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Horrible experience at Best Buy

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Sungshine

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I seem to remember that there was a member here that worked for Best Buy. Maybe she can enlighten me: Do the upper-management personel tell their employees and store managers that it is OK to be rude to customers?

My wife and I went to Best Buy tonight to buy a DigiCam for my wife. We specifically went there because of their ad campaign purporting that you may "play" with the stuff before buying. What a load of mularky! When I asked to check out a camera, the sales-child said that they couldn't give me a Memory Stick to use in the camera. When I asked why not, he replied that it's because people steal them. I said that I wasn't there to steal, and that he could keep watch over me while I checked out the camera. His response was: "Well, the OTHER customers said the same thing, and THEY stole!" So I guess that means that I was there to steal also, eh?

When I spoke with a manager, he backed up his employee saying that the kid was only acting as per instructions from him. OK, fine. But by then, I was already angry about the fact that he implied that I was there to steal.

Anyways, the manager eventually told the kid to break open a MemStick and let me play with the camera. So what does he do? He opens a SmartMedia package and contemptuously flings it onto the counter in front of me! And the manager seemed OK with that! So I told him that I would write to Best Buy's corporate office to complain, and when I asked for his name, he refused to give me his last name.

Suffice it to say, I won't be buying anything at Best Buy anymore. What really burns me though, is the fact that I've already spent a small fortune there in the past. I guess business is good... so good in fact, that they don't give a rat's a*s how they treat their customers, even the formerly-loyal ones.

Thanks for letting me rant.
 
I had similar experiences and decided never to buy anything but at times I get tempted to buy DVDs b'cos they are the only B&M who carry wide DVD Collection. They act like they are in a charity business!!!

Sears for all consumer electronics!!
Sungshine said:
I seem to remember that there was a member here that worked for
Best Buy. Maybe she can enlighten me: Do the upper-management
personel tell their employees and store managers that it is OK to
be rude to customers?

My wife and I went to Best Buy tonight to buy a DigiCam for my
wife. We specifically went there because of their ad campaign
purporting that you may "play" with the stuff before buying. What
a load of mularky! When I asked to check out a camera, the
sales-child said that they couldn't give me a Memory Stick to use
in the camera. When I asked why not, he replied that it's because
people steal them. I said that I wasn't there to steal, and that
he could keep watch over me while I checked out the camera. His
response was: "Well, the OTHER customers said the same thing, and
THEY stole!" So I guess that means that I was there to steal also,
eh?

When I spoke with a manager, he backed up his employee saying that
the kid was only acting as per instructions from him. OK, fine.
But by then, I was already angry about the fact that he implied
that I was there to steal.

Anyways, the manager eventually told the kid to break open a
MemStick and let me play with the camera. So what does he do? He
opens a SmartMedia package and contemptuously flings it onto the
counter in front of me! And the manager seemed OK with that! So I
told him that I would write to Best Buy's corporate office to
complain, and when I asked for his name, he refused to give me his
last name.

Suffice it to say, I won't be buying anything at Best Buy anymore.
What really burns me though, is the fact that I've already spent a
small fortune there in the past. I guess business is good... so
good in fact, that they don't give a rat's a*s how they treat
their customers, even the formerly-loyal ones.

Thanks for letting me rant.
Click to expand...
 
WOW! That's really too bad...I'd guess that manager is under way too much pressure to protect his inventory...

The BB near me is 180 degrees opposite...the 2 key people at the Photo/Video/Cell Phone island are friendly, help with questions, mostly pretty knowledgeable, and DO provide memory media upon request. That counter is always busy, too. Oh...and they don't get upset if you don't buy...they just say thanks for coming in and please come back...

Amazing, eh?

Loren
Sungshine said:
I seem to remember that there was a member here that worked for
Best Buy. Maybe she can enlighten me: Do the upper-management
personel tell their employees and store managers that it is OK to
be rude to customers?

My wife and I went to Best Buy tonight to buy a DigiCam for my
wife. We specifically went there because of their ad campaign
purporting that you may "play" with the stuff before buying. What
a load of mularky! When I asked to check out a camera, the
sales-child said that they couldn't give me a Memory Stick to use
in the camera. When I asked why not, he replied that it's because
people steal them. I said that I wasn't there to steal, and that
he could keep watch over me while I checked out the camera. His
response was: "Well, the OTHER customers said the same thing, and
THEY stole!" So I guess that means that I was there to steal also,
eh?

When I spoke with a manager, he backed up his employee saying that
the kid was only acting as per instructions from him. OK, fine.
But by then, I was already angry about the fact that he implied
that I was there to steal.

