Best Buy Still Sucks

FROM: Paul
DATE: Thursday August 29, 2002 -- 8:42:04 am

Has it been four years, already? Wow. Time flies when you're not giving money to a heartless, national corporation!

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, Ryan, but... I expect nothing but the absolute worst from Best Buy. They're my heroes.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Thursday August 29, 2002 -- 9:03:16 am

I ask that you forgive me for my indescretions this past month, Paul. I will not return to them again.

FROM: Stevie Gee
DATE: Thursday August 29, 2002 -- 10:00:29 am

May "Best Butt" rot in the belly of the beast for a thousand generations!

FROM: Robert [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday August 29, 2002 -- 5:35:28 pm

I don't think I've ever gotten a pre-order on the day the item was released. Usually it takes two or three days after the release date, at least with CDNow and Buy.com.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Thursday August 29, 2002 -- 7:16:45 pm

An interesting development that is actually in BB's favor (though the process is still bizarre to me):

Ryan,

We appreciate your concern about why your order was canceled. The reason your order was canceled was due to your request to have the item shipped to you as we are unable to change an in store pick up to delivery.

A new order needs to be placed to have the item shipped to you and initially you will be billed for the full cost of the order however we will credit back any tax and price difference, digital coupon and the ground shipping costs. We do apologize for any frustration
that this may have caused.

We look forward to your next visit to one of our stores or to www.BestBuy.com. Please do not hesitate to contact us with additional questions or concerns.

Best wishes from Best Buy,
Holly and the Customer Care Team

FROM: dave
DATE: Saturday August 31, 2002 -- 9:38:23 am

You know, I wanted to buy Civilization III the day it came out, and Best Buy didn't have it in stock. Aren't there professional buyer people who buy things for stores for a living - and make sure this doesn't happen?

FROM: Scorpion
DATE: Tuesday December 3, 2002 -- 2:33:14 am

Its funny how people believe everything they see on the net. For instance this guy here complaining about god knows what. And look he didnt even tell the whole story. I like the other guy better. "I ask that you forgive me for my indescretions this past month, Paul. I will not return to them again." You retard. How can you go by someones opinion especially someones opinion from the net. Get a life buddy. For every one person that has a bad experience there are hundreds more having a good best buy experience.

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Tuesday December 3, 2002 -- 9:37:09 am

Dear Scorpion -- How did I not tell the whole story?

How do I all of a sudden "believe everything [I] see on the net" when the said site is run by the co-owner of this site/a friend of mine?

For every one person that has a bad experience there are hundreds more having a good best buy experience.

How about we reword that as "For every person having a good experience at Best Buy, there is a person that hasn't yet had to deal with their customer service."

Love,
The Retard

FROM: Paul
DATE: Tuesday December 3, 2002 -- 10:07:55 am

Its funny how people believe everything they see on the net.

Such as "bad spelling is okay" and "boycott apostrophes now!"

"I ask that you forgive me for my indescretions this past month, Paul. I will not return to them again."

Well, I guess that proves what I've been telling you once and for all: I'm a deity.

That's right!

FROM: admin@circuitcitysucks.net [E-Mail]
DATE: Wednesday January 29, 2003 -- 4:26:20 pm

Circuit City sucks also. Please visit the website www.circuitcitysucks.net to see how they are screwing consumers.

FROM: ANOTHER RIPPED OFF CUSTOMER
DATE: Tuesday February 18, 2003 -- 11:18:24 pm

Yop, expect the worst from best buy. I never did but now I know how it is. Here is my adventure at best buy: a customer rep. broke my newly bought digital camera, then a manager I called call me and my fience liers and then I got kicked out without getting my $200 plus tax money that I just spend on the camera. It hurts but..... ;-)))) they are forgetting that I got over $2000 on my store card. Sweet revenge. I already stopped paying my card. Hell, take me to court best buy.

FROM: Eric R. [E-Mail]
DATE: Wednesday February 19, 2003 -- 12:54:13 pm

ahhaha i really feel your pain from bestbuy. i truly think they are a evil empire trying to drive americans insane with there incredible display of bad customer service and even worse special promotions. There prices are almost always higher than everyone else's and it amazing that they always seem to misprint something in there add every week quoting a wrong price or mislabeling a picture with something else. Its absolutely halarious to me. I'll conclude saying that right now i'm going to college (fulltime) and also working at Wally-World (wal-mart, Fulltime) and i do pride myself with customer service, cause i know how people can get fed up with trying to find things they need. Even though sometimes i do have to point people towards bestbuy i never like sending to there doom.... =o) So if your ever in the Orlando Area i work in the Wally world next to UCF, in the electronics department. again... have a nice day.. and best buy STILL SUCKS... =oP

FROM: C-Dogg
DATE: Wednesday February 26, 2003 -- 7:33:51 pm

BestBuy Rules!!! If stupid people would not buy items just to see if they fit on their counter then return it or not treat their new products like crap there would be no problems...I dont work for bestbuy but know people that do and have witnessed such lame accuses of people returning products. I just cant afford it, its not exactly what i wanted....how about letting some one assist you and ask questions instead of returning products because of your own self ignorance of not fully reading or asking about the products capability..You people SHOULD be treated like crap and your not the type of people BestBuy wants shopping their anyway!!! Your only costing the company more money.....No matter if you like BestBuy or not because there are only two companies out their that consistanly improve year after year and BestBuy is one of them! BestBuy is here to stay!

FROM: C-Dogg
DATE: Wednesday February 26, 2003 -- 7:49:48 pm

Also to Ryan, You lame bastard...its sounds like reading your issue your pretty damn impatient...It looks like your probably dont understand the concept of what a business day is...if you made your order at 11 on friday and they got back to you at 3 on monday they fullfilled their requirements of contacting you within 24 business hours.....also if you werent randomly clicking around on the ordering page or keep switching your order from deliver to house to store you wouldnt have to redo your order....its sounds like they try to keep working with you and keep issuing your priceless 10 dollar coupon, but if i were them id say for get you and take your ten bucks for the crap you keep causing them..........understand ordering anything from the net is delayed and incorrections dont get cleared up right away. how about next time you get your lazy ass off your computer chair take your ass to whichever store and buy the product outright!

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Wednesday February 26, 2003 -- 8:10:03 pm

Because then I might need to deal with people like you at the store.

By the way, read down -- I gave Best Buy their props for handling the situation properly, eventually.

FROM: C-Dogg
DATE: Thursday March 6, 2003 -- 3:35:11 am

Hey C-Dogg, most people dont treat ther new products like crap, its usually that that item is crap. I purchased a dvd player and a warranty, and when my dvd player didnt do what the sales associate sais it did i brought it back asking them to check it out. Some fat guy who has a badge of computer technition comes and checks it out and said "this model doesnt support that feature." When i told him that the salesboy told me it did that feature he said i was a liar. he tells me that i should of known the full features myself. I siad "your right, hmm seeing how i dont sell dvd players for aliving, I should know all the features to a product i never bought before", and left the store. As for Ryan being impatience, maybe he's been to places like office depot who give next day free delivery. Order at 11 on friday means u probably get it on monday or maybe tuesday.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Thursday March 6, 2003 -- 8:16:40 am

That was painful to read.

FROM: merv
DATE: Thursday March 6, 2003 -- 5:30:06 pm

frys sucks even more. best buy is an ametuer when it comes to sucking. frys has sucking down to a science.

FROM: ryan adams
DATE: Tuesday March 11, 2003 -- 9:24:41 am

get a life, find a new hobby mabey take up fishing. But please quit your bitchin. It is impossiable to make everyone happy. I have shopped there all my life and they have been nothing but helpful.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Tuesday March 11, 2003 -- 11:08:51 am

You're just shilling for them because they sell your CDs!

