Bestbuy.com = the pits
11-26-01, 04:45 PM
#1
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Bestbuy.com = the pits
I placed an online order for local pickup on Saturday. Still haven't gotten the pickup notice (for Dumbo). Called and they said the store hasn't even looked at filling it yet. Told me *I* had to call the store to ask. Store HANGS up on me twice before I can speak to anyone.
As a warning to all in the area, it's the Hawthorne, CA store.
THe bestbuy.com people said they can do nothing. I can cancel the order or wait. They won't even call the store and check if they are hanging up on customers.
They are in the "Hall of Shame" as far as I am concerned.
As a warning to all in the area, it's the Hawthorne, CA store.
THe bestbuy.com people said they can do nothing. I can cancel the order or wait. They won't even call the store and check if they are hanging up on customers.
They are in the "Hall of Shame" as far as I am concerned.
11-26-01, 05:17 PM
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Honestly, why do you bother with bestbuy.com? Why not just call ahead to see if they have it in stock at the B&M store and just go pick it up if it is in stock? Buying it through bestbuy.com seems more of a hassle to me than anything else. I would only use it if there was no bestbuy around me or if I had a digital coupon that I couldn't use offline (there are still ways around that).
11-26-01, 09:45 PM
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Honestly, why do you bother with bestbuy.com? Why not just call ahead to see if they have it in stock at the B&M store and just go pick it up if it is in stock? Buying it through bestbuy.com seems more of a hassle to me than anything else. I would only use it if there was no bestbuy around me or if I had a digital coupon that I couldn't use offline (there are still ways around that).
11-27-01, 08:08 AM
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The last time I ordered a DVD from BB.com, the email confirmation took 2 business days to reach me. Then I ended up waiting 20 minutes for the store CSR to get the Sopranos DVD set and process the transaction. BB website had the Sopranos set for $57, whereas the store had it for $79. All in all, saved a few bucks but cost me some extra time in waiting for email and at the CSR counter.
11-27-01, 09:23 AM
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The reason was the store would have been packed, I have a newborn at home and the sale ended that day and it was dinnertime. The price was almost double if I waited to go. You can say what you want, but there is always a good reason. Having no choice is pretty straightfoward.
After calling the store and routing to the video dept instead of the cs people, I found a wonderful lady who pulled it herself and made the people process the order. She said they hang up on HER when she calls. How a B&M can think customer service can hang up on people after making them hold forever and still have a viable long term business I don't know. But corporate hq doesn't make them answer the phones and doesn't seem to care.
So, I will be able to pick it up on the way home today.
After calling the store and routing to the video dept instead of the cs people, I found a wonderful lady who pulled it herself and made the people process the order. She said they hang up on HER when she calls. How a B&M can think customer service can hang up on people after making them hold forever and still have a viable long term business I don't know. But corporate hq doesn't make them answer the phones and doesn't seem to care.
So, I will be able to pick it up on the way home today.
11-27-01, 09:57 AM
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My Best Buy Experience 11/20/2001
I bought a new television on 11/20/2001 from Best Buy (Lexington store). My sale experience was terrible. You see, I had brought $800 in gift certificates with me from online rewards sites that I had earned over a year ago (memolink.com, powerdime.com). I had decided I wanted the Sharp 55" widescreen set (55RWP4H) which Best Buy had for a decent price with the 18 months no-interest financing. After some deliberation with my wife we were approached by an employee that knew
nothing about the TV. It turned out that he had just gotten the job, so I don't fault him even if he only knew general facts about HDTVs. He didn't know many details on the particular model we were looking at. He was very nice and easy to deal with. He asked me if I wanted an extended warranty and I declined. He was like "no problem". He approached the register and started to ring me up until his manager magically appeared out of nowhere.