Anyways, the manager eventually told the kid to break open a
MemStick and let me play with the camera. So what does he do? He
opens a SmartMedia package and contemptuously flings it onto the
counter in front of me! And the manager seemed OK with that! So I
told him that I would write to Best Buy's corporate office to
complain, and when I asked for his name, he refused to give me his
last name.

Suffice it to say, I won't be buying anything at Best Buy anymore.
What really burns me though, is the fact that I've already spent a
small fortune there in the past. I guess business is good... so
good in fact, that they don't give a rat's a*s how they treat
their customers, even the formerly-loyal ones.

Thanks for letting me rant.
Click to expand...
 
I agree that it is the people and not the place in most instances. That goes for just about anything, kind of like this forum. :-)
Loren Charif said:
The BB near me is 180 degrees opposite...the 2 key people at the
Photo/Video/Cell Phone island are friendly, help with questions,
mostly pretty knowledgeable, and DO provide memory media upon
request. That counter is always busy, too. Oh...and they don't
get upset if you don't buy...they just say thanks for coming in and
please come back...

Amazing, eh?

Loren
Sungshine said:
I seem to remember that there was a member here that worked for
Best Buy. Maybe she can enlighten me: Do the upper-management
personel tell their employees and store managers that it is OK to
be rude to customers?

My wife and I went to Best Buy tonight to buy a DigiCam for my
wife. We specifically went there because of their ad campaign
purporting that you may "play" with the stuff before buying. What
a load of mularky! When I asked to check out a camera, the
sales-child said that they couldn't give me a Memory Stick to use
in the camera. When I asked why not, he replied that it's because
people steal them. I said that I wasn't there to steal, and that
he could keep watch over me while I checked out the camera. His
response was: "Well, the OTHER customers said the same thing, and
THEY stole!" So I guess that means that I was there to steal also,
eh?

When I spoke with a manager, he backed up his employee saying that
the kid was only acting as per instructions from him. OK, fine.
But by then, I was already angry about the fact that he implied
that I was there to steal.

Anyways, the manager eventually told the kid to break open a
MemStick and let me play with the camera. So what does he do? He
opens a SmartMedia package and contemptuously flings it onto the
counter in front of me! And the manager seemed OK with that! So I
told him that I would write to Best Buy's corporate office to
complain, and when I asked for his name, he refused to give me his
last name.

Suffice it to say, I won't be buying anything at Best Buy anymore.
What really burns me though, is the fact that I've already spent a
small fortune there in the past. I guess business is good... so
good in fact, that they don't give a rat's a*s how they treat
their customers, even the formerly-loyal ones.

Thanks for letting me rant.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Keep in mind they're only paying these kids (mostly kids anyway) minimum wage (my brother never got above $7 in 3 years) or a hair above, and they treat their employees like suspected criminals as well.

Many BestBuys also suffer from massive shrink problems, so in their minds, treating the customers like criminals makes sense.

It doesn't seem to be up anymore, but BestBuySucks.com chronicled the life and times of various disgruntled BestBuy employees...

it's cached at:

http://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:ykzop16JZGwC:www.bestbuy-sucks.com/+%2B%22bestbuy%22+%2Bsucks&hl=en
 
I don't know if people like to give names, when I dealed with Sony services, they do not give names, but a code number. The technician, manager at Sony Services all do the same. I thought this was normal across North America.

Ken_L
Sungshine said:
I seem to remember that there was a member here that worked for
Best Buy. Maybe she can enlighten me: Do the upper-management
personel tell their employees and store managers that it is OK to
be rude to customers?

My wife and I went to Best Buy tonight to buy a DigiCam for my
wife. We specifically went there because of their ad campaign
purporting that you may "play" with the stuff before buying. What
a load of mularky! When I asked to check out a camera, the
sales-child said that they couldn't give me a Memory Stick to use
in the camera. When I asked why not, he replied that it's because
people steal them. I said that I wasn't there to steal, and that
he could keep watch over me while I checked out the camera. His
response was: "Well, the OTHER customers said the same thing, and
THEY stole!" So I guess that means that I was there to steal also,
eh?

When I spoke with a manager, he backed up his employee saying that
the kid was only acting as per instructions from him. OK, fine.
But by then, I was already angry about the fact that he implied
that I was there to steal.

Anyways, the manager eventually told the kid to break open a
MemStick and let me play with the camera. So what does he do? He
opens a SmartMedia package and contemptuously flings it onto the
counter in front of me! And the manager seemed OK with that! So I
told him that I would write to Best Buy's corporate office to
complain, and when I asked for his name, he refused to give me his
last name.

