PhantomStranger

+1
If people haven't figured it out by now, the corporate customer service is now playing the "good cop" to the local customer service's "bad cop." It is a horrible way to run a business and the Best Buy brand has been incredibly damaged in recent years.

mw390

Went in today to get an Upgrade and Save coupon.Had to wait 20 minutes. Two guys in front of me had computers that needed repair. When they got to the desk they were told they had to make an appointment. I asked the guy why? He said Apple does it. I said that makes it right?
I got to checkout to pay for DVD and told the guy the Apple story and he says wait till next week. The front registers won't be open until 12pm. So I said how do I pay? He said for a TV they'll do it there but for a CD or DVD you have to go to service desk.

PhantomStranger

That description reminds me so much of the experience at Circuit City, right before they announced bankruptcy.

bunkaroo

Last week I was waiting to setup my in-store pickup for the new Star Trek Next Generation Blu-ray season 3 set since Best Buy's ad said it would be 69.99. They did not update the price on their site until Tuesday morning even though the ad was out Sunday. The days of auto-price adjustments on pre-orders are gone. So if I wanted to put a pre-order in, on every price adjustment I'd have to call in and hope they help me. Yet another indicator of them going downhill IMO.

bunkaroo

Wow. Typically they have a register in the TV section so the person working the floor there (assuming there is one) can typically ring you out anyway.

I'll say this - the first time I go in there and have to go to customer service to check out is the last time I am in there. I will simply put down my items and leave.

mw390

I hope to god you showed them them Target add. I got mine for $59.99 - $5.00 U&S coupon.

bunkaroo

I wasn't aware of that until after the fact. I don't do the U&S thing because I simply don't want to deal with them on that crap. I rarely price match either - again not worth the hassle to me. The set is worth $70 to me. Hell I would have paid the $80 for it.

I used to drive around looking for the best deal years ago, but I just don't have time or desire to do it anymore. As long as I can get something for a reasonable price, I'll go with the most convenient option.

Obi-Wanma

The registers at Circuit City were like that all the time though. I can't recall if I've ever even seen a register open at Circuit City.

EddieMoney

Wow, you certainly have a lot invested in his buying habits!

Al_Tahoe

mw390

I dont have alot invested in his buying habits but I don't like paying more than I have to. Do you think rich people don't haggle and look for the cheap way out?
They're worse. Every last nickel and dime.
Besides, I've lived in NYC and the meteo area all my life our motto here is "we don't pay retail" I'm old enough to remember what was called Free Trade Laws. Essentially everyone sold everything for the MSRP. I once drove to Washington DC because they didn't have that crap and I paid $200 less for a Pioneer Quadrophonic receiver. And yes, including gas (.75-100/gallon) and tolls (ridiculous compared with today) it was cheaper.

mw390

Actually Amazon matched Target. I just showed them them my cell phone with the Amazon listing at the register and that was it

Al_Tahoe

Mw, I was just laughing because the phrase "I hope to God..." seemed a little dramatic.

Being a lifelong deal scrounger, I completely agree with you about doing a little extra legwork to get the best deal possible.

EddieMoney

Yeah, I was just kidding about the "I hope to God" phrase. Was just kind of funny.

mw390

I couldn't think of a better phrase. Not religious at all. Even Dexter (devout agnostic/atheist) said Oh God when Deborah caught him killing Colin Hanks at the end of season 6.

mw390

To expand upon my original rant about Geek Squad appointments and such, I only use Best Buy lately for DVDs and such. I've purchase 3 notebooks in the last 3 years and NONE of them have been form them.
They have a CRAP selection. Maybe if they didnt have 2000 TVs nailed to the wall they could expand their computer department. The Upgrade and Save is getting harder and harder. Crap selection. Maybe if they could give you a coupon and you could apply it at bestbuy.com for a title not stocked in the store...but that would make too much sense right? And please lose the applicances. I could hide behind all the fridges all day and not be found. There are just too many local appliance dealers. Audio department stinks. 6 - 10 receivers. I just bought a newish Yamaha from newegg $200 off plus no sales tax; not even available @ bestbuy. Here are my lame non-expert suggestions.

1 - Cut back on the TVs

2 - Greatly expand computer department

3 - Customer service and Geek squad lines only and no appointments. I don't care what Apple does. BB
is not selling at multiple $100s/share

4 - Greatly expand CD/DVD/BD department and have discount prices EVERY day.

5 - Lose the appliances big and small.

6 - Lose the musical instruments

7 - Stop selling pens, pencils, notebooks (Composition) at the start of school year. Stop selling candy,
soda, even aspirins (saw it at the check out line). Stop selling small crap you can buy at dollar
stores. You can't be everything to everybody.

dan30oly

Employees buy that stuff like crazy.

Obi-Wanma

Also it's for impluse buyers on the way out. Practially every store has this now, it must work. I even see it at auto parts stores.

mw390

Yeah, but if you're gonna depend on that and not go to your core business then that's it. Why not sell lottery tickets? Everyplace does that too. This is not a candy store. This is a going concern trying to stay in business selling electronics and entertainment. It's also labor intensive and takes floor space.
Their mission is to sell TVs,computers, DVDs, BDs, etc. Anybody can buy candy or soda anywhere else

Obi-Wanma

That stuff is on the shelves by the registers. At least in the case of the soda, the guy that delivers the product most likely also stocks the coolers (that's how it works everywhere else). It doesn't take up signficant floor space. It's not a primary purchase. Nobody goes there to buy it, but they might go there to buy something else and decide they are hungry or thirsty on the way out. Heck, the profit margins on those items are probably larger than most of their DVD/BD's.

bunkaroo

Agreed - and add to that I think the cashiers not currently helping someone get to stock that stuff. So I guess that won't be happening before noon now.

Groucho

You can't buy DVD's before noon? This company is a fucking joke. If they are still in business in two years (beyond a cursory online presence) I will be shocked.

bunkaroo

No, just that they possibly won't have cashier lanes outside of customer service manned before noon.

mw390

So NOW what do all of you have to say about it not being stupid to have candy and soda. You gonna go to customer service to pay for your Kit-Kat and Mountain Dew?

My Other Self

I went in to another store yesterday that was remodeled the 3rd time in less than 2 years and their movie selection was pretty much non-existent. It was two aisles compared to the 6 or 8 they had before, with the music section jumbled next to it.

It's really unfortuante. I used to look forward to Best Buy trips, but not anymore. I don't necessarily think this means the writing is on the wall, but more of a different focus on peoples shopping habits. I always see people shopping for computers and TVs while I'm there and the media section tends to be empty.