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Happy that two employees tried to help me find what turned out to be a $40.00 item that I could hardly describe let alone tell them the real/tech name of. (The Tornado - File Transfer Micro Computer...and I thought I just needed a cable and that that cable would be located in the computer section - wrong and wrong)
Sad that they were out of stock and had no idea when they would be getting more of said item in.
Happy that one of the guys wrote down what I needed on a piece of paper for me so I was able to take it to three of their competitors and ask for said item without looking like a fool again.
Great customer service. Bravo!
Move closer to Seattle.
As mentioned by others, this is the place you want to go, if you're into technology, games and gadgets. It's kind of like a fetish nightclub for nerds. The best way to describe Fry's is: "It's like a Costco, only, dedicated solely to electronics."
Fry's often has the best prices on new games, and decent deals on handy little items like thumb drives. Keep on eye out for the ad, and if you can't make the trip, remember that Best Buy will price match.
All in all, I'm a fan of the store. The staff can be a little edgy (especially in the computer section), but it's just the kind of place you really do have to experience at least once.
If you're a technology fetishist, I recommend taking the trip.
It's the necessary evil in my life.
Beware BECU card holders, pin based debit transactions will not go through, they will always have to run it as credit. This is due to the structure of some BS agreement between them and BECU, probably has something to do with fear of fraud.
I love being told that they don't have whatever computer I'm after, then trying to upsell me.... badly. I'll run around until I find the person who WILL grab what I want and take whatever crappy ass commission they're gonna get off of it. From working a commission based sales job (want some shoes?) I can tell you, any sell is better than the person walking away and buying nothing, so come on, get with the program!
I've been to many MANY Fry's stores, mostly the ones in southern California and they're service isn't a bad as it is here. It's almost as bad, but I don't get the "we don't have it spend 100 more dollars" crap.
Oh, and I'm sorry that I happen to be a woman AND smoke you on computer parts knowledge. Heh, didn't see that one coming, did you sir?
Give me what I want and let me leave!
If I can get out of the parking lot, that is...
I absolutely hate Fry's I will NEVER give them any type of business again. I purchased a laptop from them and less than a year later it stopped working. I also purchased an extended warranty. They said it has water damage which I know I never had any type of liquids near my laptop. They do no live up to their warranties at all. I recommend going to Best Buy at least they have a geek squad who knows what they are talking about. I took my laptop to be looked at by Best Buy and they said it was fine and even if it did have damage to it there warranty should have covered it like Best Buys warranty does. Horrible business absolutely no customer service when it comes to getting things fixed.
Thank you for good service. Don't fret if you're past the return policy. It's done on a "case by case" basis, even if that's not what the receipt says. They let me return something that was ~$160 even though I was 4 days past the 30 day deadline.
How sad..I really like Fry's!
It's huge and has everything you need and more. I personally like that…
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Fry's is bottom of the barrel cheap, but there is, of course, a cost. The humans (and I use the term loosely) that work there are not very knowledgeable, and they work on commission, and they will basically spew whatever baloney comes to mind in hopes of getting a sale. Very old school sales model with kids as sales staff just looking to make a buck.
Quick fun story. When 3G cellphones first came out, I was in the store, and I asked an employee, "So, what does 3G mean?". He said, "Oh, thats like, ya know, the technology inside the phone." With technological wisdom like that, I'm a bit shocked the guy wasn't working at NASA.
So why the 3 stars? Well because the place is heaven if you are geek/electronics fan. Look, if your like me, by the time I set foot in a store, I already know everything about the product. I have researched it up and down on the Internet, I know what I am looking for, and I'm basically just looking for a source to buy from. If your that type of shopper, then Fry's works fine. Its cheap, and it has a HUGE selection.
I also like Frys because they sell electronics parts, computer parts, and lots of electronic hardware that is frankly hard to find these days. They have oceans of cables, adapters, tools, etc......its what Radio Shack used to be 25 years ago.
I would never buy a large appliance from these folks (Sears or Albert Lee for me thanks), but if you need a memory chip, or a DVD, or a cheap computer monitor, its a good option.
