Well that's a result!

I have been looking around for a second PC monitor over the last few days to replace the one I borrowed from work while on holiday. Having used the twin monitor set up for a couple of weeks now, I can definitely recommend it. I wanted a 19" widescreen to go with the 22" I already had and had found one on eBay which looked reasonable at £118($236). Although brand new it was a make unknown to me but the feedback for the supplier looked ok.

But before I ordered it I wanted to see what our local branch of PC World had to offer so popped in yesterday afternoon after we had visited Homebase, which is next door, for some more sealant for the kitchen.

They had a reasonable selection of monitors on show and as I wasn't looking for anything expensive we chose the cheapest they had, a Fujitsu Siemans at £120($240), as I figured it was a much better make and looked better as well, in a nice silver finish with front facing speakers, than the one on eBay. However, when we looked for a box on the shelf there were none to be seen, so we approached an assistant to see if they had any in the storeroom.

She was only a little slip of a thing, bless her, and was very sweet and apologetic when she had to tell us there were none in stock and she didn't know when they would be getting any in. Hubby was having none of this however, he wanted to know if we could buy the one on display as we had come all that way (actually less than 5 miles!) and didn't want to go home empty handed.

The girl was reluctant but Hubby didn't give up and asked to speak to someone in authority. So she went off and came back with this other chap (actually very good looking!) and Hubby once again asked if they would let us have the display model, after a few minutes of hesitation the chap agreed and that's when Hubby upped the ante by demanding they give us a discount, precisely because it was a display model!

To my astonishment (I was hovering in the background, trying to look like I wasn't with him :-)the chap agreed to give us a £5($10)discount. So I marched out of the store feeling extremely pleased with myself and clutching my lovely new screen (it's plug & play and who needs a box anyway!). We have the receipt in the unlikely event of a problem.

I was very impressed with Hubby's determination to get it for me as he knew I would have been disappointed not to have been able to bring it home with me. Five pounds may not seem like much of a discount, but this was perfectly acceptable to us as it wasn't a discontinued or damaged model and we ended up getting the one we wanted, when we wanted it and at a better price than I would have paid on eBay.

I now find I could have ordered it on line on the PC World website and paid only £110 to go and pick it up from a local store - however as there is no stock in any of the 9 closest stores I am still feeling a little smug :-)