Why Best Buy is Going out of Business...Gradually

^ You should've reported the BB manager to BB corp. and say how his aggressive and unwanted sales tactic of selling phones cost them a potential sale of a DSLR camera.
 
I just recently bought an H60 at Worst Buy for two reasons: it was cheaper than anywhere else and I needed one immediately. I called it in and went straight to the customer service desk, completely avoiding their sales associates. I am ashamed for shopping at Best Buy, but not a bad experience. Hey, 1 out of 10 ain't bad, haha. I'll see myself out...
 
Since we're sharing Best Buy stories...

I went to buy Final Fantasy 13 when it came out a couple of years ago. Lunch break with some buds - drove to BB, went right in, grabbed the box. Decided that I'd save myself some time, and simply get my daughter's birthday present at the same time (as opposed to ordering on Amazon like I was intending). So I took her DSiXL and the FF13 game to the checkout line:

Dude on the register, and some bitch manager standing nearby.

Dude: "do you have a best buy rewards card" (or whatever it was called)
Me: "nope"
Dude: "do you want one?"
Me: "thanks but no thanks"
Dude: "ok"
Dude: "so Bestbuy is offering a new service - scratch protection. For $5 we'll replace this game if you damage the disk for any reason"
Me: "no thanks"
Dude: "ok"
Dude: "how about an extended warranty on the DS"
Me: "no thanks"
Dude: "ok"

So far I was fine with the exchange - typical, just a dude doing his job - no harm no foul. Scratch protection was hella stupid - but whatever, they making money off stupid people, that's fine with me...

Manager: "are you sure you don't want that scratch protection?"
Me: "umm ya - all set thanks"
Dude: :rolleyes:
Manager: "cuz for only $5, if say your kid...blah blah blah"
Me: "I'm all set - thanks"
Manager: "ok..." "and you're going to pass on that best buy rewards card too? You can save blah blah blah"
Me: /frustrated "look, I just want the game - please ring me up"

At this point I'm about 2 seconds away from blowing my lid. I knew she was DYING to ask about the extended warranty - but she just fidgeted instead...

Dude: "that'll be $300" (or whatever it was)
I hand him my card - hovering manager take the card right out of his hand.
Manager: "Sir you need to sign your credit card"
Me: "right, here's my driver's license" I hand her my license
Manager: "Sir, you NEED to sign your credit card"
Me pissed: "heh, actually, no I don't"
Manager: "the credit card companies are telling us that we can't accept cards blah blah blah:
Me Super Pissed: "Lady look. I'm NOT signing the card - I don't do that, and I don't need to explain myself to you. I'm not interested in your upsells, and I don't care about anything other than buying this pile of stuff right now. Do you want my money or not?"
Me: /ultimatum "if the next words out of either of your mouths is anything but "Thank you for your purchase sir" - you'll have lost this sale, and all my future best buy business - forever"
Manager; "But"

She never got the second word out. I grabbed the credit card out of her hand, left the pile of stuff on the counter and walked right out.

I'd like to say I've NEVER gone back - but I have bought a few odds and ends on a couple of occasions - but never anything of serious value. Now the only reason I go to BB is to demo things I can't demo over the internet. The list of things I've bought elsewhere because of that one day:

$3600 TV
2 Pairs of $300 headphones
countless video games
countless CDs (ya I still buy CDs)
5ish nintendo DS games for my kids (as well as the DSi XL in the original incident)
$1000 computer monitor
a number of high end mice and keyboards
any and all computer peripherals (such as usb drives, webcams, etc.)

The only thing I'll miss about best buy is the ability to use them for demoing equipment, and then buying it elsewhere cheaper.

Personally, I'd like the Best Buy's and the like to die - leave the day to day consumer electronics for the online retailers. Then hopefully with the death of the mega electronics stores - the smaller mom and pop high end equipment shops can thrive again.
 