"What!?! no extended warranty?!?!" he exclaims.. The manager guy named Aaron got in my face and tried to insinuate that the TV was going to fail unless I purchased their extended warranty. He gave me at least 3 scenarios on how it WOULD break, citing another completely different set on display that was only 2 months old and definitely in needing service (green blotches). Why was that bad set even on display? For once I stand up for my decision and flatly tell him I do not like Best Buy warranties. I told him the last warranty for my last TV from Best Buy was about useless (hard to arrange service, TV taken for 30 days and NOT repaired, returned with a good part replaced - not bad part, returned to service center for another 30 days and the correct part was finally replaced). I told him their service was unacceptable. The manager proceeded to lay out scenarios.. telling me the picture tubes would blow. Like a smart a$$ he goes "Funny.. I just saved you $600". As retaliation, I told him I didn 't plan to break the TV and I would seek an outside warranty service. His face turned red and he made me feel like I made a terrible mistake. I am not used to this type of pressure. I nearly caved in, but managed to say no to the extended service plan. I know he must get a bonus of some sort for selling these ridiculous warranties, so I know he was pissed.
Now the best part of my experience happened.. I whipped out 42 gift cards I had saved from various online rewards programs. I decided to use them on the least busy day of the week when there were not as many customers around. I thought the manager was going to crap a brick when he saw my stash! He had decided to handle the register and when he saw my wad of gift cards his eyes about popped out of his head. The original employee that helped me and another had witnessed our dialog about the extended service warranty. In a frustrated voice, the manager told them to go help other customers because he sarcastically said "this is going to take two hours, might as well help other people". I was IMMEDIATELY questioned on where I got so many gift cards. I explained the rewards programs and his surprised look turned into one of suspicion. I proceeded to hand the manager one card at a time, so he could scan them in one at a time and I could verify that they were accepted. About 10 cards into the process he goes "give me all of them" and then reaches into my hand and takes them. I said "hey buddy.. I prefer we continue to do this one at a time". He hands them back sloppily and says loudly "FINE". So I continue to hand him a card at a time. As we're ringing them in he begins to interrogate me again about how I earned all these gift cards. I explained it again. Some other employees came over in amusement. Snidely and under his breath he tells his associates "Best Buy would never agree to supply gift cards to online rewards programs.. this HAS to be fraud". I couldn't believe I just heard that with my own two ears. Being the non-confrontational guy I am, I let it slide and pretended not to hear it. On second thought I wanted to tell this jerk the business, but am posting here (and bestbuysux.org) to share my story instead. Feeling like a criminal and angered, I just stood there handing him cards and thinking "Good.. I am glad I am making you do all this work". How is it a problem that I had brought in gift cards from online rewards sites that I had worked for? I could have done the same by purchasing a gift card every week for half a year as a saving-up method. Finally all the cards were scanned in. The manager asked me if I wanted 6 or 18 months financing. Duh.. I will take 18, even if I pay it off in 6. That was a stupid question on his part. As a result of me handing him the older style of Best Buy gift cards, each and every card had to be verified in the cash register by feeding a piece of paper into the cash register. He had to do this 42 times. I was laughing so loud inside me. I could see he was irritated. Serves him right for being an a$$ to me. After the receipt was printed and home delivery was confirmed the guy ripped my receipt as he tore it off the carbon copy. I think he did on purpose. So I am missing a corner of my receipt, but there is nothing significant on the part missing, so I took my receipt and stupidly thanked the jerk for his patience on scanning in all my gift cards.
I don't think I will buy a large ticket item at Best Buy again. I felt foolish and like a criminal from the impression the manager left on me. That manager was too cocky, egotistical and thick-headed, but that is someone you would expect to be at working Best Buy. If I didn't have so many gift cards, I'd of taken my business somewhere else. Never again!
nothing about the TV. It turned out that he had just gotten the job, so I don't fault him even if he only knew general facts about HDTVs. He didn't know many details on the particular model we were looking at. He was very nice and easy to deal with. He asked me if I wanted an extended warranty and I declined. He was like "no problem". He approached the register and started to ring me up until his manager magically appeared out of nowhere.
