What do you think of Best Buy? (1 Viewer)

[Stephen Weller]

Locally, you can hardly get them to answer the phone. When you do, it's usually a minion with an attitude (for making them answer the phone). Maybe symptomatic of the economy/job market.

Price wise, anything that's popular or in demand is marked at MSRP. If something I want is on sale, I'll consider BB. But *only* if it's on sale.

Vote with your money. Practice conscious consumerism.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

I love Best Buy here. No problems with exchanges at all. Had to exchange Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back several time. People are pretty courteous on the phone, and the staff is friendly as hell. But that may just be a localized incident. Or just a Kentucky thing.

 

[Brandon_S]

Hey I worked at that Best Buy Dome!

My experience there as an employee was not a good one. Of the many jobs I have had in my life, I could never say I really hated going to one. Well, chalk Best Buy up as the first and only job I absolutely dreaded going into.

I worked with some great people there, but the atmosphere is pretty much management against everyone else. The average worker must sell service plans because their managers demand it on everything a customer purchases. And why do they demand this? Because good numbers = raises and free trips for the management team. What do the sales people get? Absolutely nothing!

I would only try to sell service plans on products I thought might warrant them. For example, RPTVs. But it is just stupid to expect customers to buy a $40 service plan on a $50 DVD player.

I specifically remember one instance when our PSP (Product Service Plan) numbers were so low that our supervisor demanded that we not let another TV leave the department that day without one. We were informed to tell people who wanted TVs without a service plan that their desired TV was not in stock (even if it was). Needless to say about 2 weeks later I turned in my walking papers.

As someone who loves home theater and loves to help people in getting into this great hobby, I always loved selling people the product. It was just the other shit that drove me insane.

About the only thing I buy at Best Buy now are DVDs and CDs. I would never make a huge purchase there as the hounding on getting a warranty is just too great. Like others have said, stick to the specialty shops for your HT gear needs!

 

[EricSchulz]

I have had good experiences with them on the limited merchandise I get from there. I got a Toshiba TV there (a Xmas present from my parents) and most of my DVD's that I can't get at Target. I had a pleasant salesperson on the TV sale: he asked ONCE if I would be interested in an extended warranty and didn't pressure me when I declined. I have had to return DVD's twice, with no hassles. I purchased "Dead & Buried" yesterday; it was priced at $19.99, but scanned at $22.99. The cashier promptly fixed it. (Although I will say that their DVD prices are getting to be more expensive that CC, but this store has a much better selection.)

 

[mike_frontier]

FWIW... my cousin works @ CC and does not know $hit about anything he really sales.

He tells people that Full Screen DvDs are better then Widescreen dvds. I try to correct him, but he refuses to listen.
I feel sorry for the customers that he sells products to. I am sure that is why CC and BB has a lot of returned items... do to there careless information that they provide to there customers. Sad!!

When I go to either store I get what I need and I am out. The only good thing the BB reps are for is to know where the items are at or to get something from the back. I call them runners

 

[Dillon*G]

I really enjoy Best Buy.When they don't have the cheapest price I just have them to match with their competitors.I also like Best Buy because I get to use the reward zone card which I get a lot of reward certificates from.It may be since I only buy dvd's from Best Buy but I usually have a good experience.

 

[John Jones]

Well here is my "horror story" from BB. My friend asked me to help her purchase a Home theater in a box. We went to the BB closest to us (40 miles)and the nice salesperson spent over an hour showing us all the HT's they had and everything we needed to get extra.(cables surge protectors) When we finaly made a choice on a $900.00 rig, the salseperson discovered they did not have any in stock. But he called another BB that did have the item in stock, gave us the name of the person to see and sent us over(another 20 miles) to "pick it up". When we got there and looked up that salesperson, he pulled the item from the shelf and then began a high pressure sales pitch of how we needed a high end surge protector. I told him we already had been over thoes items and we just wanted to pick up our machine! He then proceeded to tell us how "sorry" the cables were that came with the system and they were only in there because they were "required by law"!! I could not belive how this person was trying to BS me, He even went as far as telling us the first salesperson we talked to "didn't know what he was "talking about" I told that Best Buy salesperson where he could put that $900.00 system, looked at my friend, and said "lets get the hell out of here and buy that Onkyo system online from Crutchfield" Which we did!

