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Question about working at Best Buy

Old 09-07-02, 09:47 PM
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So I know almost everyone here hates best buy..

and i'll probably get banned from this forum for asking this, but is there anyone here who *works* at best buy? I'm just wondering because the local BB has a job opening for a service technician and I'm looking to get a part time job, and when i did the online application it asked if i had more than 6 months with computer repair experience (which I do), and I'm wondering what the benefits are of working there (besides discounts). I know from a girl i knew who worked at a BB for a day that a) most people who work there are clueless teens who smoke way too much dope and b) it's like any other half-assed job, but she was a CSR, and I'm assuming that service techs are a little bit higher in the evolutionary ladder. Opinions, comments welcome, just dont shun me from dvdtalk for wanting a job
Old 09-07-02, 09:50 PM
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Hey I'm a teen and plan on gettting a job there and I don't smoke way too much dope
Old 09-07-02, 10:37 PM
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I worked at Best Buy...don't anymore.

I had heard the discount was nice (and it is) but it mostly affected things i didnt buy often (applicances, bigger electronics items) but the discount was nice on accessories and service plans (i got my service plan for my car stereo for like $5). I took the job because i wanted to work around music and i wanted money (dont we all?)

As for the tech job...i remember the supervisor of the department always making a big deal about keeping the area clean...so you may end up doing alot of cleaning.

Be warned though, you will get alot of irate customers transfered to you on the phone (happened often at the store here...so i heard from the tech dudes here) and you will get your fair share of stupid questions/ complaints (not the "bathroom" questions...but you may get those sometimes).

And you are correct that the black shirts (techs) are a bit higher up than the blue shirts...but then again i have met some really dumb techs too.

Just don't go into it expecting an ideal job
Old 09-07-02, 11:57 PM
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Oh, nothing from ideal, i just need a quick-cash kinda job for the next few months while i finish school up, and it wouldnt hurt to have a more recent job as a tech on my resume (last one is like 2 years old i think )
Old 09-08-02, 02:17 AM
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If your heart is set on it...go for it.


But watch out...you might spend all that money buying DVD's.


Be prepared for some BS (but thats expected from any job)

and the quarterly saturday morning meetings. (and other early morning meetings)
Old 09-08-02, 03:05 AM
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I work at Best Buy and I really like working there.

I'm on the merchandising team though, so I don't have to work with too many customers. The discount is nice and my pay is good.

I'd say go for it.
Old 09-09-02, 09:10 PM
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I work at Best Buy and I am a service technician, its descent job, you dont have to worry about the pressures of pushing service plans or msn/netflix. The pay is good also, and everyone knows the discount is really nice on certain things. So Id say go for it, but of course every now and then you do get the irritating customer.
Old 09-09-02, 11:01 PM
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I'm hoping they call me for an interview sometime this week, but I don't know.. how did you guys get hired? (through the phone/web "questionaire" process?) I'm just wondering if they filter out certain people based on the responses, I think i gave pretty much the expected response for most of the questions ( I did the web based one)
Old 09-10-02, 01:05 AM
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I did the phone questionaire and then later had to fill out an application.

For some reason it took me forever to get hired at that place...i tried every summer break and august from the age of 16 to 19 to get hired there (when iwasnt working elsewhere).

Results may vary at your store though.
Old 09-11-02, 09:04 AM
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Im a p/t tech at a local Best Buy.

The discount is cool, the pay is decent for a p/t job too.
As far as BBY goes, the tech bench is the best to place to be.
No trucks, fewer sales...
Old 09-13-02, 06:34 AM
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Originally posted by Toxygen
most people who work there are clueless teens who smoke way too much dope
Um, don't they give you a drug test? is that just a rumor? i don't partake, but was just curious.

btw, what kind of discount are we talking about for DVDs? i heard something about factory price plus an additional percentage off. is this true?

K
Old 09-14-02, 03:25 AM
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Originally posted by Cornelius1047
Um, don't they give you a drug test? is that just a rumor? i don't partake, but was just curious.

btw, what kind of discount are we talking about for DVDs? i heard something about factory price plus an additional percentage off. is this true?
I only had to test when i was hired.