FROM: James Underwood
DATE: Sunday March 23, 2003 -- 7:24:15 pm

My wife and I bought a $499.00 top of the line dishwasher at the Fairfield CA Best Buy. The sales clerk was an idiot!! we wanted a built in dishwasher and installation, but what they punched up was a portable..( neither the clerk nor their (POS)computer caught the error!) but another clerk (who also did not catch That error) stopped us as we were leaving and said the sales clerk forgot to sell us a hook-up we had to have for their installers to install the dishwasher... I asked why this $35.00 kit is NOT included in the price of installation and was told "it just isn't!" with that both clerks exited the sales floor. They left me standing there with a receipt for a dishwasher in one hand and holding a kit in my other hand and no one to ring it up except for the cashiers behind the long lines at the front registers ..
I got mad, I realized what they had just pulled , best buy entices you in with a discount price but then they add on extra charges such as the Free delivery was not free, I had to pay for it first and was instructed to fill out this form and would reqiure sending the recipt off to get a rebate for the cost of delivery. (no receipt = no refund! get it!!!)

I decided that this was not the Best deal that I was getting ripped off and looked for the clerks who had vanished, they were standing in the back room just off the floor just standing there, not talking or doing anything but apparently trying to avoid me... I told them I wanted to cancel this purchuse they told me to go to the refund desk, I walked up there and saw a long line about 15 people having things to return This pissed me off more "I now am a priosoner of their buracracy!", so I went back to the clerk who stuffed the $35.00 kit into my hands and demanded that he void my purchuse he said he could not do that I demanded to speak to their manager, (the manager would not come out of his/her(gender was never discussed) office) I was totally belligerent at that point there was no excuse for their manager to refuse to help I was becoming so loud that they gave me the hookup and asked if that would make things right, Like an idiot myself I just wanted out of there by that point and this seemed like a compromise.. But then , the delivery was moved up a day, my wife had to take off work an hour early to be there, and that is when we learned that the clerk had sold us a portable rather than a built in dishwasher. The delivery/installer told my wife the clerk had to be stupid because portable dishwashers don't require installation. My wife refused the delivery and when I came home that night we drove to best buy to get our money back! But Best Buy wont give us our money back they said the needed to call the wharehose first to verify the diswasher was there (they must think we are thives!) the wharehouse was closed so they said come back in 48-Hours! we did reluctantly but 48-Hours put us into sunday and the idiots at best buy on Sunday told us to come back Monday I HAVE HAD IT They are ripping me off, without that money credited back to my account I can't buy a dishwasher elswhere so they totaly have screwed us up.
I don't have their Fvcken dishwasher and I want MY money Back.. but they won't give it to me!!!

NEVER EVER WILL I SHOP AT BEST BUY AGAIN I am just so pissed off right now thank God you guys have this web site for me to vent and share this with I hope a lot of people read the posting on your site I will love to hear one day and soon I hope that they go out of business...

FROM: Ken
DATE: Tuesday April 29, 2003 -- 4:46:11 pm

Fry's does suck. I went in once for an airline audio adaptor and not a single sales guy knew what I was talking about. One even told me they don't sell them because then you can rip off the free movie!

Anyway, onto Best Buy. I have only had 2 bad experiences there out of about 50 or so trips (maybe more).

The first was in Greenville, SC. I went in to pick up some CD's to burn on my business trip as the local radio stations there suck. I went back and saw a 4.99 after rebate sticker on the shelf. Grabbed it and went to pay. No rebate printed. Go see customer service I was told. So I did. The woman verified that it was not a rebate item. The sales manager came out grabbed the item and went back to the shelf. I luckily decided to follow him back so he couldn't just rip the sticker off the shelf. Guess what he was doing as I walked up...yes, pulling the sticker off! So we discussed it and his response was that there are a lot of items on sale and they just missed it (still not wanting to give me the price). So I insisted I get the price. And he gave me the whole rebate was over ploy. I demanded the price. He tried to offer me some other cd-r sale item (with a lower burn speed). Eventually I got the product at 4.99. It was just nuts.

The second time was less important. I believed I had a defective product and wanted to exchange it. I had already mailed off a rebate with the UPC. The woman refused to exchange it saying the UPC was missing. I told her to just exchange the contents. She refused. She said 'it says right here we can't take returns without the UPC'. So I snidely and loudly quoted two lines down: "If the UPC is removed we will exchange the product only". She shut up did it and said nothing more.

If you don't know what you want, you are taking your chances at Best Buy. They don't work on comission so have no reason to learn the products or policies.

FROM: Ken
DATE: Tuesday April 29, 2003 -- 4:54:48 pm

Heh, just read a few more posts up there and had this to add:
FROM: C-Dogg
DATE: Wednesday February 26, 2003 -- 7:33:51 pm
I LOVE best buy. However, buying an item and being able to return it is the main reason I shop at a retail store. If I didn't have the option I would save my money and buy online!

FROM: C-Dogg
DATE: Wednesday February 26, 2003 -- 7:49:48 pm
It's not his fault their web site sucks! If they make an offer they should fulfill it!

I agree though. Best buy is here to stay. Good products decent prices. The sales guy who doesn't know crap will be let go eventually. They will find good employees eventually. I've had my share of good and bad there. Speaking of which, I need to head to Best Buy right now and buy an entertainment center they have on sale! Tschuss! (Adieu, Adious, etc)

FROM: Dave Walls
DATE: Tuesday April 29, 2003 -- 7:14:10 pm

Ok, I need some help from the good PINGers around the globe.

I live in the NorthEast (Delaware/Philadelphia), and I need to get a new computer sometime in the next 2 weeks, due to a new job at a big radio station. (YAY!).

I want to avoid the evil empire, but I'm being lured into the prices. I KNOW all the bad crap about them, but I cant seem to stay away from browsing. Building one would be nice, but time is more of a pressing issue here.

Does anyone here actually have a GOOD shopping experience somewhere?

Thanks

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Tuesday April 29, 2003 -- 7:45:47 pm

I can speak for buy-atlas.com -- a small computer company that builds with quality parts and has very good service (when you call, an actual person answers... when you e-mail, you get an individual's e-mail address and their extension). Plus, their prices are fair.

FROM: Marcus Mackey
DATE: Tuesday April 29, 2003 -- 8:00:02 pm

"...and gave a $10 "digital coupon" wtih each order of this particular box set."

E-gads... a typo. ::stunned stare:: Ryan... must've been on the ca-ca coffee again. ;) Too much caffeine. :D Just had to point it out, because it's probably the first time in Ping's history that I've caught one. Yes folks... Ryan is human! :) ;)

As far as Best Buy sucking... it does. Any major giant store is going to suck because of their lack of respectable treatment to the customer. With cost-cutting to bring us such low prices (and beat the more localized mom and pop shops for the $ vs. service), comes the reality that when you pay a 15 year old teen minimum wage to run your "customer service" (or "customer dis-service") who'd rather be out at a rave... chances are, your service (and thereby treatment/respect) is going to suck.

Circuit City only tends to be better because it's a haven for those that actually "WANT" to sell things. They base a good deal of their sales floor on the principle, and therefore people play for the hard sell; and they milk this all the way to the customer service department where the salesperson often is brought over to "INSURE" service, and hopefully garner further "COMMISSIONS". I know, I've had countless buddies work there, and at one time... back in the day, one of them was in the top 4 in sales nationally working out of their Berwyn store; also providing a level of service to anyone that was impeccable.

Comparing North Riverside's Best Buy to Berwyn's Circuit City, which are only a few hundred yards from one another; is like night and day. Paul has done a personal critique on his Best Buy experience in the past... and trust me, for anyone "Pro-Best Buy", one trek into that store will turn you off to buying anything of higher value there, knowing what you're bound to face in the end. I think I'd rather buy a stolen one off the back of a truck, the service is that much worse.

Then again, that's true for most any Circuit City vs. Best Buy. I often go to the Best Buy in Countryside (instead of North Riverside's, which has to be the worst one on the face of the Earth; sort of like the Lyons McDonald's) and Circuit City in Hodgkins.

