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Author Topic: Best Buy scam Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-12-2003 05:51 AM                  I always buy all my stuff with my credit cards and pay it off at the end of the month. They have a free, no-deductible and no questions asked, 2-year extended warrantee on all purchases. If something fails, they'll fix it or replace it for free. It's the only way to fly. Those in-store things are a rip-off and the sales person makes a big commission for the sale. That's why the push it. >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-12-2003 09:06 AM                     Go to www.planetfeedback.com and type in "Best Buy". They have tons of complaints lodged against them.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-12-2003 09:16 AM                     Not only do sales people get commission but they are REQUIRED to sell them! If they fall below a certain percentage of warranties to sales they are written up. If after 3 months below par they do not imporove they can be canned! I used to work in the business. The whole thing has ballooned from an "extra service" provided to customers to a "required sale". I would spend an inordinate amount of time tracking down repairs/replacements for customers because of problems in the repair system. Either it would take months to get the repaired item back from "the shop" or the company would stall on making good on the replacement. Some days I would spend more time chasing down problems that I couldn't make sales. It was a real bitch to have to stand there and pitch a warranty to some little old lady who just broke open her piggy bank to buy a new TV. I was falling behind in my percentage and got called into the office. We ended up agreeing to a "divorce" because I didn't want to have to do it anymore. In retrospect, I'm not sorry that I left.  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-12-2003 10:34 AM                     I don't do business with Best Buy. Anything they sell that I need I can purchase somewhere else that has better customer service. Computers? Go to Gateway, Dell, or build your own. Software? I prefer my local Software Etc. or even Amazaon; same goes for music. I will say this though, if Best Buy's warranty policy hasn't changed since this thread was first started (two years ago if you didn't notice the date) then the best thing to do if you absolutely HAVE to buy stuff from Best Buy is to purchase it at their website, www.bestbuy.com. Doing that will give you a reciept printed from your own computer-or at least a piece of paper that would come with the shipment that would most likely be of a higher qaulity than their store reciepts.  |  IP: Logged Ron Yost Master Film Handler Posts: 344 From: Paso Robles, CA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 09-12-2003 12:37 PM                     I recently tried to buy a new DVD player in BestBuy. I knew what I wanted, so I got the box myself, no salesperson needed. While walking around looking at other stuff, with the player box tucked under my arm, I was assailed FOUR times by four different people hawking that extended warranty. One of them was extremely persistent .. I almost told her to .. well, you know. Then, I saw the checkout line! I took the player back where I found it and walked out. Ordered the player online and even saved about $10. Extended warranties are a cash-cow for big merchants .. Sears figured that out years ago. As someone said, most of this cheesy consumer electronic stuff will only last a year or two anyhow. Have you seen the do-it-yourself checkout at HomeDepot? I asked if their prices would go down a bit as they were saving on checkers' wages. A bewildered Huh?? look was the response. Of course, those kids aren't in charge of policy, so I should be more understanding, I suppose. Ron Yost .. really despises modern big-box retailing.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 09-12-2003 01:18 PM                     Seems that every time I give Best Buy another chance, I'm disappointed. Whether it's them not posting store hours on the doors (nothing else in this town closes at 6pm on Sunday), salespeople who don't know what the hell they are talking about, (I ask about DVD players with Component Inputs, and he tries to sell me a $60 "monster cable") Wrong prices on things, such as multiple copies of the same DVD having different prices, which differ still from that on the shelf, which differs still from what scans at the register. It's just frustrating in general to shop there. In regards to extended warranties, when I purchased my LCD projector from Sound Advice some years ago, I couldn't ask a question without the idiot bringing up the extended warranty again and again. It was $550 for 3 years, which included bulb replacement. He kept saying how the bulbs only last a year and they're $250 so you save money, blah blah. He just didn't get it that I was 16 years old and that I barely came up with the money for the projector itself. Like I was just going to $550 into his hands!! What's more, when I saved up enough and came back to buy the screen, he STILL tried to get me to add-on the warranty for the projector!! Outcome: I've had the thing for 5 years now and still haven't replaced the bulb, or anything else with it. =TMP=  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 09-12-2003 08:23 PM                     Years ago (before some of you guys were born) I was an assistant manager in the West Seattle K-Mart and I know we took back merchandise we did not sell just to gain a customer. I wonder if the Best-Buy thing varies from store-to-store.