I would give this Frys props for having a wide variety of computer electronics devices that is well stocked and for their knowledgeable sales staff in the computer department.
When one of my laptop's hard drive had died and I called the manufacturer, they tried to sell me a hard drive for an arm and a leg. When I called Frys, they were very helpful and honest with their services and had given me correct prices according to the levels of products of which I had desired. I went there and got a faster speed hard drive with more storage space, at the price half of what my laptop manufacturer had tried to talk me into buying. Their price for a Hitachi SATA 320 GB, 7200 RPM, 16MB buffer, with 3 years warranty hard drive sold for $79.99.
The staff here were really helpful and knowledgeable. Awesome!
Geek heaven.
If you've got your "don't ask me for help" face prepped, Fry's is an amazing place to look at gadgets. They have a huge selection and it's easy to kill time here.
When you want to buy something, it's a little trickier, but I find you can usually find somebody to help in the TV or computer departments.
This store is so far away from me but it is worth making the drive.
I went there to buy a new Mac and loved the service. I bought an extended warranty on my computer . Six months later changed my mind went back and they gave me store credit!! Sweeeeeet!!! No hassle no pain!! It was great because I needed a new cell phone and printer ink. I had great help in choosing all my products. The staff is very knowledgeable and the store has so many things in one place. I recommend it and will go back.
Since Comp-USA kicked off, Fry's is about the only game in town other than Radio Shack, so in other words, the only game in town, for getting many computer parts without having to wait a bloody week and a half for shipping. Being up in the corner of the country has its pluses, but it has its problems.
It's overpriced. We all knew that. That's life with retail and high-tech.
It's disorganized.
They're not to be trusted on prices...but what's on sale will miraculously scan accurately because the price is in print somewhere. Cl-assy.
They claim their debit reader is down 24/7. This is because they have too much trouble with fraud...on PIN-based transactions. That's funny.
The last time i paid with credit and handed them my ID because of course they're the kind of place that's not into honoring their contract with card issuers, the asshat opened a Fry's credit account "for me", so that's probably why you don't want them near your ID. Ergo, bring cash. It took me three months to close that unwanted account.
Extra points for the horror of their parking lot. Still probably better than the average sexually harrassing dude who works at Rat Shack, but on the whole not by much.
History: Have purchased a desktop and two laptops from this store, plus many small items and everything in between.
Recently: We moved really close and its a convenience to have the store across the street- but we are learning extremely quickly that driving an extra 15 minutes and paying $3-$50 more is WORTH IT!
Looking at TVs here is a joke. They have a 30 day return policy and charge a RESTOCKING fee. Save yourself and buy from costco, 90 days return policy no restocking fee and free technical support for a year. The guy stumbled on his words when I asked what happens if I change my mind in 50 days.
Today we went to get a wireless router. We knew exactly what we wanted, as clearwire had already recommended one. We walked up, grabbed it off the shelf.. and decided to walk around and kill some time. We wandered back to the router area to see if they had the same router in white, and suddenly got attacked by (used car like) salesmen. "Can I help you?".. "No thanks we have what we want.".. "There is one right here its better than that one.".. "I am sure it is for 100 dollars more, but we have what we need, thanks.".."Hold on, let me get a slip for you for that.." (for commission reasons.. which is funny when the guy never EVEN HELPED us to begin with.) "Do I need a slip?".. "Uh.. yeah it helps the cashiers look up the item."
Hmm.. well I must be dumb and forget that everything there has a UPC.. right?
I ended up folding up the paper (that had left us standing there for 5 minutes waiting).. and put it in my pocket to talk to the manager.
**If you know what you want this is a great place to go- AVOID SALESMEN/WOMEN AT ALL COSTS!
I've been there many times since they have opened, and unfortunately since they work on commission, I've caught them telling me "anything" they think I want to hear to make the sale, very often factually incorrect (I've tested them). "I don't know" is totally acceptable. Even had them take the box out of my hand and read it to me (I just read the box and it didn't say). IF YOU DON'T KNOW, SAY "I DON'T KNOW). Just got off the phone with them to ask if they had a specific product in stock with "yep", "uh-huh" and really lacking in any sense of professionalism or manners. OK, so they do have an incredible inventory. Yes, they have a nice cafe in the middle of the store. Yes, their sale prices can be great (though I have had Staples, Best Buy and Office Depot match and beat their prices even without the newspaper ad in hand). Yes, plenty of parking. But you know what, I would pay a little extra to know that what I was being told I could count on or trust. Now I go there just to see and hold the products and do my own research so I can go home and google search for an equal or lower price including shipping. Just a pain in the arse to deal with the employees there.
