# DIRECTV Walk-in Stores?



## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Another thread made me think of this ...

One perceived advantage of the local cable companies is you can always walk into the local office to ask questions, pay your bill, swap equipment, etc. What if DIRECTV had a store in the local mall, where customers could have face-to-face contact with a DIRECTV rep? Or if not at the mall, maybe DIRECTV could permit walk-ins at the local installation company, for example Mastec or Halsted. Has DIRECTV ever considered opening "walk-in" stores?


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## cnmsales (Jan 9, 2007)

They have them, there called walmart.


LOL


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## ccr1958 (Aug 29, 2007)

after that story a couple weeks ago where
that laldy got fed up with her cable service & 
went to the local walk in with hammer in hand...
i don't see it happening very soon


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## Sirshagg (Dec 30, 2006)

Drew2k said:


> Another thread made me think of this ...
> 
> One perceived advantage of the local cable companies is you can always walk into the local office to ask questions, pay your bill, swap equipment, etc. What if DIRECTV had a store in the local mall, where customers could have face-to-face contact with a DIRECTV rep? Or if not at the mall, maybe DIRECTV could permit walk-ins at the local installation company, for example Mastec or Halsted. Has DIRECTV ever considered opening "walk-in" stores?


Why, so I can have a D* CSR make up stuff to my face instead of over the phone? :lol:


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Interesting idea .. I think, however, that if DIRECTV were to consider this that they should just rent space at a store like Best Buy. It fits with Best Buy's business model and would be much less expensive than maintaining a full brick & morter location ..

I think this would be a costly option for DIRECTV ..


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Sirshagg said:


> Why, so I can have a D* CSR make up stuff to my face instead of over the phone? :lol:


At least you have a face to remember, so when you stop back in to the same office you can "correct" the CSR in front of their supervisor.

The biggest benefit I can think of for a walk-in store is if you have a hardware problem - let's say a tuner dies - you can just unplug the box, drive down and swap it with a new one. No more waiting for a replacement and then shipping back the old one!

I also think that because cable companies have been around for 25+ years, consumers are just so used to having someone to talk to if they need or want to, so having a walk-in center may help migrate some cable stalwarts over to DIRECTV, by putting a face to the company.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Doug Brott said:


> Interesting idea .. I think, however, that if DIRECTV were to consider this that they should just rent space at a store like Best Buy. It fits with Best Buy's business model and would be much less expensive than maintaining a full brick & morter location ..


That's why I also mentioned putting a walk-in desk at the local installation company. The B&M is already there, along with the hardware. Just need to let the customers walk-in! 



> I think this would be a costly option for DIRECTV ..


 It could be - I guess it depends on the services DIRECTV were to provide at a walk-in site. If it's only equipment swaps, DIRECTV saves money on mailers. That could add up, I'd guess ...


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

One of the reasons why Cable-Co's have "walk ups"... is they are still regional based... Those "walk-ups" are often in the same building the front end for that area is also housed...

So there is on a marginal increase in cost for them to do so.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> One of the reasons why Cable-Co's have "walk ups"... is they are still regional based... Those "walk-ups" are often in the same building the front end for that area is also housed...
> 
> So there is on a marginal increase in cost for them to do so.


I wonder how many regional installation companies DIRECTV contracts with... I'm guessing there's presence in all 50 states via the installers, so that could be a starting point if DIRECTV ever did explore this.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

That doesn't explain all the cable stores in malls and plazas. Having a physical location to go to is great. Swapping out SD boxes for HD boxes, exchanging remotes for the new model and in the event of a hardware failure, I'm back up in an hour.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

Retail stores are a huge expense. Employees, training, inventory, insurance, phones, demo products, payroll taxes in 50 states, etc. etc. For something that probably isn't going to generate all that much business and will tick off the independent retail stores like Best Buy, CC, Walmart, etc. that are carrying your product I'm not sure you get much. I'm sure they could pay CC, BB, Walmart, etc. a fee and have a DirecTV rep at each store if they really thought it was going to generate additional income.

The places where their install partners are is always possible, although I'd bet a lot of them aren't in retail environments (and may not even allow retail customers)...and you still have to have employees there.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

While I don't think a standalone version would work, I definitely think having a section in BB or a similar store would be a great idea. It could be their "store within a store" concept.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

I always get a kick out of those little "kiosks" in malls or big box stores like Sam's Club that sell satellite TV and cell phones. Sometimes if I have time to kill I even walk over and play dumb about satellite TV to see how they are going to pitch it.

I have never been disappointed. Even the folks at stores like Best Buy and Circuit City are fun to quiz since they have the DirecTV units right there "fooling" you into thinking that you can "buy" one and take it home. And for $298 who would ever suspect that you just paid an "activation fee" for that new HD DVR under your arm?