Suffice it to say, I won't be buying anything at Best Buy anymore.
What really burns me though, is the fact that I've already spent a
small fortune there in the past. I guess business is good... so
good in fact, that they don't give a rat's a*s how they treat
their customers, even the formerly-loyal ones.

Thanks for letting me rant.
Click to expand...
 
this is a lovely story from that cached page:

I wish the public could see what goes on when offloading the merchandise off the delivery trailer. PSP sales would go through the roof! There's not 1 peice of electronic equipment that hasn't been dropped, kicked, or slammed to the ground during "truck night". Those cheapo Apex DVD players are the best. I can toss them from one end of the trailer to the other end. Catching is optional. We're non-discriminating. Everything gets tossed---even big dollar laptops. About the only thing that doesn't get tossed are big screen TVs and ready to assemble furniture. The inventory manager and the supes don't care, hell they're in there tossing big dollar lock up stuff too! Just last week a digital camcorder fell on the inventory manager's foot. He got so pissed, he threw it against the wall, busted the box open, and kicked the camcorder clear to the back of the warehouse -- all to shouts of encouragement from the truck crew. He then proceeded to put all the contents back in the box and onto the pallet destined for the sales floor lock up. Remember boys and girls, PSP is not just an option, it's a REQUIREMENT!

Remind me to NEVER buy anything from BestBuy...

-hud
fg said:
Keep in mind they're only paying these kids (mostly kids anyway)
minimum wage (my brother never got above $7 in 3 years) or a hair
above, and they treat their employees like suspected criminals as
well.

Many BestBuys also suffer from massive shrink problems, so in their
minds, treating the customers like criminals makes sense.

It doesn't seem to be up anymore, but BestBuySucks.com chronicled
the life and times of various disgruntled BestBuy employees...

it's cached at:

http://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:ykzop16JZGwC:www.bestbuy-sucks.com/+%2B%22bestbuy%22+%2Bsucks&hl=en
Click to expand...
 
well, that's a much more intelligent idea than giving out names...Sony still knows what person you're referring to, but you, the potentially-disgruntled customer, can't try to find that person's house to do nasty things to them. ;)

-hud
ken_L said:
Ken_L
Sungshine said:
I seem to remember that there was a member here that worked for
Best Buy. Maybe she can enlighten me: Do the upper-management
personel tell their employees and store managers that it is OK to
be rude to customers?

My wife and I went to Best Buy tonight to buy a DigiCam for my
wife. We specifically went there because of their ad campaign
purporting that you may "play" with the stuff before buying. What
a load of mularky! When I asked to check out a camera, the
sales-child said that they couldn't give me a Memory Stick to use
in the camera. When I asked why not, he replied that it's because
people steal them. I said that I wasn't there to steal, and that
he could keep watch over me while I checked out the camera. His
response was: "Well, the OTHER customers said the same thing, and
THEY stole!" So I guess that means that I was there to steal also,
eh?

When I spoke with a manager, he backed up his employee saying that
the kid was only acting as per instructions from him. OK, fine.
But by then, I was already angry about the fact that he implied
that I was there to steal.

Anyways, the manager eventually told the kid to break open a
MemStick and let me play with the camera. So what does he do? He
opens a SmartMedia package and contemptuously flings it onto the
counter in front of me! And the manager seemed OK with that! So I
told him that I would write to Best Buy's corporate office to
complain, and when I asked for his name, he refused to give me his
last name.

Suffice it to say, I won't be buying anything at Best Buy anymore.
What really burns me though, is the fact that I've already spent a
small fortune there in the past. I guess business is good... so
good in fact, that they don't give a rat's a*s how they treat
their customers, even the formerly-loyal ones.

Thanks for letting me rant.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
IF this really went on, it wouldn't last long; BB is a VERY well managed company, and this type of thing would be caught and resolved.

Personally, I suspect it's the story of a disgruntled employee who probably got caught either stealing or was fired for other reasons...

Loren
hud said:
I wish the public could see what goes on when offloading the
merchandise off the delivery trailer. PSP sales would go through
the roof! There's not 1 peice of electronic equipment that hasn't
been dropped, kicked, or slammed to the ground during "truck
night". Those cheapo Apex DVD players are the best. I can toss them
from one end of the trailer to the other end. Catching is optional.
We're non-discriminating. Everything gets tossed---even big dollar
laptops. About the only thing that doesn't get tossed are big
screen TVs and ready to assemble furniture. The inventory manager
and the supes don't care, hell they're in there tossing big dollar
lock up stuff too! Just last week a digital camcorder fell on the
inventory manager's foot. He got so pissed, he threw it against the
wall, busted the box open, and kicked the camcorder clear to the
back of the warehouse -- all to shouts of encouragement from the
truck crew. He then proceeded to put all the contents back in the
box and onto the pallet destined for the sales floor lock up.
Remember boys and girls, PSP is not just an option, it's a
REQUIREMENT!

