Time Warner Cable to push services in 700 Wal-Mart locations
By Darren Murph 
posted Apr 10th 2008 8:17AM
posted Apr 10th 2008 8:17AM
We've certainly seen companies use the well-trafficked floors of Wal-Mart to springboard certain products and / or services before, but this one has us scratching our noggins, for sure. Apparently Time Warner Cable has secured a deal that will allow it to market its cable, broadband internet access and digital phone service in nearly 700 Wal-Mart locations. Reportedly, customers can sign up for any of the provider's services from within the store (at "Connection Centers"), but here comes the curious part: after they leave, they're required to either phone up TWC in order to complete the transaction and get their service(s) hooked up or wait 24-hours for the carrier to contact them. In essence, what we've got here is a bona fide marketing push -- from what we can tell, nothing about this process makes things noticeably easier for the customer than just phoning up Time Warner Cable from the comfort of their own home. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
Radioshack does the same thing. I had to sell this, only to tell the customer to have to call themselves. Its crazy!
Comcast does the same thing but the great deal is that you get up to $250 when you sign up in the store. A great value add you cant get from just calling into a call center