These operations are lucky that they get a programming commitment from new customers, as many times their "pitch" bears no resemblance to the DirecTV subscriber/lease agreement, and I'm sure customers who sign up get a big surprise when they figure out how things really work. Unfortunately, they often take out being "fooled" on DirecTV's customer service people when the first bill comes or the credit card statement comes.

Now, a stand-alone DirecTV store staffed by DirecTV employees (not like Joe Blow's Cellular, Satellite TV, and jewelry kiosks, Inc.) would presumably give shoppers the right information on subscribing, the packages, and how the equipment leasing system works. Plus, they would have CURRENT brochures available and even the ability to try out the various DirecTV boxes live. Just showing someone how easy it is to record their favorite shows on a DirecTV DVR would probably make a lot of sales. What "kiosk" lets you do that?

I should think that just one of these stores centrally located in each major metropolitan market would be profitable. It may come in the near future, as I just read an article that Comcast and Time-Warner are bleeding customers big time while DirecTV is ADDING big numbers of customers. Let's face it-people are fed up with cable and now they have a choice.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

> Let's face it-people are fed up with cable and now they have a choice.


Now have a choice? People have had a choice since 1994. And I made a choice in 2006, that after over 7 years with satellite TV, it was time to come back home to Time Warner.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

ThomasM said:


> I should think that just one of these stores centrally located in each major metropolitan market would be profitable.


This was my thought as well .. however, perhaps two or three in some of the larger areas. In any event, this is probably not something that would be needed in every single big box store, just a select one (or few) in each metro area.


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## thefoyboy (Apr 1, 2007)

Doug Brott said:


> Interesting idea .. I think, however, that if DIRECTV were to consider this that they should just rent space at a store like Best Buy. It fits with Best Buy's business model and would be much less expensive than maintaining a full brick & morter location ..
> 
> I think this would be a costly option for DIRECTV ..


At Best Buy we push DirecTV generously. They are constantly coming out with new promotions and kickbacks to us for every customer we sign up. As a Home Theater Installer for them for the last 2 years, I would say I have turned on the order of 200 cable customers to DirecTV .

The stores used to have the cables companies promoted in the departments exclusively. We then brought in DirecTV a few years back and DirecTV was always offering more incentives to the company to promote their services thus over time the cable companies were losing out and eventually many of them have pulled out of stores. I am not sure if it is company wide, but here in NE it is DirecTV all the way.


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## braven (Apr 9, 2007)

Steve Mehs said:


> That doesn't explain all the cable stores in malls and plazas. Having a physical location to go to is great. Swapping out SD boxes for HD boxes, exchanging remotes for the new model and in the event of a hardware failure, I'm back up in an hour.


WOW cable sounds great!


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## Ed Campbell (Feb 17, 2006)

Walk-in store? Uh, that's how and where I bought my DirecTV service - in February 1994. They closed the store ab't a year later.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

Steve Mehs said:


> Now have a choice? People have had a choice since 1994. And I made a choice in 2006, that after over 7 years with satellite TV, it was time to come back home to Time Warner.


Satellite TV was a joke in 1994. USSB? Two different outfits to deal with to get basic channels and premium channels? $300 box to buy and then figure out how to install or pay some outrageous fee for a "professional" install? Put up an antenna to get over-the-air channels? Why bother? Few people did.

But, what goes around comes around as they say.

Aging cable systems have deteriorating pictures, outrageous franchise fees (5% in my area-it was $0.38/month in 1994), high "lease" fees for the box ($7.95 in my area PER BOX), most basic channels still in snowy analog, a zillion "tiers" to try and figure out, and plenty of outages that last for hours. The final slap in the face? A LEASE FEE for each remote control!! Oh, and my local cable company is Time-Warner.

I said goodbye in 2000 and I never looked back. Probably never will.


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## Newshawk (Sep 3, 2004)

D* did experiment with having authorized service centers in Best Buys back in 2006, IIRC. I don't know what ever became of the experiment.


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## djwww98 (Jan 12, 2006)

If DirecTV can't seem to desiminate accurate, consistent information to, and adequately train their CSRs, who are located in a central location, what makes you think they will be any more knowledgeable scattered around the country?


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

The only problem I see with store front operations would be staffing them with people who know something about the product. D* can't man call centers with all the properly trained personel let alone have them scattered about the country.


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## Christopher Gould (Jan 14, 2007)

i can walk in and pay my bill at my NRTC shop shelby electric


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

thefoyboy said:


> At Best Buy we push DirecTV generously. They are constantly coming out with new promotions and kickbacks to us for every customer we sign up. As a Home Theater Installer for them for the last 2 years, I would say I have turned on the order of 200 cable customers to DirecTV .
> 
> The stores used to have the cables companies promoted in the departments exclusively. We then brought in DirecTV a few years back and DirecTV was always offering more incentives to the company to promote their services thus over time the cable companies were losing out and eventually many of them have pulled out of stores. I am not sure if it is company wide, but here in NE it is DirecTV all the way.