"What!?! no extended warranty?!?!" he exclaims.. The manager guy named Aaron got in my face and tried to insinuate that the TV was going to fail unless I purchased their extended warranty. He gave me at least 3 scenarios on how it WOULD break, citing another completely different set on display that was only 2 months old and definitely in needing service (green blotches). Why was that bad set even on display? For once I stand up for my decision and flatly tell him I do not like Best Buy warranties. I told him the last warranty for my last TV from Best Buy was about useless (hard to arrange service, TV taken for 30 days and NOT repaired, returned with a good part replaced - not bad part, returned to service center for another 30 days and the correct part was finally replaced). I told him their service was unacceptable. The manager proceeded to lay out scenarios.. telling me the picture tubes would blow. Like a smart a$$ he goes "Funny.. I just saved you $600". As retaliation, I told him I didn 't plan to break the TV and I would seek an outside warranty service. His face turned red and he made me feel like I made a terrible mistake. I am not used to this type of pressure. I nearly caved in, but managed to say no to the extended service plan. I know he must get a bonus of some sort for selling these ridiculous warranties, so I know he was pissed.
Now the best part of my experience happened.. I whipped out 42 gift cards I had saved from various online rewards programs. I decided to use them on the least busy day of the week when there were not as many customers around. I thought the manager was going to crap a brick when he saw my stash! He had decided to handle the register and when he saw my wad of gift cards his eyes about popped out of his head. The original employee that helped me and another had witnessed our dialog about the extended service warranty. In a frustrated voice, the manager told them to go help other customers because he sarcastically said "this is going to take two hours, might as well help other people". I was IMMEDIATELY questioned on where I got so many gift cards. I explained the rewards programs and his surprised look turned into one of suspicion. I proceeded to hand the manager one card at a time, so he could scan them in one at a time and I could verify that they were accepted. About 10 cards into the process he goes "give me all of them" and then reaches into my hand and takes them. I said "hey buddy.. I prefer we continue to do this one at a time". He hands them back sloppily and says loudly "FINE". So I continue to hand him a card at a time. As we're ringing them in he begins to interrogate me again about how I earned all these gift cards. I explained it again. Some other employees came over in amusement. Snidely and under his breath he tells his associates "Best Buy would never agree to supply gift cards to online rewards programs.. this HAS to be fraud". I couldn't believe I just heard that with my own two ears. Being the non-confrontational guy I am, I let it slide and pretended not to hear it. On second thought I wanted to tell this jerk the business, but am posting here (and bestbuysux.org) to share my story instead. Feeling like a criminal and angered, I just stood there handing him cards and thinking "Good.. I am glad I am making you do all this work". How is it a problem that I had brought in gift cards from online rewards sites that I had worked for? I could have done the same by purchasing a gift card every week for half a year as a saving-up method. Finally all the cards were scanned in. The manager asked me if I wanted 6 or 18 months financing. Duh.. I will take 18, even if I pay it off in 6. That was a stupid question on his part. As a result of me handing him the older style of Best Buy gift cards, each and every card had to be verified in the cash register by feeding a piece of paper into the cash register. He had to do this 42 times. I was laughing so loud inside me. I could see he was irritated. Serves him right for being an a$$ to me. After the receipt was printed and home delivery was confirmed the guy ripped my receipt as he tore it off the carbon copy. I think he did on purpose. So I am missing a corner of my receipt, but there is nothing significant on the part missing, so I took my receipt and stupidly thanked the jerk for his patience on scanning in all my gift cards.
I don't think I will buy a large ticket item at Best Buy again. I felt foolish and like a criminal from the impression the manager left on me. That manager was too cocky, egotistical and thick-headed, but that is someone you would expect to be at working Best Buy. If I didn't have so many gift cards, I'd of taken my business somewhere else. Never again!