I love Fry's, it's geek heaven but there are conditions to giving it such a lofty title. First, you have to be a geek. I am willing to bet that any customer chosen at random in that store has more technical knowledge than most of the employees. This is not a place to go if you are unfamiliar with what you need to purchase. People who work there will likely just read the box containing the gadget you're inquiring about. Do your research ahead of time, ask friends, know exactly which product you are there to buy.
Second, have patience. There are a lot of people shopping there (but plenty of floor space since the place is huge), many incompetent employees, and long lines at the register. Exchanges or refunds take some time but eventually get done. Condition #2, patience, is related to condition #1 - know what you're there to buy.
See Fry's has really low prices, comparable to online prices. Buying stuff online is a self-service kinda transaction, so you kinda have to think of Fry's that way too. You're on your own, now come in, try not to get lost, and get yourself a great bargain but don't ask for help or service.
I've never had a problem with Fry's, but I generally shop here with the boy, who is a programmer and nerdy in the ways of all technology-related stuff... he probably knows more about the products than most Fry's employees.
When my laptop's screen died completely a couple years ago, the warranty I bought through Fry's not only fixed the screen but also replaced my keyboard [the 'm' had popped off]. The machine was returned to me in two weeks, which was faster than I had expected and the entire process was very convenient for me.
I prefer buying pre-built computers in-store, but Fry's prices aren't really that great compared to other electronic stores in the area [Best Buy, namely, has comparable prices on the girly pink Vaio I've been drooling over the last couple years and doesn't require a trip by bus to Renton] -- for building a computer, the prices on the internet are consistently better.
Furthermore, this Fry's kind of sucks in comparison to the one in San Diego [aka a short bus ride from the center of the city as opposed to 40 minutes+ via car OR bus]. But hey, it's better than nothing -- the most important thing is to do your research ahead of time and don't rely on the sales staff to know the answers to all your questions. I've had people who work on commission try to talk over my head... and that's when I find someone else to help me. There are definitely capable CSRs at Fry's, sometimes you just have to be willing to search.
I've only shopped here 3 times and everytime was a disaster. The last I was there I was witness to 2 employees harassing another employee (who was mentally challenged) and reported it to the store manager who showed initial concern but then never returned my phone call or email. Great follow-thru.................... will definitely never step foot in this store again (remember Best Buy will honor their ad prices if you take their ad in).
Wow, this was quite an experience. While dining at Mongolian Grill near the Fryes a friend suggested we check out the super cheap HD dvd's as I am one of the suckers who believed HD was going to beat Blu-Ray.
When we arrived my buddy decided to look at the laptops and we found the perfect one on sale at a great price. We asked a saleswoman to look in the back as there were three of us who wanted this computer. She then proceeded to run around for ten minutes looking like a frantic chicken about to get her head cut off before she actually went to the back to check. Ten minutes later, she came back and said, "we check three times, sold out bye" and ran off. The other customers looked sad and left but being the resourceful consumer that doesn't take no for an answer I found a more competent looking employee to ask about the display laptop. Turns out, he went back and found that there were several in stock! The saleswoman saw this and realized she had just screwed herself out of $2500 of sales and whatever minimal commission they pay these poor folks. "we sold out, bye!"
Then I made the mistake of using the bathroom to find a tissue and wash my hands. I always judge a business on how clean the bathrooms are. It was absolutely disgusting! The overwhelming scent of feces and some type of perfume that didn't mask the first scent but just added to the nasty aroma almost made me sick. One of the sinks didn't work, the paper towel dispensers were broken and I felt dirtier exiting the bathroom than when I entered.