This is so contrary to my local Best Buy, where there is actually dust on the DIRECTV boxes ... I've never seen activity near the two tiny shelves where the DIRECTV stuff is.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Ed Campbell said:


> Walk-in store? Uh, that's how and where I bought my DirecTV service - in February 1994. They closed the store ab't a year later.


It's cool to hear DIRECTV did do this way back in 1994, but they were just spreading their wings back then, and now may have a different reaction from customers who know all about DIRECTV from advertising.



Newshawk said:


> D* did experiment with having authorized service centers in Best Buys back in 2006, IIRC. I don't know what ever became of the experiment.


Was that in jut one or two select stores, as a test? I wonder if they ended the in-store service when the Liberty-NewsCorp swap surfaced...


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## thefoyboy (Apr 1, 2007)

I do not know about every Best Buy store out there, but part of the 'dusty boxes' issue is that it is a product of is the staff pushing the product. The DirecTV boxes you see in the store now are ONLY sold to existing DirecTV customers. New subscribers are signed up in store but all product for new customers is brought out by the DirecTV installers which in NE is Halstead Communications.

As the installer in our store, I push DirecTV in every home and my sales staff in the store pushes the product to all customers. Why? Because customers get the benefit of discounts that include DirecTV HD and we get a kick to our margin and profit line from DTV. They also get superior service, channel selection, value, and more HD channels. We sell many boxes out of our store to existing customers. We are moving the HR21's quite rapidly these days. In fact, it is unusual to see a DTV HD/DVR model or any model number sitting on our shelves.

As to the service center thing last year, I am not in the loop on what is going on in the service centers, so I cannot speak to that. I know for a while last year the idea was being batted around about having us installers do dish installs. Praise God I am glad that smacked that one away.


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## shendley (Nov 28, 2005)

About half a year ago (app.) DTV opened a walk in store right next to a Lowes (and other shopping opportunities) about 10 minutes down the road from me (I live in Homewood, AL - a suburb of Birmingham). I've often wondered what they've got going in there as I drive by it quite often. Perhaps I should drop by and ask them how business is going?


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## miksmi21 (Jan 19, 2007)

Drew2k said:


> Another thread made me think of this ...
> 
> One perceived advantage of the local cable companies is you can always walk into the local office to ask questions, pay your bill, swap equipment, etc. What if DIRECTV had a store in the local mall, where customers could have face-to-face contact with a DIRECTV rep? Or if not at the mall, maybe DIRECTV could permit walk-ins at the local installation company, for example Mastec or Halsted. Has DIRECTV ever considered opening "walk-in" stores?


Actually they have one in Natick Mass. No joke, it's in the Natick Mall.

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/archive/x175096606


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

The Natick Mall? Isn't that on Doug Flutie Pass? 

Seriously, around here there are satellite retailers that sell DIRECTV and Dish, and can answer all your questions. Of course they probably answer them wrong but that's still something. 

If you're talking about owned and operated locations, I wonder if there would really be a profit to it, or by adding these locations they would have to charge as much as cable.


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## miksmi21 (Jan 19, 2007)

Stuart Sweet said:


> The Natick Mall? Isn't that on Doug Flutie Pass?
> 
> Seriously, around here there are satellite retailers that sell DIRECTV and Dish, and can answer all your questions. Of course they probably answer them wrong but that's still something.
> 
> If you're talking about owned and operated locations, I wonder if there would really be a profit to it, or by adding these locations they would have to charge as much as cable.


Actually it is on Flutie Pass if i'm not mistaken....hilarious! Incidently I put a link in my previous post that shows an article about the group that opened it.


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## Newshawk (Sep 3, 2004)

Drew2k said:


> Was that in jut one or two select stores, as a test? I wonder if they ended the in-store service when the Liberty-NewsCorp swap surfaced...


Actually, I believe it was in two markets. One was Denver and the other was either Milwaukee or (more probably) Minneapolis. IIRC there were probably about 8-12 stores in each area that were ASCs.


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## bnglbill (Nov 29, 2006)

Drew2k said:


> Another thread made me think of this ...
> 
> One perceived advantage of the local cable companies is you can always walk into the local office to ask questions, pay your bill, swap equipment, etc. What if DIRECTV had a store in the local mall, where customers could have face-to-face contact with a DIRECTV rep? Or if not at the mall, maybe DIRECTV could permit walk-ins at the local installation company, for example Mastec or Halsted. Has DIRECTV ever considered opening "walk-in" stores?


I think this would be a bad decision at this point, way too much overhead.

Comcast has most of those locations for regional support, and they got most of them from the local companies they bought out as they grew.


