Well, received one more, postmarked 11/2, with BBBucks. Growing sort of tired of these trickling-in returns, hehe.

As for the problems with managers and whatnot, I wish this stuff would happen to me now and then. I actually look forward to arguing with the workers. I get some sort of sick pleasure out of proving them wrong, or something, hehe.

If anyone is looking for things to buy online, this deal looks promising (Animation sale): http://dvdtalk.com/forum/showthread....50#post6524850. Valid until 11/26. Looks like a good way to get the most out of BB$ online.

Got another load in today. Received 45: 16 - $3's; 29 - $1's. 16 food prizes.
Waiting on 13 more.
Total breakdown so far: 55 - 1's; 32 - 3's. (36.8%) $151.00.
Most of these were postmarked 11/4, a few were 11/3 and a few more were not post marked at all.
No big prizes.

Got 14 out of the 17 I sent back today, all postmarked 11/4. I'll reply back when I've counted, but the first one was a $3. :) No rules, btw.

Of my 14, I ended up with 3 $3 (18%), and 11 $1 for a total of $20.

Speaking of getting the motherload in today... luckily I have a really big mailbox.

Got back 413 SASE today, all w/ BBB. It'll take hours just to open them, and hours to peel them I'm sure. Fun fun fun! Just waiting on about another 150 or so. I also sent out 1 on Oct 31, even after people were reporting getting the rules, just to see if I got it back. So far I've gotten around 800 back, all with BBB, none with rules.

I'd like to see a picture of all those game pieces, just to see it for myself. Filling out 1000+ envelopes sounds like a lot of work...

So what does the limit end up being? I'm about to use some of mine (although I didn't get anywhere near the number that some of you sent out... lol... those have been great stories) to try and do instore pickup on dvds (which have a limit) and PSP games (which I don't see a limit for). Will the online just let you type in the stickers, or how does it all work? I haven't tried yet, since the items I want aren't out till next week.

In-store, you can use up to $300 per person, per visit. You can use up to $3 on CD's and DVD's. Lastly, you can't use the bucks toward video game systems, or a handful of other restricted items. Online, there is no limit for how many BBB you can use toward DVD's and CD's (though you may be questioned when you go to pick the item up...best response is to say that you just used a giftcard). However, you can only enter 40 codes on any one order, so the limit for one online order is $120 (40 x $3 BBB). If you intend to make online purchases to get around the $3 limit on DVD's and such, this shouldn't be an issue...since I don't know of too many DVD sets that retail for more than $120, and you can just separate any purchases that exceed that $120, 40-code limit into a separate transaction.

Hope that answers your questions.

-JP

Got 3 more in today. All $1's. Waiting on 10 more, out of 100.

Video Games are another touchy subject with this promotion and many of the stores.

You can use them towards video games. At least you are suppose to. This has been validated several times by those involved with the promotion. But, you will most likely have to call the 800 number in the store to get them to bitch at the managers. Many Best Buy Stores have been violating the rules of this promotion. Some more than others. This entire promotion has turned out for many to be a complete headache when it comes to actually using the Best Buy Bucks.

I really can't see Best Buy doing it again next year. It's not like they need the advertising anyways. I really don't even know why they decided to do it to begin with. They don't even want to follow the rules they agreed to themselves before the promotion began.

I won't be involved with this again even it they do bring it back next year. The small savings wasn't worth all the aggervation. Not shopping at Best Buy at all saves me more money anyways. Funny thing is outside of this promotion, I don't even go to Best Buy. So, no big loss.

I bought a $49.99 video game with $50 in best buy bucks (owed $0.00 since they don't charge tax on best buy bucks), but I did an in-store pickup. No problems with that whatsoever. Then again, I haven't tried to buy a video game in-store with best buy bucks.

When I was using $3 for a DVD last week the manager commented that "somebody came in here with $72 in best buy bucks!" I'd have loved to have seen his face if some of you guys went in with $300.

Seriously, if I had realized how advantageous it was to mail in for pieces, I would have sent out for a couple hundred, easy. Obviously it's too late now. I ended up eating at McDonalds pretty much every week day, sometimes twice a day, in October. Ended up with ~ $100 in best buy bucks. But I was using a "buy-one, get-one free" card for the sandwhiches, so every day I was getting two sandwhiches and a large fry for ~ $5.35 and then got three best buy chances.

I received 9 more today. Only 1 left (out of 100). Got one $3, and eigth $1's.
Most were postmarked 11/7.

