The official "And today at Best Buy..." thread

[englishboy15]

And today at Best Buy, I bought a copy of The Bourne Identity, marked at $19.99. I had, however, a 20% off coupon for a DVD. The coupon didn't scan correctly, so the clerk had to call the manager. The problem wasn't entering the correct price--the manager knew how to do this. The problem was figuring out how much to subtract from the marked price--basically, what's 20% of $20? No lie.

Me: "It's four dollars."
The manager: "I've been down this road before." (He really said that.) "I'm going to get a calculator."

And so he found a calculator to figure out 20% of $20. Surprisingly, it was $4. After which he returned the calculator to another clerk.

Then he proceded to imput the new price as $16.99.

Me: "It should be $15.99"
The manager: "Everyone tries to get an extra dollar off."

Needless to say we got the calculator again and, what a surprise, $19.99 minus $4 is actually $15.99.

So it took me about ten minutes to save four bucks. But at least I left knowing that there would be jobs for the junior high drop outs of the world. I guess that's a good thing.

[JPRaup]

thats hilarious

[Copenhagen]

Fun with math :lol:

[Rammsteinfan]

I run into that from time to time... its great. Education at its finest.

[Case01]

that clerk got SERVED!

[Mr. Salty]

Originally posted by englishboy15
Then he proceded to imput the new price as $16.99.
But did he know how to spell proceeded or input correctly?

[Rockmjd23]

if your thread was official, it would be in the right forum.

[Sex Fiend]

Originally posted by Mr. Salty
But did he know how to spell proceeded or input correctly?

Dude, lay off. He's englishboy, not english student boy...

Besides, if someone is a math genius, is it really so important to be able to spell perfectly, too?

[Jackskeleton]

Ha. That's pretty damn funny. Good story.

A++ will read again. ;)

[GizmoDVD]

Jack, LOL! A++++++

[Razor Ramon]

Being a cashier at a grocery/department store, I can tell the other side of the story.

When one spends the greater part of his/her life working a mindnumbingly boring job such as cashier, one tends to drink and/or smoke more pot than one should. This also leads to staying up till 5AM, or coming to work hung over. In this state, simple mathematic problems become... problems.

LOL... there's no excuse for being a dumb ass. I find that the higher you go in the ladder towards managers, they get dumber and dumber. So I try to figure out the math myself, and have everything ready so all that's left is for the manager to punch in their override code.

[boredsilly]

:lol: thats a great story. At least the manager didn't give you shit about the coupon though.

[badlieut]

He's a moron...on the registers at BB there is an item discount button. It will give you the option of entering either a specific dollar amount off or a percentage off. They could've hit that and then entered the 20% off. It saves all of the mindnumbing extremely difficult percentage calculations.

[Shap]

On the opposite side of the spectrum..

When I worked at Circuit City, there was once a person who purchased a few CDs and disputed the total price with me. He said "You are overcharging for these CDs! It should be five dollars cheaper!" He had me cancel the order and scan everything in again one by one while he examined the computer screen closely to make sure it matched the sticker on the CD. When I was all done (again), he still insisted it was five dollars higher than what it should be, and that the computer was adding them up wrong. I didn't know what to do at this point so I asked him how he was getting his price.

He then added up all the dollar amounts of the CDs, conveniently leaving off the 99 cents on each price. I told him that and he got furious with me; it was as if I told him I raped his daughter. He started one of those "Do you think I'm stupid? That I can't add?!" rages, and I just looked at him without replying. He then snatched the CDs away and walked up to the front counter (I was in the CD department) and paid for them there.

[jpdude]

You should have put the $4.00 that you saved to good use and bought him a copy of "Math for Dummies".

[kayak99]

Posted elsewhere but I also had the same 20% coupon not ring up at BB but I was prepared.

Yesterday at BB, when I handed the cashier three dvd's & the coupon I said I wanted to see what it would ring up as. (sort of as if I would not buy if it failed to give me the discount)

Two of the dvd's were new with the sale price. They all rang up as normal then she rang the coupon. It rang zero three times. I then said I guessed she had to ring the discount herself. She did, gave me 20% off everything and off I went.

Gotta love (and hate) BB. :)

[scroll2b]

Originally posted by boredsilly
:lol: thats a great story. At least the manager didn't give you shit about the coupon though.

Technically, he did get shit because of the coupon. ;)

[Dabaomb]

Tarantino is that you?

[kmac2878]

http://img44.exs.cx/img44/8899/mathjoke.jpg

[malkmuz]

i agree, the manager didn't handle it correctly with his snide comments, but part of working retail is dealing with people every day who try to scam, cheat, and steal whatever they can. so i understand when people in stores are a bit skeptical over things like this, even when they are dummies. :)

[Jon2]

Originally posted by englishboy15
But at least I left knowing that there would be jobs for the junior high drop outs of the world.

Considering that one can graduate from the public educational system of this country and be functionally illiterate, he probably wasn't a drop-out.

[rfduncan]

Originally posted by kayak99
Posted elsewhere but I also had the same 20% coupon not ring up at BB but I was prepared.

Yesterday at BB, when I handed the cashier three dvd's & the coupon I said I wanted to see what it would ring up as. (sort of as if I would not buy if it failed to give me the discount)

Two of the dvd's were new with the sale price. They all rang up as normal then she rang the coupon. It rang zero three times. I then said I guessed she had to ring the discount herself. She did, gave me 20% off everything and off I went.

