Last week I left my aging MacBook Air laptop on an airplane. Argh.
As I’m traveling again next week, I needed to quickly replace it. Realistically when on the road, all I need is something I can run Word on, and use to access the Web. For those minimal purposes, there are PC laptops that sell for a fraction of what even a used MacBook costs. So in a moment of weakness, I bought a 14” HP laptop from Best Buy for $220, including free next-day delivery.
Since I bought it specifically as a travel computer, I immediately needed a travel adapter that I could use in Europe.
This kit is available in any Apple store. With it, you can plug your Apple computer into just about any wall socket, anywhere in the world. Apple seems to be telling it’s customers, “You’re really going places.”
That’s where things got frustrating. As an Apple user, I could (and did) walk into any Apple store and buy a little kit, with plugs that adapt the Apple power converter for wall sockets anywhere in the world. I was sure that HP would offer something similar.
Wrong. HP.com does in fact offer a travel converter with just such a removable plug. But in the United States, HP sells that converter with an American plug only.
HP.com sells a travel power adapter, but in the U.S. you can only buy it with the U.S.-spec plug shown. There is no provision anywhere on HP.com or indeed from Hewlett-Packard in the U.S. at all, to plug the company’s products in, in a foreign country. The message here is that the kind of people who’d buy an HP computer aren’t going far. HP probably didn’t realize that by stocking this lame product it was making a brand statement, but brand is the sum total of every touchpoint.
Think about that. HP sells a travel converter, but only for travel within North America. To places where the power cord supplied with the computer also works fine.
I spent a full hour* on in ‘chat’ with someone at HP explaining that I needed to plug it in, in Europe, not in the U.S. I explained that several HP parts would work, for example the travel converter that they sell in Europe comes with a European plug. For that matter, the standard power cord sold with any HP laptop in Europe would serve. None of those parts are available in the U.S. She suggested that I just buy one in Europe.
In the end, I had to leave it here (this is excerpted from the chat transcript HP emailed me at the conclusion of the chat.)
Mark Gardiner: "Every HP laptop sold in Europe is sold with a power cord that plugs into European wall sockets. I just need one of those."
Agent (Blanca): "I understand that, I highly suggest that you will purchase the power adapter once you arrived to Europe. I have checked all the information but giving me the same details."
Agent (Blanca): "I'm happy for you, will you be travelling together with your family?"
Mark Gardiner: "That is ridiculous advice. I'm not moving to Europe, I'm going on a business trip. I won't have time to find a power cord. Totally unsatisfactory non-resolution of my problem."
Mark Gardiner: "Apple sells a simple kit for their products"
Agent (Blanca): "I know that I was not able to fully resolve your issue today but I am hoping you were still satisfied with the answers that I am giving you."
After giving up, I was struck by the accidental brand message sent by HP.
Apple, by making a global travel kit available in every store is basically saying, “You’re going places. The world is your oyster.”
HP, by selling an America-only “travel converter” is saying, we make computers for people going nowhere, fast.
*It didn’t just feel like an hour. It was 1:07 according to the time stamps on the transcript.