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## randyk47 (Aug 21, 2006)

I'm old and I'm lucky I remember my name sometimes but I think back in 1999 I was signed up for D* by a D* representative working in BB. They had a "booth" of sorts decorated with sat dishes and several TV's showing the quality and quantity of channels available on the D* system. Seems to me there was a D* rep there all the time, at least on weekends, for a number of years. At the time I was living in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia that had one of the original cable TV systems in the country. 20+ years after install with no significant infrastructure improvement was catching up with the local cable and the quality stunk. They everntually upgraded to fiber optics but I was well sold on D* by that time and never switched back. My house here has never been hooked to cable, not even run from the box on the street to the house. This has been a D* house since day one and was actually cabled to support D*.


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## ganjamaster (Jan 18, 2007)

sales tax people.
walk in store = sales tax if they are being billed in that state already ,,, maybe


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## ccr1958 (Aug 29, 2007)

way back in 1994 when i was looking for
a 36" tv that would fit into our entertainment
center i went to a high end TV/electronic store
(can't remember the name...but no longer exists)
& they had a DirecTv rep there....in fact that is
how i found out DirecTv was actually up & running...
i had been reading about it in some mags...but
without having internet access then i was always
a little behind....anyway they sold me on it.. so that
is how it all began for me


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## HDTVFreak07 (Sep 12, 2007)

Drew2k said:


> The biggest benefit I can think of for a walk-in store is if you have a hardware problem - let's say a tuner dies - you can just unplug the box, drive down and swap it with a new one. No more waiting for a replacement and then shipping back the old one!


I've done that with Best Buy. I called D* about a year ago saying that I've been having trouble with a "second" tuner on my DVR that I purchased from Best Buy so all I had to do was take it back to BB and had it replaced.


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## JeffreyT (Sep 26, 2007)

Our mall, Memphis TN, has a DirecTV booth. It is located near the entrance with a carousel.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

Many times the "reps" you see in retail stores and at kiosks are not DirecTV employees. They're "rent-a-reps" that receive a light training course and some sheets with talking points.


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## Jungle Jim (Mar 9, 2006)

ThomasM said:


> Satellite TV was a joke in 1994. USSB? Two different outfits to deal with to get basic channels and premium channels? $300 box to buy and then figure out how to install or pay some outrageous fee for a "professional" install? Put up an antenna to get over-the-air channels? Why bother? Few people did.


Actually, the receiver and dish package was $699 at Circuit City when I bought mine in October 1994, and two years later, when that one got fried, they were still running $499 (or maybe $399, I forget).

Living in an area with no cable available, I was within days of paying $2000 for one of those 12' monster dishes. I happened to pick up the paper and see an article about the new 18" dishes and immediately went out and bought one. To pay $699 instead of $2000 made me ecstatic!

I already had a great antenna on a tower, so locals were available. Since I was the first person in my area to install a D* dish, I became the de facto installer for all my friends and family. I guess I did 8-10 installs in the next 12-18 months, never taking cash but I did get my dinner paid for a time or two.


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

I think it would be very doable. With a few conditions.

I don't think it could only be a front. You'd have to be a full blown retailer. Your bread & butter would come from commisions off the sales of new customers. I think you'd need something else to get people in the door as well, be it also be a Dish retailer, cell phones, computers, something. You'd also have to be a metro area. Rural just won't cut it. Market potential is there, just would have to be implemented correctly.


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## bnglbill (Nov 29, 2006)

RobertE said:


> I think it would be very doable. With a few conditions.
> 
> I don't think it could only be a front. You'd have to be a full blown retailer. Your bread & butter would come from commisions off the sales of new customers. I think you'd need something else to get people in the door as well, be it also be a Dish retailer, cell phones, computers, something. You'd also have to be a metro area. Rural just won't cut it. Market potential is there, just would have to be implemented correctly.


What you've described is a best buy or circuit City... :lol:


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## randyk47 (Aug 21, 2006)

The prices quoted got me thinking and we paid $299.95 or $399.95 for a dish and two receivers back in 1999. I think that was some kind of special that day.  Now we call D* and play "make a deal" for $19.95. Times certainly have changed.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

bnglbill said:


> What you've described is a best buy or circuit City... :lol:


yeah, that's why I would think that for this to be successful, DIRECTV would have to partner with a big-box .. That's where folks would go to find electronics anyway.


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## jpl (Jul 9, 2006)

Doug Brott said:


> yeah, that's why I would think that for this to be successful, DIRECTV would have to partner with a big-box .. That's where folks would go to find electronics anyway.


I bought my initial set-up through Blockbuster Video. This was back in 2002, and since Blockbuster was doing all the PPV for DirecTV at the time, I guess it made sense. I even got a gift card - 52 free rentals - one per week for a year - from any Blockbuster store.


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## PhilipDC (Aug 16, 2006)

I've seen kiosks for XM and FIOS in Tysons Corner Mall here in Northern Virginia.