Remind me to NEVER buy anything from BestBuy...

-hud
fg said:
Keep in mind they're only paying these kids (mostly kids anyway)
minimum wage (my brother never got above $7 in 3 years) or a hair
above, and they treat their employees like suspected criminals as
well.

Many BestBuys also suffer from massive shrink problems, so in their
minds, treating the customers like criminals makes sense.

It doesn't seem to be up anymore, but BestBuySucks.com chronicled
the life and times of various disgruntled BestBuy employees...

it's cached at:

http://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:ykzop16JZGwC:www.bestbuy-sucks.com/+%2B%22bestbuy%22+%2Bsucks&hl=en
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Sung...

I feel your pain. I think the average STFer tends to be more educated, or at least does more research on the front end when buying consumer electronics, and with that said typically only needs to "try out" the targeted item before making that all-important purchasing decision.

I know I have pre-determined what I want long before walking into one of these stores. One of the stores I don't frequent is BB. I have experienced the same thing in 3 different Chicagoland locations. My latest experience was with a Microsoft Optical Mouse purchase.

I had read on the HOT DEALS forum at anandtech.com (I spend a ton of time there!) that BB had Optical mice for $9.99 and there was a $10 rebate. I went into the Schaumburg location, grabbed two and went to the cashier. Well they came up in the register at $39.99 (total of $80). Of course I corrected her to which she told me she couldn't sell them to me at that price. I told her that they were tagged ON THE SHELF at that price to which she told me "sorry, I can't change the price in the register". Well you can probably guess what my next move was "I need to see your manager..." She called her over and explained the situation. The manager said "sir, show me where they are priced at this..." so I did. She was amazed. They relented and sold them to me for that price, but I was made to feel like a criminal. Too bad. I spend a huge sum of my hard earned money each year on these kinds of toys and pity is unless I know it's an amazing deal I won't be shopping with BB anymore. Sears has always treated me better, and so has Circuit City although there they tend to badger you to buy things.

Stever

P.S. Don't expect to get intelligent answers to tech questions at BB, they employ order takers, clerks at best.
Sungshine said:
I seem to remember that there was a member here that worked for
Best Buy. Maybe she can enlighten me: Do the upper-management
personel tell their employees and store managers that it is OK to
be rude to customers?

My wife and I went to Best Buy tonight to buy a DigiCam for my
wife. We specifically went there because of their ad campaign
purporting that you may "play" with the stuff before buying. What
a load of mularky! When I asked to check out a camera, the
sales-child said that they couldn't give me a Memory Stick to use
in the camera. When I asked why not, he replied that it's because
people steal them. I said that I wasn't there to steal, and that
he could keep watch over me while I checked out the camera. His
response was: "Well, the OTHER customers said the same thing, and
THEY stole!" So I guess that means that I was there to steal also,
eh?

When I spoke with a manager, he backed up his employee saying that
the kid was only acting as per instructions from him. OK, fine.
But by then, I was already angry about the fact that he implied
that I was there to steal.

Anyways, the manager eventually told the kid to break open a
MemStick and let me play with the camera. So what does he do? He
opens a SmartMedia package and contemptuously flings it onto the
counter in front of me! And the manager seemed OK with that! So I
told him that I would write to Best Buy's corporate office to
complain, and when I asked for his name, he refused to give me his
last name.

Suffice it to say, I won't be buying anything at Best Buy anymore.
What really burns me though, is the fact that I've already spent a
small fortune there in the past. I guess business is good... so
good in fact, that they don't give a rat's a*s how they treat
their customers, even the formerly-loyal ones.

Thanks for letting me rant.
Click to expand...
 
So they blame the customer automatically when something disappears?

Interesting.
sh
Sungshine said:
I seem to remember that there was a member here that worked for
Best Buy. Maybe she can enlighten me: Do the upper-management
personel tell their employees and store managers that it is OK to
be rude to customers?

My wife and I went to Best Buy tonight to buy a DigiCam for my
wife. We specifically went there because of their ad campaign
purporting that you may "play" with the stuff before buying. What
a load of mularky! When I asked to check out a camera, the
sales-child said that they couldn't give me a Memory Stick to use
in the camera. When I asked why not, he replied that it's because
people steal them. I said that I wasn't there to steal, and that
he could keep watch over me while I checked out the camera. His
response was: "Well, the OTHER customers said the same thing, and
THEY stole!" So I guess that means that I was there to steal also,
eh?