 

[Steve Meil]

Let me tell you a story about Best Buy

First there DVD's are at almost full retail-see other post about buying DVD's

Twice I tried to buy a computer and couln't find anyone to wait on me. When I finally got someone they couldn't or wouldn't accept my discount coupon. All they care about is selling you an overprice warranty. I wound up going to Comp-USA. I also tried to buy a big screen TV and couldn't get anyone to wait on me or answer any questions. I went Soundtract and had my TV delivered the same day. I will not buy anything at Best Buy unless it is an emergency and everyone goes out of buisness

 

[GeorgeTW]

Sometimes a warranty is great for shoddy consumer equipment. I bought a panasonic dvd 3 years ago, and it stopped working almost as soon as I got it. Because I had a second machine, I never got around to talking it back until a week ago. The extended warranty covered all the costs, and BB called me today to say it was ready to be picked up. If it doesn't work perfectly, I still have two weeks left to take it back again.

 

[Jay Centeno]

For the most part I think the store is "okay" at best. Most of the staff is clueless about the product they sell. The one's who do have half a clue about the product, know just enough to try and "BS" you into buying an extended warranty for whatever and the rest of them really don't want to be there and wish you weren't either.

 

[Shawn_KE]

I have no problems with Best Buy. Have a decent selection of dvd's and decent prices. They are a convinence when picking up computer related stuff ect.

When I bought my 50" ws toshiba, I priced shopped and got the best price around and they matched it. Then on top of that, I got to slap a 10% coupon they sent me.

 

[DouglasRobert]

I usually buy DVD's from them. 2nd choice after Wal-Mart. Go to Wal-Mart first for the prices.

I have found that Best Buy has the largest DVD selection around. Way larger than Wal-Mart, bigger than Circuit City.

I once had a defective copy of Pearl Harbor, it turned into a scramble of boxes during the raid on Tokyo scene. Went there and exchanged it without any problem. They didn't even verify that there was a problem with it, just told me to go pick up another one.

And almost every time I am looking at DVD's, one of their employee's would come up and ask "Are you finding every thing?" or something like that. Then going to the checkout, the cashier usually asks if I "Found everything I was looking for?"

They seem helpful enough to me, and meets my needs.

The only thing that I get disgusted about is those stupid security devices that they attach to box sets, they have them on too tight and damage the packaging. Of course I know other stores use them also, so it's not just a negative against Best Buy, but all stores that use them. I will probably just buy them from some where that doesn't use them or on-line.

 

[Shawn C]

I posted this on the bestbuysucks site as well:

I went there to buy a new cordless phone and 2 extension phones for my new house. I found what I needed and proceeded to check out. When I got to checkout counter, the person at the register saw what I was buying and called for a manager/supervisor to come over. Once the manager showed up, the clerk then started babbling on about the extended warranty I could buy for my phones.

I said “No’. He then continued on and I again said “NO, I DON”T WANT IT”. He got a crappy look on his face and started to continue the transaction. The manager/supervisor then asked me “Is there any reason that you don’t want the extended warranty?” “NO, I JUST DON”T WANT IT!” I almost walked out on the whole thing. How many times do you have to say “NO” to these people? I felt like I was at a car dealership.

 

[Malcolm R]

Well, another trip to Best Buy, another trip to the service desk to fix their errors. Merchandise not ringing up at advertised sale prices. "Markdown will be taken at register" my ass!

I continue to be amazed that this company can function at all given the number of errors they make on my transactions. They must screw a huge number of people every day. Do these people not notice? Or simply don't care if it's only a couple dollars?

Not to mention their amazing, on-going movie categorization farce. I found "Croupier" and "In the Cut" both in the SciFi section this weekend, with SciFi clearly indicated on their labels.

Amazing.

 

[Shawn_Z]

I normally don't chime in on vendor comments unless they are really good or really bad . In the case of best buy I would have to say they follow the later.

My last experience with them was last week when my cousin asked me to go computer shopping with him. He wanted a "in the box" computer....had the money , but still did not wanna get to raped on the deal.

I won't go into all the gorey details, but I almost snatched the guy over the counter at one point.

Here are a few of the paraphrased one liners from the sales/tech staff.

BB employee: There is a new virus out, and we will go ahead and patch'n' update this thing with the new critical MS updates for $30.00.( they kindly offered to lower that price to 15 bucks if he would sign up for a year of norton antivirus for some outrageous price. )

Me: Umm, no thanks. I will do that for him

BB: Sir, I wish you could. This new virus gets you the time you hit the internet. No way to get to the updates before you are wiped out. It was on the news. This 17 y/o kid is being chased by the FBI. We will get you up and running though, just say the word.

Me: Ummm, I will be sure to firewall him, and add a good virus scan package (trying to be polite).

BB: Well, We are not responsible... This thing is gunna crash for sure, and it is a service fee to fix it. I don't make commission ....I'm just trying to help. You watch the news? You do whatever you want.

Me: (playing along) "well, if that is the case then this computer is not internet ready...... not plug and go like the box says.... you guys don't get the things ready for customers before they buy. I can't believe you would sell something that is not ready to go?"

