Best Buy shopping lesson learned (N/A)

wbarnhill

wbarnhill

Final Approach
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Well I was looking at HTPCs for my new TV and ended up finding that a little WD TV Live box would do exactly what I wanted for the fraction of the cost of a complete computer. So I started doing research online, and found the product at Newegg for 120$. As luck would have it, the Best Buy website listed the price as 120$ as well. Being impatient, I decided to go purchase from the local store.

After finding the item, and going to the checkout, the item rings up at 150$. I ask the girl why when the site said it was 120$, and she said "Oh, no problem, we can price match that." Price match your own company's price? Ok... So she calls an admin. And we wait. Fifteen minutes later, after discerning that two of the three individuals who could do a price match were on break, and another cashier needing a price match, one of the admins finally emerges from the back and I'm able to complete my purchase.

I can understand needing an admin to price match another store, but your own company's website? And had I purchased on the site and done store pickup, I would've gotten the lower price, and the inventory would've been the same.

Moral of the story... check Best Buy's online prices before checking out at their stores (not on the in-store kiosks... those go to an internal website and have been known to reflect in-store pricing so they don't have to price match). You might be paying even more than their regular higher pricing.

Anyone else dealt with this kind of situation? Or is everyone else more patient than I am and just order online all the time? :D
 
wbarnhill said:
Anyone else dealt with this kind of situation? Or is everyone else more patient than I am and just order online all the time? :D
Click to expand...
Best Buy is well known for this bait and switch operation.Numerous complaints to state atty. generals have been made but so far nothing that has resulted in Best Buy being able to be forced to stop participating in deceptive practices.
 
That's their trick - they will price match their on-line prices, but only if you ask. And they will always make a big production about it by having the cashier walk to customer service to verify the price and then making you wait for a manager to approve.

The last time I did this, I told the cashier to match the on-line price. She asked me what it was, so I said it was $5 (knowing it was really $140). But hey, since she asked. Then she had to go to a computer at the Cust Svc desk to check the price anyway.

They did have a reputation a couple years ago for having their own internal web pages that showed a different (higher) price than what you'd see on your own at BestBuy.com. I don't know if that's still true or not. I usually print out the online page and carry it with me if I really plan on buying something.
 
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wbarnhill said:
Well I was looking at HTPCs for my new TV and ended up finding that a little WD TV Live box would do exactly what I wanted for the fraction of the cost of a complete computer. So I started doing research online, and found the product at Newegg for 120$. As luck would have it, the Best Buy website listed the price as 120$ as well. Being impatient, I decided to go purchase from the local store.

After finding the item, and going to the checkout, the item rings up at 150$. I ask the girl why when the site said it was 120$, and she said "Oh, no problem, we can price match that." Price match your own company's price? Ok... So she calls an admin. And we wait. Fifteen minutes later, after discerning that two of the three individuals who could do a price match were on break, and another cashier needing a price match, one of the admins finally emerges from the back and I'm able to complete my purchase.

I can understand needing an admin to price match another store, but your own company's website? And had I purchased on the site and done store pickup, I would've gotten the lower price, and the inventory would've been the same.

Moral of the story... check Best Buy's online prices before checking out at their stores (not on the in-store kiosks... those go to an internal website and have been known to reflect in-store pricing so they don't have to price match). You might be paying even more than their regular higher pricing.

Anyone else dealt with this kind of situation? Or is everyone else more patient than I am and just order online all the time? :D
Click to expand...

It's been so long since I've been there -- but If I recall correctly -- when I worked there we would *NOT* price match the online store and you were just screwed. I might be remembering wrong though.
 
Silly me. I had the same thing happen, and got a bit obstreporous over what I thought was an idiotic policy. It was resolved and I left with the gadget, but with a much lower opinion of Best Buy. Before the attempted trick-pluck, they were my default "go see what they've got first" stop, but no longer get that opportunity. Not that my business is going to affect their stock price, but a policy that will take a toll if widely repeated.

I got the exact attempted screw-over at Staples recently, and they wouldn't back off the store price being different from the web price. I put the box on the check-out counter, told them to call me if/when they got it sorted out. It's been a couple of months, evidently the problem was too much for them.
 
I work very hard to not do business with them anymore.

Wife needed a new computer several years ago, went to BB during tax free weekend. Bought computer, brought it home, set it up. Couple of hours later new computer dies. Call BB, not in stock, we can get one tomorrow. Head down next morning, unit waiting. Take unit home plug everything in, never booted. Called Circuit City asked if they had said computer in stock, answer is yes. Took computer back to BB, bought new computer at Circuit City, still running several years later.

One might have thought since the first one died that might have checked the second. Apparently that would have been too much trouble.
 
