All I wanted to buy was this Home Theatre sound system as a holiday gift for the family. The one in the living room stopped working a few weeks ago, after the warranty had run out. Just as I was about to purchase it from the store, I noticed that it was marked up by $50.

The commission-based salespeople at Future Shop were less than helpful. None of the employees wanted to help me. Unlike a widescreen TV, there was very little money to be made on speakers and receivers.

• Can you help me with this audio system?
  
• In a second.

I walked around until I found another salesperson.

• Hi! If you can match the price of this unit, I will buy it right now.
  
• Fine, let me check the price.
  

They don't seem eager for customers bothering them with sales. Ten minutes later...

• Would you need any cables with that? Optical cables make it sound better.
  
• That’s okay; I already have optical cables.
  
• How about component (video) cables?
  
• Um, it’s a sound system.
  
• Component cables make the picture clearer!
  
• Right, I’m buying a sound system.
  
• How about extended warranty? Just $60 for two more years!
  
• Can I think about it before buying the warranty?
  
• No, you must buy it right now.
  
• That’s all right; I’ll buy a new one in two years.
  

It took another fifteen minutes to ring up the sale.

As I walked out the door with the unit, the salesperson told me that I can come back in 15 days to buy the extended warranty. On final count, he tried to sell me the wrong cables, kept changing the terms of the warranty and knew next to nothing about the product.

There is a bright side to this holiday tale: my dad was mighty impressed by the new subwoofer that rattled the windows and shook the floors. I’d say that this present was well worth the trouble. The other holiday gift never sounded so good on the small screen.