[ThinkInsane]

I've been looking around for a decent compact camera for those times I don't want to lug around my D70. After doing some searching, I decided that the Fuji E510 would fit the bill. Best Buy had it on sale, plus it came with a $50 dollar Best Buy gift card. So I stopped on my way to work yesterday to pick one up.

I went to the camera section, and the blue shirt sales-drone asked if I needed anything. I said I wanted a E510. The kid said "I'll go grab it, and while I do, here's a explanation of our extended warranty and I'll explain all that to you before I cash you out". I handed it back to him and told him he didn't need to explain it, cause I wasn't going to get it. The kid tells me he has to tell me about it, it's his job. I tell him again that I'm not buying it, I don't want it, I have to be to work in ten minutes, and I just want the camera. He tells me he can't sell me the camera unless he tells me about the extended warranty. So, I turn around and start walking away. He asks where I'm going. So I yell across the sales floor "I'm going to Circuit City to buy it, since you refuse to sell me a camera".

Another sales person asks me what the problem is, and I explain to her what transpired. She told me to hold on, she'd get the camera and cash me out. While she is ringing me up, the first kid, the douche bag, comes over and says "I don't get a commission, so I don't give a **** if you go to Circuit City".

WTF? Not only did this kid need a good beatin', he needs to find a new line of work, because he's obviously not cut out for retail. Outside of using that $50 gift card, I think my days of shopping at Best Buy are done.

[dillerX]

walk in. after dealing with someone tell them you just don't have the money to buy it. they'll talk to a sales manager and get the price changed.

[tooki]

Despite the surly demeanor, I can't totally blame the kid. They get drummed into them that they need to sell extended warranties, and the kid knows that if a manager were to catch him NOT pitching the warranty, he would get in trouble.

So, combine corporate rules like that with the low pay and lack of REAL customer service training with the lack of any technical training, and you get the kid.

tooki

[KeriVit]

Originally posted by tooki:
Despite the surly demeanor, I can't totally blame the kid. They get drummed into them that they need to sell extended warranties, and the kid knows that if a manager were to catch him NOT pitching the warranty, he would get in trouble.

So, combine corporate rules like that with the low pay and lack of REAL customer service training with the lack of any technical training, and you get the kid.

tooki

True- but I have to admit that the salespeople at Best Buy have to be the least knowledgeable that I have experienced. As for Circuit City, they practically tie you up to sell you a warranty...

[paully dub]

Reading this made me all the more appreciative of the surly bastards at B & H Photo and and the clean niceness of the Apple Store, and other stores staffed with people who's job it is to know their sh*t and treat customers with respect, and leave em alone otherwise.

Support the good stores and buy everything else online.

[MaxPower2k3]

B&H (33rd street and 9th ave) on a sunday afternoon before christmas is a sight to behold... you're literally packed about 2 people per square foot, and they rush you through there with some amazing level of organization that i've never seen... you ask for a product, they bring it up and show it to you, and then plop it on a conveyor belt near the ceiling where it rushes off towards the front. by the time you make it to the front and pay at one of the little booths, your order is already bagged and ready to be shoved into your arms. You've got to hand it to those jews, they know how to run a store.

[mitchell_pgh]

While "the customer is always right"... being rude to sales people will get you nowhere.

[waxcrash]

Best Buy is being sued by the Ohio Attorney General for unacceptable business practices.

http://www.ag.state.oh.us/press_rele...e_20040819.htm

I boycott Best Buy (for many reasons), but unfortunately I have $125 in Best Buy gift cards which I'll have to use. Best Buy is only good if you know what you want and they have it in stock. FYI, Best Buy's web-site has different prices than their brick and mortar stores. Don't ever buy an extended warranty or cables (especially Monster Cables).

[Kenneth]

BestBuy.. hate it or love it.