I am about to make a statement that probably will make people upset with me:

It is reasonable, and to me, expected, that items are cheaper when purchased online.

If you buy a plane ticket, its cheaper online than over the phone.
If you buy a concert ticket, its cheaper at the venue than over the phone.
About 1 million other examples.

The reason? It doesn't cost as much to sell something online. There's no need to pay a checkout clerk, no need to pay security, nor pay for electricity to run the store....etc...etc.

I'd be ****ed if I had to miss out on my online discounts because some people decided to go into a tizzy over something that makes perfect sense.
 
Order on line for pick up at store.

You get the online price.

You don't have to drive there and find that it is out of stock.

And if the store price is lower, just buy it directly and let the on line purchase expire...
 
SkyHog said:
I am about to make a statement that probably will make people upset with me:

It is reasonable, and to me, expected, that items are cheaper when purchased online.

If you buy a plane ticket, its cheaper online than over the phone.
If you buy a concert ticket, its cheaper at the venue than over the phone.
About 1 million other examples.

The reason? It doesn't cost as much to sell something online. There's no need to pay a checkout clerk, no need to pay security, nor pay for electricity to run the store....etc...etc.

I'd be ****ed if I had to miss out on my online discounts because some people decided to go into a tizzy over something that makes perfect sense.
Click to expand...

Except Best Buy lets you buy things online and pick them up at the store, utilizing the online prices. That item still had to be shipped to that store, it was still moved by employees at that store, you still have to deal with a clerk who has to go retrieve your items and bag them... etc...etc.

If there was no store pickup, I'd be totally okay with them saying "Those are online prices because it's cheaper to sell online". Their own policies indicate to me that the prices in the store are higher than they should be. Thus why I suggest that anyone who feels the urge to shop at the store should check prices on the website before heading out. Just in case.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Order on line for pick up at store.

You get the online price.

You don't have to drive there and find that it is out of stock.

And if the store price is lower, just buy it directly and let the on line purchase expire...
Click to expand...

Which is probably what I'll end up doing in the future if/when I order anything else from Best Buy.
 
wbarnhill said:
Except Best Buy lets you buy things online and pick them up at the store, utilizing the online prices. That item still had to be shipped to that store, it was still moved by employees at that store, you still have to deal with a clerk who has to go retrieve your items and bag them... etc...etc.
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I think another part of it is that they don't need to stock it in inventory at the store. Sometimes they will have the product on hand but other times they get it from somewhere else, the warehouse, another store, etc. I agree with Nick that I don't have a problem with online discounts.
 
wbarnhill said:
Which is probably what I'll end up doing in the future if/when I order anything else from Best Buy.
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Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Even though I don't have a problem with online pricing your post has made me more aware of ways to take advantage of it. :)
 
I similarly have no problem with less expensive in silico retailers. However, if their stated (i.e. advertised) policy is that they will match the price in their brick and board retail outlet, and then fail to do so, it is outright fraud. Putting a special in store only website up is similarly fraud.
 
I remember needing to buy a new monitor (this is many years ago). Best Buy and CompUSA were in the same plaza. I like Best Buy's concept of putting all the monitors next to each other running the same images so I could compare (welcome to getting older - the eyes, the eyes). Found one I liked, they carted it up to the cashier. At this time, the sales staff also stood at the cashier (to carry the monitor out to the car). And he kept asking if I wanted the warranty, and so on. Strum und Drang would happen to the monitor if I didn't have the extra warranty.

"Thank you, no"
"Thank you, no"
"Thank you, no, and since you work on commission, you've just lost this sale...." and I walked out of the store without the monitor. Went over to CompUSA, found the same monitor (about the same price) and told the salesman "you try and sell me an extra warranty, you won't sell me the monitor".

His only comment was "May I carry this out to your car?"
 
murphey said:
I remember needing to buy a new monitor (this is many years ago). Best Buy and CompUSA were in the same plaza. I like Best Buy's concept of putting all the monitors next to each other running the same images so I could compare (welcome to getting older - the eyes, the eyes). Found one I liked, they carted it up to the cashier. At this time, the sales staff also stood at the cashier (to carry the monitor out to the car). And he kept asking if I wanted the warranty, and so on. Strum und Drang would happen to the monitor if I didn't have the extra warranty.

"Thank you, no"
"Thank you, no"
"Thank you, no, and since you work on commission, you've just lost this sale...." and I walked out of the store without the monitor. Went over to CompUSA, found the same monitor (about the same price) and told the salesman "you try and sell me an extra warranty, you won't sell me the monitor".

His only comment was "May I carry this out to your car?"
Click to expand...