Gotta love (and hate) BB. :)
I thought that coupon wasn't good until today. :hscratch:

NOTE TO OP: This thread is NOT a DVD Talk subject. It should be in the Store Forum.

[Dabaomb]

Originally posted by malkmuz
i agree, the manager didn't handle it correctly with his snide comments, but part of working retail is dealing with people every day who try to scam, cheat, and steal whatever they can. so i understand when people in stores are a bit skeptical over things like this, even when they are dummies. :)

the sad part is that he was the manager -ohbfrank-

[Tarantino]

Originally posted by Dabaomb
Tarantino is that you?

Yeah, that was me.

My bad about the coupon, long night. Seems like you're smarter than most customers though, because you didn't ask what everyone else seemingly asks..."Where do I pay for this?". (me pointing to the HUGE sign that says checkout, which is visible from any point in the store) - "See that HUGE sign over there that says CHECKOUT at the front of the store, which you passed when you walked in? Yeah, there."

That's only after I've been stopped a million times, being asked if we have Spider-Man 2 on DVD or if we sell lawnmowers.

I love customers!

[POWERBOMB]

With a few minor edits I typed a senerio that is more common. I changed the names to protect the innocent.


And today at Best Buy, I bought a copy of The Bourne Identity, marked at $19.99. I had, however, a 20% off coupon for a DVD. I didn't think the coupon didn't scaned correctly and as I was raising hell, the clerk had to call the manager. The problem wasn't entering the correct price--the manager knew how to do this. The problem was figuring out how much to subtract from the marked price--basically, what's 20% of $20? No lie.

The manager: "It's four dollars."
Me: "I've been down this road before." (I really said that.) "You need to get a calculator."

And so he found a calculator to figure out 20% of $20. Surprisingly, it was $4. After which he returned the calculator to another clerk.

Then he proceded to imput the new price as $15.99.

Me: "It should be $14.99"
The manager: "Everyone tries to get an extra dollar off."

Needless to say we got the calculator again and, what a surprise, $19.99 minus $4 is actually $15.99.

So it took me about ten minutes to save four bucks. But at least I left knowing that as long as there are jobs for the junior high drop outs of the world, I will continue to annoy and hassle them. I guess that's a good thing.

[devynal]

Originally posted by Tarantino
Yeah, that was me.

My bad about the coupon, long night. Seems like you're smarter than most customers though, because you didn't ask what everyone else seemingly asks..."Where do I pay for this?". (me pointing to the HUGE sign that says checkout, which is visible from any point in the store) - "See that HUGE sign over there that says CHECKOUT at the front of the store, which you passed when you walked in? Yeah, there."

That's only after I've been stopped a million times, being asked if we have Spider-Man 2 on DVD or if we sell lawnmowers.

I love customers!

I work at a different retail chain.

My favorites are:

Whilst I'm at the electronics counter in the electronics department, people come huffing up to the counter and ask where electronics is -- the loud TVs and stereos and the huge sign saying "Electronics" are so misleading.

People have in fact purchased a calculator, come back and insist it doesn't work and the numbers are froze. I then peel back the protective plastic sticker that has the example LCD digits on them, and I don't say a word, I just look at them.

[TaTTooD]

Originally posted by Tarantino

Seems like you're smarter than most customers though, because you didn't ask what everyone else seemingly asks..."Where do I pay for this?". (me pointing to the HUGE sign that says checkout, which is visible from any point in the store) - "See that HUGE sign over there that says CHECKOUT at the front of the store, which you passed when you walked in? Yeah, there."


I see that a lot too. My favorite are the idiots try to walk in the exit doors either on the way in or the way out and just stand there thinking it will open for them while theyre looking at the huge DO NOT ENTER signs posted on them. :lol:

[wastro]

I brought the 20% off coupon up with me last night, and the cashier tried ringing it up before realizing they "were expired." I politely pointed out that they came with the Madden 2005 coupon book and that there were dozens on the shelf back in the media section.

He was cool about it, and the process mighta taken a few minutes, but I was glad to avoid the hellish confrontations described by a few of my fellow DVDTalkers. Let's just see if another coupon works this Tuesday for some of the new releases.

[eau]

This thread cracks me up :lol:

[Abob Teff]

Originally posted by devynal
People have in fact purchased a calculator, come back and insist it doesn't work and the numbers are froze. I then peel back the protective plastic sticker that has the example LCD digits on them, and I don't say a word, I just look at them.

That may be the funniest thing I've heard yet!

[SomeVoices]

Originally posted by TaTTooD
I see that a lot too. My favorite are the idiots try to walk in the exit doors either on the way in or the way out and just stand there thinking it will open for them while theyre looking at the huge DO NOT ENTER signs posted on them. :lol:
:lol: It amazes me how much this happens at my store.

[FooDew]

I used to work at Best Buy (don't hate me, it was in high school and the discount was great). One day I'm wandering throughout the media section, and I see a kid, probably 14, take a Star Trek TNG season and put it in his jacket. I'm pretty bored, so I follow him around for a bit until he goes into the bathroom with it. He comes out, goes to check out when I ask him to take his jacket off. He does, and the set, sans plastic wrap and security tag fall onto the floor. I look at it, look back at him, look back at it, and look at him again, and he says with great dismay, "How did that get there?? I honestly have no idea where that came from. Someone must have stolen it and put it in my jacket, you probably should find them." I laughed at him and called the LP (security) folk. I love messing with shoplifters. It made my days worthwhile.