On a happier note, I got some cheap HD dvds but I will probably never come back. This was my adventure to the country.
I wouldn't normally review a place like this, but when I compared it to the locations in Arizona, I felt compelled. In AZ the Fry's Electronics stores just suck. The layouts are terrible and jumbled and the staff is clueless and most of the time just impossible to track down to ask questions. This location however was the polar opposite of the one's in AZ. We were only looking in a particular section for about 15 seconds when a staff member came over and asked us if he could help us find what we were looking for. There's a major score there. After we told him, he kindly directed us to the correct aisle. Major score again. We found what we wanted at a great price and we were on our merry way. They definitely get the thumbs up from me.
The geek in me loves this place. But I only recommend going if you know what you want already, or know enough to sift through the options with minimal assistance. The customer service isn't great, as almost every other review mentions, but consider this the perfect balance of big-box, wide-eyed, Sunday afternoon shopping/wandering/drooling, and online shopping. You're on your own, but at least you can touch everything and wander every aisle.
I've scored some awesome deals here, so if you need something specific keep an eye on their Sunday ads. They have a huge dvd selection (my downfall every time I go) and always have some popular boxed sets on sale. The last time I went the newest seasons of The Simpsons were all half off list. They have a really big selection of specialty and hard to find dvds, like anime, Criterion Collection, random cable documentaries (nature shows, behind-the-scenes of the WWF, etc).
They don't have a particularly specialized selection of some categories of electronics or computer items. I went there for a mid-grade scanner and was out of luck, the nicest one was around $200 and I had several models in mind that started at $400. They also don't carry ANY crt TVs anymore, which I learned when I wanted something small and really cheap to play movies while I sew.
I'm not the kind of geek that builds computer from tinfoil and rebuilt motherboards, but if you are they seem to have a pretty big selection of the stuff you'll need. Cases, tools, aisles and aisles of wires and little connectors and what have you. They also a huge selection of miscellaneous computer equipment like mice, flash drives, card readers, external drives, etc. etc. I've never shopped for appliances here, but they appear to have a very large selection of those as well.
If you really need a specific item, either call first or just order it online. But if you feel like browsing in the mother of all big-box electronics stores and won't mind if you don't find exactly what you need--but you do find a bunch of other stuff you didn't know you needed, this place is fun.
Very interesting reviews, everyone. My experiences with Fry's have all been positive but reading these, I can easily see how it can go the other way. I guess I got lucky. We've bought: a computer, a tv, a monitor and some little things there over the years and it all worked out. But yeah, I would have absolutely come unglued and boycotted them had I had some of the experiences others have had. Best I can say then is that they are definitely a mixed bag. Great selection, good prices, but you have to know your rights and be assertive if anything goes wrong.
OMG This place is a joke for Electronic stores! With their prices so low, they put their competitors out of business(Circuit City!)! Even so that is not the real reason why they went under, Fry's prices are probably some of the lowest I've seen around. I tell people they are like "Walmart" of the electronics world but their product usually don't last very long! I mean everything is great for the first 6-12 months but after that things just start to wear and break! Still though you are getting what you paid for.
I don't like Fry's. Okay, so I worked in a Fry's for a year (not FOR them, IN them, its a long story geez). That may help my hatred for them, but either way.
This is the place to go when you NEED something for cheap that you're too impatient to wait for from the internet. it's very hit-or-miss here. I've bought several really good deals from the Renton Fry's, like my brand new $250 video card for $180 for instance. And some not so great deals like my 22" widescreen LCD monitor, on sale in the paper, and when I got there they gave me a different brand. I told them that this brand wouldn't work with my setup but they assured me multiple times it was "the same" as the one in the paper (just a different brand name). And guess what, my $300 monitor DOESNT WORK ON MY SETUP.
Really, I'd give this place more stars, but it's in Renton. Not only is that 30 minutes out of my way, but it's also Renton. You never know when you could be shot.
I only feel it necessary to give four stars, instead of five, because I could easily broke myself in this place. It's like Costco for electronics. They have everything you could ever need as far as electronics go, and some non-electronics products too. I got pepper spray here last night. Yes, pepper spray! Suck on that one Best Buy!