Sorry to ruin your story but Best Buy salespeople do not work on commission. They get paid *crap* and their managers force those warranties down their throat. They are tracked on how many they sell and the people that can't sell them get let go. It's basically commission without the money :)

The managers on the other hand are given bonuses based on how much of that crap (service plans and accessories) they can sell. The margin on most of the items is really low, the money is made on the cables.

If anything, those Best Buy sales people need a hug. Not a fun place.
 
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Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Order on line for pick up at store.

You get the online price.

You don't have to drive there and find that it is out of stock.

And if the store price is lower, just buy it directly and let the on line purchase expire...
Click to expand...

In this age of portable internet, I've adopted a technique of checking online prices while in the store on anything that cost enough to be worth the bother. If I found a store selling above their own online price and they wouldn't match I'd consider making an online purchase with in-store delivery on the spot (assuming I didn't find a much better bargain at a competitor's website).

Seems to me that internet enabled cellphones may be the final straw that shifts in-store purchasers to online sales. And that would likely be the demise of the whole big-box store concept as it's hard to see how brick and mortar can compete with "in silco". I guess this may be another example of what goes around comes around vs the way the mega-retailers have driven most of the small independents out of business.
 
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I love Best Buy...
The have the inventory...
They will match an advertised price...
They will exchange a defective unit - lots of these stores won't, especially internet stores - you have to send it back to the manufacturer...
They are open late...

denny-o
 
Dr. O said:
They will exchange a defective unit - lots of these stores won't, especially internet stores - you have to send it back to the manufacturer...
They are open late...
Click to expand...

That is one thing they are good at. They will honor manufacturers warranties (although some store managers try to claim you need the service plan, you don't).

Back when I was there you could bring in an item, even if not purchased by Best Buy, and we would send it in for service for you at no cost. Often the item would be labeled as non-serviceable in our system and we would simply walk out to the store floor, grab a new unit, and hand it to you. The policy permitted us doing so without a service plan provided there was a manufacturers warranty. I did it all the time.

There were managers that came and went (they come and go faster than the part-time cashiers) that would try to tell you that you couldn't. A simple call to corporate would resolve the issue. Sadly a lot of the Best Buy employees don't "know the system"..so if someone tells you no, just try again the next day, or call corporate.
 
I must be the only person on earth who receives great service from both Best Buy and Bank of America. As such, I'm not gonna upset the apple cart.
 
kevin47881 said:
I must be the only person on earth who receives great service from both Best Buy and Bank of America. As such, I'm not gonna upset the apple cart.
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I have bought my last three computers, and various other things, from Best Buy and I can't say that I've had any problems. They try to push the extended warranty but if I decline they don't make a big deal about it.
 
kevin47881 said:
I must be the only person on earth who receives great service from both Best Buy and Bank of America. As such, I'm not gonna upset the apple cart.
Click to expand...

You're not. I'm pleased with the service I've gotten from both. Add Wells Fargo to the mix, too.

People don't come to an internet forum and talk about what great service they get (usually). They come to complain about bad service or problems. As such, I always try to temper the negatives I see with the positives. Most stuff out there isn't that bad, although some is worse than others.
 
Actually, internet retailers have a huge disadvantage or more traditional ones. You can't just by accident or because its there stroll into a web site. It is an active process. and you can't see, hear, smell, or use an object in a web site.
 
kevin47881 said:
I must be the only person on earth who receives great service from both Best Buy and Bank of America. As such, I'm not gonna upset the apple cart.
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Me, too.

Everskyward said:
I have bought my last three computers, and various other things, from Best Buy and I can't say that I've had any problems. They try to push the extended warranty but if I decline they don't make a big deal about it.
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Same here.

Ted DuPuis said:
You're not. I'm pleased with the service I've gotten from both. Add Wells Fargo to the mix, too.

People don't come to an internet forum and talk about what great service they get (usually). They come to complain about bad service or problems. As such, I always try to temper the negatives I see with the positives. Most stuff out there isn't that bad, although some is worse than others.
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Wells Fargo? I had a car loan through them and won't do business with them again. Had a miscommunication between them and BoA and it was like pulling teeth to get it fixed. Neither would talk to the other and I have a picture my wife took of me with two telephone handsets, one to each ear, talking to both banks at the same time. What a zoo.
 
Everskyward said:
I have bought my last three computers, and various other things, from Best Buy and I can't say that I've had any problems. They try to push the extended warranty but if I decline they don't make a big deal about it.
Click to expand...

I buy the warrenty for laptops. I've had them pay off nearly every time. For everything else, no way.
 
jesse said:
Sorry to ruin your story but Best Buy salespeople do not work on commission. They get paid *crap* and their managers force those warranties down their throat. They are tracked on how many they sell and the people that can't sell them get let go. It's basically commission without the money :)

The managers on the other hand are given bonuses based on how much of that crap (service plans and accessories) they can sell. The margin on most of the items is really low, the money is made on the cables.