[C_Fletch]

Funniest post ever!!!

[ben12]

Originally posted by FooDew
I used to work at Best Buy (don't hate me, it was in high school and the discount was great). One day I'm wandering throughout the media section, and I see a kid, probably 14, take a Star Trek TNG season and put it in his jacket. I'm pretty bored, so I follow him around for a bit until he goes into the bathroom with it. He comes out, goes to check out when I ask him to take his jacket off. He does, and the set, sans plastic wrap and security tag fall onto the floor. I look at it, look back at him, look back at it, and look at him again, and he says with great dismay, "How did that get there?? I honestly have no idea where that came from. Someone must have stolen it and put it in my jacket, you probably should find them." I laughed at him and called the LP (security) folk. I love messing with shoplifters. It made my days worthwhile.

The jokes on you since you didn't see the exercise videos I'd stuffed in my pants.

[FooDew]

I think I'd of let you have those....especially if you put them down your pants.

[fumanstan]

Originally posted by ben12
The jokes on you since you didn't see the exercise videos I'd stuffed in my pants.

Attention Shoppers: Plenty of room in Kevin Arnold's crotch.

[Dah-Dee]

I had no idea Best Buy sells lawnmowers!

[Shannon Nutt]

Originally posted by FooDew
I used to work at Best Buy (don't hate me, it was in high school and the discount was great). One day I'm wandering throughout the media section, and I see a kid, probably 14, take a Star Trek TNG season and put it in his jacket. I'm pretty bored, so I follow him around for a bit until he goes into the bathroom with it. He comes out, goes to check out when I ask him to take his jacket off. He does, and the set, sans plastic wrap and security tag fall onto the floor. I look at it, look back at him, look back at it, and look at him again, and he says with great dismay, "How did that get there?? I honestly have no idea where that came from. Someone must have stolen it and put it in my jacket, you probably should find them." I laughed at him and called the LP (security) folk. I love messing with shoplifters. It made my days worthwhile.

A smart 14-year-old would have known about the security tags...AND refused a strip search - Best Buy ain't an airport, you know.

I'm waiting for stories of people trying to shoplift "The Passion of the Christ". That would make my day. :)

[tofu]

Originally posted by TaTTooD
I see that a lot too. My favorite are the idiots try to walk in the exit doors either on the way in or the way out and just stand there thinking it will open for them while theyre looking at the huge DO NOT ENTER signs posted on them. :lol:
that just reminds of me of that Far side comic with the gifted kid pushing on the door that says "Pull" :lol:

[dvd-fanman]

Originally posted by Shannon Nutt
I'm waiting for stories of people trying to shoplift "The Passion of the Christ". That would make my day. :)

Does you Wal-Mart keep "Passion" behind the electronics counter and you have to ask for it to purchase it?

That's exactly why they do that. Wouldn't make good press to prosecute someone shoplifting "Passion."

[UAIOE]

Originally posted by FooDew
I look at it, look back at him, look back at it, and look at him again, and he says with great dismay, "How did that get there?? I honestly have no idea where that came from. Someone must have stolen it and put it in my jacket, you probably should find them." I laughed at him and called the LP (security) folk. I love messing with shoplifters. It made my days worthwhile.


When i read this i automatically thought of the scenes in "Austin Powers" where he has the Swedish made penis enlarger and pretends its not his. It would have been 80 times funnier if he had the faux english accent with his declaration of innocence.

"Honestly, its not mine!"

[ben12]

Originally posted by dvd-fanman
Does you Wal-Mart keep "Passion" behind the electronics counter and you have to ask for it to purchase it?

That's exactly why they do that. Wouldn't make good press to prosecute someone shoplifting "Passion."

The Walmarts I've been to have them all out in gigantic displays. It makes sense. What good is not shoplifting the DVD if you haven't been TEMPTED BY SATAN to steal it?

[jpdude]

....and today at Best Buy i got a good deal. On the shelves in one area of the store, they had the new THX-1138 DVD's setting in the wrong space. I flagged down an employee and showed him, asked him if that could possibly be right (i knew it wasn't) and he scratched his head then proceeded to go scan it....naturally, it scanned the correct price of 19.99 (for the 2-disc) but it was in the space where the regular 14.99 version should have been.....so he quickly wrote me out a price match paper and i took it to the register and got the 19.99 2 disc version for 14.99

[Abob Teff]

Jesus saves, he passes to jpdude who SCORES!!!!!!!!

[Josh H]

Might as well post something positive here.

This morning I walked in, grabbed Star Wars, the new Green Day disc and walked right to a register with no line. The cashier was pleasant, commenting that he had to pick up the Green Day disc soon and didn't push the free magazines after I said no thanks. I was out of the store in under 5 minutes.

:thumbsup:

[Giles]

... and today at Best Buy, I was looking at the new release table at the front of the store with all the Star Wars stuff, and I didn't see the Empire Strikes Back 2CD soundtrack even though "Star Wars: A New Hope" was available to pick up, so I ask the guy "oh I thought the remastered Empires Strikes Back soundtrack came out today also" I had perused the soundtrack section of BB, and couldn't find "Empire" either in E or S. So... our fearless employee marches off to inquire, he hops on back

"it's in the box", pointing to the Trilogy DVD

(D'oh!)

