Uh, I can't tell if you are agreeing with me or not. From what you wrote, we are in agreement. If you don't think you agree with me, it is because you misread or I was not clear on the points I made.

If you are agreeing with me, well...never mind.

But just to be clear; yes I think it is appalling that someone could be in a position of selling a product and have no idea of its capabilities, basic or otherwise. When I was in retail sales it was a matter of personal pride that I had a better understanding of the products I sold than most of the manufacturers reps that came into the store. Why, because I felt it was my responsibility to be able to teach a customer how to operate the instrument he just purchased from me. How, by taking the manual home and reading it thoroughly and working with a new instrument before or after store hours and by going to every factory training session that was offered whether the store paid for the trip or not. Did the effort pay off? Yes it did. I became known as someone who is knowledgeable on many brands/models and was willing and able to offer help to those in need in a clear and precise way that even a beginner can comprehend. As I mentioned earlier, I travel the US conduction dealer product training and clinics and find that not too many people are interested in offering the kind of after-the-sale support that I felt was essential when I was selling.

BTW: IIRC, Radio Shack employees must go through a training program and then pass tests in order to become a store salesperson.

Dave