian Passport Office that I will have a valid passport in time for my trip, I also get, in the same breath, a disclaimer that the office has been really backed up since 9/11 -- which really doesn't do any good for my peace of mind. So I know that Monsieur Marois over in Hull is trying his best to get my passport ready, because he really wants me to go see God Speed You Black Emperor. But I'll need more than hopeful well-intentioned wishes to get me through the immigration desk at Keflavik.
So, to take my mind off this worry, I'll still pretend that I'm going, and part of the logistics is the acquisition of a new digital camera. Iceland has some bad ass terrain and I know that y'all want to see some that, yes?
(and I know that I posted an entry a while ago about buying a digital camera, but that one wasn't for me. This one is.)
The Olympus C2040 wasn't the camera that I was planning on buying. I read about it and liked it, but it was always about $100 outside of my budget. For the money that I wanted to spend, the Canon A20 would do the job. Sure, it didn't have manual controls or as a nice a zoom, but that was fine. Really. Then, just for the hell of it, I fired up CNET's Pricegrabber and saw a refurbished 2040 selling for the same price as the A20's retail. All right then ...
"Sales, this is Louis."
"hey, Louis, I'm looking to buy the refurbished C2040 you've got on your web-page there. You have one in stock?"
"oh, why yes, certainly we do. Let me just pull up some info for you on that. You got any questions about it?"
"No, I did some research already and I'm sure that I want that one."
"A man who knows what he wants. Nice and simple, I like that."
"That's good, Louis, so let's keep it nice and simple, yeah? Second day air. No taxes and I'll stick with the default 90 day warranty. No extras necessary."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Positive."
so, we did the standard exchange of credit card info and standard patter.
"You going on vacation?"
"yeah"
"where you going?"
"Iceland"
"excuse me?!"
"so, Cris, I know that you said no extras, and I wouldn't recommend this if I didn't think you needed it..."
"what are you trying to sell me, Louis?"
"Only our starter package -- extra smartmedia card, USB adapter, --"
"got those already."
"-- a carrying case -- "
"got that too."
"oh, well then, it's also got a set of rechargeable batteries and a battery charger."
"and how much is it?"
"$149.95"
"sorry, this is getting pretty close to my budget limit already, and ..."
"oh, oh, wait, I just said it was $149.95 for the whole package. take out the stuff you said you had, the USB adapter, the smartmedia card, and it's only $39.95."
"Wow, that is a huge drop in price. $40 for a charger and set of rechargeables? That's just about retail price isn't it?"
"well ..."
"tell you what, Louis, I found you guys through CNET, and you know that they've got that comment feature? I'd be willing to give you guys some nice feedback if ..."
"oh! I just remembered, there's this special package we have that's not advertised on our website, and it's got the charger and rechargeable for $20. How's that sound?"
"$20 sounds excellent, Louis."
So, to take my mind off this worry, I'll still pretend that I'm going, and part of the logistics is the acquisition of a new digital camera. Iceland has some bad ass terrain and I know that y'all want to see some that, yes?
(and I know that I posted an entry a while ago about buying a digital camera, but that one wasn't for me. This one is.)
The Olympus C2040 wasn't the camera that I was planning on buying. I read about it and liked it, but it was always about $100 outside of my budget. For the money that I wanted to spend, the Canon A20 would do the job. Sure, it didn't have manual controls or as a nice a zoom, but that was fine. Really. Then, just for the hell of it, I fired up CNET's Pricegrabber and saw a refurbished 2040 selling for the same price as the A20's retail. All right then ...
"Sales, this is Louis."
"hey, Louis, I'm looking to buy the refurbished C2040 you've got on your web-page there. You have one in stock?"
"oh, why yes, certainly we do. Let me just pull up some info for you on that. You got any questions about it?"
"No, I did some research already and I'm sure that I want that one."
"A man who knows what he wants. Nice and simple, I like that."
"That's good, Louis, so let's keep it nice and simple, yeah? Second day air. No taxes and I'll stick with the default 90 day warranty. No extras necessary."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Positive."
so, we did the standard exchange of credit card info and standard patter.
"You going on vacation?"
"yeah"
"where you going?"
"Iceland"
"excuse me?!"
"so, Cris, I know that you said no extras, and I wouldn't recommend this if I didn't think you needed it..."
"what are you trying to sell me, Louis?"
"Only our starter package -- extra smartmedia card, USB adapter, --"
"got those already."
"-- a carrying case -- "
"got that too."
"oh, well then, it's also got a set of rechargeable batteries and a battery charger."
"and how much is it?"
"$149.95"
"sorry, this is getting pretty close to my budget limit already, and ..."
"oh, oh, wait, I just said it was $149.95 for the whole package. take out the stuff you said you had, the USB adapter, the smartmedia card, and it's only $39.95."
"Wow, that is a huge drop in price. $40 for a charger and set of rechargeables? That's just about retail price isn't it?"
"well ..."
"tell you what, Louis, I found you guys through CNET, and you know that they've got that comment feature? I'd be willing to give you guys some nice feedback if ..."
"oh! I just remembered, there's this special package we have that's not advertised on our website, and it's got the charger and rechargeable for $20. How's that sound?"
"$20 sounds excellent, Louis."