To Best Buy's credit... I do think they tend to have a nicer layout, that is more friendly. It's a brighter, nicer ambience; more open... if not a bit numbing in it's motif. Then again, Circuit City fits into the "electronics" sales formula, similar to Silo and Highland's prior to them. I actually feel like an audiophile or moviephile entering their store, I feel like I'm getting knowledgeable and helpful staff, that is courteous and there to serve... whereas at Best Buy I feel like I'm at the "Wal Mart" and "KMart" for the electronics set. Everything is so stark in it's brightness, openness, that it's almost an achilles heel as much as it is an asset.

I also have to give props to Best Buy for improving their product range as well. For years, it was a no contest. Best Buy's best brand was Sony (the fastest breaking electronics components in the industry) or Technics (high-end Panasonic, good stuff but hardly "pinnacle" worthy)... Circuit City had everything from ProScan, Mitsubishi, to Kenwood and Alpine, Sherwood, down to Infinity, Bose, and JBL. They had all of the so-called "high-end" that was Best Buy, and the "REAL" high-end. Best Buy finally took a few brands on... but... they still don't have the range Circuit City, and service for said item... I don't even want to imagine it.

That said, the level of disarray said audio is in, in most Best Buy stores is such that going to Circuit City, odds are... you're going to see it in better condition/shape, and have a better selection/choice.

Otherwise, if you don't have a Circuit City in your area... go to their online store, or go to Crutchfield.com.

Oh and Dave:

If you're going Windows PC, go online and check out Dell. I'm not Michael Dell's biggest fan, but they're not a bad buy for a "name-brand" PC. I'd list Gateway as a possible second, although as you note... I'd rather build my own. The problem with "ANY" namebrand PC, just like "ANY" car is... well... there's going to be lemon's, especially in the PC world. It's even greater when you have multiple pieces of hardware coming together from different sources... such as buying a Dell PC with a Logitech Keyboard and Mouse, with a 3Com NIC, Rockwell 56k modem, NVidia GeForce card, etc. etc. If anyone of those turns out to be a dud... your purchase is going to be an aggravating one, barring exceptional customer service.

I also am not a huge fan of some of Dell's computers in terms of how they're built. I just spent some time redoing a friend's old Celeron, and I can tell you... while it comes with a "tool-less" case design, it also takes a non-ATX form factor which is an immediate "BALK" to me. The whole purpose of going PC is modularity and ease of upgrade. If you defy that law... there's no point, and to upgrade you're going to have to build from scratch. I also hate the annoying "Your case has been opened" BIOS call in CMOS that takes over the screen at somepoint after you, as a consumer, open the PC to upgrade it. It might be there to protect Dell's butt... but in the end, having an easy "shut off" for those of us that have more computer knowledge than Grandma Jones zealot AOL-User would be a nice touch.

That and something more akin to an Alienware-style (Alienware = MOST AWESOME PC's you can buy, but that comes at a premium) Chieftech or Thermaltake case. A bit more style, still ATX, and not as annoying as the Swiss Army Case that takes a Harvard PhD to open. Most Chieftech's open just by pulling a handle on the side. Simple, to the point, and it accepts any old ATX form factor motherboard without a hitch. Just how a PC should be.

It's even worse if you buy the PC and have no idea what the hell is in it. This is why building it yourself, if you have the luxury, is infinitely better. You can pick and choose your componentry, and make sure you have the best of, and best integrated, components you can surmise based on preference. If a PC maker ever figures this out to where you can pick and choose to have a PC built out of a roster of discriminating part's choices... they'll make Michael Dell look like Carrot Top.

Of course, if you're not tied to Wintel, Apple makes an exceptional choice too. I use both, built my own PC, and have a Mac I've upgraded multiple times (and yes, it's beige! ::gasping::). There's so many myths and misnomers about the Mac that most preclude it from a choice... but in fact, it's another fitting ending to this post.

Y'see... sometimes you truly do get what you pay for. It's not about brute speed when you deal with more innefficiencies in interaction and performance that slow you down no matter how many Thz, Ghz, or Mhz you throw at it. Ask Pinger Paul... he's a switcher himself.

FROM: Dave Walls
DATE: Tuesday April 29, 2003 -- 10:47:48 pm

Ooh, I did see Alienware today, and I needed a drool bucket. ;-)

I'll check out both. Thanks Ryan and Marcus.

FROM: mediaslilangel
DATE: Sunday May 4, 2003 -- 1:50:02 am

okay so some of you had a bad experience at Best Buy, others a good experience; let's face it, their a company, they can't please everyone! Plus, why are you complaining so f***ing much? I mean really! If you want to call Best Buy a bad company then go right ahead... but don't sit there and call everyone who works for Best Buy idiots. Some of those people are hard working citizens, that are just trying to do their jobs, and yes they may not have all the answers, or know everything about the product, but tell me... do you know absolutely everything about a philips 55' flat screen tv, or a co-axle cable, or a sony vio, or even know the exact release dates of c.d.'s, how the artist got started, who the production label is, and who they sound like? NO you don't, but I do because I work for a company that deals with these products day in and day out, but I still can't remember everything, and neither could any of you. So LAY OFF!!!! How would you like it, if I made a website stereotyping you, when I have never even met any of you? Does that sound right? no it doesn't. Actually it kinda sounds like history repeating itself. And No I am not going to explain what that means, you figure it out. But I will give you a hint.....African Americans, Jews, Irish,Gays, etc... all went through this kind of stereotyping, only at a more harsh level, but even if your only doing it at a minor level, your still doing it.... so its still not right. Next time you all open your mouths, think before speaking. Then maybe you will realize that one bad experience with one bad employee, or store does not mean that every employee, or store is like that. If you want prove that I am not just talking crap than visit store 422, and maybe then you'll realize that I was right and you guys were wrong.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Sunday May 4, 2003 -- 9:54:21 am

I'll be happy to point out that the above person not only posted here, but then took the time to look for my contact info (not terribly hard to find) and emailed me the same junk. I just love how defensive and flustered people like him/her get.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Sunday May 4, 2003 -- 10:35:17 am

It's 'cause, you know, Best Buy employees are persecuted just like Jews during the holocaust.

FROM: Dave Walls
DATE: Sunday May 4, 2003 -- 6:48:46 pm

Now, if only Best Buy served Freedom Fries, we could consolidate all of our stupid Pingers to one Ping. Ahhh...

FROM: Marcus Mackey
DATE: Monday May 5, 2003 -- 4:04:47 am

mediaslilangel...

The flaw in Best Buy isn't a "ONE STORE" phenomenon. It's a multi-store problem of inefficiency. If you had read my post earlier, you'd not that Circuit City finds themselves in much the same arena in terms of being a high volume, low price store. After all, they're Best Buy's leading competitor. I don't have anything to bad mouth on them because the people that work there as salespeople, who often opt-in as part of customer service; actually research the products as audiophiles, music fans, electronics gadgeteers, computer enthusiasts, etc. etc. and are exploited and rewarded for their knowledge. That is the defining difference... noone said that big monolithic corporations were "ALL" bad, but they do make it clear to point out that when in "MAJORITY", most of them quite handily "SUCK". Much as Best Buy most certainly does at the majority stores I've encountered, and it's more than 1 or 2, I assure you.

At Best Buy you have a "SPECIALIZED" customer service department that gets paid their $x (most often darn near minimum wage) amount and leaves. They don't sell the product, and therefore don't have to answer when the product fails, and they aren't paid enough to give a rat's ass about what they sell, nor do they have specialized sales staff that has a "CLUE" about what they sell. They just do their job in whatever fashion they so choose, and more often than not... they're not looking to a "future" with the store, nor are they really looking at making a considerable lot of $ because there's not much potential for that in the Best Buy business hierarchy. More than not, the sales floor has people that are clueless... don't know much of anything about "ANY" of the products they sell, and can't answer even "SIMPLE" questions anEdi the product. Questions that I, as a customer wandering through the store (and yes I do "STILL" buy stuff there, even if I keep it to a limited gamut of products; knowing full well that if it breaks, I'm going to endure a nightmare of epic proportions) have often answered for other customers. Mind you, I don't even work there... but half of the clueless dimwits that work at the MAJORITY of Best Buy's I've been to fit the description I delivered above. Perhaps if store 422 was closer to me, I could make a defining interpretation of your store... but that's not the point. MAJORITY wins over MINORITY, and odds are... I'm going to wager that your store isn't much better than the Countryside Best Buy, which is amongst the best I've been to, and still quite frankly... sucks.