Dude: "that'll be $300" (or whatever it was)
I hand him my card - hovering manager take the card right out of his hand.
Manager: "Sir you need to sign your credit card"
Me: "right, here's my driver's license" I hand her my license
Manager: "Sir, you NEED to sign your credit card"
Me pissed: "heh, actually, no I don't"
Manager: "the credit card companies are telling us that we can't accept cards blah blah blah:
Me Super Pissed: "Lady look. I'm NOT signing the card - I don't do that, and I don't need to explain myself to you. I'm not interested in your upsells, and I don't care about anything other than buying this pile of stuff right now. Do you want my money or not?"
Me: /ultimatum "if the next words out of either of your mouths is anything but "Thank you for your purchase sir" - you'll have lost this sale, and all my future best buy business - forever"
Manager; "But"

She never got the second word out. I grabbed the credit card out of her hand, left the pile of stuff on the counter and walked right out.

I'd like to say I've NEVER gone back - but I have bought a few odds and ends on a couple of occasions - but never anything of serious value. Now the only reason I go to BB is to demo things I can't demo over the internet. The list of things I've bought elsewhere because of that one day:

$3600 TV
2 Pairs of $300 headphones
countless video games
countless CDs (ya I still buy CDs)
5ish nintendo DS games for my kids (as well as the DSi XL in the original incident)
$1000 computer monitor
a number of high end mice and keyboards
any and all computer peripherals (such as usb drives, webcams, etc.)

The only thing I'll miss about best buy is the ability to use them for demoing equipment, and then buying it elsewhere cheaper.

Personally, I'd like the Best Buy's and the like to die - leave the day to day consumer electronics for the online retailers. Then hopefully with the death of the mega electronics stores - the smaller mom and pop high end equipment shops can thrive again.

They can be legally liable for that transaction, crazypants. :rolleyes:

While checking card security features, you should also make sure that the card is signed. An unsigned card is considered invalid and should not be accepted. If a customer gives you an unsigned card, the following steps must be taken:
• Check the cardholder’s ID. Ask the cardholder for some form of official government identification, such as a driver’s license or passport. Where permissible by law, the ID serial number and expiration date should be written on the sales receipt before you complete the transaction.
• Ask the customer to sign the card. The card should be signed within your full view, and the signature checked against the customer’s signature on the ID. A refusal to sign means the card is still invalid and cannot be accepted. Ask the customer for another signed Visa card.
• Compare the signature on the card to the signature on the ID.
If the cardholder refuses to sign the card, and you accept it, you may end up with financial liability for the transaction should the cardholder later dispute the charge.

If you don't sign your card and allow them to compare signatures right there, they are legally not supposed to run that card. I have received training straight from financial institutions on this. Retailers aren't even supposed to accept cards signed. "See ID". Way to get butthurt over them obeying lawful transaction stipulations.
 
Oh don't get me wrong - I know they aren't technically supposed to accept signed cards. That's fine. But everybody else does...

The frustration is with the "follow the leader" mentality these people seem to blindly accept, and BB's willingness to populate their stores with these sheep who simply regurgitate the scripted sales pitches (regardless of what the consumer wants).

People are annoying (especially myself :D) But there's something to be said for "the customer is always right" They have a choice with every human interaction a) Understand the client, and sell the guy what's he's there to get (and maybe if you're good you'll sell him a bit more) or b) treat the customer like an idiot, and shove crap down his throat - and then be the ONLY place in 20+ years of having an unsigned credit card that won't accept it.

No skin off my back - I'll just take my business elsewhere. That's why Best Buy will go out of business.

Scratch protection followed by a "you HAVE to sign your card" PFFFT

Give me a break! LOL
 
Oh don't get me wrong - I know they aren't technically supposed to accept signed cards. That's fine. But everybody else does...

The frustration is with the "follow the leader" mentality these people seem to blindly accept, and BB's willingness to populate their stores with these sheep who simply regurgitate the scripted sales pitches (regardless of what the consumer wants).