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

I don't think you will ever see a DirecTV 'drop-in' outlet like what you see for cable.

Market penetration for DirecTV in any one area would not be strong enough to make it viable, I don't believe. Even in a place like the Twin Cities, there are x number of DirecTV subscribers in a given area, but you could still conceivably have to drive up to 30 miles or better to get to the one 'drop-in' location serving the area - more than one just wouldn't seem to make financial sense.

And as for 'my box doesn't work, I'll go get a replacement' - the inventory required to make that workable just seems like it would need to be quite large.

Even if there were, say, 20,000 DirecTV customers in an area like the Twin Cities, how many of those 20,000 in any given week would need the services of a drop-in store? Not enough to make it worthwhile.


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## onin24eagle (Aug 6, 2005)

ThomasM said:


> Satellite TV was a joke in 1994. USSB? Two different outfits to deal with to get basic channels and premium channels? $300 box to buy and then figure out how to install or pay some outrageous fee for a "professional" install? Put up an antenna to get over-the-air channels? Why bother? Few people did.
> 
> But, what goes around comes around as they say.
> 
> ...


Not correct. A single lnb dish system in '94 was usually $699 not $300 plus you paid for install on top of that. Dealer cost IIRC was $540.


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## damjr (Mar 10, 2004)

Drew2k said:


> Another thread made me think of this ...
> 
> One perceived advantage of the local cable companies is you can always walk into the local office to ask questions, pay your bill, swap equipment, etc. What if DIRECTV had a store in the local mall, where customers could have face-to-face contact with a DIRECTV rep? Or if not at the mall, maybe DIRECTV could permit walk-ins at the local installation company, for example Mastec or Halsted. Has DIRECTV ever considered opening "walk-in" stores?


Well there have been rumors of this happening for a while now.

DTV has approached retailers with this idea where they would have "x" amount of what they would call "Super Stores" in every market place. In the So Cal area they were talking about having something like 4-8 of these stores ran by their "better" retailers.

The problem with this idea is most "larger" retailers rarely last in this business more than 2-3 years. This is why I think DTV has backed off the idea.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

ThomasM said:


> Satellite TV was a joke in 1994. USSB? Two different outfits to deal with to get basic channels and premium channels? $300 box to buy and then figure out how to install or pay some outrageous fee for a "professional" install? Put up an antenna to get over-the-air channels? Why bother? Few people did.


Satellite TV was not a joke in 1994, it was the beginning of a great industry. The early days were fun.



> Aging cable systems have deteriorating pictures, outrageous franchise fees (5% in my area-it was $0.38/month in 1994), high "lease" fees for the box ($7.95 in my area PER BOX), most basic channels still in snowy analog, a zillion "tiers" to try and figure out, and plenty of outages that last for hours. The final slap in the face? A LEASE FEE for each remote control!! Oh, and my local cable company is Time-Warner.


Digital Simulcast solves the snowy picture, only analog channels here are community access and a few shopping channels. Everything else is digital just like the mighty DirecTV. Doing A-B comparisons, Time Warner here has superior picture quality, for the most part, not nearly as many compression artifacts with TW.

Check the bill. Here Box rental is $7.95, but on the bill it's broken up to $7.36 for the digital terminal and $0.59 for the remote. $7.95 or $7.36 and $0.59, a quarter or two dimes and a nickel. I'm guessing this is so they can put a value on the remote since you don't own it. $7.95 per box is not really that bad. The first box is included in the price of the package like DBS and the price may be $3 per month higher then DBS, but there is no equipment to buy and no contract to be under.

Franchise fees are collected by your franchise authority, which is typically your town. Have issues? Contact your local government, don't complain about the cable company 'raising rates'


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## shendley (Nov 28, 2005)

I had a little time to kill on my way to Lowes today so I dropped in my local DTV brick and mortar store right next door just to say hi and ask what you could do there. What I found out is this: You really can't do much you can't do over the phone. In fact, when I asked if you could replace a troubled box by bringing it in and trading it out for another, I was told you could only do that by calling them up. On the other hand, they did have about 4 flat panel tvs there and he said they sold them and some surround sound systems. I didn't ask about the price, but if they have some deals with starting up a subscription I could see some people going for it. 

Before I left, though, I asked the one guy behind the desk whether he had much business. He said that they were expecting more for the holidays but for now he said he mostly had a lot of down time and checked his emails a lot. I also found out that in little ol' Birmingham we actually have three of these brick and mortar stores scattered around the suburbs. I had no idea!