My DVD discount wasnt much..sometimes i saved alot, sometimes it wasnt much at all.

When i bought "The Abyss" (when it first came out) it was regularly $27.99 and i got it for $22.99. I saved a good $10 on the Robocop Criterion reg. $35.99 i got it for $25.99 (back in 2000).

But more recently (as in last year) on more recent DVD's i have only saved like $2.

I think it depends on the movies and thier MSRP.
Old 09-14-02, 09:09 PM
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Tarantino, what type of hours do you work, and how is the pay? Did you apply for that particular position or do you just go where they send you?
Old 09-15-02, 01:19 AM
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Most of the employees I have talked too have said that while the job "sucks", they stay because they make more money there than they would at other places. Plus one employee also mentioned some kind of college tuition program that BB has.
Old 09-15-02, 02:22 AM
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Well i worked their for a few months over the holidays last year & really hated it!


I applied for a job in the media section.At least it's something i know about(movies & music)....they put me on the merchandise team(stocking everything but the media stuff!),they said 6am was the start time....yet after one week changed the start time to 4am...everyday including every single weekend which i could not take off at all!

They said their are no overnight shifts,just the 6am start time.They made us work overnight shifts at the last minute a couple times each week! Which really screws up your sleep schedule btw,if you get used to going to bed by 6pm,up by 2am....then all of a sudden have to change it in order to make it through the night.

The pay wasn't good,since they didn't give us many hours..& i made about the same pay i made at my last job.So that really sucked.


Anyway it sucked away any free-time i could have to actually have a personall life. Since they kept saying "at least you have the afternoon off!"..when true..but in bed by 6pm leaves no time to really do anything...since everyone else is in school or work & home by 4 or 5..when i'd be getting ready for bed! when told "Yes" i could have every other Sunday off since i had some important things i want/need to do.They worked me every weekend & i had to keep pushing off any real life important goals i wanted to do,in order to work for them!

Couldn't go out on weekends either because i had to work both Sat & Sun,no exceptions. Oh yeah...i really hated the computer the back room,we'd have to print out planograms everyday detailing how everything should be set up.It never worked,would take 2 hours in order to finnaly get stuff printed out,2 hours which we could have just used for extra sleep time & come in at 6am as usual!

Also being searched before you leave everyday gets annoying. I know it's all just pre-caution...but still feels intrusive when you know you didn't steal a thing!

Those early moring meetings..yack!



Anyway i obviously hated it & just left since it was just as horrible as my last job i was at afor a couple years & trying to find a better job. They don't seem to hire you unless you give up your soul & entire personel life in order to work for them. Recently i tryed applieing for a media job their(but not the one i previously worked at),part time durring the morning/afternoon. Told them about my other job i was getting(& just started!) which is why i can not work after 7pm & said we could reason out a schedule that would work.Yet they ended the interview right there saying i a monotone zombie voice "We're sorry...you don't fit our 'requirments'..we need people to meet our schedules in order to work people whenever we need them,pre-opening(4am ect),durring business hours & after hours including weekends!....when your ready,come back..you may have a great career at Best Buy ahead of you!"......hello i was looking for part time work,called a job..not a career!

In fact i would never want a 'career' at BB with what i went through & how they treated everyone. A job fine....until something better that i really want to do comes along. Thats all.Yet nothings good enough for them...despite i was avalibe everyday of the week...but morning-late afternoon only!
Old 09-15-02, 02:55 AM
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During the winters i had to share a vehical with a girlfriend. I worked at Best Buy and she worked night shift (10:30 to 6:30 at another place).

I put in my avaibility to only 9pm so that i could have suitable time to make it home in case of an accident or bad roads due to snow. Well i turned it in to my dept. head only to be given a "No" and that since my avaibility didnt fit requirements i would not be scheduled the next week.