Total so far:

33 $3's; 66 $1's.

27 food prizes. 17 are sm. softdrinks.

Got a few envelopes back today, around 10.

Had some fun redeeming some BBB instore yesterday and today. Redeemed $159 on a 200GB external hard drive that was on sale yesterday. I also tried to buy a few video games, but the manager wouldn't let me use more than $3 on each, even after looking at the rules. He said they can make their own rules. Whatever, I call BB corporate on him today and they got him one the line with me and corporate and we had a nice littel conference call where they told him that the limit is $300 on video games and for him not to jerk me around when I come back. nice.

Today, I stopped at one BB on the way home from work, redeemed $200 on a copy of Frontpage 2003. Then stopped at another BB when I got closer to home and redeemed $300 on a Roomba Scheduler remote vacuum. No hassles at either store and they didn't even ask for ID when redeeming.

Well, I don't have all of them, threw most out. But I have saved all of the envelopes in case I'm ever questioned as to the source of the BBB. Maybe when I get them all back I'll post a picture. So far it's an overflowing paper grocery bag full of envelopes.

Filling them out really wasn't that big of a deal for what I've gotten back. I probably did 50-75 each day for about 2 weeks. Mostly while watching TV. It's much more of a pain opening up all of them and peeling the pieces. Not to mention trying to redeeming them. For awhile I was contemplating double dipping, when it looked like i was going to get tons of the rules, but there's no way I'd take the time to enter all of these codes anyways.

I only sent out a dozen but I was pleased to have 50% of them be 3 $ bucks. The weird thing was the first six I opened were 1 dollar bucks and I was thinking how I was gonna be getting the short end of the stick. I laughed myself silly when the last six were all 3$.

Earlier tonight, I got the run-around at my local Best Buy...and ended up tearing every manager in the store a new asshole because of it. I walked in, chose three video game titles that totaled $39.97. I had $35 in BBB. I was about to checkout when I was told that there was a $3 limit in Best Buy Bucks on video game titles. I told the clerk that no, that's only on CDs and DVDs.

She walked over and got her supervisor. I explained to him that the rules stated nothing about a limit of $3 on video games. He went and pulled his manager out of a meeting. She walked up with the rules. Highlighted was the section stating "Limit 3 CD, DVD, or Video Game titles per customer, per visit."

I left the store, went home, and got my copy of the rules. I went back and asked to speak to the manager again. A different guy came over with the rules, and pointed to that section. I began to read what it said to him, pointing out that it's not talking about the Best Buy bucks. He said, "I can read." I said, "apparently not, so let me read it for you. Limit three TITLES per customer per visit. It says nothing at all about the Best Buy bucks. The rule you've highlighted is in my copy of the rules as well, right under the stipulation limiting us to $3 in BBB on any one CD or DVD." I then asked to speak to his supervisor.

Meanwhile, I called Best Buy's corporate offices. The lady on the other end told me that it says in the terms and conditions on Best Buy and McDonalds' websites that a video game falls under the category of "DVD and CD." I said, "so, a video game is a CD?" She said yes. I was confused, so I hung up. Then I told the Best Buy employee that she agreed with me...that nowhere in the rules did it say that video games were limit $3.

He went and talked to the district manager. He returned, telling me that the manager agreed that it was open to interpretation, and that he'd meet me halfway and give me $6 off each video game title. I told him, no, it's not open for interpretation. It's written there in plain English, and that I'd like to speak with this district manager. I was told that he was in a meeting, to which I responded, "Okay. I'll wait." "We close at 10 (it was around 8:30)." "That's fine, I'll wait." After a couple of minutes, realizing that I wasn't kidding about waiting until closing time, he walked off to get the head honcho.

This guy, a chap by the name of Cesar Carrillo, came out and echoed what his employee told me. I then asked him to point out what section of the rules he felt was open for interpretation. He pointed to the same "limit three copies of any one title" section. I, for the third time, pointed out the fact that it wasn't referring to Best Buy bucks. He told me that he didn't care...it would be unfair to other customers if he offered me anymore than $6 off each video game title. I politely told him that it was unfair to limit me or anybody else in the first goddamn place, since it isn't written in the motherfucking rules. He said something that I'll never forget: "I'm the owner/operator of this location. Regardless of what the rules say, we can do as we please. It's up to me, and I say you get a maximum of $6 off any video game title. Will you be making the transaction?" I responded, "no, but I'll be filing a complaint with the better business bureau...so I'll need your name and the store number." After taking down the information, I went home.