Most of the time, I just walked in and checked out the store. 2 years ago, I moved it to a college apartment and I needed a vacuum cleaner, so I went to BestBuy. I bought it and the cashier asked me about the extended warranty. I paused and thought about it. On the other hand, the cashier explained why I needed one (e.g. if the belt failed and [we] couldn't fix it, [we] will give you a new one). So I did request the extended warranty. It was just a $90 vacuum cleaner. I seldom purchased any warranty coverage besides AppleCare.

A year later, I moved back and lived with my parents. That vacuum cleaner was being used for the basement. One day, the belt broke a part and I went to BestBuy for getting the belt replacement. I bought two belts, but they all failed. So, I ended up bringing back the vacuum cleaner to BestBuy and asked for a replacement. They looked at it and won't bother to fix it. After 10 mins of waiting, a staff told me to pick any vacuum cleaner at that price point. I picked the one slightly better and paid an extra $10 for the price differences. Well, that's the only item which failed and I had the extended warranty.

For some reasons, my 3-yr old SONY CyberShot digital camera is still working. However, my sister bought 3 digital cameras in the past 3 years since they all failed after a year or so. She's a die-hard Fuji fan.

[effgee]

Originally posted by waxcrash:
Best Buy is being sued by the Ohio Attorney General for unacceptable business practices. link ...

Stores here in Germany do that as well (resell used/exchanged items as new - illegally, of course) ... a year and a half ago, I returned a cordless phone (t'was 14 months old at the time!) to such a store because it had terrible reception and had been sent back to the manufacturer for repairs twice. So I return the phone, browse around the store for some other things I needed, accidentally walk past the phone isle and whaddayaknow - in the top shelf, my old phone (with the same tiny scratch on the battery cover in the back) - sold as a new "open box" item.

Next thing, I buy an Airport from a large Apple retailer, open the box at home (packaging looked like new, no tape or anything), turn it on only to find out that it was pre-configured with the network names and all for some ad agency a couple of hundred miles away. Returned the sucker, got my money back and bought one from a local retailer.

Unbelievable.



As far as BestBuy is concerned - good job TI. I would have done the same with the little pr*ck.

[cjrivera]

Originally posted by waxcrash:
Best Buy is being sued by the Ohio Attorney General for unacceptable business practices.

http://www.ag.state.oh.us/press_rele...e_20040819.htm

I boycott Best Buy (for many reasons), but unfortunately I have $125 in Best Buy gift cards which I'll have to use. Best Buy is only good if you know what you want and they have it in stock. FYI, Best Buy's web-site has different prices than their brick and mortar stores. Don't ever buy an extended warranty or cables (especially Monster Cables).

In order to help your conscience, I'll buy those GC from you for $75.

[hardcat1970]

i went to best buy around christmas time and saw many best buy sales rep told the potential ipod mini or ipod customers about how the battery would die within 12 months in order to sale their extended warranty.

[neophilia]

The Best Buy sales folks are insane. I walked in one day to buy a DVD player. Had the model already chosen out. I ask a guy there a simple question about the hookups (which he couldn't answer) then decided, what the heck, I'll get it. So then the guy launches into the extended warranty speech. I tell him no thanks, if the thing breaks I'll just buy a new one as the price will probably be so close anyway. $99 DVD player, $30 warranty, if the thing last me a year there will probably be a $60 player that's even better.

So then the guy starts lecturing me about how not everyone can afford to throw money away like that. Unbelievable. I put the thing back, walked out, and later ordered it for less from vanns.com.
-n

[Superchicken]

I just avoid sales people. If I HAVE to talk to em I just tell em to bugger off or look really disinterested. Then again I think I might scare some of em too hahaha.

[CreepingDeth]

Best Buy…bad…
B&N…Worse…
Borders…Hell…

But when you take stuff back to Circuit City, you have to pay this stupid 10% fee. I barely opened up the box on a printer and I had to shell out the $20 for it. You know, they could have just put some tape on the top.

That's why there's Amazon.

[milhous]

welcome to the world of retail.

