Best Buy Price Matching Varies by Store
 

I just bought PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN at Best Buy and wanted to price-match Circuit City's $13.99 price which was one dollar cheaper.

At this particular store, only the customer service department can handle price-matches, although at most other BB stores, they can PM it in the regular checkout lane.

Even though I brought in Circuit City's ad, they went through the motion and actually called CC to verify the $13.99 price which I ultimately received.

From a business standpoint, it doesn't make much sense to waste an employee's time to call to verify a $1 price difference even when the customer brings in the ad!

I have noticed that even though BB has a firm price-match policy, each store seems to handle price-matches differently.

Am I missing something? :confused:

It not only varies by store, but dept. and sometimes employee as well.

A week or two ago I pricematched at BB the Las Vegas DVDs that were selling for cheap at Walmart. Printed out a page from Walmart's site and was in and out of BB within minutes.

Last night I pricematched Gears of War using CC's recent circular. (CC was sold out both in-store and on-line at the time.) Apparently, I HAD to buy the game in the game section. No problem. But the employee helping me had to track down two managers for assistance, literally calling out across the crowded floor for help. They made him scan the circular AND my receipt and fill out a little form that noted the price diff. Even though CC is about three blocks from BB, they had no idea GOW was $15 cheaper at CC. Was in there for about 25 minutes while they sorted everything out. The place was PACKED and I had THREE employees tied up working on what should have been a simple pricematch.

Why are you confused? Because they have different policies? Or because they make it difficult to pricematch?

From Best Buy's perspective, it makes a lot of sense to make it harder for you to pricematch. Moving pricematches to the usually long lines at customer service means that it's not as convenient, and also won't tie up regular checkout lines. Calling local stores for availability makes sense because why should they pricematch if the other store doesn't have it and you couldn't get it from there anyway?

As to why policies differ, I have no idea.

My last two PM's at BB were for items that were OOS at other vendors. BB honored them anyway and didn't call to verify but instead honored the circular and internet printouts I brought. Even though it took them forever to ring me up, it would have been a HUGE waste of time for them to also call CC or Walmart to check stock or price. It doesn not make sense for them to call for verification of price if the circular is in hand. Nor does it make sense for them not to PM if the other vendor is OOS. BB made $44 last night because I couldn't get the item at CC.

I hate trying to use a BB coupon and a PM simultaneously. So many times have I had to argue that the coupon works with the PM because it isn't an offer but a policy. I swear they really do everything they can to fight literally being the Best Buy.

at my store they pretend to call and tell me the other store doesn't have any in stock, so they can't PM.

First off, I agree about what a waste of time it is for the employee. But in some of these price matches, especially for things like dvds and videogames, BB makes little to no money on the sale, because they're loss leaders. It makes sense for them to check stock because if, say, Target has a really cheap price on a DVD (maybe because of some special deal with the vendor) but it sold out from there within minutes of opening, why would they take the loss on the item when you can't get it elsewhere anyway? They may not always check, but I think their policy has always been that the other store must have it in stock.

If you hate them calling and have a digital voice recorder, record your call with Target (or whoever) and play it back for them. :)

Make sure you comply with any local phone recording laws, of course.