Best Buy Not So Best? (1 Viewer)

[Jeremy Little]

Forget it, I tried to explain how to use the site.

 

[Chu Gai]

Well doesn't BB price match? If so, what good is having 2 links on the employee's computers if they pull up the higher priced one routinely?

 

[Jeremy Little]

Forget it, I tried to explain how to use the site.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Normally, I do not have a problem with stores not matching online prices due to your "overhead" argument, Mark. However, the one exception is when a website offers "in store pickup" as an option, such as at Best Buy and Circuit City. That means they are pulling the mechandise from the exact same stock when I order online and pickup as that being sold at the checkout counter. Also, the same in store staff has to pull the item off the shelf and bring it to the pick-up counter, where another in store staff person has to check me out.

In this case, even if Best Buy wants to claim otherwise, the website and store front are not separate businesses. The only difference is (1) when I give them my credit card, and (2) which line I stand in at the store.

 

[TravisR]

Best Buy's website and stores are treated as different businesses. You can complain all you want (and it does suck) but that's the way it is. Just because people expect the web price to match the store price, it does not have to and it does not make it bait and switch. Like others have said, buy it online and choose in store pick up and you'll get the web price.

 

[MarkHastings]

But in that respect, you are still bypassing the transaction at the store...but I do know what you mean. It doesn't seem fair that they won't price match in the store when you can order on the web and pick it up at the store.

But I'm still fine with that. Don't most of these places give their employees commission? One could argue that 'in store pickup' is bypassing the ability for the clerk to get a commission.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Actually, I've decided on a different option for almost all of my purchases -- order it online and have someone deliver it to my door. The lack of customer service at these big box stores, along with the convenience of not having to waste time going to the store, makes this the most attractive option for me. And since Best Buy charges both sales tax and shipping, their online site loses on price every time and my business goes elsewhere.

 

[MarkHastings]

Then why do they push the exntended warranties? I thought that was where they got their money from?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The stores, not the employees. make money on them. The managers may get an incentive bonus for selling so many extended warranties, but I do not think the employees get anything for pushing that snake oil.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

correct. i'm a former employee (thankfully), but i never had to sell anything, i was in car audio installation. but scott is right, managers get incentive bonuses, and normal employees receive nothing for selling service plans.

CJ

 

[Carlo_M]

Again, missing the point of it. The point isn't whether or not they'll match the web price. The point is that they pretend to look up the web price on their own local system that is mocked up to look like the website, but the price doesn't match what is on the site. Check my first post in this thread. That's what's happened to me and that's what is the focus of the investigation.

I would be fine if they said "we don't match". But to make it look like they're checking the web price on their internal "mock up" site that doesn't reflect what Bestbuy.com's prices are, is a deceitful practice. Because they're not saying they won't match, they're saying "what are you talking about? look our web price isn't any different!" when in fact it is.

 

[Jeremy Little]

Forget it, I tried to explain how to use the site.

 

[MarkHastings]

It's a clear case of deceit if an employee checks an intranet site and acts like they are accessing an internet site.

 

[Chris Lockwood]

> It's a clear case of deceit if an employee checks an intranet site and acts like they are accessing an internet site.

But it's only one letter different!

 

[Dave_Brown]

Then why are they admiting the problem and making efforts to change the apperance of the internal web site from that of the external one? Could it have something to do with a state Attorney General investigation?

"Under pressure from state investigators, Best Buy is now confirming reports that its stores have a secret intranet site that has been used to block some consumers from getting cheaper prices advertised on BestBuy.com.

Company spokesman Justin Barber, who in early February denied the existence of the internal website that could be accessed only by employees, says his company is "cooperating fully" with the state attorney general's investigation."

Rest of story here:
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc...-utility-local

 

[MarkHastings]

Hey, this isn't the Fun With Titles thread.

 

[MikeH1]

Umm, no. What does it take to cheat a customer then? Blatant signs on certain items that say "This item is not as cheap as you think from looking at the website and because it is more expensive we have a dummy site to prove you wrong".

They knew about this for a long time and whether it was initially set up for legit purposes or not, once they got wind of how effective duping customers was they went with it.

And of course then deny any knowledge or wrongdoing. Cut and dry IMO.

 

[TonyD]

maybe the csr's arent even aware that they are looking at the wrong site?

 

[Jeremy Little]

Forget it, I tried to explain how to use the site.

 

[MarkHastings]

Jeremy, if an employee says that the store will match the online price, then says he is pulling up the online web site, then pulls up a different web site than the one online...isn't he lying?