People are annoying (especially myself :D) But there's something to be said for "the customer is always right" They have a choice with every human interaction a) Understand the client, and sell the guy what's he's there to get (and maybe if you're good you'll sell him a bit more) or b) treat the customer like an idiot, and shove crap down his throat - and then be the ONLY place in 20+ years of having an unsigned credit card that won't accept it.

No skin off my back - I'll just take my business elsewhere. That's why Best Buy will go out of business.

Scratch protection followed by a "you HAVE to sign your card" PFFFT

Give me a break! LOL

Well, I can understand how being offered thing after thing after thing after thing gets tiresome. That definitely doesn't help make the grab and go customers any happier. Some people just want to buy their stuff and take it home, not listen to a speech. So I totally read your frustration there. They gotta make the checkout simpler. It's a chore to shop at best buy now, and it needs to change or they will continue to piss people off.
 
The nearest non-Best Buy full fledged electronics store to me is a Microcenter 30 miles away. We really need Frys to expand.
 
Having just moved to an area where there is a Fry's nearby, I simply must check this place out. I keep hearing that it's like the holy grail of stores for nerds like myself. I figured it was just another Best Buy and the talk was cheap. But this continual praise for Fry's keeps hitting my ears... Could it be all that and then some? :confused:
 
Fry's is not the holy grail, but if I go there for PC games and components, nobody tries to upsell me junk. I haven't shopped for TVs or full PCs, and they do have salesmen roaming around those areas, so don't know about those sections.

The regular, run of the mill purchases are no hassle, go in, pick it off the shelf, buy it, then show it to the lady on the way out so she can verify your bag has 3 items in it and you didn't stuff a 4th in on the way to the door. For SSDs, CPUs and memory you might have to wait for the cashier to get it out of the cage too.

The salesmen are still salesmen, and not tech savvy, but how many people who read [H] really care about that?
 
Having just moved to an area where there is a Fry's nearby, I simply must check this place out. I keep hearing that it's like the holy grail of stores for nerds like myself. I figured it was just another Best Buy and the talk was cheap. But this continual praise for Fry's keeps hitting my ears... Could it be all that and then some? :confused:

You should go, I do not have a fry's but I have a microcenter. That store gets right at my earlier posts. They have lots of different stuff you just won't find in best buy. The problem with best buy is most of what they sell can be found at other places.

One poster said it best, wide but not deep selection at best buy.
 
Having just moved to an area where there is a Fry's nearby, I simply must check this place out. I keep hearing that it's like the holy grail of stores for nerds like myself. I figured it was just another Best Buy and the talk was cheap. But this continual praise for Fry's keeps hitting my ears... Could it be all that and then some? :confused:

you should go.Fry's is for electronics what walmart is for groceries.They cary everything you need but inspect each box you wanna buy and don't ask for help.
 
I loved my local TigerDirects. They used to have a wonderful return policy (accepted with no questions asked). Ever since they became CompUSA they've shifted into the Best Buy way of things by badgering you with employees as soon as you get in the store but then avoid you when you actually need help. There are always 5-6 employees hanging out at the front door to try and grab the first customer (I envision they sit around playing rock paper scissors to see who gets first bite). They have begun asking too many questions on returns and tacking on a 15% restocking fee on open items.
 
I made a quick trip to BB yesterday since I was in the area. As is usual, I was greeted in a friendly manner when I entered the store. I was then browsing some DVD and BD deals when a salesman, as is typical, asked if I need any help. I kindly declined. Then for the first time (for me), he asked what cable company I used. I told him I don't and he went away. I then heard him asking other customers if they need help and about their cable company. I don't see anything wrong with it - it's not like he bothered me. 2 quick questions, not even a total of 30 sec. of interacting with him.
 
I will not miss BB one bit what so ever, by far the worst customer service I have got besides AT&T
 
you should go.Fry's is for electronics what walmart is for groceries.They cary everything you need but inspect each box you wanna buy and don't ask for help.

