How Bad Are The Workers At Best Buy
06-08-04, 05:13 PM
#126
DVD Talk Gold Edition
I agree with Walter. I don't think trying to make an exchange without a receipt on a sealed item that you received as a gift constitutes cheating. It seems like a reasonable request for a one-time exemption from store policy-a request that could be viewed as a goodwill gesture and probably would have been extended at other retailers (WalMart and Borders are two that come to mind). If chanster was a chronic returner, yes that might be a problem and he could be denied, but there's no evidence to that.
Last edited by Doc Moonlight; 06-08-04 at 05:16 PM.
06-08-04, 06:51 PM
#127
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Originally posted by Goat3001
Also Tarantino or anyone else the works at Best Buy. I have a copy of Van Wilder that doesn't play in widescreen for some reason. I have a reciept but the problem was that I bought it a few months ago. Do you think I might be able to get lucky and get an exchange on it with the 6 month old reciept? [/B]
Also Tarantino or anyone else the works at Best Buy. I have a copy of Van Wilder that doesn't play in widescreen for some reason. I have a reciept but the problem was that I bought it a few months ago. Do you think I might be able to get lucky and get an exchange on it with the 6 month old reciept? [/B]
06-08-04, 06:54 PM
#128
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by chanster
Really! Thanks for the late-breaking news. I was honest with them, I got it as a gift. I didn't think I was entitled to the exchange, I took a chance. And it worked
Really! Thanks for the late-breaking news. I was honest with them, I got it as a gift. I didn't think I was entitled to the exchange, I took a chance. And it worked
06-08-04, 07:03 PM
#129
Retired
I agree, if you're taking a stab at something that's against policy, it's polite to just leave on the first no, rather than aruge (even argue nicely).
I'll argue for a long time when I know I'm in the right, but on things like receiptless returns I don't press the issue. I'll just try my luck elsewhere, and give up if I don't have any luck.
I'll argue for a long time when I know I'm in the right, but on things like receiptless returns I don't press the issue. I'll just try my luck elsewhere, and give up if I don't have any luck.
06-08-04, 10:28 PM
#130
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Originally posted by chanster
She argued with me for about 5 minutes....
She argued with me for about 5 minutes....
The Cashier said no.
A manager said no.
After the first one you could have walked away. After the second you could have walked away. You didn't, and neither do the dozens that pull this stunt every day at every retailer.
I think this is a good case for why not all workers at Best Buy are bad. There was some flexability here and no one lost their cool.
06-08-04, 11:12 PM
#131
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I agree, I really just put it into this thread because ya'll were talking about Best Buy..and I thought I would share.
As I mentioned originally, the employees were affable and there wasn't a confrontation. I think the word "argue" was wrong, because it was more talking it out then a confrontation.
I disagree that it was a stunt though. My mom sent the DVD as a gift. She had bought it at Best Buy and has no idea about different versions of discs.
As I mentioned originally, the employees were affable and there wasn't a confrontation. I think the word "argue" was wrong, because it was more talking it out then a confrontation.
I disagree that it was a stunt though. My mom sent the DVD as a gift. She had bought it at Best Buy and has no idea about different versions of discs.
06-08-04, 11:15 PM
#132
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o why did you sit there and argue with them if you didn't think you were entitled to the exchange? When CS2's at my store call me to the desk for something like this, something with no reciept, I don't do it. Policy.
Again this isn't trading crap for a good disc. Same title, different version. If I was trying to pull a fast one, I would bring all the crap you can buy for 4.99 online and get credit it for it retail stores.
06-09-04, 01:56 AM
#133
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Originally posted by chanster
And I think that is pretty-short sighted from a customer stand point. I buy DVDs all the time there. I know I mean squat from a big ticket standpoint but your inflexibility on this case would tell me my business my means absolutely nothing.
And I think that is pretty-short sighted from a customer stand point. I buy DVDs all the time there. I know I mean squat from a big ticket standpoint but your inflexibility on this case would tell me my business my means absolutely nothing.
Think, man.