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 09-13-2003 03:14 AM                        I miss the old days of good customer service! I don't think Best Buy really varies much by store... it is their corporate policy to push the PSP's (Performance Service Plan). They have district wide competitions between stores who can sell the most PSP's. If "Store A" wins, then every employee gets a Twinkie. They also have in-store competitions between employees regarding these sales. Loser has to clean the bathrooms and breakroom at the end of the day. Winner gets a Twinkie. Also, places like Best Buy would honestly rather lose the sale than sell you an item without also selling the PSP. I guess the lesson to learn is to purchase online when you can from a reputable online dealer. That way you can avoid the hassle.  |  IP: Logged Jason Black Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1723 From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 09-13-2003 08:37 AM                        Jack, To temporarily change the subject, how pleased are you with the front loaders? The claim to use much less water and be more energy efficient. We're considering getting a new W/D after the 1st of the year and are looking at both the Kenmore and Neptune units.  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 09-13-2003 05:52 PM                     During my tenure at Sears, I was bitched out regularly because I was not pushing maintenance agreements. I felt that they were and are a rip-off. Back in 1991-96, I only pushed the M-A's for Magnavox / Philco / Sylvania projection TV's. For awhile, until Phillips (the manufacturer) got their shit together, an M-A was invaluable for customers especially when the tube coolant had to be changed--often! I had a customer at Sears that had a M-A on her 1970 era Silvertone / Warwick color TV. She had renewed it yearly. We finally found something that was no longer available from the parts center on her set, and the company replaced it with a Zenith. She paid around $40 a year for the contract. Set lasted 24 or so years. It is still running. She gave it to me. Sears didn't want it. I installed some used parts (a focus divider) and it continues to run in my parents house.  |  IP: Logged Jon Bartow Master Film Handler Posts: 287 From: Massachusetts Registered: Nov 1999 posted 09-13-2003 08:52 PM                     I once purchased a laptop from Circuit City, and purchased their "we'll fix it or repair it at no charge no matter what happens to it for four years" "warranty" policy. a year later the LCD display cracked. Took it back to the store with ALL original packaging and recipts. They refused to honor the waranty saying that screens were not covered, even after reading the policy to the manager that says that screens are NOT excluded. It took three months of calling managers, upper management and eventually the CEO of GE the parent company of Circuit City's insurer. What finnally did it was a recording that I had my brother do of a manager at the same circuit city telling a customer "sure [the waranty] covers screens, we had a lady who told us she dropped the laptop that got a free replacement." Fortunatly the manager said his entire name out loud too. After sending that tape to the upper management they allowed me to pick out any laptop currently in-stock at that store.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-13-2003 10:31 PM                        I got a cheezy looking 25" Zenith console TV back in the late '70s when I moved into a house with 3 other guys. We held all kinds of parties and get-togethers around that set. Over the years I moved into 3 different other houses, and finally when I got married we moved into our current house, and the 25" Zenith has followed me along the way and it has never had one bit of repair or maintenance except for changing the batteries in the remote. Extended Warranties are nothing but a huge profit center. Whenever I'm offered one, I say "Oh, so you're saying this thing won't last over a year? I better buy something else, I guess." Shuts them up fast.  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 09-14-2003 08:10 AM                     Hey Mike! Your old Zenith was built better than what they have now. Yours was probably a System 3. They were workhorses! I know of several that have never had any service, too! Goldstar owns the Zenith name now. When they need repair (often) you just pull the board and replace it with another. Easy, but I have to do it more than I like.  |  IP: Logged Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 01-08-2004 01:18 PM                     If you wanna read some Best Buy horror stories, check out www.bestbuysux.com They have horror stories from 1999 in there  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-08-2004 02:21 PM                     That domain is now owned by Best Buy and does not resolve to anything.  |  IP: Logged

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