Still pissed about the whole ordeal, I called their corporate offices again. This time, the lady seemed to agree with me on every point. I asked for a case number, and made my third drive to Best Buy. I walked in, and saw mister Cesar Carrillo immediately. He walked up to me, asking if he could help me. I told him that I'd talked to corporate, and that I'd appreciate it if he'd make a phone call and refer to my case number. His response, again a classic: "No matter what they say, it's still up to me. I'm the owner and operator of this location, so it's up to me. I don't care what they say, you're not getting anymore than $6 off any one title. I think I've already agreed to go above and beyond what's required of the store." I simply smiled and said, "just call the corporate office. Thanks."

He left, off to the back to make the phone call. I was aggravated the entire time, because I knew that he would just return and give me the run-around again. After all, I wasn't even there to talk to the corporate people as he did. However, after nearly 20 minutes, he returned with a goofy, apologetic grin on his face. "Boy, it took them a while to figure that out. It's still kind of uncertain, but I'll give you the deal, after all...you're a good customer, right?" To this, I responded, "Yeah, I used to be. Where do you want to ring me up?"

Livid, I'd already updated my roomie on the situation prior to my third trip out. As such, I was really proud of myself as I walked in the door with a bag full of merchandise. All I can say is this; if your store tries to get one over on you...don't let them. The management at my store was about as stubborn as I can imagine any management being, but in the end, I still got my way. Don't settle for anything less. And most important: don't shop at Best Buy unless you absolutely need to.

Best Buy store number 828, and all of it's employees, can kiss me square on my ass. And there's not a chance in hell that I'll feel the least bit guilty about double-dipping on these Best Buy Bucks.

-JP

received 47 envelopes back yesterday - all with BBB. Sadly, only 4 had $3 tickets, the other 43 were $1 (total of $55). Still, glad to have gotten the majority of envelopes back with BBB and not the rules. I think I may still have 20 or so out there.

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to share your story. I assure you that like you, I will not let Best Buy alter the rules in any way when I redeem my BB$ later this weekend.

By the way, what are the telephone numbers that everyone calls when they start having difficulties with in-store management?

seems like a lot more trouble than it's worth

Before I go an run off and buy an MP3 player and video games in store, has anyone had any problem redeeming BBBs with the stores in the San Jose area, specifically Santana Row, new Sunnyvale and Milpitas stores?

Just want to be aware of any issues in any of those stores so I can avoid them if possible pending stock.

My pleasure, and good luck. Be sure not to make the same mistake I did...take your copy of the rules with you the first time you leave the house, just incase. The number, if you do have any problems, is 1-888-Best-Buy.

Oh, after the first 5 minutes or so, my plight no longer had anything at all to do with the savings. It had everything to do with the principle. No matter how many trips to the store or phone calls it took...I wasn't going to let some stubborn, snotty Best Buy manager tell me that fact is fiction. Had things not ended up the way they did, I seriously would've filed a lengthy, formal, and very detailed complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

I don't really agree with the notion that the customer is always right. However, to tell the customer that they're wrong whenever they're clearly not is just plain unacceptable...and is something that I'll fight no matter how little the payoff is in relation to the effort.

-JP

Those that are having problems redeeming at one store are probably best just to take their BBB to another store if possible. I live in L.A. so we have plenty of store, I've been to at least 8 different in the past week or two with BBB. Two stores in particular gave me a big time hassle w/ the BBB, two others just took forever and insisted on scanning every BBB, but the 4 others take them w/o question, usually w/o ID and make for a very easy transaction.

Of course, all stores should be accepting them equal. The manager that said he was the owner is full of BS. Best Buy is not a franchise and all the stores are run by corporate. The rules ("contract") are clear and a call to corporate will usually take care of things. The only exception is that one call to corporate had them telling me there has been fraud w/ BBB in SoCal and that the new policy is now a $75 limit. I said put it in writing and I'll believe it. They said I could go to this specific store where I was having a problem to get a copy of the policy change. Whatever, I just went to another store and had no trouble redeeming and no mention of this made-up new policy.

So, in my experience it's not worth the headache of arguing if you can just drive 15 minutes or so to the next store.

I used another $300 BB$ today with no problem at all (showed ID, that is it). Once again, they didn't count them (I was honest because who knows, maybe they will count them later)...

illini420, I live in the LA area too. Which two stores gave you a hassle and which two scanned every BBB? I haven't spent any of my BBB yet and you can save me some time and frustration by avoiding those locations. Thanks in advance.