06-09-04, 06:58 AM
#134
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I don't make the rules, I follow them
06-09-04, 02:38 PM
#137
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally posted by Tarantino
Hey, I'm not getting fired for some a-hole trying to get a better DVD.
Hey, I'm not getting fired for some a-hole trying to get a better DVD.
06-09-04, 03:51 PM
#138
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I think that's harsh on Tarantino, and I hope you guys are just kidding. Still, I'm sure most retail employees call their customer one name or another. As long as it isn't to their face or in their presence.
Chanster, I'm not bagging on you. I think it's great you were not one of the a-holes who do raise their voices and cuss. You got what you wanted and that's great.
Chanster, I'm not bagging on you. I think it's great you were not one of the a-holes who do raise their voices and cuss. You got what you wanted and that's great.
06-09-04, 05:06 PM
#139
Retired
Originally posted by chanster
And if thats how you view customers, its very telling
And if thats how you view customers, its very telling
But anyone who's worked retail can't help but have a negative view of customers. 95% of people suck, and you have to deal with them every day when you work retail. Thankfully I've put that behind me.
06-09-04, 05:32 PM
#140
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by Doc Moonlight
If I were your boss, I'd fire (or at least discipline) you for calling a customer an "a-hole" in a public forum.
If I were your boss, I'd fire (or at least discipline) you for calling a customer an "a-hole" in a public forum.
And no, that's not my view on all customers Chanster, it was an example. Most of the customers I run into are nice and I treat them as such. Just don't come into my store expecting to return something without a reciept, no matter how much you argue.
06-09-04, 05:34 PM
#141
DVD Talk Hero
Originally posted by Tarantino
I wasn't calling any specific customer an a-hole, I was entertaining the thought. If bosses fired everyone who called a customer an a-hole once in a while, all retail stores would shut down.
I wasn't calling any specific customer an a-hole, I was entertaining the thought. If bosses fired everyone who called a customer an a-hole once in a while, all retail stores would shut down.
<-----Worked retail at Hollywood Video - NEVER AGAIN.
This thread reminds me of the PopCopy training video on Chapelle's Show.
06-09-04, 05:53 PM
#142
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Its not your store, perhaps that's half of the problem with your attitude. Its Best Buy's store, and while their official printed policies state one thing, its ultimately up to the discretion of the manager.
I guess that is what seperates a good manager from bad one, one that is willing to listen to a regular customer and do a "one time exchange"on an item that was clearly bought there instead a blanket denial like you seem to be proud of and then call your customers "*******s"
I guess that is what seperates a good manager from bad one, one that is willing to listen to a regular customer and do a "one time exchange"on an item that was clearly bought there instead a blanket denial like you seem to be proud of and then call your customers "*******s"
06-09-04, 06:27 PM
#143
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And since I'm the manager, it's up to my discretion, in which case, the rules state that I do no returns without a reciept.
And I don't call my customers a-holes, just the hypothetical one in the earlier post. Big deal. If that makes me a bad manager, sue me. My store is number 4 in the company right now. NUMBER 4. Out of almost 600 stores. I think we run it just fine.
And I don't call my customers a-holes, just the hypothetical one in the earlier post. Big deal. If that makes me a bad manager, sue me. My store is number 4 in the company right now. NUMBER 4. Out of almost 600 stores. I think we run it just fine.
06-09-04, 11:27 PM
#145
Suspended
No recipt, No return/exchange. Makes 100% sense to me. Why do you think you should be able to just because you bought it at Best Buy? It could have been purchased a year ago. You can only return unopened within 14 days. How is THAT fair? They let you return something you bought a year ago and get a better one. How about the fact that they will NEVER sell that old DVD since the new version is out? But who cares, as long as YOU are happy.
God, this is exactly why I hate retail. Why the hell can't people keep recipts? Why can't they read the policy BEFORE they make a purchase. I get numerous people a day going "you never told me that when you sold it to me!". I simply say "Well, its posted on the counter, the computer, AND on your recipt. I don't need to have a 3 minute conversation with you on the return policy." Its YOUR responsibility to read the policy.