If you need to build a computer, given you're smart enough to do it yourself, if you need a new TV, camera, entertainment system, anything office related, they've got it. Come to think of it I DO need 1000 feet of cable, thanks Fry's!
Staff is usually friendly and helpful, and despite having over 40 registers, they check you out in a super-fast, super-efficient way. Yay Fry's!
Two words: Nerd Heaven. You've been warned.
This review is for http://frys.com:
You made it easy.
You shipped it fast.
You didn't make me crazy.
My Double Maverick Wireless Router has given me 5-bars of happiness!
Chubby and tired of being sugga momma for Lil Jerk Leroy?
Come here and you'll find a new hobby: from airplane modeling to video games, they have it all. Heck, you can even get a logitech orbit webcam to follow as you become a queen of your own world...I did.
Unfortunately their customer service is choppy, yesterday their "mp3 section" dude got offended cause I asked him if he had a product, twice. Hey, it's not my fault that they dress like waiters and they are all cousins or something. Kudos to the routers dude, he knows his stuff and recommended a router that does exactly what I needed.
So I love the fact that they have everything. But I hate the fact that if you buy something its a bitch to return! I will shop here for movies, maybe a random trinket, not for anything electronic or that costs a lot of money. The customer service is lacking and I have realized that there is much better out there! Especially if you like great customer service as well as competitive prices.
I totally owed someone a big favor and ended up spending a couple of hours at the Renton Fry's learning about things like voltmeters, infrared thermometers, soldering kits, portable lap tops, evasive customer service techniques, plasma-rear-projection-lcd-flat-hd-TV's, the latest wii games, and was surprised by their impressively large offering of personal massagers.
As a fun bonus, while I was waiting in the snaking line, a guy asked me where I got my Yelp t-shirt. It totally made my night :)
If you know what you want and you can get your hands on it, then go to Fry's for great prices and selection.
Their employees, however, are near worthless. They are ill-informed and will feed you B.S. and inaccuracies the entire time. If they have to go in the back to get something out of inventory, be prepared to wait 45min to an hour.
I learned from my early mistakes and only go to Fry's when I know what I'm looking for. I'll still go there, but typically I find better deals elsewhere (e.g. Amazon).
Yup, everything said here is true. Lots of stuff, horrible service (I think hiring robots or animals would be a step up?), great selection, and occasionally some great deals (BUT not as great as internet deals, should you make purchases that way).
It's true, Frys is a geek's dream, as far as electronics and electronic parts are concerned. There aren't many places you can go to find conductors, resistors, 7 different types of book lights, things to make your own space station, etc. etc. And, it's a cool place to go if you've never gone, spend about an hour there, and just marvel at all the crap they have, from home appliances, to computers, to music, to time machines (oops, not yet).
Frys does have a big problem in the staffing department, though. It's readily evident that the employees have little to no experience, are paid very low (why else would they all be sales sharks?), and are taken through a less than rigorous or competitive interview process. Sure, you can blame these people, but I think blame has to be aimed at the "visionaries" who think it's a great idea to staff a store with 500 employees who don't give a rat's derrière about much and pay them rat excrements!
C'mon "upper management" and ownership, be more forward thinking than looking at your hand in front of your face-you have a good thing going-make it better!
Never again will I step foot in this store.
Bought a camera here and found that it was defective after I opened the box. Since I bought the warranty plan I thought that exchanging it wouldnt be a problem...even without the warranty I should have had no problem. Wrong! I was given such a run around by the customer service counter...first they said I had to bring it back to Canon. Then they said they would only fix it and that I would have to pay for the repair. I asked for the manager, they said he wasnt in yet. So I said I would wait, I turned around to go sit in one of the chairs and noticed a sign with the managers name and picture- and funny enough the manager was standing right by it. I walked up to him told him I was just told he wasnt in the store and asked for his help and got the same treatment from him!
I took out my warranty and read it aloud to him and asked him why he was allowing me to enact it...after threatening legal action he said he would allow me to exchange it. I told him after everything that happened I wanted nothing to do with Frys and demanded a refund. After some arguing I got refunded and ran from the building never to return.