"No, I said the soundtrack"

"Oh"

shuffles off again, a few minutes later. He produces a copy of the soundtrack. As to where he found it, I have no idea, but whatever..

"Thanks"

(off to check out)

:)

[MJG87]

It was probably in the SACD section since thats what it basically is...I wish I worked at my Best Buy, teach everyone a thing or 2, the workers here at mine are mostly clueless also.

[Giles]

Originally posted by MJG87
... workers here at mine are mostly clueless also.

I could think of alot more meaner things I could call the (Washington DC) Tenleytown BB employees... but I wont.. :)

[Rockmjd23]

Originally posted by Giles
I could think of alot more meaner things I could call the (Washington DC) Tenleytown BB employees... but I wont.. :)

no matter how mean those things are, what employees think of customers is 100 times worse.

[Brian Shannon]

I saved a customer who had 5 employees completely baffled.

The customer wanted a cordless phone jack and that concept eluded 5 blue shirts even though they were discussing Direct TV and standing next to the display that had the phone jacks.

I answered the exasperated gentlemen's question in the parking lot.

[Funk]

It was probably in the SACD section since thats what it basically is

What on earth are you talking about? They're redbook CDs.

[MJG87]

Last I heard they were mastered for 5.1 DSD SACD With a Red Book Cd Layer, aka a Hybrid SACD but Got word from sony that the official Star Wars site, which originally announced that it would be a Hybrid SACD, apparently made a mistake and a false statement about the new cds.

[Funk]

They're redbook CDs. Apparently mastered in DSD, or DSD was used somewhere in the process, but they're not SACD and thus not multi-channel.

[Tarantino]

Half of the customers I greet just ignore me. Fuck customers, it's no wonder we don't jump through hoops to make those assholes (read: most of you) happy. It's actually really funny to me now.

[Brian Shannon]

Originally posted by Tarantino
Half of the customers I greet just ignore me. Fuck customers, it's no wonder we don't jump through hoops to make those assholes (read: most of you) happy. It's actually really funny to me now.

If you are one of the employees who greets me by talking to the back of my head then you deserve to be ignored.

[Walter Neff]

Originally posted by Tarantino
Fuck customers, it's no wonder we don't jump through hoops to make those assholes (read: most of you) happy.

Perhaps you should consider a job where you don't have to deal with people that much...

[Giles]

Originally posted by Funk
They're redbook CDs. Apparently mastered in DSD, or DSD was used somewhere in the process, but they're not SACD and thus not multi-channel.


oh well, guess I'm gonna return the CD then.

[Fok]

Best Buy and Futureshop, there are a lot of dumb fucks who work there. Management should provide better training in customer service.

[Tarantino]

Originally posted by Fok
Management should provide better training in customer service.

I can't disagree with that one.

[Hammer99]

OK, I go to the Best Buy in White Marsh, MD ready to do a Price Match on the new Tom & Jerry set. BB's ad had it at 27.99, Target's ad had it at 15.99. I pick up the DVD, the sticker price is 19.99. When I get to Customer Service, the clerk calls the nearest Target to confirm the price (unfortunately, I don't have the circular). Target tells the clerk that they are sold out, and the clerk tells me that BB won't honor the price check. I never heard of this policy, but no big deal, I just went home, picked up the circular, & went to the next Best Buy down the road in Towson, MD. There, the sticker price is 24.99!!! I show the clerk the circular; she gives me Target's price - 10% discount (even though I didn't buy it there), and I walk out of the store with the set for 14.39 + tax. Guess all's well that ends well!

[Josh H]

Actually price matches in most require the place your matching to have in in stock. No point in them matching it if you buying it there instead of their store isn't an option.

But some cashiers/customer service people don't care and don't bother calling.

I've never once bothered with price matching. I just see which store has it cheapest and buy it there. I'm not willing to deal with the hassle to save 10% on a DVD.

[C_Fletch]

But what does there pricematch guarantee say. Does it state in their policy that the advertising store has to have the item in stock. I don't believe that is written.

Today at Bestbuy I couldn't find Explorers. Thought it was in the Sci-Fi section. An employee checked the computer and they were put in the family section. Thumbs up to the service and the price!! :)

[Tarantino]

Originally posted by C_Fletch
But what does there pricematch guarantee say. Does it state in their policy that the advertising store has to have the item in stock. I don't believe that is written.

It is.

[Brian Shannon]

I've never once bothered with price matching. I just see which store has it cheapest and buy it there. I'm not willing to deal with the hassle to save 10% on a DVD.

I agree 100%!

[UAIOE]

I price matched a movie at Best Buy and didnt have a problem. I saved $5 and was able to get it in Widescreen.

I exchanged it yesterday because the disc was loose in the case and I didnt get any static then either.

[jeremytcy]

hahaa... that's the funiest thing i've ever heard in the store

[UAIOE]

:hscratch:

It's funny because I had a hassle free time buying and exchanging the DVD?


Where exactly is this funny?

[Dabaomb]

Originally posted by Tarantino
Half of the customers I greet just ignore me. Fuck customers, it's no wonder we don't jump through hoops to make those assholes (read: most of you) happy. It's actually really funny to me now.

ahh yes, and you my friend are a manager at Best Buy. Definitely not a good example to those who work under you.

[Kevin Phillips]

Bringing this thread back to the top

I don't know how widespread this is, or if its a Christmas shopping season thing. I was pretty damn annoyed.