I explained that during a time of year where the weather could get bad, my gf and i were sharing her vehical to drive in the snow. My car isnt very road worthy on ice or snow and that hers is front wheel drive and much better suited. "No" again. I asked why is it that people can be scheduled only till 9pm on some nights but a person cant specify said time when the weather may turn bad. All i got in response was that i wouldnt be scheduled the next week because my schedule didnt meet the requirements.

It didnt matter though...i left at 9pm anyway during the nights i thought the roads were bad...even during the x-mas season.

I wasnt going to risk my or my G/F's safety simply because my boss didnt think my schedule met "requirements".
Old 09-15-02, 06:03 AM
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Oh yeah....even worse was my new car broke down(1994 Olds Acheva..really bad year i've heard). So it was a hassle getting to work in the morning that early. Since my older brother worked nights at a casino & uses my moms car 24/7. I had no way to get a ride to work,the other employee's offere to pick me up but then declined since it would be a few minutes out of the way & they do not know how to get around St Paul.They lived out in the burbs..& the BB near the Maplewood Mall,a suburb obviously & about 25mn from my house by freeway.

So my Dad ended up getting up earlier(he live out in the burbs as well 20mn from my house & about 10mn from the BB i worked at). Since my dad didn't want to drive all the way into St Paul to pick me up,since he had to get up early anyway & needed as much sleep as possible. I would just spend the night at his house & take a cab in the morning..or my Dad van,since he has his own truck & i'd be off work by 12pm anyway in case my step-mom needed to use it.

Still that was no fun at all.

Even worse is when you are sick & have to call in. Since the stores not open,you can't reach anyone. So you have to call some specal BB hotline #..talk to whoever who would be able to get though to the store. Only problem is they have about a billion different hotline #'s for various reasons/issues...& if you call the wrong one...you have to keep re-dialing again & again.Even more pointless is my boss would just say "Ok" & thats it! A 2 second phone 'conversation' & he hangs up...pretty much pointless to call in!


I was not the only one annoyed with working theire.They treated many people unfairly.Such as some people had vacations planned for the holidays to go away with their families,visit relatives out of state & so on. They were told that they could take the vacations since they knew ahead of time & there were no problems with it...yet guess what?

A month before Christmas...they tell everyone that no one can take the holidays off..& if you end up on the schedule,you must work! Yes they put the people who had requested a couple weeks off weeks in advance & were told it was 'accepted' to work or else! They said "Well theres nothing i can do,your on the schedule...if you don't show your fired!"


So how i left them was pretty simple actually. Since the past 3 years i had worked non-stop with no break or vacation at all. All through senior year of high school & beyond,then at BB for a few months...really wearing myself out since i worked to death. I just about collapsed & was so exhausted & sick for a whole week. I just left,attempted to get up for work one morning..but started throwing up all over the place & felt horrible,that i went back to bed without bothering to call in,since i was'nt in the mood. The days past slowly as i recouperated at a snails pace,since i tryed getting up & what not,but was so weak...i couldn't move. In fac it got so bad...my parents were about to take me to the hospital since i wasn't getting any better. This is all a week before my birthday(which i would have had to work also!) as well!

On my birthday..i thought i was health enough to get up. My Dad wanted to take me out to dinner & a movie.So i go,eat a big dinner,chat & i seem alright.Go see Spy Game... & one hour into the film..i start feeling ill,burning up,sweating & body aching.Get up to go to the bathroom to throwup,yet it takes forever since i can't move quickly & i slide down the hall while leaning against the wall.In the bathroom nothing happens...think i'm ok...go back to the theater which takes forever,sit down...5mn later...just know i'm gonna hurl...& go outside the theater & start spewing out my dinner & then some into the trash can. I then spent the rest of the film out there hurling more & more into the trash can,feeling really weak & horrible & can barely stand up i'm in so much pain.

After the movies over...my Dad takes me home..i put the seat back to lay down..& my dads worried..saying i better go get checked up since somethings wrong,since i've been this way all week. I get home & go to bed...takes a couple days,but i finnaly become healthy again

Anyway i still have yet to see how the last hour of Spy Game goes...shame to since it was a surprisingly pretty good film from what i saw. Also i just left BB...never called them & have not been back since!!