While all of this going on a man brought in a vaccum. He said that the vaccum inside had a big refurbished sticker on it yet the box said nothing about it being refurbished and was marketed as new. He got the same treatment I did- contact the manufacturor, etc etc. I didnt get to see how is his story ended, but I did see that he was getting the same hassle that I did.
HORRID service. Apparently they sell defective as well as mislabeled products. Its a pain in the butt to take anything back, defective or not. Totally not worth it. For the slight discount you get as compared to Best Buy the potential hassle is not worth it.
I like Fry's. The parking is awful, and while the check out line can be daunting it does move fast. They have the best electronics deals around. I am happily typing away on my cordless keyboard and mouse set that was only $25. They also have a nice magazine section and I love those bins at the front with sale items. It is the walmart of electronics and I am okay with that.
Fry's is the epitome of an electronics warehouse. They've got computers, networking gear, DVD players, televisions, stereos, game consoles, and home appliances. There's even a cafe for the poor souls who exhaust themselves wandering the massive building.
I'd like to rate Fry's even higher, but there are some big drawbacks. It is a wonderland for me and my Nerd Brethren. But Joe Customer may fare better at the local BestBuy or Sears. Fry's seriously lacks in customer service. The floor staff are basically useless! When they're not talking to each other about their latest weekend adventure, they're running around like headless chickens avoiding customer questions. On the rare occasion you can grab someone, more often than not they'll hand you off to someone else.
Ok, maybe those last generalizations are unfair. I have had some good experiences, and their return policy is excellent. For the most part, though, it's hard to get good knowledgeable help.
The wonderful... variety... of shoppers makes up for this a bit, though. One time I saw this woman with the biggest and boldest mullet I'd ever seen! Her hair went up about six inches above her head, and the tail went to the small of her back. Amazing. Simply amazing...
Fry's
Selection - Better than Best Buy/Circuit City...but not as good as the Internet
Prices - Same as Above
Return Policy - Same at Best Buy and Circuit City - 30 days for most items, re-stocking fee for digital cameras, gps units and etc...unless defective
- All the above would make this easily a 4-5 star business, but...
Sales People - They work on commission so they can be extremely pushy...especially those who work in sections with high price tags I.e. Computers, Home Theater, TVs...and if you return any of those items, they try to find your same salesman to come back and "check on you" which I'm sure is to guilt trip you into not returning the item and keep their commission.
Service Misc - Those not working sales are laid back, very laid back...which is a comfortable atmosphere, but when you need help loading things like 200 + lbs in home theater speakers...you wish they'd be a bit more helpful.
~G
First time I came here I saw an employee yelling at a customer because she couldn't hear them "The receipt please". Oh Lord what an attitude. If I were her I would have returned my purchase and say I want a refund. Couple of more times I have come here but just to see electronics. My husband wanted a security camera to put in our front lawn and the employee didn't know anything. It seems all this people are young people just hanging there and not knowledgeable about anything. I don't like this store or the employees. I go here sometimes because my husband likes to come here. We have bought only silly things. This place doesn't have a positive atmosphere.
Fry's is the playland for people that love electronics. This is a chain store but one of the best out there. This is where you go to build your own computer, get a monster stereo system, try out a new dance pad, ogle the laptops, and pine for your own robot. What's worse is there is a coffee shop in the middle of the store to give you a caffeine fix while you shop for electronics.
It's basically a store for nerds who know what they are doing. Because the staff is no help. That's the only reason this store loses a star. The staff rarely know what's going on and spend more time talking to their coworkers about their cool new cell phone. So just bring your specs and find whatever you need yourself.
What's even better is that this is close to good Mongolian grill and Indian. So it's two great trips in one!
*Update*
So we made a big purchase here since Fry's has the best price going for HD TVs. We called ahead of time and talked to the one of the world's most polite and informative salesman. I kid you not. The guy answered all our questions honestly, went out of his way to check stock and proceeded to take our number in case the stock ran out in order to save us a trip.