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## Pink Fairy (Dec 28, 2006)

Sounds like a local retailer to me, not an actual DIRECTV store.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

shendley said:


> I had a little time to kill on my way to Lowes today so I dropped in my local DTV brick and mortar store right next door just to say hi and ask what you could do there. What I found out is this: You really can't do much you can't do over the phone. In fact, when I asked if you could replace a troubled box by bringing it in and trading it out for another, I was told you could only do that by calling them up. On the other hand, they did have about 4 flat panel tvs there and he said they sold them and some surround sound systems. I didn't ask about the price, but if they have some deals with starting up a subscription I could see some people going for it.
> 
> Before I left, though, I asked the one guy behind the desk whether he had much business. He said that they were expecting more for the holidays but for now he said he mostly had a lot of down time and checked his emails a lot. I also found out that in little ol' Birmingham we actually have three of these brick and mortar stores scattered around the suburbs. I had no idea!





okietekkie said:


> Sounds like a local retailer to me, not an actual DIRECTV store.


okie ... That's what I was going to say. DIRECTV doesn't sell TVs, but a local shop would. They really sound more like an authorized reseller than an actual DIRECTV walk-in store.


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## Bertrude (Nov 3, 2007)

Drew2k said:


> The biggest benefit I can think of for a walk-in store is if you have a hardware problem - let's say a tuner dies - you can just unplug the box, drive down and swap it with a new one. No more waiting for a replacement and then shipping back the old one!


Interesting idea. It would not only shorten the length of time customers spend waiting for a replacement, but reduce the number of replacements as well, when the CSRs at the counter connect the receiver to a dish at the store and find that the tuner is working.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Bertrude said:


> Interesting idea. It would not only shorten the length of time customers spend waiting for a replacement, but reduce the number of replacements as well, when the CSRs at the counter connect the receiver to a dish at the store and find that the tuner is working.


:lol: I never thought about bringing a DVR back to the walk-in for troubleshooting, but sure! That's a great idea!!


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## ecgz88 (Sep 25, 2007)

that's true, don't forget cable company counter offer 'Triple Play": Internet+Home Phone+TV, so they can afford the rent and sales guy wage..........for D* just TV service 



JLucPicard said:


> I don't think you will ever see a DirecTV 'drop-in' outlet like what you see for cable.
> 
> Market penetration for DirecTV in any one area would not be strong enough to make it viable, I don't believe. Even in a place like the Twin Cities, there are x number of DirecTV subscribers in a given area, but you could still conceivably have to drive up to 30 miles or better to get to the one 'drop-in' location serving the area - more than one just wouldn't seem to make financial sense.
> 
> ...


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

jpl said:


> I bought my initial set-up through Blockbuster Video. This was back in 2002, and since Blockbuster was doing all the PPV for DirecTV at the time, I guess it made sense. I even got a gift card - 52 free rentals - one per week for a year - from any Blockbuster store.


That's exactly how I started too, but it was 2000. IIRC, it cost me $250 for a 3 room set-up, but I figured the free rentals was worth about $250 giving me a net cost of about $0. Between the time I signed up at BB and my install date, I found out D* was running some kind of special on the SAT-T60 and I called up and got one for $50 (w/rebate I think). Was up and running a couple of weeks later with 2 standard receivers and a D* w/tivo for about $50 total (not including the tivo lifetime that I bought 2 weeks later).



randyk47 said:


> The prices quoted got me thinking and we paid $299.95 or $399.95 for a dish and two receivers back in 1999. I think that was some kind of special that day.  Now we call D* and play "make a deal" for $19.95. Times certainly have changed.


Should have waited a year.  :hurah:


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## shendley (Nov 28, 2005)

I'm not sure exactly what would make it an actual DTV store, but the only identification outside and inside of the store is Directv. It's actually a fairly small building - more like a very large office area than anything else I could think to compare it to. Only four flat panel tvs are on the smallest wall. The largest wall without a desk has nothing but DTV receivers and assorted odds and ends. Looked like an actual DTV store to me. But perhaps I'm overlooking something here.



okietekkie said:


> Sounds like a local retailer to me, not an actual DIRECTV store.


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## MIMOTech (Sep 11, 2006)

The cost is prohibitive and if they did establish stores it would raise your bill as the cost would be past on. Stock holders would demand that it not affect the bottom line.


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## dodge boy (Mar 31, 2006)

Bertrude said:


> Interesting idea. It would not only shorten the length of time customers spend waiting for a replacement, but reduce the number of replacements as well, when the CSRs at the counter connect the receiver to a dish at the store and find that the tuner is working.


it only takes 1 day, well 2 for my last replacement since I ordered it Sunday night at about 8:00..... But it was at my house Lastnight when I got home from work. FedEx will pick the old one up tonight at 5:00pm.


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## dodge boy (Mar 31, 2006)

MIMOTech said:


> The cost is prohibitive and if they did establish stores it would raise your bill as the cost would be past on. Stock holders would demand that it not affect the bottom line.


Screw the stockholders, customers drive the business.


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## arxaw (Jul 13, 2003)

ecgz88 said:


> that's true, don't forget cable company counter offer 'Triple Play": Internet+Home Phone+TV...


True.