My experiance with them...tainted how i look at them now.....though you can't beat some of their prices for dvds!



ps-they claim to have 'flexible' schedules. What flexible schedules????

Last edited by Julie Walker; 09-15-02 at 06:27 AM.
Old 09-15-02, 04:07 PM
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Originally posted by Julie Walker
ps-they claim to have 'flexible' schedules. What flexible schedules????

I dont remember anything being flexible about them.


I also remember getting the shaft on Sundays...always scheduling 2 people to cover an area that requires at the bare minimum 3 people to cover it properly. Best part was at the Monday morning meetings how the supervisor would complain that the area looks like crap and that we should do a better job.


I think i made a comment once about how if its so terrible maybe he should come in and offer some help since he refuses to schedule a 3rd person on sunday evenings.

He didnt care for that comment
Old 09-15-02, 05:04 PM
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lol...they never like people being smarter than them!


Well here anyway when you do that phone interview having to answer many dumb questions.It's so funny how the computer-voice sounds trying to be pursuasive "If a employee steals less than $1 worth of merchandise...should they be given a second chance?"...well considering it's $1(or 20cents they use sometimes) freaking doller,yes...but you have to answer no..or the interview when over would say "we're sorry...but you didn't answer all the questions right..goodbye!"


Anyway they always hype on the ads + when you call in the phone interview "Great working enviroment with excellent pay..+ flexible schedules,perfect for students or people with another job!"



All this is a huge crock of $@#*



If you have a second job...99.9% chance you won't get a job their..because your not avalible 24/7 any hour of the day!


Worse with what happened when i applied for the media job at another BB only to get turned down because of my 2nd job(yet before it was mentioned..they were ready to hire me & hyping what a great store it was & so on,saying i was perfect for the job!)...they had me waiting for 30mn...until the interview finnaly began,only to have it end withing 10minutes because of myself working a 2nd job!

It was a huge waste of time.I went in..filled out the dam application within 10mn..turned it in,was told the person would be 5minutes..& i waited & waited & waited...with a blue shirt asking "Have you been helped?" every 5 seconds,they paged the guy a couple times,still nothing...i was ready to leave after 29mn...when the guy finnaly came out,along with another women who does the interview as well.

It was funny though how much of a corporate zombie they were.The lady has this phony smile plastered on her face & doesn't speak or the 'smile' will disapear for a moment. The man also has this evil looking smirk on his face trying to be 'suave'.

Yet once he ended the interview with "we're sorry.."...the lady looked irritated,yet tryed keeping her smile,the guy sounded like a souless zombie,the lady then ignored me & starts fiddling around with papers,in a folder...while the guy looks down at the table not making eye contact.I get up(though wanted to ask "why?" & question them before leaving")..though instead for alittle test,politely got up,offered to shake each other's hands & say goodbye.Well the guy looked annoyed & "oh my god..what should i do?" & shook my hand nervously really fast,trying to keep his phony smile. The lady kept fiddling with her paper's..when i stuck out my hand..& she looks at me wide eyed like "uh oh..what to do???" then calms down & is like ohhhhhh....& shakes my hand & i say "goodbye"...then they 'walk' me out...by staying a few inch's behind me chatting about other things & how disapointed they are!



If something like this ever happens again...i will try to ask why & see how they react.I hate how when you don't get the job..they end it really quick & want you gone before you can ask any questions! Heck if they actually have the nero call you & say you didn't get the job...they say goodybye & hang up right away before you can get a word in!
Old 09-15-02, 10:11 PM
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Originally posted by Julie Walker
The lady has this phony smile plastered on her face & doesn't speak or the 'smile' will disapear for a moment.

My former GM was like that only that he was always happy and always excited about Best Buy, he wanted to be your "buddy" and wanted to know you blah blah blah... I realized this was the same facade that car salesmen use.


My instinct told me that there was something phony about the man and it paid off on my last day...he told me he liked me as a person (he hardly knew ever talked to me) but he disliked me as an employee.