At Circuit City, if there is ever a problem with an order... they have a proper system of command that works. If the product is new, and the name of the sales person on the receipt, more often than not... said sales person, if in the store that day, will be called to the front to rectify the matter. If he/she isn't there... another sales person or manager will be called upon to answer questions, and rectify the problem accordingly, realizing that said salesperson on leave would do the same for them (and help keep customers returning to the store to buy from them and add to their commissions; which Circuit City bases their system on). Since the sales person works on a "COMMISSION" basis, they often make $ per sale, have to obtain a considerable roster of information, or has to ask someone within the store who does know or hasn't forgotten said information; which "CONVENIENTLY" are located within that department, specialized, rather than wandering the store helping sell Toasters, then Software, then a Dishwasher, then a Color TV (get the picture?!?). Many of them "LOVE" their job, and do their best to learn "EVERYTHING" about said product. *IF* by chance, as you suggest, that they're not a human sponge that knows "EVERYTHING" about "EVERYTHING"... then they'll find out from someone that might know, like a particular manager from said department. Something that often leads to a rash of "Uhhhhhhh... I dunno" 's at "EVERY" Best Buy I've been to with no chain of command, no system, and no logic to provide you with answers. THIS is why Best Buy struggles at something so inanely simple, something that just about EVERY other electronics store figures out.

THIS IS WHY SOMETIMES YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!

LoL

At Best Buy, if you ask someone that works there... 9 times out of 10, "NOBODY" knows "ANYTHING" about the products they sell. It's even more sad when I do research on a product, and can outsell brand x vs. brand y product at Best Buy, whereas at Circuit City I'm quite "STUNNED" at the level of knowledge the salespeople possess. It's easy to tell that they maximize the positions they hire, exploit the knowledgeable and passionate product people for what will maximize their sales and service, and are "SELECTIVE" of who they hire... as in to avoid hiring blundering idiots that would do better as a human paper weight or an alternative to steel wool than selling "ANYTHING" of tangible quality.

The moral of the story, is the overall "SYSTEM" that Best Buy employs works great on cutting costs overall (hire a bunch of inept people who can care less about customers and satisfaction, and pay them minimum wage so you can cut prices to compensate for a thorough lack of service)... but it doesn't provide even a "SEMBLANCE" of consumer satisfaction, and is one of the worst shopping experiences you can endure. I say this not based on "ANY" one store, as I'll openly admit (as if you had read earlier) that the North Riverside Best Buy store, like the Lyons McDonald's, is one of the worst encounters you will find on the planet for anything (and mind you, I'm not anti-McDonald's... am I? Read that anywhere?!?). Yet, *I* have gone to other stores to verify the claims I've made... Downers Grove, Countryside, Carbondale, and Columbus (Ohio) to name just a few... and guess what? The experience is *** real close to identical *** amongst the noted stores!! Comparing them to North Riverside... it's night and day (easily the worst experience you can have in electronics purchases)... but comparing them to the various Circuit City stores... it's also night and day amongst EVERY single Best Buy (even "THE BEST") and Circuit City (even "THE WORST"). I'd take the worst Circuit City store over the *BEST* Best Buy you can find... no joke!

Also to note... a friend of mine out in Ohio worked for the Columbus Best Buy store quite briefly. He was asked on a PC repair to charge someone for an item it didn't need (hard disk)... he blatantly refused knowing that all he had to do was reformat and reinstall the system and it'd be fine, because there was nothing wrong witht he part the manager tried to force him to sell. He was fired on the spot for not "SCREWING" a customer... he took up a suit against Best Buy... but it was futile. You, as an individual, CAN NOT defeat a monolithic and crooked corporation (with millions of $'s behind them) on your own. Customer or worker... it doesn't really matter. He's since moved on to a computer retailer of merit and credibility in the area, and is providing his expert services there, at a slight premium... but giving people the customer service they deserve.

ONCE AGAIN... You get what you pay for!

Comparing one Circuit City to another... similar story, they're damn near identical. Granted, this isn't the same experience you'll get going to "Audio Consultants" (a true audiophile store that sells HIGH HIGH HIGH END stuff that blows away anything you'll find at Best Buy and Circuit City), but... it's lightyears ahead of Best Buy. By that I mean "PICK ANY STORE" and you're bound to find it within a "range" that is befitting of what Paul has spoken of, and which I'm acknowledging "ONCE AGAIN", right here. Meaning, even the best store is bound to suck compared to what other's provide.

Oh, and before you blast an e-mail out to me about it... also learn to spell before lashing out (coaxial). You may be proud of store 422, but while 422 might be an exception to the rule... I'm almost willing to say that it's nowhere near as good as the experience you'll get at Circuit City, simply because it caters to the same faulty system that leads to a total lack of service and product knowledge. Bad day or not... a salesperson has to value their customer satisfaction at Circuit City, or else their job is in jeopardy. Best Buy, on the other hand... has a gamut of people with similar levels of knowledge (little-to-none), all working strictly on salary, and if they don't give a rat's ass... they just don't. You can't turn to a salesperson that actually cares about their bottomline because "NOBODY" is there working under that premise because "NOBODY" is getting compensated enough to care, outside of the manager, who can't handle 10's of people at one time in fast enough a fashion to be the liaison to service that the store "DESPERATELY" needs.

So to answer...

Why do we bitch?

We've gone through the experiences, seen it first hand. If we prevent even "ONE" other person from suffering the indignant circumstances we've "ALL" endured through "MULTIPLE" encounters...

GOOD!!

If they should be a Best Buy fanatic, our words won't effect them either way. It's not our position to blast the store without having experiences or reason. WE HAVE had experiences, and in many cases "HAVE" experienced them on more than one occasion, at more than one store!!

Perhaps not store 422... but going by a zealot that works there, my vantage is... it's probably just like my nearby Countryside franchise. If not, it's probably the #1 store in the nation... but if I have to drive beyond my local area stores (PLURAL) to get good servicem beyong the mediocre or atrocious I'm faced with locally... what's the fucking point of the rest of the stores?!? LoL EACH AND EVERY store should live up to a "STANDARD". If they can not live up to a standard to provide services... then you "ALL" go down with the ship your compatriarch's make. If your store is great... "GREAT", teach the other stores, or face the wrath of bad-mouthing. I "WILL NOT" drive halfway across the damn country just to see that your store has impeccable service... and if the "MAJORITY" of the stores I encounter suck, well then "BEST BUY" as a whole "SUCKS". One shiny apple in a pile of rotten one's may shine... but only if you can pick it out of the bushel. Otherwise... by the time you get to that "ONE"... you may have long since given up hope.

Oh, and last I checked... in a country entitled to "Freedom of Speech", we're allowed to say what we want to based on our experiences. That doesn't mean we're entitled to "DO" what we want to... and unlike the Holocaust, we're not persecuting. We're just saying we "DON'T LIKE" something, not setting fire to the stores. Pull your head out of your ass and learn the difference before you blast someone from speaking that which the First Amendment to the Constitution provides. Otherwise you sound like the uneducated Liberal-haters that don't understand that speaking out... or even putting a "Obscene Lyrics" sticker on the front of a CD, and requiring a minor to be along with their youth to purchase said "potentially offensive" item; isn't anything like telling someone that they "Shouldn't be opposed to the war" because well... it's anti-American like many conservative blind patriot zealots have. If you don't know the difference there... then you obviously don't understand what our fore-fathers fought for (Freedom of Speech, no taxation without Representation, the right to be heard before being taxed to death), and you have no clue on what the term "diplomatic retroactivity" means.

