PuTech Naman!

When friends ask me whether CDR-King’s products are good buys I usually tell them it’s a lot like picking up a girl in a bar in the red light district of Thailand. You never know if you will have the time of your life or will be puking at the toilet when it turns out the girl you’re with is actually a guy.

The crap shoot nature of CDR-King’s product quality is the reason why I’ve always avoided buying there (not to mention the slow service, not so friendly staff and long lines). Unfortunately it is sometime hard to resist given their affordable price.

Yesterday I was on my way to the parking lot of the Mall of Asia when I noticed that there was no line at CDR-King. I thought hmmm why not, I was wanting to buy an FM Transmitter for my Sansa Clip so that I won’t have to use the bigger iPod Photo on my car anymore.

So I hastily hopped in, asked about the FM Transmitter and was quickly shot down by one of the sales ladies who told me to fall in line. That would have been OK since I was next to be served except for the fact that two of the sales ladies chose this time to freaking arrange their merchandise. Whatever happened to “the customer comes first ?” A few minutes later it was my turn and took a look at the FM Transmitter which was white not my choice of color for gadgets but since it was cheap (P240 or about $5) I was willing to look the other way. I thought at first it was battery operated but the sales lady showed me it also had an add on for it to be plugged to the car lighter slot.

I inquired if we can test it and she said OK then asked me if I had my mp3 player to test it with. I didn’t have it at the time but I did have my Sony PSP which I told her we can use instead. Now here’s where the fun starts, she told me she can’t use the PSP since it didn’t have a radio. It took me a moment to realize that what she needed was a device with radio reception meaning something to receive the FM transmission not to send it.

When somebody asks you for an MP3 player for you to test a device which you connect a music player to so that you can transmit music over FM isn’t it reasonable to assume they’re not asking for a radio receiver ? I guess logic isn’t the strength of CDR-King’s sales force.

So she plucks an MP3 player slash Radio Receiver from their merchandise. Why I didn’t think about this in the first place eludes me, they do sell dozens of MP3 Player/FM Receivers after all. I guess dim-wittedness is contagious.

Anyway the FM Transmitter worked fine so she proceeded to put the item back into the packaging. I asked her whether she put the car plug add on in the box and she gave me a blank look. Ok, really there has got to be something in CDR-King stores that turn sales people into zombies and snobs. I’m beginning to think that CDR-King is one of the nine levels of hell and their employees are lost souls serving out their punishment.

I asked her again. DID. YOU. PUT. THE. CAR. PLUG. IN. THE. BOX. This time she answered in the affirmative so I quickly snatched the items from her hand and ran the hell out. When I got home, I opened the box to test the FM Transmitter and noticed something was missing, the car plug… DOH!

I will not buy from CDR-KING. I will not buy from CDR-KING.

I will not buy from CDR-KING. I will not buy from CDR-KING.

I will not buy from CDR-KING. I will not buy from CDR-KING.

I will not buy from CDR-KING. I will not buy from CDR-KING.

I will not buy from CDR-KING. I will not buy from CDR-KING.

I will not buy from CDR-KING. I will not buy from CDR-KING.