[Daracle]

We just had a Best Buy open here in Calgary....They are better then Futureshop.

Strange when you take into consideration that Best Buy owns Future Shop.

[powerbook867]

I worked there about 3 years ago (i think) during the holidays. I was a windows admin at the time, so I knew what I was talking about. Some of the guys selling computers there couldn't find there @ss with both hands. While we were told to sell computers, the service plans were where the company made their money. It was bordering on criminal and I only lasted 3 months....

One of the only jobs I ever walked out on. I felt so dirty when I got home from that place I needed a shower!

I almost never shop there now. Circuit City isn't too bad around here , but most of my purchases come from online vendors..

[MilkmanDan]

Several times I've been at Best Buy looking at the new digital camera and have ended up helping someone else because there were no employees in sight. Makes me feel better then when I'm at Best Buy to help people, as opposed to when random people ask me for help when I'm there anyways. Just because I'm 22 doesn't mean I work there.

[effgee]

Originally posted by MilkmanDan:
... as opposed to when random people ask me for help when I'm there anyways. Just because I'm 22 doesn't mean I work there.

That's an easy one - next time someone asks you for help because they think you work there simply answer "That's funny, I was just about to ask you the same question."

Then you help them anyway - because you're a nice guy.

[OwlBoy]

Best Buy sucks ass.

Their anime is way over priced to boot.

-Owl

[MilkmanDan]

Originally posted by OwlBoy:
Best Buy sucks ass.

Their anime is way over priced to boot.

-Owl

sad but true. Thank goodness theres the internet.

[Mister Elf]

Originally posted by waxcrash:
Best Buy is being sued by the Ohio Attorney General for unacceptable business practices.

As well they should be. When I bought iPod minis for my sisters (one there, one at Apple, I had a gift card I wanted to use), they tried the old "The batteries in the iPods are no good...they only last up to about 6 months and then you have to pay Apple $100 to replace them" to try to sell me their warranty. I pulled out my old 2G iPod (my Colorware 4G is in for repair-static problem ) , and showed them that it was still running strong after, what, 2 years. That shut 'em up really fast.

[11011001]

Originally posted by Daracle:
We just had a Best Buy open here in Calgary....They are better then Futureshop.

Strange when you take into consideration that Best Buy owns Future Shop.

I'm from Calgary. Anyways, me and my friend went down to FutureShop to buy a replacement power supply. We ask the kid there where they are, he shows us, picks one up and hands it to us. The model on the box looks good, we both notice the box is kinda beat up. The kid also takes it out to look at it, we don't pay much attention, and he puts it back in.

We get home, plug it in, and it doesn't work. It doesn't even have a power switch, and it's not even the same power supply that was on the box. The kid obviously ripped us off. We took it back, got the money back, and went to memory express. Who would stock a used power supply? And specifically, not even make sure that it was the correct powersuppy being restocked? Horrible.

I guess it was also our fault for not checking thoroughly what we were buying, but from a place like Future Shop, one doesn't normally expect to get ripped off like that.

[greenamp]

He probably just felt dissed by your refusal to hear his extended warranty story, and used the "I ain't selling to you unless..." bit as a way to get back at you somehow.

[CreepingDeth]

The store's fine if you don't need to ask questions. I'm in and out in 10 minutes or less most of the time.

[greenamp]

Originally posted by CreepingDeth:
The store's fine if you don't need to ask questions. I'm in and out in 10 minutes or less most of the time.

I try to avoid bestbuy whenever possible. The place has such an agitating mood about it to me. And the sales people always act like they know what they're talking about, when most times they clearly don't know ****.

[demograph68]

Originally posted by Mister Elf:
As well they should be. When I bought iPod minis for my sisters (one there, one at Apple, I had a gift card I wanted to use), they tried the old "The batteries in the iPods are no good...they only last up to about 6 months and then you have to pay Apple $100 to replace them" to try to sell me their warranty. I pulled out my old 2G iPod (my Colorware 4G is in for repair-static problem ) , and showed them that it was still running strong after, what, 2 years. That shut 'em up really fast.