"For every action there's an equal and opposite reaction."

Stick your nose where it doesn't belong... and they'll fly a few planes in your country in symbolic fashion; attacking trade and commerce symbols, attacking military fortifications, or attempting to attack the mother of it all... the White house, home of the commander and chief. I mean, it's not like they can win a ground or air assault against the largest and most powerful military... so they do what they rationalize as right to attempt to get the message through. Terrorism isn't good... but coming from a country that created guerilla warfare, it's just another evolution of war, like it or not. War, overall, isn't a good thing... although those that sat around with a bowl of popcorn watching "Shock and Awe" like it was Star Wars would like to tell you otherwise...

So yes... we know our history. I'm not a racist. I don't make stances on things without having multiple experiences to gauge from. In fact, I'm the least racist person you can find... and I poke fun at all races, including my own, because it's funny how much we all "CLING" to petty things. I mean, Italians and Irish got along bad... and one of my best friends is Italian, and we jokingly mock each other based on those pretenses. I even have African American, Italian, and Czech friends jokingly calling me a "Mc" or "Potato lover" much as we tease each other because ::gasping:: Race is a "NON-ISSUE" amongst us.

I'm baptised Catholic... and yet I made a joke about Lhent at an Irish Club dinner on a Friday joking to them that the reason why we got off from having to "NOT" eat meat was... for today, we declare ourselves "Protestant". ;) Then when it was made to light that we can have a right of passage... I'm like "Whoa, that's cool... so when we have a self-serving ethnic need, we can bypass God's/Christ's rules?!? Neat-o!"

So mediaslilangel... I'm quite aware of your concerns, but if you'd read what I posted prior, you'd note that I took all of that account. Thank you very much for kindly pointing it out, but perhaps in re-reading what was said, along with what I just said, you'll be the one to "LAY OFF" and learn that while 422 might be one of the best "IN YOUR OPINION" because you work there... you'll be happy to know that in our realistic experiences; collectively combined, on numerous occasions your stores overall have done a piss-poor job compared to it's competitors, and thereby is deserving of the blasts we give it, based on our "OWN" personal freedom(s) of speech and right to say...

Best Buy Sucks.

Yes it does...

Thank you, and have a WONDERFUL day...

:)

FROM: Marcus Mackey
DATE: Monday May 5, 2003 -- 4:21:42 am

"...requiring a minor to be along with their youth to purchase said "potentially offensive" item..."

That should read "adult".

3am and no caffeine... only excuse I have for that one.

Oh, and for some reason when it was parsed via the PHP parser, it had a brainfart earlier on in the post:

"...and can't answer even "SIMPLE" questions anEdi the product..."

It was actually typed "about". ::scratchin' chin::

Wierd...

Oh and I will take blame for all of the typos I made... I am human, however I at least try to cover for the mistakes I do make... unlike some stores of refute.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Monday May 5, 2003 -- 9:26:40 am

Marcus -- In the future I'd ask that you provide more detail in your posts. I find that your posts are generally short and uninformative.

:)

FROM: Marcus Mackey
DATE: Monday May 5, 2003 -- 3:05:06 pm

Dang Ryan... y'got me, I'll try to break out a bigger posting when I have the leisure time to do so. ;)

FROM: skasol
DATE: Thursday June 26, 2003 -- 12:37:56 pm

If you guys are so pissed off with best buy, why don't you just shop somewhere else and stop your bitching. go to circuit city and you are scared because the sales person works on commision. go to fry's and you are scare because they have refurbished items. go to compusa. what am I saying they don't even have a selection, so what other option you got. try to order your shit online and you'll be glad to go back to best buy. stupid idiots.

shout out to "PF". and "sparky"

skasol

FROM: pf
DATE: Thursday June 26, 2003 -- 12:46:24 pm

saskol you are a genius!! saskol for presidente!! saskol for presidente!!

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday June 26, 2003 -- 1:22:25 pm

Umm, I shop at either Circuit City, or do it online. I'd rather cut off my own eyelids and take sleeping pills than shop at Best Buy.

(Stuart Scott)
Shout out to "Bryan" "Gwen", Pookie, Shaniqua, Ray-Ray's Baby Daddy, they all so proud.
(/Stuart Scott)

The Freedom Fries must be selling well in skasol-ville.

FROM: The Tuna
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 5:00:43 am

skasol and pf what these bitches need is a office linebacker the next time they come into a BestBuy bitching about their 5$ they were screwed out of, for all you complainers i heard wall mart has a special you buy a 6 pack of crapper paper it comes with a free tube of tooth paste, oh wait you guys will probably complain that you dont get the free ducky tooth brush with it.
for all you bitches pull the string its hanging out of your panties!!!!

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 11:07:10 am

You know what you need? Spelling, capitalization, puncuation..

That's right, a second grade education.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 11:14:42 am

Cool! Wall Mart! I've been looking for a place to buy new walls!

FROM: skasol
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 11:15:11 am

Dave walls, you are trying to criticize about " Spelling, capitalization, puncuation", stupid, what the hell is "puncuation". I think you are the one that needs the second grade education.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 11:58:38 am

He got you there, Dave. :)

The difference being, of course, that Dave's mistake was a typo while other posters are typing properly but thinking wrong.

FROM: The Tuna
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 12:10:27 pm

wall,Wall,Wal it doesn't matter they all have specials for you people bitching over stupid shit, so go rush down there stand in line and get floral box with the extra liner because you guys bitch to much.

FROM: Mike [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 12:27:17 pm

Wouldn't bitching about others bitching make you more of a bitcher than the person you bitch bitches too much?

FROM: Paul
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 12:40:16 pm

How does one "bitch to much"? I've never had to much something in my life, and wonder just how one would much something. Any thoughts? Maybe it's a Wall Mart thing.

FROM: pf
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 12:50:46 pm

you fruit cake (paul) -- you have no brains - you sound like a flunkie with no life. sitting around talking about electronics all day you fag. go to walmart and do your shopping -- and stop by k-mart on your way. dont mess with the office linebackers tuna,saskol and pf, or you will get b lined. punk ass biiiiitch. as for dave wells you little pussie dont let me catch you talking out of your ass again .

FROM: Paul
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 1:43:24 pm

Well, certainly calling me a favored gift at Christmas put me in my place! Ho ho! And the clever "insult" of calling someone a cigarette - so intelligent.

I wonder if someone's going to ask for Progeria pictures.

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 2:46:29 pm

True, he got me for the typo. Oh well. That's what I get for being on the Ping while I'm away on vacation. :)

And, 'pf'...whatever. The funny thing is, this Ping was as good as dead, and you and "skasol" started complaining about US bitching? Go ride your tricycles around the block and leave us alone.

FROM: skasol
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 3:52:32 pm

" leave us alone"

What a fag.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 4:59:26 pm

Just for fun, some IP addresses:

Skasol: 24.126.14.68
pf: 204.31.231.20
The Tuna: 66.215.228.181

FROM: skasol
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 10:19:03 pm

"IP" go ahead and try it. I dare you piece of shit.

FROM: jk
DATE: Friday June 27, 2003 -- 11:29:35 pm

good grief!

FROM: pf
DATE: Saturday June 28, 2003 -- 12:13:26 pm

yo saskol and tuna stock closed at 43.50 - these haters wish they hade some.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Saturday June 28, 2003 -- 12:38:48 pm

pf: The weather in Dallas is really awful this time of year, isn't it?

Skasol: How's LA doing?

Tuna: Have you ever visited Skasol over in LA? He's not too far from you in Riverside!

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday June 28, 2003 -- 12:42:39 pm

THe stock closed at 43.50 pesos? Man, the Mexican economy sucks. :)

Every now and then, NOT turning on dumb-ass mode brings hilarity.