But putting all your eggs in one basket never makes sense. Especially an unreliable cable basket.


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## Newshawk (Sep 3, 2004)

shendley said:


> I'm not sure exactly what would make it an actual DTV store, but the only identification outside and inside of the store is Directv. It's actually a fairly small building - more like a very large office area than anything else I could think to compare it to. Only four flat panel tvs are on the smallest wall. The largest wall without a desk has nothing but DTV receivers and assorted odds and ends. Looked like an actual DTV store to me. But perhaps I'm overlooking something here.


How about this? Here's a quote from the MetroWest Daily News (Framingham, MA) article about the store:



> Expert Satellite Inc., a Worcester company that has been an authorized DirecTV dealer since 2001, opened the store on Dec. 9 and says it is the only the second DirecTV retail outlet in the country.


Here's a link to Expert Satellite's website.


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## shendley (Nov 28, 2005)

Okay, I guess it could be something like that. I just figured that if it were a retailer offering direct products it would have their name on the store somewhere alongside directv. But now that you mention it, one thing the guy in the store said to me that seemed kind of odd at the time now makes sense. When I asked him if you could exchange bad receivers at the store rather than going through the mail, he said "No, you've got to call directv about that."



Newshawk said:


> How about this? Here's a quote from the MetroWest Daily News (Framingham, MA) article about the store:
> 
> Here's a link to Expert Satellite's website.


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## shendley (Nov 28, 2005)

As I had to travel to Lowes again tonight I drove by the Directv store again and, you guys were right: even though Directv is prominently displayed everywhere, right on the door as you go in it says something like "PlanetHD." Clearly, a retail.


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## Kapeman (Dec 22, 2003)

shendley said:


> About half a year ago (app.) DTV opened a walk in store right next to a Lowes (and other shopping opportunities) about 10 minutes down the road from me (I live in Homewood, AL - a suburb of Birmingham). I've often wondered what they've got going in there as I drive by it quite often. Perhaps I should drop by and ask them how business is going?


Now they have 4 stores in the Birmingham Area. And they look like a lot more than just an authorized DirecTV reseller.

Check out their site to see pics of the stores and their signage.

http://www.planethd.com


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

Kapeman said:


> Now they have 4 stores in the Birmingham Area. And they look like a lot more than just an authorized DirecTV reseller.
> 
> Check out their site to see pics of the stores and their signage.
> 
> http://www.planethd.com


Those stores are run by a company called Bigfoot Satellite...just another reseller. I think they also sell Dish Networks stuff as well...or at least they used to.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

thefoyboy said:


> As to the service center thing last year, I am not in the loop on what is going on in the service centers, so I cannot speak to that. I know for a while last year the idea was being batted around about having us installers do dish installs.


I can just see it now. The "Geek Squad" Volkswagon pulls up and brings a new DirecTV receiver to my door!!!


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## dtv757 (Jun 4, 2006)

woah those store run by "bigfoot" look cool i wish they had one in VA BEACH,

they need to put one of those in every major city lol.


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

shendley said:


> As I had to travel to Lowes again tonight.....


You sure are going to Lowes a lot, whats you building over there?


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## thefoyboy (Apr 1, 2007)

ThomasM said:


> I can just see it now. The "Geek Squad" Volkswagon pulls up and brings a new DirecTV receiver to my door!!!


I did follow up on this. We are indeed doing a pilot program for our home theater installers to do DirecTV dish upgrade installs for existing customers only. The states where it is being tested is MN, SD, CO, TX, and MO I believe. There may be a few more but the program is not designed for new customer installs.


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## shendley (Nov 28, 2005)

I don't need much of an excuse to go to Lowes. I go there for just about everything! This time: Christmas lights.



dtv757 said:


> woah those store run by "bigfoot" look cool i wish they had one in VA BEACH,
> 
> they need to put one of those in every major city lol.


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## CJTE (Sep 18, 2007)

ThomasM said:


> I can just see it now. The "Geek Squad" Volkswagon pulls up and brings a new DirecTV receiver to my door!!!


Please, *no*.
No offense to anyone who works at GeekSqaud thats actually knowledgeable, but just like how some (if not most) feel about DirecTV CSR's, Atleast 85% of GS agents are sales agents. Period, there technical skills, slim to none at best, theyve got a CD full of apps that they've been taught how to use, and they've got a list of questions a customer might ask, and 'appropriate' (although sometimes completely incorrect) answers.

For every geek squad of 5-10 people, there is one-two *tech(s)* that works behind the scenes while the rest of them sell.


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## thefoyboy (Apr 1, 2007)

CJTE said:


> Please, *no*.
> No offense to anyone who works at GeekSqaud thats actually knowledgeable, but just like how some (if not most) feel about DirecTV CSR's, Atleast 85% of GS agents are sales agents. Period, there technical skills, slim to none at best, theyve got a CD full of apps that they've been taught how to use, and they've got a list of questions a customer might ask, and 'appropriate' (although sometimes completely incorrect) answers.
> 
> For every geek squad of 5-10 people, there is one-two *tech(s)* that works behind the scenes while the rest of them sell.