Only a couple of the registers accept cash! I was buying some new releases last night. They'd call out "Register xx open. Credit or debit only". I'd let the people behind me go ahead as I waited for the next register. Finally, about the 4th time a register was open, I was able to pay for the stuff.

[kitkittykat]

Bringing this thread back to the top

I don't know how widespread this is, or if its a Christmas shopping season thing. I was pretty damn annoyed.

Only a couple of the registers accept cash! I was buying some new releases last night. They'd call out "Register xx open. Credit or debit only". I'd let the people behind me go ahead as I waited for the next register. Finally, about the 4th time a register was open, I was able to pay for the stuff.

Interesting. I remember when in grocery stores they had CASH only lines. Found that to be very annoying. As for debit and credit only line I guess they don't want to hassle with having a register with cash in it to make change. Also it seems like most people wipe the plastic out to pay now days. Sorry to hear you had to wait for a register to get checked out. Hope this isn't a trend, since I still use cash for small purchases.

[Dabaomb]

Bringing this thread back to the top

I don't know how widespread this is, or if its a Christmas shopping season thing. I was pretty damn annoyed.

Only a couple of the registers accept cash! I was buying some new releases last night. They'd call out "Register xx open. Credit or debit only". I'd let the people behind me go ahead as I waited for the next register. Finally, about the 4th time a register was open, I was able to pay for the stuff.

it's extremely easy for a store to open another register without any cash on hand. They just simply open up one that accepts only credit or debit.

[Big Worms]

it's extremely easy for a store to open another register without any cash on hand. They just simply open up one that accepts only credit or debit.
Yep. And my local BB does this same thing.

[dtcarson]

And that also minimizes employee theft/fraud. No cash to steal, no cash to miscount back, the computer and the credit card box do all the math and there's a paper trail of the transactions. That way different people can run the register, rather than being 'assigned' to a specific person, and someone who's maybe not mainly a register person can run it as well, since all they have to do is scan the stuff and deactivate the tag.
Plastic is replacing cash or checks, so it does make sense to have a plastic-only lane; as long as, of course, they have at least one that can accept cash/checks as well. Even with Check21, I still like to write checks sometime, it's easier to do the accounting in Quicken.

[PATMANN]

20% Off??? HA!!! My friend works at BB, and gets his regular 15% off PLUS any cupon he comes up with. SOOOOOOOO........ If a item is on sale for 10 dollars, and with this 20% off, he only pays 6.50$ plus tax. Not bad eh??

[Shannon Nutt]

20% Off??? HA!!! My friend works at BB, and gets his regular 15% off PLUS any cupon he comes up with. SOOOOOOOO........ If a item is on sale for 10 dollars, and with this 20% off, he only pays 6.50$ plus tax. Not bad eh??

Not bad - other than the fact he works at Best Buy to make a living...making it hard to come up with the extra $6.50, I'm sure. :)

[Big Worms]

20% Off??? HA!!! My friend works at BB, and gets his regular 15% off PLUS any cupon he comes up with. SOOOOOOOO........ If a item is on sale for 10 dollars, and with this 20% off, he only pays 6.50$ plus tax. Not bad eh??
It used to be 10% and on the bigger items it was 5% over cost.

[kayak99]

Did I mention on a recent trip to BB, after taking three dvd's to the cashier, asking her if she knew how to rung up a Madden coupon before we did anything, she responded yes. Had to remind her to run it three times. She did but there was still an error. Had to go to the CS counter. They asked to see the coupon. CS had to get it at register. Cashier told her we had to buy three to get 20% off one of them. After I insisted a manager straightened her out and off I went.

Can these people *****in' read?

[eau]

Not bad - other than the fact he works at Best Buy to make a living...making it hard to come up with the extra $6.50, I'm sure. :)
That amount is like a hour worth of work there ;)

[Rockmjd23]

Not bad - other than the fact he works at Best Buy to make a living...making it hard to come up with the extra $6.50, I'm sure. :)

Nothing wrong with working at BB for a living. I do as well. Millions of people are unemployed in america and we should all be thankful that we have jobs.

[dtcarson]

That's the way I look at it; any [legal] job that provides a good or a service, is a good job, and one should do his best at it. I don't disrespect anyone for doing a job; *how* they do it [lazy, carelessly, etc] I might, but not for the job itself. I worked as hard and was as proud of my work when I was behind a fast food counter or a register as I do now behind a computer desk.

[ftsoh]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.olesker08mar08,1,76004.column?coll=bal-home-columnists

A tale of customer service, justice and currency as funny as a $2 bill
Michael Olesker




March 8, 2005

PUT YOURSELF in Mike Bolesta's place. On the morning of Feb. 20, he buys a new radio-CD player for his 17-year-old son Christopher's car. He pays the $114 installation charge with 57 crisp new $2 bills, which, when last observed, were still considered legitimate currency in the United States proper. The $2 bills are Bolesta's idea of payment, and his little comic protest, too.
For this, Bolesta, Baltimore County resident, innocent citizen, owner of Capital City Student Tours, finds himself under arrest.

Finds himself, in front of a store full of customers at the Best Buy on York Road in Lutherville, locked into handcuffs and leg irons.

Finds himself transported to the Baltimore County lockup in Cockeysville, where he's handcuffed to a pole for three hours while the U.S. Secret Service is called into the case.

Have a nice day, Mike.