11-27-01, 11:09 AM
#7
DVD Talk Hero
Speaking of the extended warranties and obnoxious managers, I bought a new computer at Best Buy last year.
The sales drone that sold me the computer (or, rather, helped me load it in the cart) tried to push the extended warranty on me. Wouldn't take no for an answer, told me the computer I was buying was a piece of junk and would break down in short order. Is it just me, or does Best Buy freely admit to selling only "junk?"
Warranty declined, I purchase said computer. At which point, a "manager" pulls me aside and tries to force me to get a uniterrupted power supply. He starts rattling off all of this stuff that really doesn't make a lot of sense -- and I do a little bit about computers. Anyway, what it comes down to is that brownouts will destroy my BIOS unless I buy a UPS. This guy, who stinks of Altoids and cheap aftershave, will not get off of my case. I tell him I already have one (which I don't). He pulls me behind the service center, and I follow because they're holding my computer hostage doing diagnostic tests on it. He waves a couple of diagrams in my face and says something about how the computer I bought has ten motors in it, and that my BIOS will be corrupted unless I buy a $100.00 UPS. I've been using computers for years and this is all news to me. He drags me over to the display of UPSes, and shows me one. I again tell him I already have one (just to get him off of my case). But he somehow knows that mine doesn't have this thing that you plug your computer directly into, just for Windows 98 blah blah blah.
Needless to say, it's going on three years and my computer runs fine without the extended warranty and the UPS.
The sales drone that sold me the computer (or, rather, helped me load it in the cart) tried to push the extended warranty on me. Wouldn't take no for an answer, told me the computer I was buying was a piece of junk and would break down in short order. Is it just me, or does Best Buy freely admit to selling only "junk?"
Warranty declined, I purchase said computer. At which point, a "manager" pulls me aside and tries to force me to get a uniterrupted power supply. He starts rattling off all of this stuff that really doesn't make a lot of sense -- and I do a little bit about computers. Anyway, what it comes down to is that brownouts will destroy my BIOS unless I buy a UPS. This guy, who stinks of Altoids and cheap aftershave, will not get off of my case. I tell him I already have one (which I don't). He pulls me behind the service center, and I follow because they're holding my computer hostage doing diagnostic tests on it. He waves a couple of diagrams in my face and says something about how the computer I bought has ten motors in it, and that my BIOS will be corrupted unless I buy a $100.00 UPS. I've been using computers for years and this is all news to me. He drags me over to the display of UPSes, and shows me one. I again tell him I already have one (just to get him off of my case). But he somehow knows that mine doesn't have this thing that you plug your computer directly into, just for Windows 98 blah blah blah.
Needless to say, it's going on three years and my computer runs fine without the extended warranty and the UPS.
11-29-01, 11:31 PM
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About the extended warranty, I once had a Best Buy clerk try to sell me one with a Game Boy Color. I said "No thanks" and they proceeded to tell me how if it broke, I'd get a free Gameboy replacement with the warranty, blah, blah, blah...but if it broke and I didn't have the plan, there was nothing they could do...blah, blah, blah. I obviously didn't cave in. And I'm disgusted by their scare tactics. Are they suppose to sell extended warranties for everything that plugs in or runs on batteries?
It wouldn't surprise me if in the future, they try to sell you extended warranties on DVDs or CDs.
It wouldn't surprise me if in the future, they try to sell you extended warranties on DVDs or CDs.
11-30-01, 10:40 PM
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I can't believe each of you took the crap mentioned & still made the purchase. Even in the case of having tons of gift cards, you can always walk out on the idiot who is giving you a hard time & either go back later & find someone who is actually helpful, or go to another Best Buy if you have one (better yet, if you can go to another retailer). Don't give the idiots the satisfaction of thinking what they did was acceptable. Walk out ... I'm not in any way saying what happened was justified, but our power as consumers is taking our business elsewhere ... 
Last edited by sniper308; 12-04-01 at 07:15 PM.