This of course threw the salesguy for a tailspin, but he was quickly saved by his counterpart who very smoothly said( "man we would be working round the clock to keep up with all the virus stuff for customers.....that 30 bucks barely covers our cost to update it. We just charge for time, not the files")

Me: so you guys must have the updates on disk, since you cannot access the internet to get them. We will just take the free updates on disk then, and not set you guys back on labor....since it is not a profit thing. You need a disk to copy the updates and virus definitions on...I got one in the car?"

BB employess: Blank Stares.



Now, all the while, my cousin who is not very computer savy is turning white fearing his new computer is going to explode upon clicking the phone line in the back. He almost gives in to the unrelentless presure of a $70 (free update).

Not to mention he told them 3 times he did not want online service or the temporary MS office and norton stuff on the pc......they swiped his debit card (in addition to his BB card). So I asked them why they were doing that. Finally they rounded third with the resonse that basically said after 3 months(90 days free trial) they bill you the yearly "lease" retail fee for norton, MS office and AOL (which they give you a screen name and password for on the spot (becasue they have to put one of them (aol,msn, or earthlink) in the computer.
..... trickery at it's finest.

Then they tell him that a surge protector will not work that he must have a battery back up. I actually got him one, but the sales guys reasoning was less than truthfull.

AND finally we end up at the warranty sales pitch. We went through not one....not two...but three people walking up to help the sales guy pitch the warrany. $200.00 warranty for a $600 box computer.(minus the printer and monitor) That is roughly 33% of the sales price for the love of God. They had a well rehersed response to the "no thank you's" we offered. I understand the line between customer service and salesmanship is , and should be treaded upon. I myself am a marketing manager. They, however, traveled over the line and made themselves AND the store look bad.

Finally, I told them all they were going beyond selling and being rude. I also told them I find it hard to believe that they could push so many half truths, and miss information on thier customers and still believe they had the knowlege and ability to be a reputable sales person.

We spent 4 hours in best buy getting a box system and I say never again.

We had to take the unit back for a faulty modem, and while waiting I listened to the salesguys pitch the same tired lines over and over again to thier customers. It is one thing to hear someone cue card reading. These guys were saying the same thing, with the same mannerisms and cute "one liners" over and over again. It was so sad. My customers would have eaten them alive and sent them home crying to thier moma's.

If the local Circuit City has as much floor space , they would never be able to stay around here.

Just my thoughts. Sorry to rant. I believe the figures I gave are correnct (though i tried not to pay to much attention. However the attitudes are my point at hand.

 

[Adam W]

Wow, a lot of people really hate Best Buy. I personally love the store. I get my CDs and DVDs at outstanding prices the week they come out and great prices later on. I don't go in there expecting them to know alot of information about the products they sell, that is what a specialty store is for. They know a modest amount of information which is all they need to know for their average consumer.

Also, my Best Buy has a new home theater section that is in the back where the crappy speaker auditioning room used to be. Now they have Yamaha projectors and Mistubishi Diamond TV's. They also have better informed staff working there who have one darker blue shirts to show off their power.

 

[Jeff_HR]

I normally don't chime in on vendor comments unless they are really good or really bad . In the case of best buy I would have to say they follow the later.

My last experience with them was last week when my cousin asked me to go computer shopping with him. He wanted a "in the box" computer....had the money , but still did not wanna get to raped on the deal.

I won't go into all the gorey details, but I almost snatched the guy over the counter at one point.

Here are a few of the paraphrased one liners from the sales/tech staff.

BB employee: There is a new virus out, and we will go ahead and patch'n' update this thing with the new critical MS updates for $30.00.( they kindly offered to lower that price to 15 bucks if he would sign up for a year of norton antivirus for some outrageous price. )

Me: Umm, no thanks. I will do that for him

BB: Sir, I wish you could. This new virus gets you the time you hit the internet. No way to get to the updates before you are wiped out. It was on the news. This 17 y/o kid is being chased by the FBI. We will get you up and running though, just say the word.

Me: Ummm, I will be sure to firewall him, and add a good virus scan package (trying to be polite).

BB: Well, We are not responsible... This thing is gunna crash for sure, and it is a service fee to fix it. I don't make commission ....I'm just trying to help. You watch the news? You do whatever you want.

Me: (playing along) "well, if that is the case then this computer is not internet ready...... not plug and go like the box says.... you guys don't get the things ready for customers before they buy. I can't believe you would sell something that is not ready to go?"

This of course threw the salesguy for a tailspin, but he was quickly saved by his counterpart who very smoothly said( "man we would be working round the clock to keep up with all the virus stuff for customers.....that 30 bucks barely covers our cost to update it. We just charge for time, not the files")

Me: so you guys must have the updates on disk, since you cannot access the internet to get them. We will just take the free updates on disk then, and not set you guys back on labor....since it is not a profit thing. You need a disk to copy the updates and virus definitions on...I got one in the car?"