God, this is exactly why I hate retail. Why the hell can't people keep recipts? Why can't they read the policy BEFORE they make a purchase. I get numerous people a day going "you never told me that when you sold it to me!". I simply say "Well, its posted on the counter, the computer, AND on your recipt. I don't need to have a 3 minute conversation with you on the return policy." Its YOUR responsibility to read the policy.
06-10-04, 04:23 PM
#146
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Except that I didn't buy it. My mom bought, she doesn't spend time thinking about DVDs and she though I could return it at Best Buy because the label was still on it.
Also, I could have most of money of the money on Ebay (They seem to go for about $10 sealed) which another $1 profit in shipping...but decided to try my luck at Best Buy.
Guess I could have done that and bought it at DDD for $20. Would have worked out about the same.
Also, I could have most of money of the money on Ebay (They seem to go for about $10 sealed) which another $1 profit in shipping...but decided to try my luck at Best Buy.
Guess I could have done that and bought it at DDD for $20. Would have worked out about the same.
06-10-04, 06:34 PM
#147
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I have to agree with Tarantino. The prevalence of crappy customer service and employees who don't know their product from their A-holes is seen pretty much everywhere, not exclusive to Best Buy.
If anything, everyone's ranting about the crappy employees at Best Buy stores can be seen as part of an indictment on customer service in general nowadays.
I have personally experienced both bad and good service at Best Buys around here, but I would say that is pretty much par for the course. Honestly, I don't expect the employees at a place like Best Buy, Target, Circuit City or Wal Mart to be the most knowledgeable source of info on all of their product. They don't get any commission, so I am not expecting them to go that far out of their way to have some huge breadth of knowledge. The best way to buy anything from those places is to do all your homework before hand, so you already have all the answers. The whole reason you are usually going to buy something there is for the lower prices anyway.
On the other hand, employees at places that pay on commission will usually know a little more about their product, but then you often have to be leery of their motivation. They could be trying to sell you a certain brand over another one because their company is doing some kind of employee promotion, thus giving them more incentive to sell said product over another. Also, I don't know about you people, but I very much dislike the feeling of being tailed around the store like I am Tony Soprano getting followed by the Feds. It pisses me off and makes me not want to buy anything at all.
It really all depends on the individual store, though. Some of you act like Circuit City has more knowledgable and professional employees than Best Buy, but I am not so sure of that. For example, I went into CC to buy the Freaks and Geeks set the morning it came out, and after looking around for it for about 5 minutes, I finally tracked down some female employee who was cramming some type of pastry down her throat. When I asked her where Freaks and Geeks was, she turned to me and with a mouth full of food told me that they didn't even get any in and had no idea when they would. I found that to be pretty unprofessional. I know we all have to eat, but that is what a break is for.
I find places like Target and Wal Mart, like most everyone else, to be a complete waste of time when it comes to trying to get any type of help from the staff. Yes, they often have decent prices on DVD's, but you have to deal with other crap along the way. The DVD's at both of those places are organized in such a lousy, haphazard way that I often can't even find what I am looking for. Also, I have gone into both stores in the past looking for some title on release day, only to find it not even stocked on the shelves, and not because it's sold out, either. At those places, if it isn't on the shelf in plain view, good luck. The Wal Mart here is famous for not even having that week's releases on the shelf on Tuesday.
In a nutshell, every store has their good and bad points, in my opinion. At least with Best Buy, I can pretty much always guarantee that they will have plenty of copies of whatever I want when I walk in there on a Tuesday morning, and I know right where to find them.
If anything, everyone's ranting about the crappy employees at Best Buy stores can be seen as part of an indictment on customer service in general nowadays.
I have personally experienced both bad and good service at Best Buys around here, but I would say that is pretty much par for the course. Honestly, I don't expect the employees at a place like Best Buy, Target, Circuit City or Wal Mart to be the most knowledgeable source of info on all of their product. They don't get any commission, so I am not expecting them to go that far out of their way to have some huge breadth of knowledge. The best way to buy anything from those places is to do all your homework before hand, so you already have all the answers. The whole reason you are usually going to buy something there is for the lower prices anyway.