"Humiliating," the 57-year old Bolesta was saying now. "I am 6 feet 5 inches tall, and I felt like 8 inches high. To be handcuffed, to have all those people looking on, to be cuffed to a pole -- and to know you haven't done anything wrong. And me, with a brother, Joe, who spent 33 years on the city police force. It was humiliating."

What we have here, besides humiliation, is a sense of caution resulting in screw-ups all around.

"When I bought the stereo player," Bolesta explains, "the technician said it'd fit perfectly into my son's dashboard. But it didn't. So they called back and said they had another model that would fit perfectly, and it was cheaper. We got a $67 refund, which was fine. As long as it fit, that's all.

"So we go back and pay for it, and they tell us to go around front with our receipt and pick up the difference in the cost. I ask about installation charges. They said, 'No installation charge, because of the mix-up. Our mistake, no charge.' Swell.

"But then, the next day, I get a call at home. They're telling me, 'If you don't come in and pay the installation fee, we're calling the police.' Jeez, where did we go from them admitting a mistake to suddenly calling the police? So I say, 'Fine, I'll be in tomorrow.' But, overnight, I'm starting to steam a little. It's not the money -- it's the threat. So I thought, I'll count out a few $2 bills."

He has lots and lots of them.

With his Capital City Student Tours, he arranges class trips for school kids around the country traveling to large East Coast cities, including Baltimore. He's been doing this for the last 18 years. He makes all the arrangements: hotels, meals, entertainment. And it's part of his schtick that, when Bolesta hands out meal money to students, he does it in $2 bills, which he picks up from his regular bank, Sun Trust.

"The kids don't see that many $2 bills, so they think this is the greatest thing in the world," Bolesta says. "They don't want to spend 'em. They want to save 'em. I've been doing this since I started the company. So I'm thinking, 'I'll stage my little comic protest. I'll pay the $114 with $2 bills.'"

At Best Buy, they may have perceived the protest -- but did not sense the comic aspect of 57 $2 bills.

"I'm just here to pay the bill," Bolesta says he told a cashier. "She looked at the $2 bills and told me, 'I don't have to take these if I don't want to.' I said, 'If you don't, I'm leaving. I've tried to pay my bill twice. You don't want these bills, you can sue me.' So she took the money. Like she's doing me a favor."

He remembers the cashier marking each bill with a pen. Then other store personnel began to gather, a few of them asking, "Are these real?"

"Of course they are," Bolesta said. "They're legal tender."

A Best Buy manager refused comment last week. But, according to a Baltimore County police arrest report, suspicions were roused when an employee noticed some smearing of ink. So the cops were called in. One officer noticed the bills ran in sequential order.

"I told them, 'I'm a tour operator. I've got thousands of these bills. I get them from my bank. You got a problem, call the bank,'" Bolesta says. "I'm sitting there in a chair. The store's full of people watching this. All of a sudden, he's standing me up and handcuffing me behind my back, telling me, 'We have to do this until we get it straightened out.'

"Meanwhile, everybody's looking at me. I've lived here 18 years. I'm hoping my kids don't walk in and see this. And I'm saying, 'I can't believe you're doing this. I'm paying with legal American money.'"

Bolesta was then taken to the county police lockup in Cockeysville, where he sat handcuffed to a pole and in leg irons while the Secret Service was called in.

"At this point," he says, "I'm a mass murderer."

Finally, Secret Service agent Leigh Turner arrived, examined the bills and said they were legitimate, adding, according to the police report, "Sometimes ink on money can smear."

This will be important news to all concerned.

For Baltimore County police, said spokesman Bill Toohey, "It's a sign that we're all a little nervous in the post-9/11 world."

The other day, one of Bolesta's sons needed a few bucks. Bolesta pulled out his wallet and "whipped out a couple of $2 bills. But my son turned away. He said he doesn't want 'em any more."

He's seen where such money can lead.



Copyright © 2005, The Baltimore Sun

[fujishig]

I'm not one for frivolous lawsuits, but did he sue them (the cops, or even BB)?

[chanster]

He should, those bastards.

[ftsoh]

Don't know. A coworker forwarded this article to me this afternoon. I would defininately sue if I were him.

[ResIpsa]

Slam dunk false arrest and false imprisonment case. I'd take his case in a heartbeat...

[Dabaomb]

that's a pretty messed up story.....I hope he sues.

[Timsterino]

I'm not one for frivolous lawsuits, but did he sue them (the cops, or even BB)?

He can absolutely sue and should for that matter. If that article does not explain the idotic rumblings of a retailer like Best Buy, nothing will.

It never ceases to amaze me how moronic people can be.

[troystiffler]

I got there about once a week. I've never had a problem at Best Buy. Though, during Christmas, it took a good twenty minutes to flag someone down to get a digital camera out of their locked dohicky.

As for that $2 bill guy... He may have not been happy with what happened. The childish thing would be to sue - excessive sense of pride what was wrong in the first place. The big thing would be to shrug it off, call the local newspaper, and have them make it into a whimsical article. Maybe tell the story to all of his friends. Thumbs up to him.

[Dabaomb]

The childish thing would be to sue - excessive sense of pride what was wrong in the first place. The big thing would be to shrug it off, call the local newspaper, and have them make it into a whimsical article. Maybe tell the story to all of his friends. Thumbs up to him.

Uhh, that article that you just read was a news article.

The childish thing would be to sue? Are you smoking crack or do you just have a ton of Best Buy stock?