BB employess: Blank Stares.



Now, all the while, my cousin who is not very computer savy is turning white fearing his new computer is going to explode upon clicking the phone line in the back. He almost gives in to the unrelentless presure of a $70 (free update).

Not to mention he told them 3 times he did not want online service or the temporary MS office and norton stuff on the pc......they swiped his debit card (in addition to his BB card). So I asked them why they were doing that. Finally they rounded third with the resonse that basically said after 3 months(90 days free trial) they bill you the yearly "lease" retail fee for norton, MS office and AOL (which they give you a screen name and password for on the spot (becasue they have to put one of them (aol,msn, or earthlink) in the computer.
..... trickery at it's finest.

Then they tell him that a surge protector will not work that he must have a battery back up. I actually got him one, but the sales guys reasoning was less than truthfull.

AND finally we end up at the warranty sales pitch. We went through not one....not two...but three people walking up to help the sales guy pitch the warrany. $200.00 warranty for a $600 box computer.(minus the printer and monitor) That is roughly 33% of the sales price for the love of God. They had a well rehersed response to the "no thank you's" we offered. I understand the line between customer service and salesmanship is , and should be treaded upon. I myself am a marketing manager. They, however, traveled over the line and made themselves AND the store look bad.

Finally, I told them all they were going beyond selling and being rude. I also told them I find it hard to believe that they could push so many half truths, and miss information on thier customers and still believe they had the knowlege and ability to be a reputable sales person.

We spent 4 hours in best buy getting a box system and I say never again.

We had to take the unit back for a faulty modem, and while waiting I listened to the salesguys pitch the same tired lines over and over again to thier customers. It is one thing to hear someone cue card reading. These guys were saying the same thing, with the same mannerisms and cute "one liners" over and over again. It was so sad. My customers would have eaten them alive and sent them home crying to thier moma's.

If the local Circuit City has as much floor space , they would never be able to stay around here.

Just my thoughts. Sorry to rant. I believe the figures I gave are correnct (though i tried not to pay to much attention. However the attitudes are my point at hand.

This is why after buying my 1st computer at BB over ten years ago that I NOW build my own computers from scratch & function as my own resource tech almost 100% of the time.

 

[Jon Martin]

Wow. Kind of surprised by some of the comments about Best Buy.

About the extended warranties, this is one of my biggest problems. Even though they are closer to me, I've stopped buying any big ticket items at Circuit City over this, at times, borderline abusive bullying to buy the extended warranty.

If you watch them, whenever someone goes to buy something at Circuit City, a second clerk will immediately show up to help give the extended warranty pitch. I bought a stereo from them a few years ago, couldn't find a clerk when I wanted to buy it, but once I did, I had two try to ring up my purchase. The guy was practically yelling at me when I said I wasn't interested. He was even trying to tell the first guy not to give me the rebate information. I couldn't believe it. I almost walked out without buying it.

Last week, I went to buy a Tivo. Again, Circuit City is closer to me, but I went to Best Buy so I wouldn't have to deal with the extended warranty pitch.

The person at Best Buy couldn't have been nicer. He did his plug for the extended warranty but didn't push when I said I wasn't interested.

Sorry to read how others had an opposite reaction.

I read that Best Buy doesn't give commissions on sales of warranties while Circuit City does. I don't know if that is still the case.

 

[Matt Baldwin]

I have shopped at many large consumer electronic stores and find that they are all pretty much the same. Same layout, generally the same uneducated staff, and sometimes very limited choices.
Does that mean I hate the store? No, its very hard to find people who know what they are talking about in every city and we must remember that BB and stores like Circuit City are pretty mainstream. I think some of the blame for bad services lays in part with the stores, but having been on both side of the fences I also feel that consumers must become more educated about what they are buying and not expect the store to answer all their questions.
It only takes an hour or so depending on what you are buying to do a little research on the net or at the library. In the long run it can be very helpful.
Large electronic chains are out to make money all business's unfortunately along the way sometimes good honest customer service is forgotten. To protect yourself it is really a good investment to take the time, such as this forum, to look into what you are buying and know some of its faults and good points!
Thanks for reading this rant!

 

[Brandon_S]

I read that Best Buy doesn't give commissions on sales of warranties while Circuit City does. I don't know if that is still the case.

They don't give commissions to the actual floor sales people, but trust me, the supervisors and managers see the fruits of the EW sales. The managers will pretty much force you into selling so many so they can get a vacation at the end of the year or some nice bonus on their pay check. Did I have a problem telling people about the warranties? No. Did I have a problem lying to people about them because a manager wanted a bonus or wanted to go on vacation? Of course. That is why I left...and I don't regret it one bit.