This is VERY important when going to Fry's.

I only go to Fry's if I need a cable or something else electronics-related now. I avoid it for computers after what happened years ago.

They had a sale for Micron 1 GB kit of 333 MHz DDR1 RAM (512 MB x2). Stupid me didn't check the items at the sales counter. The sales clerk went to what they call the "cage" and took out the memory packaging and handed it to me.

I came home, opened it, saw no sticker, thought nothing of it and put it into my computer. Computer didn't boot up. Tested each stick by taking one out and putting one in. Nothing. After careful inspection, I saw that these were made by some company in China called RAMBUS memory, no relation to the other RAMBUS that makes XDR and XDR2 memory.

I tried to return it and exchange it for the actual RAM, but they refused because they thought I swapped out the memory sticks.

It was my very first PC desktop build and they didn't believe that. My previous computer was a Toshiba 335CDS laptop with a Pentium I 266MHz CPU in it and used EDO SODIMM RAM. How the hell would I have DDR RAM in the first place?

I tell people who I build computers for not to shop at Fry's now for computer parts, specifically memory and CPUs after my experience. They WILL swap out memory modules. Sadly, I'm not the only person that had this happened to them. Do a search on Google and you will find similar stories.

I sold the RAM to some guy on eBay for $5 shipped. I originally bought them for $55 to $60 at Fry's-- a loss of $50. The guy I sold it too actually knows what I said in the eBay description because I gave a very detailed explanation of why I was selling it for so cheap. He too was a victim of Fry's swapping scam as well but for a CPU. He buys broken, non-functional PC parts to turn them into artwork.

I still have the original Fry's receipt to this day.

So, I really recommend not buying from Fry's for computer parts, even Best Buy. If you need a brick and mortar store to buy them, be very careful of Fry's. Have the sales clerk literally open the packaging and inspect it. Be sure it's the ADVERTISED item.

I wish PC Club still existed to this day. I trusted them more than either Fry's or Best Buy, and the guys who worked there actually knew what they were talking about, even they were slightly expensive there.
 
WorstBuy simply become a used car salesman's schtick. They got to big for their britches to fast and then figured they could create brand exclusive products as other revenue streams and use the retail stores to house them and upsell them to customers. To top it off, they bait and switch advertising schemes stunk to high heaven, pissed people off and coupled with a largely ignorant sales and tactless floor management that pissed people off more makes the shopping experience there even worse. What's even more tactless is that they don't view as a customer, but rather as a potential thief, with their guard at the door, their secret agents roving the aisles, etc.

They are trying to be everything to everybody and in the end, they will be nothing to nobody and that makes me glad. The sooner they go away the better.
 
Uh oh... Don't get ME started on Best Buy...

You done did it now...

First off let me start off by disclosing some things; I actually worked for the Company for almost 6 years; Started off as a Cell Phone PROD (yes, that long ago - they are now called sales associates) and leaving (on my own account) as a Customer Service Manager.

I worked for the company from between 1999-2005. I was brainwashed, and molded, (16, at the time) in to the Best Buy regime. Before I go off and rant, I made some of the greatest friends, and NOT everyone working (at that time) were idiots. These were the days when Technicians were actually Technicians - we repaired VCR and services Printers in store. We truly were the non-commission store. Other than Managers, no one received Bonuses for sales (at that time).

What some need to understand is Best Buy spends TONS and TONS of money doing research on the things the implement. I remember shortly after starting we were forced to adopt the "C.A.R.E" program - Contact. Ask Questions. Recommend. Encourage"... Under Contact you had the 3x5 rule; If the customer is within 3 feet of you, or you have seen them unattended for more than 5 seconds - CONTACT them! Ask questions and "Qualify" the customer. Recommend at least THREE products, and ENCOURAGE them! Oh man, I'm getting goose bumps as I type... A few months later came CARE+, and so on.