[ftsoh]

Just found this thread in the Other Forum about this incident.
I am so ashame to be a Baltimoron. :(

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=413128

[Giles]

so today at lunch I wander over to Best Buy to see if they have the new Morrissey DVD. No such luck, I ask one of the employees if maybe they have any copies in the back. Her response - "Well if it isn't on the new release table - we don't have it" - pretty much a generic response from everyone there. I know that in the past you have a good chance to have one of the employees actually physically search to see if the all of the "new releases" might not have been put out.

I ask her nicely if she could look. She gives me this dumb blank look on her face and decides, no, she won't. Well this get's me really pissed off.

"Can I see a manager"
"You have to go over to the front and request one"
"you work here don't you, why don't you?"
.... pause...
"no"
"excuse me"
"I'll just stand here and you could do your job and help me out here"

... pause...

she relents, has this haughty pissed off look.

I decided to retort:

"no wonder this is the worst Best Buy in the DC area, all of you are rude and lazy"
(to her face - I had not been having a great morning).

The manager finally intercedes and gives a full explanation why they don't get new releases. At that point I've calmed down, and accept his explanation.

I leave and go across the street and order a copy from CD/Game Exchange.

[duse]

Today I went in to get the new Beck and AC/DC. After looking on the shelf for the Beck, I ask the guy where it is and he told me it was probably in the back, (they had opened at 10, and it was 11:00) and both of us went to get it. He looked for a minute, then went back out to ask somebody else. In the meantime, I went to the get AC/DC. It was not on the shelf either, but I saw the guy in the next aisle with the boxes. I stopped him and got both the Beck and AC/DC. By this time, the first guy was walking towards us, and said he thought the second guy had them, putting them on the shelf. When I got to the counter, I explained to the girl that online the Beck was $14.99, but CC had it for $16.99. She called the manager over and they told him what I said. The manager approved the $14.99. A very good experience, as usual for our Best Buy stores. I will tell you, if I had the experience you had with the Morrisey, I would never set foot back in there.

[fliggil]

So BB will price match the $14.99 online price for Beck? I was gonna go over later to buy it, but heard that it was $20 in store?

[U6C84]

I've been told that Best Buy will only match their own website..

[Big Worms]

I've been told that Best Buy will only match their own website..
Actually this is not true. They don't price match any web site, especially theirs. But you can get lucky and get a nice cashier or manager that will do it.

[Giles]

I've been told that Best Buy will only match their own website..

I don't believe that, cause I've brought in Circuit City ads and they gave me their discounted advertised prices.

[kayak99]

I don't believe that, cause I've brought in Circuit City ads and they gave me their discounted advertised prices.

He said "website", not ads. BB's around here do not match ANY websites.

[U6C84]

Hmm...weird...well I work at Best Buy and I asked one of the Customer Service people; she said that they won't match any websites besides their own.


Eh...maybe it's just because my store is relatively new...

[Big Worms]

Hmm...weird...well I work at Best Buy and I asked one of the Customer Service people; she said that they won't match any websites besides their own.


Eh...maybe it's just because my store is relatively new...
Like I said you can get lucky and get your local store to do it, but alot of people have had this experience where they will not match their own website. They claim that the website is a separate part of the company.

[Bloodhound]

[QUOTE=Giles]so today at lunch I wander over to Best Buy to see if they have the new Morrissey DVD. No such luck, I ask one of the employees if maybe they have any copies in the back. Her response - "Well if it isn't on the new release table - we don't have it" - pretty much a generic response from everyone there. I know that in the past you have a good chance to have one of the employees actually physically search to see if the all of the "new releases" might not have been put out.

At the Best Buy I work at if its a new release and its not on the shelf then we definetly do not have it in back. She did not have to be so rude though, she could have at least check the computer for you to see that store was carrying it or if it was in transit.

[duse]

I think I got lucky. My attitude might have had something to do with it as well, because I told her if she did not match it through their website, that was alright, because CC had it for just two dollars more than their website, but three dollars less than their store. I told her that the guy I got it from said they did not match their web site, but I wanted her to check and she happily obliged. I mean, we're only talking two dollars here. I think she could see it was not really a big deal.

[fujishig]

Like I said you can get lucky and get your local store to do it, but alot of people have had this experience where they will not match their own website. They claim that the website is a separate part of the company.

That is correct. In fact, the browsing bestbuy.com from within the store often has different prices! Check the hardware forum for the Celestion speakers thread, where one guy went to the physical store, searched for the speakers on bestbuy.com within the store to prove the lower online price, and found that the price was actually higher!

Most online deals will also state that they are online only, and not useable in stores.

[Shagrath]

If there's something lower-priced on their website than in store, and they won't allow me the pricematch, I always just say "Okay, well, should I drive home, order it online for in-store pickup, and then wait for you to pull it, and then drive back down here and pick it up?" That usually makes them pull their head out of their ass, and see the stupidity of it. Granted, I've only had to do this once or twice, but it's worked.

[fliggil]

If there's something lower-priced on their website than in store, and they won't allow me the pricematch, I always just say "Okay, well, should I drive home, order it online for in-store pickup, and then wait for you to pull it, and then drive back down here and pick it up?" That usually makes them pull their head out of their ass, and see the stupidity of it. Granted, I've only had to do this once or twice, but it's worked.