That is some funny ****.

[shabbasuraj]

Whatever you call the store, Future Shop and Best Buy both suck. Customer service sucks on all accounts whenever I have accompanied people who shop at both these places.

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by paully dub:
Reading this made me all the more appreciative of the surly bastards at B & H Photo and and the clean niceness of the Apple Store, and other stores staffed with people who's job it is to know their sh*t and treat customers with respect, and leave em alone otherwise.

Support the good stores and buy everything else online.

Apple pushes extended warranty pretty hard too

[amsalpemkcus]

ok ok, next time they try to sell you extended coverage what if you say "alright, if you explain to me about it.... if you even frikkin start, thats it!!! I won't buy it, and I am serious!!!" will they stfu, and let you go about like normal?

[DeathToWindows]

I avoid them at all costs... if I have to go there, the blueshirts get a STFU order really, really fast.

that being said, I might be buying a TV from them soonish...

[macaddict0001]

The problem with best buy sales staff is that you require no experience to be in that position and nothing but a high school degree. they get paid a small amount of money at that job and they can't even be expected to know what a radeon 9250 pci is.

[Gankdawg]

http://www.bestbuysux.org

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by macaddict0001:
The problem with best buy sales staff is that you require no experience to be in that position and nothing but a high school degree. they get paid a small amount of money at that job and they can't even be expected to know what a radeon 9250 pci is.

Can you imagine what prices would be like if they actually had to be qualified to sell?

[amsalpemkcus]

Originally posted by Gankdawg:
http://www.bestbuysux.org

Wow!!! that's some really yellow piss or what!!!!

[MaxPower2k3]

Originally posted by macaddict0001:
The problem with best buy sales staff is that you require no experience to be in that position and nothing but a high school degree. they get paid a small amount of money at that job and they can't even be expected to know what a radeon 9250 pci is.

they require a high school degree now?

[Partisan01]

Well there's an easy way to get the 'extended warranty' to work to your advantage. Haggle with them to lower the price 10 or 20 bucks if you buy the warranty. I know this works because I did it for my Sony 100ES monitor (6yrs old works great). Then the next day go back to Best Buy and return the extended warranty for the full value. You've saved $10-$20 on the price of the item, and you were the sales people's best friend for buying the stupid thing.

[moonmonkey]

Originally posted by Partisan01:
Well there's an easy way to get the 'extended warranty' to work to your advantage. Haggle with them to lower the price 10 or 20 bucks if you buy the warranty. I know this works because I did it for my Sony 100ES monitor (6yrs old works great). Then the next day go back to Best Buy and return the extended warranty for the full value. You've saved $10-$20 on the price of the item, and you were the sales people's best friend for buying the stupid thing.

That is a very good idea.

[mac-at-kearsarge]

As a current BB employee I would like to sincerely apoligize on behalf of all of us who obey the company rules and policies, to you who've had bad experiences at our stores.

One thing I can share with you is that Best Buy STRICTLY enforces a policy stating that pressuring a customer to buy our Service plans (warrenty) is forbidden (it's actually under company ethics)!!! The only thing the people on the floor are required to do is mention it.

If a blue shirt does come up to you and mentions the service plan, please don't be an ass (ie telling them to STFU), they're just doing their job.

And in your case ThinkInsane, I'm sorry to say the person you dealt with was probably under pressure from someone higher up (which shouldn't be happening), and probably was the cause of their highly inappropriate outburst.

It's over all unfortunetly a case of a few bad stores making the whole Co. look bad.

[macaddict0001]

Originally posted by MaxPower2k3:
they require a high school degree now?

well they don't technically require it but they tend to get a lot of applications and just sort them by education.

[shabbasuraj]

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
That is a very good idea.

You can return a warranty?

NEAT.