I made my way from a Sales Prod, to a Full-Time Tech, Tech Supervisor, and then Customer Service Manager - All within 6 years before the age of 22. When I hear some of these "horror stories" of shady business practices, although some may not believe what they read/hear, I can attest to it - I've seen it done!!!!

I'm not sure if they still do this but at the time I was working for them, the company implemented a system where you would compete against other stores in your District, Regions, Company. The store I worked for had the greatest TECH department Company wide.. We made this all possible with some of the practices I was FORCED to do (at the time I did not know any better). As an example, for the Tech department you were rated by the services you generated.

It was not uncommon for the New PC sales to be marked down $60-100 to add a "PC TUNE UP" or "VIRUS/SPYWARE INSTALL". When the customer questioned the charge, they were told it was mandatory on all new computers and to look at the final cost; it was no more than the advertised price. Another favorite of mine was a customer would come in for a "VCR cleaning" and instead of charging them for the actual VCR sku, we would charge a "Tune Up" and adjust the price. Before GEEK SQUAD was even a thought, our Operations manager had great idea of putting a pricing sheet together and instruct customers to travel to Fry's, buy the components, and come back to us and we would put a "Custom" built computer together for them - Here's the kicker... USING COA's from shelf OS'es or from OPEN BOXed machines..

When MSN dial-up was a big thing where you could get $300 off anything in the store, again WE were instructed to sign people up, unaware... This held true for all other digital subscriptions; Magazines, Rhapsody, DirecTV, etc...

I can go ON and On about the all the things we were asked or forced to do but it truly makes me ill to my stomach - knowing how many people I over charged, or made them buy something they truly did not need...

As I got older, I slowly started realizing what was being done and how they treated the "non-team players" I decided Best Buy was not the company I wanted to work for. I only step foot in Best Buy for the same reasons others have shared; only to try/demo products before buying online. I refuse to support a company the employs tards who support business practices as the ones I witnessed first hand.
 
Sorry for the misspelled words and grammar/punctuation - I had to walk away a few times while writing and didn't bother proof reading before posting.
 
Easy to say IF you have a Fry's or Microcenter. Here in Wisconsin, unfortunately, if we lose Best Buy, we're out of luck for B&M electronics.
Yeah that is the stinky part about it. I used to go to CompUSA if I needed something PC related... because it was there and much faster to get it. Plus I like to look at things too and may or may not buy that item there... but just to see it up close.

Now that there is no CompUSA... we are stuck with the Bestbuys... I guess if you want another type store... there is also Milwaukee PC... just as over priced and all junk.
 
They can be legally liable for that transaction, crazypants. :rolleyes:

If you don't sign your card and allow them to compare signatures right there, they are legally not supposed to run that card. I have received training straight from financial institutions on this. Retailers aren't even supposed to accept cards signed. "See ID". Way to get butthurt over them obeying lawful transaction stipulations.

Checking signatures on credit-cards is rarely used. I cannot think of one transaction in the past decade of either of my cards , where a merchant has declined due to my blank signature pads.

Regardless, you have missed the point of the post entirely. The manager at the best-buy was contributing to the company's demise because she was doing her damnedest to provide the most rude form of customer service that is ultimately driving best-buy's customers permanently away.Can you not see that what this best-buy manager was doing had nothing to do with their concern over following rules, but simply to "win" an argument against the OP? She was "butthurt" because he had abruptly declined all of her upsell offerings.

Best-Buy has completely lost sight of their customers, as if they were some sort of a burden to them. It's further exacerbated by poor attitudes within this failing company.
 
after working for 2 years in geek squad, I can only hope BB dies faster

in 2 years we went from a knowledgeable support desk to a bunch of idiots that knew how to hook a computer up and talk, I did all the fixing in the back, when I left I think maybe one guy was left on that team who could actually do repairs

the prices were stupid high, employee discount was 5% over BB acquisition cost, amazing incentive for employees Ill give them that, but it gave employees a better eye towards the overpricing, 60 dollar HDMI cable, employee price of 2 dollars and 50 cents

This...my sister in law worked there. I got a monster cable for...$6 with her discount...cost + 5%.
 
