Simpleology Blog

Bargain iPod. If its price too good to be true, it's probably a knock-off. Many shoppers have been duped into buying fake iPods.

"Salespeople can eat up clueless customers," warns USA Today Edward C. Baig, in "How to Win in the Retail Maze."

Lesson Learned
I learned this the hard way a few years ago when I wandered into an electronics store without knowing what exactly I wanted. All I knew was I wanted a big TV. The result: I was bombarded with jargon by an overenthusiastic salesperson. Thankfully, I still managed to leave the store before I bought anything I didn't really want. To this day, I cringe whenever I remember that the salesperson was raving about a plasma TV that had all sorts of attachments I'm sure I didn't have the patience to figure out.

Shopping Loss
I was reminded of that incident because of my workmate's dilemma. She recently revealed that she bought an electric grill that's not delivering on its promise of churning out perfectly-cooked steaks in three minutes. "Write about it," she said.

Well, here I am doing just that.

Anyway, upon questioning her about the dubious purchase, I learned that she had broken just about every rule of smart shopping. She confessed: "I'm such a sucker for sales." As it turns out, she bought the said grill from a small electronics store that was going out of business. The grill's brand was practically unknown and it had no warranty. Worst of all, it had no return policy--not that it would make any difference. The store had already closed down.

Exit Signs
To make sure that you don't go through this kind of ordeal, Baig lists five shopping red flags you should look out for.

You can tell it's a bad deal when...

1. ...it's too good to be true. An item sold at a ridiculously low price should be examined closely. "Know the reason behind the rock-bottom price. It might not include all the parts, cables, batteries, and warranties you need," says Baig.

2. ...the salesperson overwhelms you with jargon. As Baig explains, "You might fall prey to a slick sales pitch and end up buying before you're ready."

3. ...the salesperson's one-and-only question is "How much money do you have?" and then he insists on dragging you to the "model that's right for you." In some stores, salespersons are given a commission if they sell a particular product. In the quest to make money, there are those who resort to "bullying" customers into buying a gadget--or two.

4. ...you ask the salesperson to show you one thing and he shows you something else.

5. ... you have no idea what will happen after the sale. Baig recommends that you ask the following questions before you make your purchase: "Is the store authorized to handle repairs? Can I find a human being to talk about any problems that may arise? What's the return policy?"

So, shop smart. Do your research before you wander into any store. Otherwise, your cluelessness will really cost you.

Credits: Image courtesy of www.ipodgear.com