chanster

Ha ha what a joke. Got a flyer today from Best Buy. They are offering such great things as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for 16.99 if you are a member of reward zone! IF you aren't a member, its 19.99!

What a rip! This reward zone thing needs to die! Its all those idiots who think that reward zone is a good deal who has caused this garbage to happen.

Josh H

Yeah, it is annoying, but thankfully I haven't seen it happen with many release week prices, which is when I do 95% of my DVD buying.

But it's kind of moot for me now as I just moved and have a Circuit City 5 minutes away and the nearest Best Buys are about 20 minutes away, so I probably won't be shopping at BB much anymore anyway.

chanster

OOh you are so neat.

Tarantino

Just get reward zone or don't shop at Best Buy. Both are doable solutions for you.

= J

Joe Carioca

Dont all recent new releases go back up to 19.99 (or whatever regular price) at nearly every store everywhere after the first week?

Josh H

Yes, but obviously all stores have various sales each week which bump prices back down from time to time. Best Buy has been making some only for reward zone members lately. Annoying, but like I said, doesn't much affect me as I buy stuff mainly release week and won't be shopping at BB much anymore anyway.

mbs

Grocery stores have been doing this for years (and BestBuy has been doing it for many months). I personally don't see the problem, so long as they do not trick buyers into thinking the price is discounted for everyone.

Finally, Reward Zone IS a good idea (and I'm no idiot). I still shop for the lowest price and only buy from BB when they are the cheapest, but I now get something extra for all my BB purchases (and I've never paid for a yearly membership). So I don't see what is not to like...

chanster

1.) Grocery stores do not charge for thier memberships.
2.) "Tricking Buyers" - have you looked at recent ads? They proudly claim the lower price, and then in small print, tell you that the real price is something higher. Its highly misleading.

Draven

I only buy DVDs from Best Buy during release week or if I have a gift card

*shrug* I hadn't even noticed they were doing this.

mbs

1) I've never paid for Reward Zone. If you utilize the proper deals, no one has to.

2) I have no trouble reading the ad and determining prices for Reward Zone / non. It didn't confuse me in the least.

chanster

Yes! Just because you got it for free, makes it allright. Thats a very weak argument. Reward Zone is not a free program, like grocery store programs, so your analogy fails on that threshold requirement.

Tarantino

So...I guess you hate Costco as well?

= J

Gizmo

What is wrong with you? Think of it this way, the DVD would have sold for $19.99. The EXTRA incentive is if you are a RZ member its $3 off. How is that bad? Rearding someone for buying a 1 year membership that costs $10 and nets you discounts/free stuff/gift certificates? If you spend more then $300 a year, the card is FREE. Hell, I spend that much in one month.

So far since Ive had my RZ card I have netted....$210 Certificates. Yeah, what a waste!

IDrinkMolson

I enjoy my RZ card and bonuses. If CC has a dvd cheaper I buy from them. It's all about choices.

Y2K Falcon

I just got an email that I was randomly extended for a year. So, this will be my third year. I have paid for one, $10. But that was more than made up for when I bought a printer on sale there (cheaper price than other places) for my business, and received more than that in GC's back. Plus all the $19.99 video games I have purchased over the last couple years for $5 off with the gamer's gift card coupon (while earning points on the $14.99)...

If that is a weak argument for me to justify being fine with RW, then so be it.

Mr. Cinema

Everytime I get gift certificates from Best Buy, I always feel stupid.

reverie

Do what I do if I don't like a store or practices of a store... shop somewhere else.

chanster

How do you know it would have cost 19.99?

Yes, and how much money have you spent to get that 210 in certificates? If you are going to brag about how much you have gotten out of the membership, at least you should disclose how much money you have spent to get those certificates.

chanster

Ah no, because Costco doesn't hold itself out as an open to the public store while at the same time implementing an advertising campaign advertising one price and then actually charging another if you don't participate in their stupid program.

And you are right, I don't shop at Best Buy, but I think its hillarious that all the defenders of Best Buy are in full force, defending a program that is bad for the consumer. It may be OK for the person that drops thousands of dollars on DVD's and what not, but lets see how long that really lasts. Besides all they do is pay you back in GC's which of course require additional outlays of cash to get anything.

But lets see how Best Buy can continue to shape this program to be more consumer unfriendly. They have already increased redemption rates and now they are making you join their silly club in order to get sales that normally would happen anyway.

Y2K Falcon

Like every grocery store around here with a key fob? It just seems like your beef is expanded well beyond BB, based on your argument. Yet you seem careful to only complain about it by name.

If your argument is against the cost of the RW membership, sure, my grocery store key fob is "free", but at $3.33 per year for my RW membership, and saving $3 or so each time on a DVD (forgetting the GCs) vs. $.10 on a can of cream of mushroom soup seems fair.

And Barnes and Noble also would meet your criteria, with their memberships...

And Sams does usually allow non-members to shop as a trial, but not at the advertised prices. Instead, I think there is some sort of surcharge (5%?). And $10 for 3 years is much less than the $120+ we have paid at costco for our membership.

Now, I have never gone through the effort for a CC price match. I just look for the best price for what I want to buy, and go to whatever store it is.

I have never decided to go with Best Buy (just to earn GC points) unless I knew going in it had the best price.

chanster

That is what you pay, but not what the technical price of the program is. Grocery store programs suck too, but at least they are free.

No because Barnes and Noble does not advertise their club prices.

fumanstan

How do you know it wouldn't?

I think it would be hard pressed to compare the amount of sales that are now Reward Zone exclusive today versus the sales prior to the Reward Zone Program and decide that the consumer is recieving less "normal" sales.

Just looking at the Best Buy ad, I see so many items on sale without the necessity of being a member. 12.99 Warner SE DVD's for instance this week. All the 2 for 20 or 2 for 30 deals are typically available to everyone. New release sales are rarely ever RZ exclusive, outside of an extra like a lithograph.

I'm not a member, and have found plenty on sale at Best Buy that makes shopping there worth while. Why should I feel like I'm being ripped off again?

mbs

You are missing the fact that no one has stated they spend more because of RZ. I certainly do not. I still shop at CC, Wal-Mart and the like if BB doesn't have the best prices. But because of RZ, I get about 3% cash back. Why that is a bad thing, I guess I just don't understand.

Y2K Falcon

Mr. Cinema

How many certificates would he have gotten if he spent said amount at Target, Walmart, or any other number of retailers? Like...0.