I bought BF 3 for the Xbox there for a friends birthday... it came to like 68.50 wow.

That wasn't Best Buy's fault at all.
Console games are normally $60+ and with taxes, that sounds about right.
 
Best-Buy has completely lost sight of their customers, as if they were some sort of a burden to them. It's further exacerbated by poor attitudes within this failing company.

I see that this is definitely happening to the company overall. My recent conversation with some of my friends that work there is how frustrating the new return process is. They make it almost impossible to do a no-receipt return. You even have to show your photo ID if you have a receipt!! What the hell kind of crappy garbage is that?? They request a photo ID for all returns now. Has anybody else run into this?

In addition, they make it nigh impossible to do returns outside your 30 day window, even if it's just a few days. You can walk into Walmart or Target and do a no-receipt return 3 times per year with no trouble, merely showing your ID so they can track your usage. Best Buy is really trying hard to scare people away from shopping there with this one. I don't know what in the world they are thinking. Why would they intentionally scare buyers away? That kind of policy certainly scares ME away, and I worked there for almost seven years! :confused:
 
I see that this is definitely happening to the company overall. My recent conversation with some of my friends that work there is how frustrating the new return process is. They make it almost impossible to do a no-receipt return. You even have to show your photo ID if you have a receipt!! What the hell kind of crappy garbage is that?? They request a photo ID for all returns now. Has anybody else run into this?

Target also requires an ID for a no receipt exchange. Companies do this because there is a ton of fraud on returns and they need to be able to track who is making the returns before it gets out of hand.
 
I know it's very popular to bash BestBuy...and might even make someone feel superior for knowing other sources that generally have better deals...but I just do not get anyone taking joy in the loss of another B&M electronics retailer and the resultant lower competition.

I'll say it here - I like BestBuy.

Does that make me a moron? Hardly. I was on the Arpanet decades ago before many of you were born...and had my own domain on the internet in the 90s. I have been building computers for decades and sourcing parts from the darkest corners of the internet. That said, I like to have options.

In the past year, I have bought numerous items at BestBuy and gotten fantastic deals, including a Canon M41 video camera for $349 (when the low price on the internet was $500), a WD 2TB hard drive in November (post-flood) for $79, an HP Touchpad for $99, the exact model of LED TV that I wanted at a price lower than any other online retailer.

Are all prices there good? No. Do they have bargains? Yes. Hang out on slickdeals.net and wait. Can the staff pressure you? Sure...but I have never had any issue saying no. I don't have thin skin.

I like the option of buying locally, getting something quickly, and then being able to return or exchange the product with zero hassles if I change my mind or have an issue.

That is the exact reason why when I decided to buy a second WD 2TB last week, I searched the internet, found the best price on that model, and then went to BB on a slow night to see what they would do. The manager did not agree to match that price. He beat it by $5. That covered the tax difference. It also allowed me to buy knowing that if the drive clicked, vibrated, or otherwise performed differently than the other one that I had already, I could exchange it that day....instead of having to get an RMA, package it up, ship, and wait...as I am having to do with bad memory that Newegg just sent me.

Do I like Newegg? Hell yes. Do they suck because they want $329 for an i7 2600k when I bought the same CPU from Micro Center 3 weeks ago for $229? Hardly. You just need to competitively shop each purchase.

I am a Silver Rewards member at Best Buy, so I have 45 days to return anything...ANYTHING...or get it price matched in that period. If they match an online retailer's price, I buy locally...especially for items that I have a higher chance of returning.

Do I shop online? Hell yes...and have done so since the first such sites were established. I picked up two Touchpads for $85 from hp.com on the fist night of that firesale. Does that make the $99 TP that I got at BB a bad deal? Hardly.

Circuit City didn't have great prices either, but we lost out when they closed. Less competition is never good for a consumer...nor are fewer options.