If anything, those Best Buy sales people need a hug. Not a fun place.
Click to expand...

I didn't know about the "no commission" aspect. The way they were pushing the warranty, it sure seemed like it.
 
I'll buy something from Best Buy after price-checking online and I really need or want it today. If I don't need/want it today, I'll order online from somewhere else. I sure wouldn't go there looking for any kind of advice.


Trapper John
 
murphey said:
I didn't know about the "no commission" aspect. The way they were pushing the warranty, it sure seemed like it.
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Its similar to Autozone's retarded ass WITTDJR program (you know - "Would you like a 99 cent pack of bulb grease?" "These brake pads WILL squeal without this antisqueal packet for 99 cents.").

There's no commission. But if you don't sell it, you don't work there for very long.
 
Newegg.com....

Fortunately here in the suburbs of DC we have Microcenter. Less nonsense then Best Buy for computer stuff, but you do have to fight them about giving your name and address for their mailing list. Last time I walked out after being accosted by their sales folks every 5 feet.
 
At least Best Buy DOES price match their on-line prices. Petco DOES NOT. Find the same item in store and they'll tell you to go home and order it online. Those are the store that p*** me off.
 
I have a $10.00 Best Buy gift certificate I just discovered again while going through my paperwork. Anyone want to buy it for $5?

I'd rather lose $5 plus the cost of a stamp than walk through their doors.
 
alaskaflyer said:
I have a $10.00 Best Buy gift certificate I just discovered again while going through my paperwork. Anyone want to buy it for $5?

I'd rather lose $5 plus the cost of a stamp than walk through their doors.
Click to expand...

I'll gladly buy it, Richard.
 
kevin47881 said:
I must be the only person on earth who receives great service from both Best Buy and Bank of America. As such, I'm not gonna upset the apple cart.
Click to expand...


Bank of America is alright and convenient. In most banks the treatment you recieve is directly proportional to the sizes of your accounts. ie, 100 dollar checking acount = 2 hours on the phone fighting the computer to get a real human, Million dollars account = private banker comes to you and pretty much have all your attention.
 
cirrusmx said:
Bank of America is alright and convenient. In most banks the treatment you recieve is directly proportional to the sizes of your accounts. ie, 100 dollar checking acount = 2 hours on the phone fighting the computer to get a real human, Million dollars account = private banker comes to you and pretty much have all your attention.
Click to expand...

Walk into a branch and you'll get good service. You used to be able to call the local branch, but those numbers are gone now, at least the ones near here.
 
I was buying a CD boxed set (Bruce Springsteen "Darkness on the Edge of Town" 30th anniversary) at Best Buy. I scanned the bar code on my brand new Droid, found that their online price was something like $35 less, showed it to the cashier and she gave me the online price, no questions asked, no hassle. Paid for the data plan for the month right there, got me out of hot water with the CFO (aka my wife) for getting a smart phone.
 
Heads up from me for Best Buy. :thumbsup:
A few days before Christmas I wanted two Ipad's (presents for my Grandchildren) best deal I found was at Walmart on line, I ordered the Ipads and thought that was it, they would be ready for instore pick up the next couple of days. The money went out of my bank, then a couple of hours later I got an email from Walmart to say the Ipads are currently out of stock, sorry your order has been canceled.

So big panic as I did not want to let my grand kids down with the christmas presents, so I rushed off down to Best Buy, they had them in stock, but only in black, which was ok for grandson, but I wanted a white one for my grand daughter, plus different colours would make it easier for them to ID who's was who's !

Well the sales guy who I dealt with could not be more helpful, he checked all the other stores stock and found another store in the state (FL) who had a white unit in store, land placed an internal order for store to store delivery, he followed up this with a phone call to the other store to make sure all was good, and for them to make sure the white Ipad was ordered as he had done on the internal system.

Sure enough next day I received a call the Ipad was there at my local store awating collection.
I could not have asked for better service from Best Buy (or to be more precise, their sales guy) And they price matched Walmart.

Oh and something that I didn't like about the Walmart canceled order, it was 4 days before the money was credited back to my bank account, fortunately I had funds to pay for the replacement Ipads, or I could have ended up with two very disappointed grand kids on Christmas morning !
 
SkyHog said:
Its similar to Autozone's retarded ass WITTDJR program (you know - "Would you like a 99 cent pack of bulb grease?" "These brake pads WILL squeal without this antisqueal packet for 99 cents.").

There's no commission. But if you don't sell it, you don't work there for very long.
Click to expand...
It's up to $1.29 for the packets, still no commission for the red shirts but I hear the greys get a decent bonus based on store sales
 
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