The $9 cell-phone shop just went up a generous $2. So, you still have to wait up to 30 minutes for an associate (if necessary), do the in-store shop, then the report--all for $11? Oh, and I forgot the time to get there and back (even though there's one that will take me about 10 minutes round trip; it's still time, and it's worth money).

Then there's the cable shop that started at $17, and you have to wait up to 45 minutes before you can leave. I have a location right around the corner from me, but it's always mobbed in there, no matter what day or time of day. Last time I did a shop there I waited more than a half hour. It was the first time I'd done the shop, and although the report is fairly easy, my in-store time, with the wait and the demo, was an hour. So, I asked the scheduler if she could go to $25 for the fee and explained that I was pretty sure I'd be waiting close to the 45 minutes at this location. She said she couldn't then, but might be able to this week. It went to $20 this week, and someone "grabbed" it. More power to him or her.

I don't mind waiting to be waited on, but, sorry, I need to be paid for that time! I'm just saying "no" to these shops unless the $$ accounts for the possibility of the maximum wait. 'Cuz, sure enough, you can plan to do the shop when you "know" the place won't be busy--and then it is....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2016 08:47PM by BirdyC.

I took two cell phone shops at $16 and regretted it. Simple enough report and easy shop but had to wait 30 minutes to get helped at one and the other one was a 10 minute wait but they guy talked forever so it still took almost 40 min in store.

Wow... Every single time I've walked into a cell phone shop, the only problem that I have is that there are always too many salespeople jumping on me the instant that I cross the threshold. It makes gathering the required background facts - phones and marketing materials on display - difficult. The local cable company is even worse. They always have at least one if not two or three sales people standing outside the door ready to grab customers before they walk over the threshold.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2016 05:02AM by Rousseau.

@Rousseau wrote:

The local cable company is even worse. They always have at least one if not two or three sales people standing outside the door ready to grab customers before they walk over the threshold.

That happens to me on cell-phone shops (the salespeople are like vultures), and if it did on the cable shop, I'd have taken it at $20! I did another cable shop awhile ago at the main office, and it, too, was mobbed. There were three or four lines waiting at the counter, each with several people in it. I guess it depends on the area one lives in, but I'm not touching these cable shops for less than $25 if there's a mandatory wait of 45 minutes....

From the "given lemons make lemonade" school of MSing comes this thought:

Cell phone shops are not the only ones where you will have a wait, either occasionally or as part of the guidelines. I do a ton of well paid center city parking shops every month and all require a stay of 20 minutes to (one extreme one) 2 hours. I find "walkable" bank shops and/or a coffee house with good wifi, take my tablet and either earn $$$ doing the banks or write up each parking shop as I go. I can often get home with only the exit interaction of the last parking garage to enter and then upload pictures.

Now I will add some cell phone shops to do while I have to wait for my parking minimum stay to tick away. Thanks for the added insight.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2016 12:42PM by walesmaven.

I haven't seen a wait yet for cell phone shops here. They jump on you so fast you don't have time to look around. I think they're quick and easy.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2016 12:18PM by ninja4332.