FROM: skasol (Dave and paul can call me
DATE: Saturday June 28, 2003 -- 9:06:47 pm

Paul you just think you are so smart aren't you? Those figures are way off just so you know.

FROM: \"Daddy\" AKA \"skasol\"
DATE: Saturday June 28, 2003 -- 9:08:17 pm

Dave and paul when you guys want to say something to me, just call me daddy. ok

FROM: \"Daddy\"
DATE: Sunday June 29, 2003 -- 11:14:15 am

Would you guys like my other computer Ip addresses just for fun?
What do you say?

FROM: Tuna\'s back
DATE: Tuesday July 1, 2003 -- 2:49:21 am

Yeap I live in Riverside, Skasol lives in LA, and its true PF lives in Dallas with Paul's mother!

FROM: Daddy
DATE: Tuesday July 1, 2003 -- 7:09:10 pm

LOL.

bitches

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Tuesday July 1, 2003 -- 7:25:43 pm

Hey kids, just wanted to check in and see if you were still playing with yourself. Seems like everything is just like I expected it.

FROM: jk
DATE: Tuesday July 1, 2003 -- 9:34:38 pm

Honey, let's let the kids alone to work out their problems.

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Tuesday July 1, 2003 -- 9:36:58 pm

Hehe..ok. :)

FROM: Beavis
DATE: Sunday July 6, 2003 -- 8:38:58 am

Of Course, You would probably shop at Wal-Mart!

FROM: \"Daddy\"
DATE: Monday July 14, 2003 -- 12:22:22 am

This website has moved to......

http://www.bestbuy.com/?i=true

please feel free to join.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Monday July 14, 2003 -- 9:21:47 am

Boy, the amazing depth of humor never ends.

FROM: Just a question...
DATE: Thursday February 5, 2004 -- 1:54:59 am

Are any of you ex-employee's from Best Buy?

FROM: Paul
DATE: Thursday February 5, 2004 -- 6:48:07 pm

Your possessive noun references nothing, you know.

That said, no.

FROM: Himynamesbob
DATE: Sunday February 15, 2004 -- 10:49:23 pm

Best Buy: A Den of Thieves?

I have purchased from Best Buy a wide screen TV, big screen TV, digital camera, DVD player, Playstation 2, flat panel monitor, Gamecube, video camera and the service plan for each item. I also bought assorted music CD’s, DVD’s, games and software. All of this totaled over $10,000.

When I purchased my Digital Camera, DVD Player, Gamecube and Playstation 2 I initially declined the warranty. But for each of those four things, at different times, with four different salespeople, I was told the exact same thing, "If you buy a warranty you can bring the item back for any reason during the life of the warranty, even if you just want to exchange it for a newer model." This sounded great and I quickly jumped on those deals. I was told the same thing when I purchased a phone but I declined that warranty.

As of February 12, 2004 I never want to shop at Best Buy again. I wanted to exchange my digital camera per the conditions of the warranty. I spoke with someone in customer service and told him how the warranty was explained to me when I purchased my camera and said I wanted to upgrade it. He said OK and walked away for a few minutes then came back and told me I would have to speak with someone in service. I spoke with someone in service and told him what I had told the other gentleman and he proceeded to tell me I couldn’t exchange the camera and suggested I speak with the store manager.

The store manager was busy so instead I spoke with a customer service manager. After telling him what I was told and how I didn't appreciate being lied to I asked him "Are you going to refund my money?" He replied that he wasn't. I asked to speak with the store manager and he got him and explained what I told him, but dubbed it a 'miscommunication problem.'

The store manager, as if he had this speech prepared for this occasion started with "I can't verify what you were told when you bought this warranty therefore I won’t refund your money." We went back and forth with me explaining what I was told and asking why I was told this if it wasn't true and him refusing to refund my money. I asked him "Either I'm lying to you now or I was lied to when I bought this warranty, which one is it?" Again he told me he couldn't verify what had happened. He then went on this spiel for over a minute saying if you buy a car then try to sell it 3 years later you wouldn't get the same amount of money for it so why would they give a full refund for a camera 3 years later. I told him I could understand that I misunderstood the person who sold me the warranty if that was the only time it happened but I was told this exact same thing on 5 different occasions. He told me the other 4 times didn't matter because we are talking about this one warranty. He can go on and on comparing Best Buy to a car dealership but if I have the nerve to mention the fact that I was lied to by his employees 5 different times that doesn't matter, I can only mention this one lie. We went back and forth for a few more minutes when he started to say something while smacking his hand down on the counter. Being deaf in one ear I sometimes have a hard time hearing people so I asked him to repeat himself and he said in very slow and selective tones, as if speaking with a two year old "We aren't going to do this, I'm not going to do this, this isn't store policy." I asked him "Are you speaking to me like a child?" He didn't appreciate the fact that I was pointing out the truth because he started waving his hands at me in a dismissive manner, walking away, saying "I'm not doing this anymore!" Before he could subtly walk away I asked for the name and number of the district manager, he wrote down a number saying "I'm giving you a customer service number that handles problems like this." I thought 'handles problems like this?' Does that mean Best Buy often gets customers complaining they were lied to when they bought a warranty?

I called the number he gave me and got a recording trying to sell me products and asking if I needed service support. After fiddling through the options that didn’t address my concern I was finally connected to a customer service agent and I explained the whole story. He said he would need to connect me to corporate customer service. After being transferred I again explained the whole story and asked "Are you going to refund my money or not?" He said that he wouldn't because that's not covered under the warranty and because of fraud reasons, "what if a customer comes into the store and says 'you guys promised me a plasma screen TV' what are we supposed to do? Give him a plasma screen TV?" This was an outrageous comparison, some guy claiming he was promised a $6,000 TV for no reason and a customer wanting to exchange his $380 camera because he was told it was covered under the warranty he purchased. I asked to speak with his manager and he got him on the line.

I explained everything that has happened and he had the same speech prepared that the store manager gave me. He then said during the time I bought the camera Best Buy didn't repair them, rather they replaced a defective camera with a new one and even allowed the customer to upgrade to a new model. I asked him if it was possible that when I bought the warranty I was told I could upgrade it for any reason, he said it's very possible I was told that. I asked him that since I was misinformed shouldn't Best Buy honor that and give me a refund? He declined. I asked him “Either I’m lying to you now or I was lied to three years ago, which one is it?” He replied “No one is calling you a liar sir.” I said “Great! You’re not calling me a liar, which means you believe my story. Since I was lied to shouldn’t you refund my money?” Again he declined.

Having enough I asked who the next link in this chain was. He replied that he was it, he was the highest person I could speak with who spoke with customers. His manager and everyone above him refused to speak with customers. I thought this was amazing, only 3 chains in customer complaints? I asked if he could give me the name and number of the district manager and he stated that district managers no longer speak with customers either.

That was the last straw for me, a company that has employees lying to customers, a manager and store manager that don't even try to provide quality customer service, district managers refusing to speak with customers, sends complaints right from a store manager down to customer service, and even after speaking with the highest person there is to speak with, and having him admit that it's very possible I was misled, STILL refused to make a customer happy by refunding me $380 after I spent well over $10,000 at their store.

FROM: daniel
DATE: Thursday March 4, 2004 -- 2:19:45 am

i work at best buy. i will admit that there are alot of thing that suck at best buy and there are alot of employees that dont give a shit. but at the same time that is the case at most all retailers because i have to listen to it everyday from my customers. but i dont think that its fair to assume that all best buys are that way or any other retailer for that matter. i dont care that you bitch about best buy if you have nothing better to do than more power to you. but i dont think you should include all best buys or best buy employee in those bitches. thanks daniel store 167

FROM: Greg
DATE: Thursday March 4, 2004 -- 9:40:25 am

Way to present both sides of the case Daniel. And, with limited use of vulgarity!