Car salesman indeed.
Old 09-16-02, 03:31 AM
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lol speaking of car salesman.......


This car lot near the freeway was having a huge sale on repoed cars. I stopped by to browse...yet they did not have any prices listed on the cards besides the monthly payment which was $250 at lowest...to high for myself with the crapp pay i was making. The salesmen who wer in town from Texas for the sale started houding around me,talknig about various things & directed me inside to a table to chat & fill out a registration form,so all my info is set if i choose to buy a car. He asks what kind of music i like,so to mess with him i say "Slayer is my favorite band ever,they rule!"..& he looks at me trying to keep that phony smilely face,yet doesn't know who Slayer is. Then trying to be 'hip' he says " Well i play the ukolely(however it's spelled)" & i say i always wanted to learn how to play a guitar..he says "well i'm your man if you need any help !"..& i say "well sorry...i'll learn myself whenever i get the chance!"..he then tries being 'nice' & conviving trying to get me to change my mind,lmao.

So soon afterwards,i'm desperate to get the hell out of their..yet this guy won't leave me alone.So i made up some stuff about having to go pick it up my brother from school & that we we're going to go hang out with my dad. He tryed to get a conversation going about familiy..& i just said "Gotta go!"

Funny enough as i was leaving...my Dad showed up in his truck(saw him at the light on the corner)..but it was to late for me to turn around since it's a busy street. Since it took 15mn to get back to the lot...my Dad had went back to our house.

We then alll went back to the lot the next day...since my dad wanted to look around even though i didn't find any affordable cars. Right when we show up...the same salesmen from yesturday come out saying "Oh i see you brought your dad!"..& then they try sweet talking him into "yeah this is the best place to buy cars..i know what your son would like!"...shows us a car,again no price,only payment on it..& my dad asks "whats the full price of the car?"...& the salesman tries skipping over the questions..& my dad says "well with this payement & insurance..thats at least $500 a month...which my son can't afford right now"..& the salesman looks stumped & is still trying to make a sale...so he directs my dad inside to fill out those registration forms. We go inside..& right away my dad gets irritated with the other salesmen at the table talknig to him & skipping over the questions.So he gets right up & says "lets go..this place is a joke!" loud enough so everyone could hear....as the salesman follows after my dad hanging onto his shirt..he shoves him away..& says "I was close to punching that *******...jeez they won't take no for a answer"..& we all laughed out loud at how pathetic they were as well left




Now when i found a new used car...a 1990 Ford Escort with only 70,000 miles on it. I only had $1200 left in the bank...since my first car costed $3000,the insurance was $800 every couple months & registration fee's since it was from WI costed $300...realled sucked my savings away. Anyway the car was priced at $2000. We had my aunts husband who's a real car expert check it out & he said it sounds perfect & should have no serious problems..unlike the other car's we considered in the lot.

When talking to the salesman.....my dad told me beforehand " make a cash offer tax's included..& if they don't take it..just say no & we leave"...since i did have the $1200 in cash on me. The salesman looked stumped with surprise and said "I can't do that..the car only has 70,000 miles on it..so it can't go lower than 1800!"

I then took my cash out in plain view & said "This is all i can afford right now..& it's all right here!"

He then kept calling some guy on the phone back,talking about this possible sale he had..but the problem with the priceing. Kept saying no..& can't go below $1800. So my dad said "ok lets go take our business somewhere else",i put my cash away & we started to walk out the door...& the salesman jumped up from his seat panicing "NO WAIT!!!!!"....& picked up the phone again,talked to some guy(though next thing you know,it was all an act & no one was on the other line,lmao)...hung up the phone & said.."ok ok....$1200"...& i said "tax included right?"...he sounded annoyed "Yes..tax included"...& thats how i got a 70,000 miles 1990 Ford Escort for $1200 instead of $2000


It would have come to much more if the tax was not included in the price. So i got the car for about $800-$900...since tax's are high in this state & would have been a few hundred extra!


What a steal is all i can say

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