Well, we were so impressed by this we headed down right away. Sadly, we forgot the guy's name and started working with another person there. The salesman from over the phone shows up and we thank him for all his help. He offers to help us out with the TV and have the commission split between the two guys helping us. Which was great with us since both men were helpful.
But the other man apparently was a supervisor and had a hissy fit in front of us and other customers. It was unprofessional and unexpected. Eventually everything was evened out but I was rather appalled that a supervisor would act that way in front of employees and customers on the sales floor.
But the TV is beautiful, the price can not be beat, and the warranty is better than the manufacturer. Thank you!
You don't come to Fry's for customer service! This is not Best Buy. You come to Fry's because you are mostly a geek and love electronics and electronic components! You are a DYI electronic Nerd with a pocket protector, not a housewife looking for electronic home furnishings!
Fry's started in the Bay Area and grew with the electronics boom. There are at least 5 stores in the Bay area, and now in SoCal, AZ and this is the first one in the Pacific Northwest. It overtook hobbiest places like Heathkit, and has a ton more components than Radio Shack. You come to Fry's because you know what you want and you want to find it at a cheap price.
This Fry's is one of the newest and largest. It is larger than most Costco's or super Wal-marts. Perhaps the large Boeing buidling nearby inspired it. There is a huge Big Box mall going up right nearby, too. (If you are looking for a job, Target is now hiring!)
Fry's has everything you could want in electronic components, cables, consumer electronics, computers, entertainment (they sell violins and pianos before Christmas) , music and DVDs, games, software, networking, hand tools, phones, digital cameras, connectors, KVM switches, LCD TVs and monitors, accessories, etc. It is also famous at most locations for its foreign born employees, its long counter of light tower activated waiting system with guide, and the costco habit of making magic marker streaks on your receipt at the exit.
If you need an electronic component, go here. If you want better customer service, go to BB or CC or RS.
Cheap electronics. No service and pushy wannabe salesperson. (Most or under knowledge and pretentious in knowing, worst than admitting of lack of knowledge). Price is A-Okay for the drive I rather order on line. However it's fun sometimes to browse and they do carry a vast selection of electronics and appliances.
And why do we always spot a few smoking outside in plain view?! Unprofessional youngsters!
I love electronics and I live in Renton. You'd think I would be double happy-happy joy-joy about having Fry's in Renton. Unfortunately, this isn't the case.
As other reviewers have reported, the salespeople are typically ill-fitted for their assignments and only one time in about a half dozen visits did I actually get someone to find me the proper product that I was seeking (that was in the computer parts area).
In one case, the person clearly didn't know what I was looking for (a y-splitter adapter for RCA cables) and claimed they didn't have it. Lo-and-behold, I rounded a corner and there they were!
In another case, I needed a male 4-pin to male 9-pin firewire adapter like I saw online for $7.00 plus shipping. They didn't have any but they wanted to sell me a cable with those connections plus about 24 feet more of cable at a cost of $30-something.
Another time, I went seeking a multimedia presentation projector. I had a budget of about $1500-2000 and specs in hand. Not only did they not have on-hand for sale most of what they had on display (with the appropriate specs and pricing), the salesperson directed me to a $999 unit with half the specs I set as my criteria.
It seems they continue to do a wild amount of business, though the business plan isn't sustainable. In the short term, low prices must work as a formula for them and I suspect half the customers walk away never to return and half of them spend $100 every visit.
I rated 2 stars, because they do have some items you can't find elsewhere, such as some of the really techie computer do-what's-its. They are also located conveniently next to I-405. There's always the potential for a post-shopping trip to Coulon Park on a nice day.
Fry's gets 3 stars for variety of goods and pricing but the cult-like people that work there push it down a few stars. Come on ties in 2009? It looks like the 16 year old guy trying to sell me $3000 worth of stuff raided his dad's closet for that great looking tie in 1983..
KEY POINTS:
- lots of stuff
- disorganized, out of stock on many items
- pricing discrepancies - watch your receipts!
MY EXPERIENCE:
I've been into this store twice. Once about a year ago merely to look around, and then again today for a particular purchase.
My original impression of this place was absolute giddiness. It is the epitome of over-stimulation. If you love anything electronic, you'd be able to die happy in this store. My boyfriend and I wandered about and exploring the areas we were most interested in.
