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Aussies rage at 'strings attached' iPad sales

Electronics chain denies illegal bundling

Aussie iPad buyers are raging at an electronics chain they claimed refused to sell them the fondle slabs unless they bought a bag load of superfluous accessories too.

JB Hi-Fi has had to publicly affirm it had no such policy, and has offered refunds to any buyers who feel they have been stuck with redundant kit.

iPad coveters who bought their devices from some branches of JB Hi-Fi have hit the net down under to complain that sales assistants told them they could not buy the device without buying screen protectors, docking stations or other electro-fluff, including Telstra Sims.

They were variously told the restriction was "company policy" or Apple-imposed policy.

Others claimed they were told they needed to buy power supplies - Apple includes a power adapter in the box.

Any such restrictions would contravene Australia's consumer laws.

Alongside JB Hi-Fi's denial, Apple has denied it imposed any such restriction. Telstra too has said there was no lock-in between its network and the iPad.

JB Hi-Fi's boss Terry Smart told the Sydney Morning Herald that he couldn't say for sure whether it was the actions of a few overzealous staff, but that the firm would address the problem.

It would refund any unwanted goodies, he said.

In the meantime, disgruntled buyers have filed complaints with the consumer authorities. No one appears to have given back their iPads - or to have opted not to buy in the first place, despite the alleged arm-twisting. ®

"Fondle slabs"

LOL - that moniker is here to stay!

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Anonymous Coward

Hmm... not unlike Currys

Antipodean personal electronics store salesmen are a little bit scummy you say?

Have you ever tried to buy a TV from a UK Currys?

I was buying my 70yr old father a new LCD TV on special offer at Currys last year, but had the most difficult time getting past the checkout.

I had three salesmen and the store's manager (or deputy manager, I'm not entirely sure) trying to convince me that I needed to buy £50 HDMI cables. I knew I had perfectly good HDMI1.3 cables at home that I ordered for £9.99 online, so I was unwilling to spend an additional £50. It took me threatening to cancel the entire sale before they left me alone. I'm a big guy, but I felt extremely intimidated by their hounding and high pressure sales technique.

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Mmmm...

Commision based sales perhaps?

Staff problem or management problem. You decide

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"unless they bought a bag load of superfluous accessories too"

you mean.. you could only buy iPads in bulk?

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Sales quotas

A friend got fired from his sales job even though he was #1 in sales 3 months running. Didn't sell enough extended warranties and over priced cables. Selling a $300 DVD player was nothing, you had to sell a $69 DVD player with a $120 Monster cable set, and a $30 extended warranty for it to be a good sale.

Here is a story that BestBuy/Futureshop in Canada HATE... :)

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2008/02/20/packing_the_deal/

Want to buy HDMI calbes without getting ripped off? Try www.monoprice.com

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