[waxcrash]

Originally posted by cjrivera:
In order to help your conscience, I'll buy those GC from you for $75.

Thanks, but I plan on using them towards a PSP when it comes out.

[brapper]

Originally posted by Daracle:
We just had a Best Buy open here in Calgary....They are better then Futureshop.

Strange when you take into consideration that Best Buy owns Future Shop.

The sales people at FS are on commission, the Best Buy people aren't.
I don't like shopping at either however FS is right around the corner and easy.
Can't wait for the Apple Store to open here.

[Mr Kino]

Best Buy, and other similar retailers are full of teenagers or young adults paying their way through college.

The only reason i go to best buy is when i need to buy something expensive, like ipod, pda or camera, i buy the extended warrantee and treat my ipod, pda or camera like crap. No case, in my pocket along with my keys, when i get home I just toss it on the desk and eventually it just gives out on me. i go back to the store and they rarely ever send the stuff in for repair, so i just get something that is similar in price point. which by then the product has been updated and its better than what you first bought.

that is how i went from 15 gig ipod to 20 gig ipod, and monochrome sony clie to color sony clie.

If you know how to use the extended warrantees to your advantage, then its worth buying them. otherwise, dont waste your money on them.

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by brapper:
The sales people at FS are on commission, the Best Buy people aren't.
I don't like shopping at either however FS is right around the corner and easy.

Actually, my understanding is that Futureshop employees were shifted to hourly after BestBuy bought FS.

[mdc]

i have one about 2 minutes walk from my house. i hate it. friends look at me weirdly when i advise we take a 10 minute drive to either compusa (they have mac stuff +5 points) or circuit city.

if i buy anything from bestbuy i am in and out in 5 minutes. i use their website to make sure it is in stock, walk over, buy it, and leave.

worst thing that ever happened there was when a blueshirt laughed at me because i would not buy the ~$300 worth of memory sticks, batteries, chargers, etc, for the camera i was about to buy. i bought the camera, walked home, and phoned his manager, and went off over the phone to him. i was so pissed off.
i have no idea if anything happened to the guy, but damn did i feel good after that phone call.

[mitchell_pgh]

I worked at Best Buy and have some good stories. Yah, I'll admit, some of the warranties are crap. A few aren't bad (Digital Camera and Video Camera are the only two I would buy... and potentially a BIG TV if I could get them to deal a little with me).

I always found it funny when I helped people out.

I had people buying digital cameras without a computer.
I had people buying iPods without a computer or a real understanding of what an iPod was.
I had coworkers that didn't have a clue about computers selling them like they were experts.

The list goes on and on.

[mitchell_pgh]

Originally posted by mdc:
worst thing that ever happened there was when a blueshirt laughed at me because i would not buy the ~$300 worth of memory sticks, batteries, chargers, etc, for the camera i was about to buy. i bought the camera, walked home, and phoned his manager, and went off over the phone to him. i was so pissed off.
i have no idea if anything happened to the guy, but damn did i feel good after that phone call.

While he shouldn't have laughed at you, some people don't know most cameras come with inadiquate memory. 5 megapixel cameras coming with 32MB cards!

MOST people are also buying a camera for a reason (long trip etc.) so buying an extra battery isn't uncommon. I have 3 for my Canon S400.

None of the cameras come with a bag.

Again, I worked there. I was once bitched out because I DIDN'T tell someone that the memory card would only hold 16 photos at the highest res. To Quote: "I HAD TO MAKE TWO TRIPS AND I MISSED PART OF MY KIDS BIRTHDAY BECAUSE OF YOU <--- and that was one of the guys that wouldn't listen to anything I had to say.

[eep]

Originally posted by hardcat1970:
i went to best buy around christmas time and saw many best buy sales rep told the potential ipod mini or ipod customers about how the battery would die within 12 months in order to sale their extended warranty.

The Geek Squad guys at our local Best Buy was saying the same thing to an iPod customer.