Extron and the Hard ... Buy.
by Zube (zube@stat.colostate.edu)
Created:  Jun 4, 2007
Updated:  Jun 4, 2007
http://www.stat.colostate.edu/~zube/hardbuy.txt

To the Executives at Extron,

I was in hasty need of a VGA splitter.  I needed it yesterday.  I borrowed
one from another department and it worked fine.  I noticed that it was
made by your company, so my plan was the buy the same model or the
closest one to it.  You had my sale with no work on your part.

I found what I wanted, the Extron P/2 DA2 PLUS (60-046-03).  It's 
perfect, but alas, I couldn't seem to buy it.  All of the sites I usually
purchase from gave the computer equivalent of a blank stare when 'Extron' 
was used as the search term.  So I went to the Extron web site
(http://www.extron.com).

It's very interesting.  It asks for a lot of information before it will 
even show me a price.  When I grit my teeth, provide that information,
wait until someone sets up an account for me and then login, the price is 
not followed by a "click here to buy" button, but rather: 

"For availability and ordering, please contact an Extron Customer Support 
Representative."

Life is really too short for this silliness.  Does Extron not understand the
concept of online sales in 2007?  Dear me.  I suspected that I was throwing 
good time after bad, but I continued on.

I contacted an Extron Customer Support Representative, was told that 
Extron does not sell directly to the public, but that nearest authorized 
dealer is in Denver, an *extremely* useful bit of information for someone
wanting to buy online. 

After an extended search, I found one place that claimed to carry it
(www.projector.com) and they said they could get the part to me by the end 
of the week.  Alas, after ordering it, I received this message:

"We have just been notified by our vendor that the Extron Dual Output VGA-
UXGA Distribution Amplifier you ordered is currently on back order for
approximately one week."

I'm left wondering who, exactly, Extron sells its product to.  The don't
sell directly and they don't seem to sell indirectly either.

Goodbye Extron.  Best of luck with your most interesting business model.

Love and kisses,
Zube