No offense taken, but there needs to be some distinguishment made between all of us now that they unfortunately, in my opinion, brought computer, mobile, and home installation all underneath the Geek Squad brand name. As for the GS agents in the precinct, you are exactly right. There are some there that are very knowledgeable in the computer field while others need to buy a vowel.

The GS DA Agents on site who go out to businesses and homes are, for the most part, well qualified and knowledgeable in what they do otherwise they would not be in position long.

As for the GS Home Theater installers, of which I am one, there are some really good installers out there who strive to get better all the time but there are unfortunately a few morons out there that have slipped through the cracks. Frankly, if you see one, please turn them in to corporate so they will not give the rest of us quality installers a bad name.

As for the GS Mobile Installers, about the same as GS precinct people.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

shendley said:


> I don't need much of an excuse to go to Lowes. I go there for just about everything! This time: Christmas lights.


e-hem, don't you mean 'Family Lights'.


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

Steve Mehs said:


> e-hem, don't you mean 'Family Lights'.


Pardon my ignorance, but please don't tell me this is another of those names that are given to Christmas items under the guise that 'Christmas' will offend people??? If so, is that strictly a Lowes thing, or is that pervasive out there in the general public?


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

I don't care what the lights are called ... let's not dilute this thread or go off topic to discuss it. There's an Off Topic forum for that ...


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## Pink Fairy (Dec 28, 2006)

Their Christmas lights to me, because that is what I celebrate.

This whole politically correct crap is annoying.


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## CJTE (Sep 18, 2007)

thefoyboy said:


> No offense taken, but there needs to be some distinguishment made between all of us now that they unfortunately, in my opinion, brought computer, mobile, and home installation all underneath the Geek Squad brand name. As for the GS agents in the precinct, you are exactly right. There are some there that are very knowledgeable in the computer field while others need to buy a vowel.
> 
> The GS DA Agents on site who go out to businesses and homes are, for the most part, well qualified and knowledgeable in what they do otherwise they would not be in position long.
> 
> ...


My biggest hangnail was on the GS "CIA" and Mobile (residential computer) people.
Actually its funny because I forgot that I wrote that. Today I went into a best buy and started small-talking the kid at the counter. He asked if I needed anything and I told him I was just looking at how the prices had gone up, (and how they compared to the shop I used to work for).
Then we began to get a little more serious. And I asked the kid if he was a tech or a sales agent, and ofcouse he said a tech, so I smiled, and I asked him to tell me about his services. I wish I'd recorded it to play back to y'all but unfortunately we were both a little on the spot, then he busted into it. A few stutters and some 'big' words like 'ailment' later, I chuckled, and asked him again if he was a tech or sales agent. This time he told me was a sales agent, but he was supposed to be inducted as a real tech soon. He looked like a good kid who really wanted to learn, so, I shook his hand and wished him the best of luck. With a little bit of time, I wouldnt be surprised if he really did learn a thing or two about how to diagnose a machine, vs. using a CD to sell a customer.

He didnt know anything about the tools that were on his CD either, which is what dissapointed me. I actually have a qeeksquad CD revision 2.1109003blah blah blah somewhere... I just have to find it, or call up the shop I used to work for (lol).

Other agents, like home theater agents... Aside of mounting components in the correct places, nicely, and showing the customer how everything is hooked up... I truly hope they don't have a hard time in the field.
Or maybe its just because Im a little weathered...


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## cypher (Nov 25, 2007)

At the Big E DirecTV leased a spot with representatives available to talk for services. I think the success of outlets would have to be weighed out for profitability. An example would be Gateway computers, they started with stores, and it ultimately failed. It would be hard to predict if it would be beneficial in adding subscribers or not.


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## Ext 721 (Feb 26, 2007)

dodge boy said:


> Screw the stockholders, customers drive the business.


And the number one concern of the meat-and-potatoes portion of customers is monthly cost.

Gotta remember this....

COX cable serves 15 states, and not the entire state in most cases, but only parts of those states. They have 1/3 the customer base of D*, yet cover perhaps one fiftieth as much territory.

Time warner serves 18 states the same way...has a similar customer base as E* or D* (13 million) Like every cable co, they avoid serving sparsely populated areas.

since D* covers almost every square mile of 49 states (northern parts of alaska not covered) to have a local representative would be many times more challenging than for cable companies.

The kicker is, D* has, according to studies, the best customer service satisfaction...and E* isn't trailing too far behind.

IF those numbers reflect actual satisfaction...why would #1 and #2 deliberately do something that #'s 3 through 8 have as part of their business model?


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