When I spoke with a manager, he backed up his employee saying that
the kid was only acting as per instructions from him. OK, fine.
But by then, I was already angry about the fact that he implied
that I was there to steal.

Anyways, the manager eventually told the kid to break open a
MemStick and let me play with the camera. So what does he do? He
opens a SmartMedia package and contemptuously flings it onto the
counter in front of me! And the manager seemed OK with that! So I
told him that I would write to Best Buy's corporate office to
complain, and when I asked for his name, he refused to give me his
last name.

Suffice it to say, I won't be buying anything at Best Buy anymore.
What really burns me though, is the fact that I've already spent a
small fortune there in the past. I guess business is good... so
good in fact, that they don't give a rat's a*s how they treat
their customers, even the formerly-loyal ones.

Thanks for letting me rant.
Click to expand...
 
When I am there I can never find anyone to help me. Maybe I should walk in with $$ hanging out of my pockets and they will get the hint! LOL

DeeDee G.
Sungshine said:
I seem to remember that there was a member here that worked for
Best Buy. Maybe she can enlighten me: Do the upper-management
personel tell their employees and store managers that it is OK to
be rude to customers?

My wife and I went to Best Buy tonight to buy a DigiCam for my
wife. We specifically went there because of their ad campaign
purporting that you may "play" with the stuff before buying. What
a load of mularky! When I asked to check out a camera, the
sales-child said that they couldn't give me a Memory Stick to use
in the camera. When I asked why not, he replied that it's because
people steal them. I said that I wasn't there to steal, and that
he could keep watch over me while I checked out the camera. His
response was: "Well, the OTHER customers said the same thing, and
THEY stole!" So I guess that means that I was there to steal also,
eh?

When I spoke with a manager, he backed up his employee saying that
the kid was only acting as per instructions from him. OK, fine.
But by then, I was already angry about the fact that he implied
that I was there to steal.

Anyways, the manager eventually told the kid to break open a
MemStick and let me play with the camera. So what does he do? He
opens a SmartMedia package and contemptuously flings it onto the
counter in front of me! And the manager seemed OK with that! So I
told him that I would write to Best Buy's corporate office to
complain, and when I asked for his name, he refused to give me his
last name.

Suffice it to say, I won't be buying anything at Best Buy anymore.
What really burns me though, is the fact that I've already spent a
small fortune there in the past. I guess business is good... so
good in fact, that they don't give a rat's a*s how they treat
their customers, even the formerly-loyal ones.

Thanks for letting me rant.
Click to expand...
 
Dee - nope that won't work. They are hourly. Hypothetical scenario...

You are paid hourly and like spending time in the break room chatting it up, you see a customer walk in the store with money spilling out of their pockets, what do you want to do?

Yep, you guessed it - sitting around pays just as well as servicing the customer!
DeeDee G. said:
When I am there I can never find anyone to help me. Maybe I should
walk in with $$ hanging out of my pockets and they will get the
hint! LOL
Click to expand...
 
That is exactly how it is at BB. I worked at Media Play for a year right out of college and there we treated the customer with respect, even though we were only getting paid 5 bucks an hour.

I remember a couple of years ago I went to BB to get a Mini Disc recorder, and I asked two people if I could look at one. They said they couldn't open the case and began talking to each other, ignoring me. I couldn't believe it. At any other store they would have left to get a manager. They should have been fired. At Media Play if you did that you might be fired, if not talked to.
 
For some reason, I used to have a very positive impression of Best Buy. But somehow, things have changed recently.

Best Buy used to truly have the best buys. Stuff used to cost less at Best Buy than it did at Circuit City.

But now Best Buy just charges the suggested retail price for everything except CDs.

So you must be getting great service from Best Buy? No way. Every Best Buy store is mobbed with people, and there is never anyone there to give any help.

When I bought memory recently from Best Buy, initially the guy behind the counter gave me the wrong speed of memory! Good thing I knew what I asked for. Someone else might have gone home with the wrong memory. And for all that I had to pay $10 more than Staples was charging.

I rarely return things. Only if they are truly broken. The one time I bought a modem that turned out to be not functioning properly, the person at Best Buy said I couldn't get a refund because I had it more than 14 days (unfortunately, with this kind of equipment, it sometimes takes more than 14 days to figure out that it doesn't work right). I had to demand to speak to a manager and go through all that just to get them to take back a $100 modem that didn't work.

Shop at Staples instead. Much less crowded, more sales people to help you pull that inkjet printer out from the stock room.
 
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