Hey, my local grocery store doesn't always have the lowest prices on everything either, but they are convenient..and they do have good deals on some things every day. That doesn't make them worthless.

Okay, back to your bashing.
 
I was in BB today and now keep in mind I'm not a BB hater, they have there place, but man have they gone downhill. I am visiting some friends who live out of state and we thought we needed a quick cable extender so we pop in yesterday to buy it. I start looking through the store for the one we need and finally found it over by the GPS/car stereos... why? I can see shelving it with the PCs, TV or even the network stuff but I digress.

We ended up not needing it and tried to return it today. Big mistake. It took close to twenty minutes, not counting the waiting in line, to return an UNOPENED cable with a receipt. First the guy didn't know how to do the return, then my out of state ID was an issue... I'm like it's unopened. UNOPENED! What did they think I was doing swapping out bad merch with some custom blister packaging, eighteen bucks at a time. I even have a receipt.

I was already visibly annoyed at that point and then, I will never forget what followed, the manager came and tried hard to upsell me direcTV before continuing to ring my return, I pointed again at my ID and said I'm just visiting. "Do you have cable you live?" "we have a special, today only" "last day, you sure you don't want it" "come on, how about some free magazines to read on the plane instead (which doesn't make sense because it's a sub to your house)" I was almost speechless at the balls on this woman. No sane person is going to buy cable service in a best buy of all places, 3000 miles away from where they live.

After I regained my composure, I leaned in to the counter, lowered my hat and replied in a low even voice, "look lady, I know this is your job and all, far be it from me to tell you how to do it... I mean, I don't go to your mom's place of business and tell her how to push the 2-for-1 special while working the pole but if you don't hurry the hell up with my return, I'm gonna take my cable, come back here, set it on fire and leave it on the counter. I will eat the 18$ bucks.

Her face must have been priceless since my friend who originally needed the cable started laughing hysterically. And not another word was spoken as I quickly got my money back: Achievement unlocked.

Juvenile, yes. Worth it, oh hell yes.

Cool story, bro :)
 
I see that this is definitely happening to the company overall. My recent conversation with some of my friends that work there is how frustrating the new return process is. They make it almost impossible to do a no-receipt return. You even have to show your photo ID if you have a receipt!! What the hell kind of crappy garbage is that?? They request a photo ID for all returns now. Has anybody else run into this?

In addition, they make it nigh impossible to do returns outside your 30 day window, even if it's just a few days. You can walk into Walmart or Target and do a no-receipt return 3 times per year with no trouble, merely showing your ID so they can track your usage. Best Buy is really trying hard to scare people away from shopping there with this one. I don't know what in the world they are thinking. Why would they intentionally scare buyers away? That kind of policy certainly scares ME away, and I worked there for almost seven years! :confused:

Walmart has done it for around 10 years, and your second paragraph is contracting the first. You are pissed that Best Buy asked you for ID but think it's fine that Walmart and Target do to track your return history. Best Buy is doing the same thing.
 
I just returned a cable yesterday and they did ask for my ID. They aren't doing this to scare away customers, I mean that doesn't even make sense for crying out loud. They're doing it to curb the amount of people that buy (borrow) something while the same, cheaper item is being shipped from their favorite online retailer. They simply are just having a difficult time competing right now.
 
Not sure what the big deal is about showing your ID. It is well-documented that they and other retailers get ripped off by people returning things not bought there, pulled off the shelf while in the store, or replaced with a lower quality item in the box. They have a decent return policy that is better than many other electronics retailers.

I mentioned above that I got a good deal on a hard drive there last week. Within a day or two of buying it, I got an email coupon from them for triple reward points on a purchase made this past weekend. I walked in on Saturday with my receipt, but without the product. Without hesitation, they issued a refund and then resold it to me applying the coupon...and I didn't have the product with me. It was at home installed in my PC. I also have nearly a month and a half to get price matched even lower...and have a slickdeal alert setup to detect such lower prices.

