Completely agree with you on the laptop, it's pretty awesome. It's actually my first laptop. I had actually been using my current desktop with like 512 mb of RAM since my freshman year of college, which was 2004, so it was time for a change (although I still have that old beast around).

Im missing about 80 points and now get this when I try to print:

Seems they really don't care much about the program anymore. I emailed them and asked them to close the account, I just got a "it's closed" email in response. Usually when you do these sorts of things they at least make an attempt to find out why or keep you in the program. Oh well, one less card to carry...

Haha, after sending them a follow up e mail stating the rest of my business is going to Wal Mart and Amazon, I got TWO different e mails from two different people saying they are reversing the points back into my account. One e mail says they are giving me an extra 25 points because of the inconvenience and the other said an extra 100 points. Can’t wait to see how this one goes.

My guess is you are gonna get a bunch of extra points .. and possibly double the original.

I had 230 points taken away. You'd think for a mere 20 point deficiency they might want to improve customer relations and offer you a certificate instead of yanking all your points.

Called them and they grudgingly gave me 250.

My points already showed up. That was pleasant little surprise.

at times, i like to go against the grain...

the rewardzone program when used with the rewardzone credit card could be a good thing if you already use a credit card and shop at bestbuy regularly. $2500 per year (anywhere) currently allows you to continue to bank points. plus, you get 4% back in points for purchases at bestbuy and 1% back in points spent anywhere else.

i realize that 1% back for a credit card is measely compared to years ago. but i think going forward in this economy, 1% in any kind or rewards program will not be considered too bad.

They finaly put 250 into my acc't.

I lost 113 points but I'm not sure if I'm going to try to get them back. EDIT: I sent a message via the "contact us" link so we'll see....

Granted I haven't spent as mush with BB and I used too, but I think at this point I'm going to start looking more to amazon.com and other online stores for my purchases. This change in policy still seems like a big "Fuck you" to customers even if some of you got your points back.

I threw my card away yesterday because of this thread. Though it was still 150 pts for a certificate, now this whole, slate wiped clean technique used by BB, plus the fact Id only spend enough at BB to get $5-10 in certificates a year isnt worth it occupying a space in my wallet.

Agreed. I haven't looked at many credit card rewards programs lately, so maybe I'm not getting the best deal (and the issuer HSBC sucks like all other credit card companies). But the RZ silver program with the credit card isn't bad as the add on bonuses are decent. For dining and groceries, if I do the math right, it works out to 2% back ($500 per month in dining/groceries gets you 500 points, $10 in certificates). For BB purchases, it works out to 5% ($100 best buy purchase gets you a $5 certificate). For all other purchases, it's 1%, 500 in purchases gets you 250 points, or a $5 certificate.

So as noted above, it can work well. But without the bonuses and without the credit card, not so good, especially with them following the trend of the scumbag airlines in taking back earned rewards. Maybe I should just drop this and get something like chase freedom which is just straight up cash back. But I guess I like the concept of getting these certificates to offset purchases in the store, even though getting the cash for my bank account is better in reality. But since i'm going to buy from bb during sales, etc, meh. . .

Finally got around to checking mine. 242 gone. What a crock of shit. I emailed them, forgoing any pleasantries and just said what a pitiful excuse for a program the Reward Zone has become and I'm sure Amazon won't be turning away my business anytime soon.

Anyone know of a physical address I can write and cancel? I'd like to cut up my card and mail it back to them.

Well it merely seems they are doing this point expiration crap to make 'banking points' a benefit of getting their credit card. Screwing over the customer isn't going to want them to sign up for their credit card, in fact, it's doing quite the opposite.

Finally got a response from my email. They gave me doubel the points they took away. Nice. Free money!

Here you go:

Best Buy Reward Zone program
PO Box 949
Minneapolis, MN 55440-9312

The change to the program was definitely a big "fuck you" to their customers.

I originally signed up for RZ when it first came out, and long ago that flimsy excuse for a card was torn to shreds just by normal use. When I asked them if I could get a replacement, they said no, I would just have to use my phone number every time. Not sure they would care much that you returned the card back to them.

RewardZone is actually a brilliant move by Best Buy... the rewards are very small, and they now expire. In the meantime, there's some motivation to get things at Best Buy, and they get to track all of your purchases for free. Next step is more discounts only for RZ members, like the grocery stores do it, so that everyone uses their program... I know they tried it a while ago but I'm surprised it hasn't been more prevalent. TRU has been doing this too.

I don't know that they necessarily want the Amazon bargain shopper as a customer... we only tend to go in for loss leaders. They want the guy who doesn't want to bother with online purchases, and who will spend a mint on cables for the new tv they just bought.

Thanks btb!

Sorry, I've bought TVs, receivers, speakers, routers, car audio/DVD systems, DVD players, game systems, media and much more at their store. I too paid for my first card that fell apart. I'm more than an Amazon bargain shopper and since they've been tracking my purchases, they can certainly see that.

RewardZone may have been a brilliant move, but the bolded part is why it's no longer brilliant. They've been doing everything they can think of to kill the motivation to get things at Best Buy.

well, i lost $162 in points, called 888 #, got $250 in pts. added and a $5.00 certificate to come in 10-14 days. took about 5 minutes. very simple and very pleased!

^ Okay, I want my free points and certificate. :-P

I meant brilliant from BB's standpoint, not from the consumer standpoint. The carrot keeps getting smaller and smaller, but there are still people touting the system, and others who won't even realize that their points are gone.

My card didn't fall apart, but the print for the little thing to put on my keyring rubbed off in about two weeks.

The card was printed the same way, so presumably the print would have rubbed off of it as well.

imho, meh chase freedom aint great at all. when it first came out, i thought hey that is cool - 3% for the top three categories in which you spend each month. well, the categories are somewhat limited and there is some sort of max somehow.

again, imho, do the chase amazon instead. it used to be 1% anywhere plus 3% back for all amazon purchases (including 3rd party amazon merchants), but now its more of a variety rewards card. the variety is limited (cash, various items, amazon credit), but the 1% and 3% still applies.

another to consider is discover. aint the most accepted card, but the cs is superb and its 1% cash back anywhere and all the time plus theyve been doing limited 5% cashback for select categories every quarter now. cash is good

sorry for going ot.

I just checked my account and I lost 29.03 points. I have no clue where the .03 came from.

I just got an e-mail saying they were sorry for the point loss and that the points will be back in a couple days. No offer of extra points or any kind of "hook up" for my troubles.