FROM: john gamberdella
DATE: Tuesday March 9, 2004 -- 7:18:49 pm

yah best buy sucks fat balls. there is no customer service i should know i work here. im a manager. no one cares about the customer here all they care is screwing people out of there money. psp are bs dont buy them. so join the club and rebel against best buy

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Tuesday March 9, 2004 -- 7:21:38 pm

Umm..if you're a manager, should you be working on fixing the problem? At least at your own store?

FROM: john
DATE: Tuesday March 9, 2004 -- 7:23:51 pm

man shut the hell up and mind your own buiseness we dont care!!!!

FROM: Paul
DATE: Tuesday March 9, 2004 -- 10:51:48 pm

Yes! Mind your own buiseness! Buiseness for all! Buiseness, buiseness, buiseness!

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Tuesday March 9, 2004 -- 11:44:10 pm

man shut the hell up and mind your own buiseness we dont care!!!!


Wow, for a manager, you'd think there would be some basic punctuation in that sentence. (4 exclamation marks excluded)

I'll mind my own "buiseness"..I don't shop at Best Buy, anyways.

FROM: Tom
DATE: Wednesday March 10, 2004 -- 10:06:53 pm

Guy on 3/9/04 John Gamberdella doesn't even work for bestbuy. Quit crying you hapless losers....

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Wednesday March 10, 2004 -- 10:48:17 pm

Yeah, I was really worried if he worked at Best Buy or not..I was staying up all night without sleep...

*Puts fingers in ears* Don't care! Don't care! Don't care!

FROM: Amanda
DATE: Monday March 15, 2004 -- 1:20:07 am

I think that you are just trying to find something bad about BEST BUY. Why? They are a wonderful store with awesome prices! Obiously you haven't went to the store have you? Nope you just wanted to cause trouble by going online, don't you know that the online store isn't the best quality for your time. Why don't you get off your lazy butt and go to the real store and see for yourself how much GREAT service that they have. You are probably doing this to get everyone to believe you. HA you're an idiot and a coward. In store is best quality nobody has time for your insecurity and immaturity. So my advice to you: GROW UP YOU IMMATURE FREAK!!!

FROM: Paul
DATE: Monday March 15, 2004 -- 8:56:45 am

Such strong words from an 8-year-old!

FROM: Joseph
DATE: Monday March 15, 2004 -- 10:44:05 am

For those in a situation like James Underwood's (See his Sunday March 23, 2003 -- 7:24:15 pm post) it may help reduce your blood pressure to call the credit card company on which you charged the item and tell them your story. When the charge request for the wrong/defective item comes through to your credit card company, it will not go through automatically. The vendor will then have to fight it out with your credit card company for the payment. Usually, if the problem is not resolved between the vendor and the consumer, you will have to write some letters and reach a compromise. These services are usually free. I had to go through this process when an autoparts store incorrectly installed some wheel bearings in my car and they wore out after two days. They insisted that I had to pay for the parts and labor. I insisted that I did not and called my credit card issuer. I eventually did have to pay for the parts--but I got two brand new ones, and I didn't have to pay for the labor. I went to another auto parts store with a machine shop and had the installation done there and the wheel bearings never went out again after that. I did have to buy bearings from the second place, though. It's usually the policy that auto parts machine shops won't install parts sourced from outside for warranty reasons. So, I had two new wheel bearings sitting around for years until I got rid of the car. I sold the bearings on ebay later on for more than what I paid for them.

Bad service people are another story. I had a guy at Radio Shack sell me some cleaner for stereo controls. It was supposed to eliminate that staticky sound when you turn up the volume. It ate my stereo. If I hadn't specifically asked a kid to find the product for me, I would have been out of luck--even though I could have helped myself to the container that said "Stereo Control Cleaner" myself (since removed from RS's product line). RS offered to repair my stereo, and equalizer (which was also ruined). They did a so-so job on the EQ, and it works, but they totally broke my stereo worse at the repair shop. To fix that, they gave me a credit for a new stereo--I had to pay about $35 for whatever reason. It was decent, but by then I had moved in with my girlfriend who has a HUGE stereo, and so I put the new one back in the original box and there it sits, basically unused. One day I'll sell it on ebay, too.
Service personnel at these stores usually suck because they aren't trained, they get paid nothing, and if they aren't any good, they just get fired--or they get promoted to manager. The companies don't invest in the employees at all. So, even if you feel better that a poor performing employee will get fired for incompetence, there will be a new incompetent to fill in behind. People who are smart enough to do a decent job at those kind of positions are probably like Eric R. (Posted: Wednesday February 19, 2003 -- 12:54:13 pm) who are in college and are smart enough to know that they are not going to have that kind of sucky job forever. If Eric R. is too good, he'll just piss off the manager, who will take Eric's good performance as a threat. That way, Eric will never get promoted.
How do I know? I 've worked all of those sucky jobs. Been there, done that. The good employees don't stay and the bad ones have nowhere else to go. I love the internet mostly because I use it specifically to avoid customer service people.

FROM: A.J.
DATE: Saturday April 3, 2004 -- 8:00:50 pm

Wow, to Marcus, learn to type. Or maybe you can't help it and that's the way you speak?

To HimynamesBob, the Best Buy employee that told you the warranty covered if you just wanted an upgrade, he's a moron. Did you actually read the PSP brochure or was that too much reading for you?

FROM: Dave Walls
DATE: Thursday June 3, 2004 -- 9:17:19 am

You suck fat nuts ass clown

FROM: Paul
DATE: Thursday June 3, 2004 -- 9:20:22 am

Hey, Dave! I didn't know you were going to school in the Hamilton Wenham School District!

FROM: SOrry
DATE: Thursday June 3, 2004 -- 9:31:42 am

Sorry that was my friend wont hapen again

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday June 3, 2004 -- 9:55:38 am

Wow..neither did I! Must be my eeeeeeevil twin cousin...damn you evil cousin!

FROM: Disgruntled Worker
DATE: Monday June 21, 2004 -- 12:21:54 am

I work for Best Buy and they suck. Most of the "customer service" your getting is not our fault directly, but the evil management/corperate telling us what to do.


Please goto this site and read employee complaints:
http://www.bestbuysux.org

FROM: wil
DATE: Monday August 23, 2004 -- 3:43:01 pm

I don't know how many of you actually knew this previously, but Circuit City is no longer functioning on a commission basis, and hasn't been on commision basis for more than a year, so whoever was crying that they didn't want to go to Circuit City (back in July 2003) was being a baby for no reason.
I love Circuit City, and have always been impressed with thier customer service and employee knowledge base.

FROM: Dave21495
DATE: Monday November 15, 2004 -- 2:14:52 pm

BESTBuy are crooks of the highest magnitude. They ripped off my 85 year old father by selling him an E machine for 1300 dollars. Then after the entire 1300 was paid off, they tried to tack on extra charges. They didnt succeed with thier extortion but did everything they could to destroy his credit. I hope those bastards burn in hell. They are Liars and crooks.

FROM: Ryan Ha.
DATE: Sunday November 21, 2004 -- 10:59:45 pm

Yea so Best Buy sux well its nothing compared to how much Wal-Mart Sux i work there i should know they screw countless employees that work there. Alot of there Sales Assoicates will also lie to you just b/c they don't know what they are doing. For instance i use to work in Electronics but they made me move to Hardware which i know nothing about just b/c some old lady thats been there longer than me wanted back there. Well i know more about Electronics then all the ppl that work in that Department and i work in Hardware which i know nothing about how sad. Sounds like the Customer that bought the Dishwasher at Best Buy was having the same problem. But most ppl at Best Buy i think do know what they are doing and yea ur always going to have the ppl that think the company is evil but so what b/c they still contiue to get countless more happy customers that keep coming back so yea well you can keep bitching about Best Buy as long as you want but there not going anywhere.