Multiple times in the past I have noted that the price of something that I bought there went down...so I dropped by, without the product OR the receipt...and just showed the credit card that I used to purchase the item...and they credited the difference without any hassle.

Their corporate return policies are very flexible...and often better than lauded retailers like newegg. Are you getting a refund when the price of something that you bought on newegg goes down the day after you buy it? Um, no. Can you return everything that you buy on newegg for a full cash refund with no questions asked? No...many items are marked as not refundable.

Are there certain Best Buy's that have sketchy employees or a management team that pushes decent employees to apply high pressure tactics? Sure, but that never forced me to do anything. I suppose that I am also fortunate that the Best Buys in my area do not seem to be in that camp.
 
bestbuy ain't that bad to me when they have clearance, I bought DoW II Chaos Rising, Wheelman, Darkspore and Spiderman web of shadows all for PC for $5/ea new. not bad for clearance. Also their online deals are decent especially when all/most of them have free shipping.

Their service in store, I bothered by them if I need help (they just ask once). One of the gamestops near me, has one annoying as hell employee though.
 
Scuba Steve in VA, well said with those 2 posts. I'm not a BB hater either. I try to find deals on what I want and if it happens to be at BB, then great. If Newegg, Amazon, etc. has a better deal and I don't need it right away, then I'll buy it on-line. :cool:

auspexd, technically, you could've been charged with threatening to commit arson. :eek:
 
Sadly although Bestbuy has not been the best for me when taking into considering online stores, it is the only big pc-related store within the 30mile radius of where I live... I guess good news is, I will spend less money now..
 
Scuba Steve in VA, well said with those 2 posts. I'm not a BB hater either. I try to find deals on what I want and if it happens to be at BB, then great. If Newegg, Amazon, etc. has a better deal and I don't need it right away, then I'll buy it on-line. :cool:

auspexd, technically, you could've been charged with threatening to commit arson. :eek:

I realized that later but that is why when you threaten someone, you don't make a scene; rather, you speak in a real low joking kinda of voice when you do it. Her word against mine because I'm sure BB would rather fire her ass instead of dealing with any legal headaches when they could replace her with another drone making the state minimum.

I may sink to their level and be juvenile sometime but I used to work for the state and I have a finely honed sense of CYOA. It's a like my own spidey sense.
 
Does anyone honestly think Best Buy as a company is going to fail as a company any time in the near future?

There are way too many consumers too stupid to attempt shopping online.

Anyway, Best Buy has one of the best return policies I've ever seen.

I would've said the same thing about Circuit City before they went under.
 
I would've said the same thing about Circuit City before they went under.

And, look how long they practiced shady business practices before they did. It takes almost as many brains, greed and, work to waste millions, as it does to earn them.
 
Walmart has done it for around 10 years, and your second paragraph is contracting the first. You are pissed that Best Buy asked you for ID but think it's fine that Walmart and Target do to track your return history. Best Buy is doing the same thing.

I didn't contradict myself, I just didn't explain properly. There is a BIG difference between Walmart and Target, and then Best Buy. Best Buy demands to see my ID even if I have a receipt, and it's almost impossible to do a no-receipt return even with your ID there nowadays.

Walmart and Target use your ID for no-receipt returns to track how many you do in a year, which I am fine with. I wouldn't want a repeat abuser of my lenient return policy if I owned a store, so I understand that. But they don't when I have a legit receipt in hand and am within the return policy, unless they have recently changed to match Best Buy as well.

My point was that it's a bit preposterous to scan in someone's ID if they have a valid receipt, especially if the merchandise isn't even opened! The store loses nothing but a couple minutes of labor for the return, and I'm probably just going to spend that money on something else there later anyways!
 
I would've said the same thing about Circuit City before they went under.
About CC, I wonder what really made them go out of business, BB or e-tailers like Amazon, Newegg, etc. I'm sure a combination of both, but what was the stiffer competition for CC?
 
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