This first impression was short-lived. This store is the biggest, most ridiculously disorganized mess I've ever seen.
They have some great digital SLR cameras, including several of the more expensive, top-of-the-line Canon SLRs. I enjoyed getting to play with those. However we had a hard time locating the item we were looking for; an SD memory card. They didn't have a single one displayed in the three aisles of digital camera offerings. Upon asking, we were told that they were on the other end of the store. I found it weird and inconvenient that they had not a single offering by the digital cameras themselves. Particularly since they housed blank CD-Rs there (and in about three more varying locations about to store).
Regardless, we made our way across the store, around the caf (yes, there is a full--sized, sit-down caf in the middle of the store).
Unfortunately, we were met with only disappointment. There was a pitiful selection of cards to choose from. Half of the cards were out of stock. The sale item we'd sought was out of stock. We walked away without a memory card.
I found the general state of the store to have a very picked-over, disheveled feel. As I sought out a CD holder case, I found I was rummaging through disorganized heaps of CD cases. Nothing was placed with a coordinating shelf tag. Some items were marked, while others were a mystery. I selected a pack of clear CD sleeves from a spot on the shelf that read "$5.99". I checked the UPC on the back of the package to confirm price, since everything was thrown everywhere, I wanted to make sure I'd grabbed the right item.
I then went to the music selection and was pleased to find a hard-to-find international artist's CD. They had one album by this man, and one copy of that album. This fact made up for the lack of memory cards. The trip to Frys wasn't a complete burn after all!
OVERALL SELECTION:
While they have a lot of stuff, their selection can be picked-over in some areas (such as our experience with the SD cards). Movies and music seem like their stronger points. There isn't a lot of organization to this store. Things are just thrown onto shelve sin many cases.
CHECK OUT:
We didn't wait in line very long; the have about 80 registers.
I was a little annoyed that there was absolutely no way to watch the prices as they rang up my purchases. I like to keep an eye on things to make sure they're being rung up properly. My total was read to me and my card was taken. I thought to myself, "it seems a little high," but my card was already swiped and I was ushered off.
PRICE DISCREPENCIES:
After being shooed away by the cashier, I stood in the store's foyer, trying to determine why my total seemed a little higher than I'd estimated. I looked at my receipt and saw the CD was charged as $13.99, when I'd remembered reading $12.99 on the disc itself. A quick removal of the disc form my bag confirmed; they'd over-charged me a dolar, despite the price being RIGHT ON the CD itself. Annoyance set in.
They had also over-charged me a dollar on my clear CD sleeves. I pulled those out and examined the package, finally discovering a $6.99 tag on the side. I had checked the UPC code on the package with the shelf tag. The shelf had indicated this item was only $5.99. Since there was a price tag on the item I figured I couldn't really say anything, but I was still pissed. Most people grab items based on the shelf tag prices. Not an obscurely placed price tag on the items.
I mentioned the CD overcharge to the Door Monkey, and she grabbed the CD out of my hand and proceeded to DROP IT on the floor. She then took me to two different registers, before finally instructing me to stand in line at the customer service counter.
The line was long.
We waited over 5 minutes with no progress, then walked out.
I have a strong suspicion that these pricing issues are intentional. I can understand a mistake, but when I'm only purchasing three small-scale items, and am over-charged on two of them, something begins to smell funny. One of them was clearly marked a lower price. One of them had a lower shelf tag, and then a hidden price tag indicating a higher price on the package.
It was very suspicious to me.
When I got into the car and opened my CD to play, I found it broken thanks to Door Monkey dropping it on the ground.
I won't be going back.
Frys is awesome....Frys sucks...its awesome...I hate it...I love it here....I wanna leave......
Ok I like Frys. That many fun gadgets/electronics in one place is a winner..but there in lies the problem. You easily find yourself lost in the 'mess'. Also help from employees is non-existant...so you are on your own.
But ultimatly I love gadgets and I especially love good prices so they get plenty of stars....
Neighborhood: SODO
Category: IT Services & Computer Repair
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Hobby Shops
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