On the other hand, employees at places that pay on commission will usually know a little more about their product, but then you often have to be leery of their motivation. They could be trying to sell you a certain brand over another one because their company is doing some kind of employee promotion, thus giving them more incentive to sell said product over another. Also, I don't know about you people, but I very much dislike the feeling of being tailed around the store like I am Tony Soprano getting followed by the Feds. It pisses me off and makes me not want to buy anything at all.
It really all depends on the individual store, though. Some of you act like Circuit City has more knowledgable and professional employees than Best Buy, but I am not so sure of that. For example, I went into CC to buy the Freaks and Geeks set the morning it came out, and after looking around for it for about 5 minutes, I finally tracked down some female employee who was cramming some type of pastry down her throat. When I asked her where Freaks and Geeks was, she turned to me and with a mouth full of food told me that they didn't even get any in and had no idea when they would. I found that to be pretty unprofessional. I know we all have to eat, but that is what a break is for.
I find places like Target and Wal Mart, like most everyone else, to be a complete waste of time when it comes to trying to get any type of help from the staff. Yes, they often have decent prices on DVD's, but you have to deal with other crap along the way. The DVD's at both of those places are organized in such a lousy, haphazard way that I often can't even find what I am looking for. Also, I have gone into both stores in the past looking for some title on release day, only to find it not even stocked on the shelves, and not because it's sold out, either. At those places, if it isn't on the shelf in plain view, good luck. The Wal Mart here is famous for not even having that week's releases on the shelf on Tuesday.
In a nutshell, every store has their good and bad points, in my opinion. At least with Best Buy, I can pretty much always guarantee that they will have plenty of copies of whatever I want when I walk in there on a Tuesday morning, and I know right where to find them.
06-14-04, 01:47 AM
#148
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Okay, I was going to start a brand new thread about crappy Best Buy service but of course I have been here on the board for longer than a day so knew there had to be one around.
Bare with me as this was a really bad experience. My father was looking at buying a Dyson vacuum and because of the %10 coupon decided to buy one today. We didn't know if we wanted the purple upright or the yellow canister style. So we go there and ask the associate to demonstrate it to us. He does so very reluctantly and has a very bad attitude about the whole thing. This was totally unprovoked as we were just asking some simple questions. Well, he showed us the purple vacuum (he wasn't very knowledgable as he kept saying the same answers for different questions) and we had specifically asked to see the yellow canister so he put up the purple one and promptly left. He starts walking down to the washers without saying a word (I thought he must be going to get the instructions or something) and promptly starts helping some other customers.
Needless to say I was floored. I just couldn't believe it. My dad asked some passing blue shirt if he could demonstrate it at which point he said he didn't work in this dept. So my dad asked him to fetch a manager. After a few minutes I decided to get the manager and complain about the first associate. I walked up to him at which point the customer he was helping noted that it seemed like I had a question. I said "No, (I looked at his badge) Steve, I just wanted to make sure that I had your name correct when I tell the manager that you blatantly left while you were in the middle of helping us to go help some other customers." He very quickly (as if prepared) brushed me off and said I have to help the other customers too. Which really ticked me off as I explained "so it is your policy that after you show them one washer you will go back to us and show another vacuum and then show them another washer?" He was extremely smug about the whole thing and finally said "fine tell him" at which point I turned and saw the manager standing there.
Basically he pulled me to the side and tried to smooth things over. I told him that I wanted to be sure that what happened to us is not the same level of quality that other customers receive. I also told him that I frankly didn't think they would do anything as he was the Department Supervisor. He tried to show us the vacuums and since it wasn't his department fumbled around with it but was trying to be helpful. However, it really seemed like he was defending his employee by not taking it seriously (granted this is only an impression and he didn't say anything to suggest this). In the end it was very humbling having to buy it after receiving such bad service but the %10 off coupon coupled with the Rewards Zone made it too good of a deal.