FROM: Ryan Ha.
DATE: Sunday November 21, 2004 -- 11:05:46 pm

Oh by the way the only reason i stay at wal-mart is because i make fairly good pay and i need to pay bills but i thought about getting a job a Best Buy store which if i did hey i would actually know what im doing and i wont tell you anything that would be un true about the product you buying when i was working in Electronics at Wal-Mart i gave my honest feed back on a product like if a DVD player sucked i said thats not a very good one you and it has had alot of problems you'd probably want to go with a different like.. (i name off another one that would be better) same with Printers or computers SO yea if i got a job there then from the sounds of things from this site i would be one of few that would be honest to the customer.

FROM: Ryan Ha.
DATE: Sunday November 21, 2004 -- 11:09:51 pm

Yea so Best Buy sux well its nothing compared to how much Wal-Mart Sux i work there i should know they screw countless employees that work there. Alot of there Sales Assoicates will also lie to you just b/c they don't know what they are doing. For instance i use to work in Electronics but they made me move to Hardware which i know nothing about just b/c some old lady thats been there longer than me wanted back there. Well i know more about Electronics then all the ppl that work in that Department and i work in Hardware which i know nothing about how sad. Sounds like the Customer that bought the Dishwasher at Best Buy was having the same problem. But most ppl at Best Buy i think do know what they are doing and yea ur always going to have the ppl that think the company is evil but so what b/c they still contiue to get countless more happy customers that keep coming back so yea well you can keep bitching about Best Buy as long as you want but there not going anywhere.

FROM: Ryan Ha.
DATE: Sunday November 21, 2004 -- 11:11:22 pm

Sorry for Resubmitted stupid me oh well!

FROM: an employee
DATE: Sunday January 23, 2005 -- 10:32:33 pm

Best buy does suck, i do work for them, and they cant even treat their employees well. the employees know nothing for a reason, most of them were put there against their request, completely ignoring any knowledge that might benifit their customers (and they like to think they have whats called a talent system). on top of that they tell their employees that certain products are the greatest (the ones that make the most revenue) and because they know nothing the employees believe it.

FROM: gothstylist
DATE: Saturday February 26, 2005 -- 1:24:44 pm

It's 'cause, you know, Best Buy employees are persecuted just like Jews during the holocaust.


It's true we are. I work for best buy, unfortunately, and it's the biggest shithole I've ever worked at. How can anyone "love to shope there" Not only do the sell overpriced products, but you get netflix, gamefly, napster, rapsody, Magazines, and shitty replacement plans shoved down your througt, and we get no reward for doing it. However if we don't do it, we have our jobs threatened and punished. Those magazines are the biggest scam ever.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Sunday February 27, 2005 -- 12:05:35 am

It's 'cause, you know, Best Buy employees are persecuted just like Jews during the holocaust.

That's juuuust a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?

FROM: jk
DATE: Sunday May 29, 2005 -- 12:16:24 am

Greetings from your Retail Guru on vacation in Minneapolis.

Prior to today, I had never been to Best Buy because there isn't one where I live. I don't know if it's general mid-west friendliness, but today I experienced some of the best customer service in recent memory at two different Best Buys in the twin cities area. I asked them if they make commission, but they don't.

It amazes me that they are able to motivate their employees with no promise of commission or contests....everyone I met was definitely shiny and happy.

Walking into the store though, "Best Buy Still Sucks" was pinging in my head. Amazing how everything relates back to here.

Running off to hang out with Prince.....

FROM: peterml
DATE: Sunday July 10, 2005 -- 12:00:44 am

I purchase the 1G usb drive, and recieve the confirmation, but when I come to pickup in store, they notified me that my order has been cancel by bestbuy.com. The store employee told me that bestbuy.com and bestbuy are two different company, they can only give me the product in new price. And I said no, I ask store employee why my order is canceled, they ask me to call the phone number myself. And after I go home and check my email. There is an email saying my order is cancel due to out of stock. But it is in stock. So there are just a bunch of lier. And do you know where I can file a complain for such bad pratice.

FROM: Tony [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday August 25, 2005 -- 6:25:28 pm

Best Buy offered a printable coupon through its website but is failing to honor it at its stores!

Link to coupon:
http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US/en_US/images/external/emailpdf/coupon_combo.pdf

Customers who want to use the coupon are running into many problems:

1. Stores that can't or don't know how to correctly ring it up. It may or may not scan as an identified code in the POS system.

2. Stores that argue it's a fraud or mistake and tell customers they won't honor it.

3. Stores that have posted signs at entrances saying they won't accept any "online/customer printed coupons." Does this include RewardZone coupons?

Why does Best Buy issue such a tantalizing offer to customers and then rebuke them when they try to redeem it?

It is said Best Buy corporate claims the coupon is a fraud, the result of hackers, but then why was it on their site (originally on or about 08/18/2005) and why is it still there today?

Customers are outraged! Blogs and forums are buzzing with the news. If the coupon was an error (missing certain restrictive language/parameters), Best Buy failed to issue any retraction and hasn't removed the coupon in question for their site. Instead corporate and stores are treating customers unfairly, if not illegally, with regard to the coupon in this matter, and without adequate explanation.

This issue is being brought to the attention of regulatory and consumer interest agencies such as the FTC and Better Business Bureau. People are also working to bring this to the attention of regional and local media outlets.

Best Buy will take a hit for not doing the right thing the first time, and then doing the wrong things afterward. There's still time to make amends. Won't they?

FROM: Corey
DATE: Monday May 29, 2006 -- 3:34:48 pm

No Good Bye for you Best Buy -you suck!
Bought the optional 4 year bring back no hassle upgrade line. Called it in a year later when my receiver was not powerful enough to push my speakers- kept shutting off. I was prepaired to drop as much as 4-5 hundred more dollars to get it right. They did not come through they sent me walking with my 4 year no hassles guarantee. Do not shop at Best Buy no matter what the buy. Costco, costco, costco, costco,
Thanks,
Corey

FROM: Joseph
DATE: Tuesday June 6, 2006 -- 8:58:42 am

Check it out:

Best Buy repaired this guy's computer under warranty and replaced the hard drive. He asked for the old hard drive back because it contained personal info like Social Security number, address, info on kids and wife, etc. Best Buy refused saying that the drive had to go back for analysis and then would be destroyed. A year later, he gets a call from a guy who bought it at a flea market for $25! It was working just fine and all the information was available, without which, the buyer would not have gotten the guy's Florida phone number. The guy returned it to him for free, but I could see someone easily extorting the guy, using the info, etc. The story could have turned out much worse, and probably has for other people.

http://redtape.msnbc.com/2006/06/one_year_ago_ha.html#posts?GT1=8211

FROM: Joseph
DATE: Tuesday June 6, 2006 -- 8:59:00 am

Check it out:

Best Buy repaired this guy's computer under warranty and replaced the hard drive. He asked for the old hard drive back because it contained personal info like Social Security number, address, info on kids and wife, etc. Best Buy refused saying that the drive had to go back for analysis and then would be destroyed. A year later, he gets a call from a guy who bought it at a flea market for $25! It was working just fine and all the information was available, without which, the buyer would not have gotten the guy's Florida phone number. The guy returned it to him for free, but I could see someone easily extorting the guy, using the info, etc. The story could have turned out much worse, and probably has for other people.

http://redtape.msnbc.com/2006/06/one_year_ago_ha.html#posts?GT1=8211

FROM: Joseph
DATE: Tuesday June 6, 2006 -- 8:59:21 am

Check it out:

Best Buy repaired this guy's computer under warranty and replaced the hard drive. He asked for the old hard drive back because it contained personal info like Social Security number, address, info on kids and wife, etc. Best Buy refused saying that the drive had to go back for analysis and then would be destroyed. A year later, he gets a call from a guy who bought it at a flea market for $25! It was working just fine and all the information was available, without which, the buyer would not have gotten the guy's Florida phone number. The guy returned it to him for free, but I could see someone easily extorting the guy, using the info, etc. The story could have turned out much worse, and probably has for other people.

http://redtape.msnbc.com/2006/06/one_year_ago_ha.html#posts?GT1=8211