Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!princeton!orsvax1!pyrnj!caip!topaz!uwvax!astroatc!nicmad!luscher From: luscher@nicmad.UUCP Newsgroups: net.micro.atari16 Subject: Re: Where's the 1040??? Message-ID: <658@nicmad.UUCP> Date: Thu, 24-Apr-86 19:32:24 EST Article-I.D.: nicmad.658 Posted: Thu Apr 24 19:32:24 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 26-Apr-86 06:22:51 EST References: <8604120324.AA05497@ucbvax.berkeley.edu> <185@atari.UUcp> Reply-To: luscher@nicmad.UUCP (Jim {4thNIC} Luscher) Organization: Nicolet Instrument Corp. Madison WI Lines: 63 In article <185@atari.UUcp> neil@atari.UUcp (Neil Harris) writes: >In article <8604120324.AA05497@ucbvax.berkeley.edu>, franceus@TYCHO.ARPA (Paul >Franceus) writes: >> I have had a 1040 on order at my local computer store for ~3 weeks, and >> the dealer does'nt know when they are going to arrive. >> question 1: Does anyone know why the 1040's are so long in coming? (neil??) > >If there weren't so many people like you, it would be easy to get 1040ST's! >What I mean by that is there is such an AMAZING demand for them that we can't >nearly supply them fast enough. > >Try to be a little patient and I'm sure a machine will turn up for you. Another possible explanation is that Atari is REALLY screwed up! I have been selling 520STs locally since last October, and naturally was eager to sell the 1040 when it was anounced. I spent the first two months trying to get my distributor to sell me one - the answer was always just wait a bit longer. Finally Neil@Atari gave me the name of another distributor, since Atari had changed their distribution channels and the old distributor got cut off. The new distributor said fine, send your money. Two weeks later I hadn't heard ANYTHING, and called them. They said to call Atari. Atari said that there was a packet of paperwork to file to become a 1040 dealer. Naturally no one had the time to tell ME that, even though I had ordered several thousand dollars worth of machines. Another week went by while I waited for the application they were going to send the next day. I sent it back and waited a couple days before calling them since I had been told it would just take one day to approve the application and then the hold on my order could be released. I have called Atari 12 times between 8 April and 22 April and every time the story was 'we are evaluating the applications this morning call back this afternoon', or 'we didn't get to it today, but you can get our answer if you call back tomorrow afternoon', or 'she is in a meeting, give me your number and she will call you back (guess if she ever did!)', or 'he is out of town today, call back on Friday.' In summary after having Atari pull arbitrary switches on me that I wasn't told about, after filling out their paperwork, after sending them thousands of dollars at the beginning of March, after repeatedly being lied to by them on the telephone, I ended up still not knowing if they would CONSIDER sending me 1040STs, let alone having them send me any! I pulled the plug and have asked for the money back, let someone else have the headache! A company that treats dealers as badly as Atari does will be in big trouble financially even if they have a decent product. Now I wonder how long it will take them to get their act together and return my cash so I can look for a product which I can actually GET, and thus have a real chance to make money on? As for Atari, well they lose out on the half dozen individuals that wanted their equipment and the two companies that wanted to place multiple unit orders with me. But I would rather pass on that business than ruin my reputation by repeating to others the untruths that Atari was feeding me about how long things would take. They aparently don't operate in a world of deadlines, or else they assume that their customers don't. Bad assumption. Jim Luscher / Tardis Computers / 5228 Langlois St. / Madison, Wis 53705 -- ihnp4------\ Jim Luscher harvard-\ \ Nicolet Instruments / Test Instrument Div seismo!uwvax!nicmad!luscher 5225 Verona Rd. Bldg-2 topaz-/ / Madison, Wi 53711-0288 decvax------/ (608) 271-3333 x 2274