I just can't believe that Steve from appliances at the Lakeland store just smuggly walked away from us while we had asked him to help us. It wasn't like we were discussing anything or the other customer was nearby. We watched him walk all the way from the vacuums to the washers to help another customer. I really hate to mention it as I hate it when other people play the race card so readily but just the way his attitude was when we talked to him, the way he blatantly walked away, the way he acted fine with the other customers I can't help but wonder (we are Asian).
Let me preface (postface?) this by saying I hate it when people automatically defend the employees, but I also hate it when people try to cheat companies. I just expect a company to follow what their policy says and be treated like a human being. I don't think this is too much to ask. Attitude makes all the difference. If an employee doesn't know something but still tries to be helpful I admire that. I don't know how my fellow customers treat you but that is no excuse for treating me poorly.
Thanks for listening.
Bare with me as this was a really bad experience. My father was looking at buying a Dyson vacuum and because of the %10 coupon decided to buy one today. We didn't know if we wanted the purple upright or the yellow canister style. So we go there and ask the associate to demonstrate it to us. He does so very reluctantly and has a very bad attitude about the whole thing. This was totally unprovoked as we were just asking some simple questions. Well, he showed us the purple vacuum (he wasn't very knowledgable as he kept saying the same answers for different questions) and we had specifically asked to see the yellow canister so he put up the purple one and promptly left. He starts walking down to the washers without saying a word (I thought he must be going to get the instructions or something) and promptly starts helping some other customers.
Needless to say I was floored. I just couldn't believe it. My dad asked some passing blue shirt if he could demonstrate it at which point he said he didn't work in this dept. So my dad asked him to fetch a manager. After a few minutes I decided to get the manager and complain about the first associate. I walked up to him at which point the customer he was helping noted that it seemed like I had a question. I said "No, (I looked at his badge) Steve, I just wanted to make sure that I had your name correct when I tell the manager that you blatantly left while you were in the middle of helping us to go help some other customers." He very quickly (as if prepared) brushed me off and said I have to help the other customers too. Which really ticked me off as I explained "so it is your policy that after you show them one washer you will go back to us and show another vacuum and then show them another washer?" He was extremely smug about the whole thing and finally said "fine tell him" at which point I turned and saw the manager standing there.
Basically he pulled me to the side and tried to smooth things over. I told him that I wanted to be sure that what happened to us is not the same level of quality that other customers receive. I also told him that I frankly didn't think they would do anything as he was the Department Supervisor. He tried to show us the vacuums and since it wasn't his department fumbled around with it but was trying to be helpful. However, it really seemed like he was defending his employee by not taking it seriously (granted this is only an impression and he didn't say anything to suggest this). In the end it was very humbling having to buy it after receiving such bad service but the %10 off coupon coupled with the Rewards Zone made it too good of a deal.
I just can't believe that Steve from appliances at the Lakeland store just smuggly walked away from us while we had asked him to help us. It wasn't like we were discussing anything or the other customer was nearby. We watched him walk all the way from the vacuums to the washers to help another customer. I really hate to mention it as I hate it when other people play the race card so readily but just the way his attitude was when we talked to him, the way he blatantly walked away, the way he acted fine with the other customers I can't help but wonder (we are Asian).
Let me preface (postface?) this by saying I hate it when people automatically defend the employees, but I also hate it when people try to cheat companies. I just expect a company to follow what their policy says and be treated like a human being. I don't think this is too much to ask. Attitude makes all the difference. If an employee doesn't know something but still tries to be helpful I admire that. I don't know how my fellow customers treat you but that is no excuse for treating me poorly.
Thanks for listening.
06-16-04, 02:26 AM
#149
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IMO, it's been so easy to boycott best buy B&M. I've had sooo many bad experiences and too few good ones. It's just not worth it for me to shop there. BB online I'll visit if they're the best deal in town and offer free shipping. I'm ok if I don't have to deal with a blue shirt, I guess.
06-16-04, 03:53 PM
#150
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Originally posted by SexualPudding
Honestly, I don't expect the employees at a place like Best Buy, Target, Circuit City or Wal Mart to be the most knowledgeable source of info on all of their product.
Honestly, I don't expect the employees at a place like Best Buy, Target, Circuit City or Wal Mart to be the most knowledgeable source of info on all of their product.