That's what I tried yesterday, and the customer service girl told me to go home and order it (the CD/DVD version of Beck's "Guero") because the "bestbuy.com inventory is different from the in-store inventory." I actually went home and ordered it, chosing in-store pickup, and got an email this afternoon stating it was out of stock. Apparently, though they had a dozen copies on the shelves in the store, they told me that "the bestbuy.com inventory of this item was out." I figure that 1 of 2 things happened, either A. the store had yet to receive the "bestbuy.com" inventory of Beck's CD/DVD, or B. everyone heard that it was $5 cheaper online and so they did in-store pickup too. I was thinking A, being this is a small college town, and I could hardly believe they'd run out of inventory within 24 hours.

It was a bit frusturating, but I called customer service just to see what the deal was, he told me that their entire bestbuy.com inventory for this release was already on backorder. I had him change my order from in-store pickup and he offered me free shipping from their warehouse once it arrives, which I took (saving about $6 is worth it to wait a week or 2 for me). So although it's a bit idiotic, that's apparently how BB does their business.

[rs77]

A couple of years ago I saved around $25 by using a computer in the store to order something online for in-store pickup.

[Goldblum]

A couple of years ago I saved around $25 by using a computer in the store to order something online for in-store pickup.
:lol: The ultimate irony.

[Rockmjd23]

I found this on Bestbuy.com

Store Price Guarantee
If, within 30 days* (14 days for computers, monitors, printers and notebooks, camcorders, digital cameras and radar detectors) of your purchase from Best Buy, you find a local competitor (excluding Internet competitors) offering a lower price on an available product of the same brand and model, we'll refund the difference plus another 10% of the difference. Just bring us a current ad or other verifiable written proof of the lower price, plus your original Best Buy sales receipt to claim your refund. This offer good only on all new in-the-box products of the same brand and model that are available in-store at any other local authorized retailer. It does not apply to competitor's one-of-a-kind or other limited quantity offer, or when a bonus or free offer (such as special financing program or manufacturer's rebate) is included in the purchase. Offer does not apply to BestBuy.com pricing. All returns exchanges and price adjustments must be made in the country of original purchase. Go to the customer service counter for details.

*In California, excludes cellular, digital and PCS phones and pagers.

Online Price Guarantee
At this time, we do not have a price match guarantee. However, if you purchase an item online or at a store kiosk and choose store pick up, and the item is offered at a lower price when you pick it up, you will be charged the lower price

[fliggil]

So if we bring the Citcuit City ad into their store will they price match PLUS 10%, or will they only do the extra 10% of it's a better price AFTER purchase?

[Giles]

If there's something lower-priced on their website than in store, and they won't allow me the pricematch, I always just say "Okay, well, should I drive home, order it online for in-store pickup, and then wait for you to pull it, and then drive back down here and pick it up?" That usually makes them pull their head out of their ass, and see the stupidity of it. Granted, I've only had to do this once or twice, but it's worked.

yeah but for the already stupid douchebags at the DC Best Buy - they'd probably be non-plussed and just say "whatever".

[Draven]

When I was looking for a widescreen TV, Best Buy B&M was selling it for $2000 with a $67 delivery charge. Bestbuy.com was selling it for $2000 with free shipping. I asked the guy in the store why I wouldn't just buy it online and he just shrugged and gave me the "they are a separate company line."

I ended up getting it from Onecall.com for the same price with free shipping. And the price included a service plan that would have set me back $400 at BB.

[Dabaomb]

So if we bring the Citcuit City ad into their store will they price match PLUS 10%, or will they only do the extra 10% of it's a better price AFTER purchase?

if you PM upon buying the item, they will only give you a 100% PM. Then you have to go to the Customer Service desk where they will give you back 10% of the DIFFERENCE. So, if you buy an item for $9.99 and CC has it for $8.99 plus tax, they'll refund you $1.10 + Tax, thus making your final price $8.89 + Tax.

[fujishig]

if you PM upon buying the item, they will only give you a 100% PM. Then you have to go to the Customer Service desk where they will give you back 10% of the DIFFERENCE. So, if you buy an item for $9.99 and CC has it for $8.99 plus tax, they'll refund you $1.10 + Tax, thus making your final price $8.89 + Tax.

The way I understand it is that if you PM, you lose the 110% guarantee. Because then you bought it from BB for the PM price, and there is no difference from the advertised price. Rather, you have to buy the item, then go to the customer service desk and get the PM price plus 10%. And even then, if you're not looking, they may not give you the 10% (I've had this happen to me a few times, where I ask why they didn't give me my 10%, and they reluctantly add it).

I rarely do this because the Customer Service Desk is always, always ridiculously crowded and slow, and most of the BBs I go to let you PM at the register (which, although also crowded and slow, is still better than the CS desk)

[fliggil]

I guess they may be a little suspicious if you just bought it and then walked over to the CS desk, but there really wouldn't be anything they could do if you have the lower advertised price in your hands, right?

[Dabaomb]

The way I understand it is that if you PM, you lose the 110% guarantee. Because then you bought it from BB for the PM price, and there is no difference from the advertised price. Rather, you have to buy the item, then go to the customer service desk and get the PM price plus 10%. And even then, if you're not looking, they may not give you the 10% (I've had this happen to me a few times, where I ask why they didn't give me my 10%, and they reluctantly add it).

I rarely do this because the Customer Service Desk is always, always ridiculously crowded and slow, and most of the BBs I go to let you PM at the register (which, although also crowded and slow, is still better than the CS desk)

you're just repeating what I said :hscratch: