dvdirv

I have been having problems trying to price match at Best Buy.

Yes, price-matching is their policy (at least on paper). Yet their everyday practices try to discourage price-matching every way they can.

For example, when I went to BB today and asked for a price-match the cashier was confused as to why I was showing her a Circuit City ad since their store is Best Buy. I had to REPEAT that I wanted a price-match. When she finally understood, she told me to go to Customer Service since they were the only ones who could do a price-match. I looked at the waiting line, and decided not to waste my time just to save a few bucks.

I went next door to another store where the cashier does an immediate price match when I show her my competitor's ad.

I frequently visit BB just to use my Reward Zone card, but their visits of late are just not worth my time.

Xbox69

The only time I've done a price-match at Best Buy, the cashier had to call over a manager and I think went to call and verify the ad (Fry's). They said nothing about going over to Customer Service. Luckily, the store wasn't too busy. I haven't PM'd there since.

tonyc3742

When I've done it, I've taken my receipt and the other store's ad to Customer Service and done it, never had a problem. I've even bought the thing then went right over to CS for that 10% back.
I guess a PM might require a manager or lead's key/logon, at least at the checkout; maybe I've been lucky and have gotten a non-newbie each time.

Vipper II

Of course they're going to discourage price matching - it causes them to lose money on the matched items. No business likes that.

fujishig

Some stores make you go wait at the customer service center, some don't. If I get to the register and they make me go to the CS center, I'll buy it and do the price guarantee thing to get the extra 10% of the difference... if they're going to make me stand in that line anyway, I'll get the extra!

brainee

The last time I price-matched at BB, I asked one of the floor workers what to do first. He sent me to the Customer Service desk ... which was fortunately shorter than the regular check-out lines at the time. I had a printout of the other ad, so it was no problem. They had to fill in a special form (took an extra minute). Didn't seem that unreasonable to me.

Groucho

If another store has it at a lower price, I usually just go to the other store.

Xbox69

But when the other store is way across town? That's what I like about Wal-Mart. It's within walking distance of my house.

atari2600

then why offer it? if they offer it, then they should honor it everytime. granted there will be people to try to take advantage so i can see why they would call or verify or whatever but i hear so many stories about the stores giving people such a hard time for trying to PM.

tonyc3742

Agreed. If it's a policy on their wall, they should comply with it. I wouldn't even have a problem if they 'complied' with the part that says 'other store must have it in stock', and called the other store to verify.

And while I usually just buy stuff at the cheaper store, if I'm going to one store anyway, if I have a coupon, if I want to buy something else, or if i want to use the price guarantee, I'll go to the store with the best PM/service. WalMart, Circuit City, Target, Best Buy, are all within one square mile so it's not out of the way.

arsmith7

The Best Buy price match policy is also dependent on if the item being matched is in stock at the other store. That is why they call the store to verify. If it isn't in stock they don't PM. On most DVD price matches a manager isn't required to actually do it, but the store that I worked at we were told to get manager approval for any price adjustment. On larger items with greater differences in price a manager code is needed for the registers to mark it down.

renaldow

So, you wanted to price match, went to the wrong place to do it, and then decided not to go to the correct place when the employee told you to -- and this is part of BB's plan to discourage you from price matching? It seems from the other posts that people have no problem price matching when they go to the correct place in store to do it.

consoleman

I tried to do a price-match on a TV DVD boxset which they were selling for $49.99 and Circuit City had it for $18.99. They called over a manager who simply laughed and told me yes they do have a price-match policy, but because the price is less than cost, they could not do it. I agree that if they're not going to honor the policy every time, they should not be posting it. I've never had any problems pricematching at Circuit City using one of BestBuy's ads.

dvdirv

The bottom line is that there is no consistency in BB's price-matching policy.

Some stores will price-match right at the register, while others insist you go to customer service. While this is not normally a problem, I find it a hassle when there are others ahead of you in line to do returns, exchanges, etc--especially with BB's "customer-friendly" return policy!

BKenn01

Yes, I understand that. But when you have a BB with 5 targets within a 10 mile radius it is silly to just call the closest one.

Last time they called the local target and it was out, I had them call the manager over and he gave it to me after I pointed out that there was another target just 3 miles away. I guess he figured I was going to make him call every one to verify the stock.

You said it!