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Author Topic: Best Buy or Circuit City Dean Kollet Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 591 From: Florida State University Registered: Jul 2003 posted 11-12-2004 10:47 AM                     BB gives their employees huge discounts on the warranties...when my g/f worked there she got a warranty for her digital camera for $4....it broke a year later, she took it back and got a new one on the spot....not a bad idea to me  |  IP: Logged Chris Erwin Expert Film Handler Posts: 195 From: Olive Hill,KY Registered: Oct 1999 posted 11-12-2004 11:22 AM                     CC has changed it's tune with their newer stores. I was at a couple in the early 90's and it was upsell city, bait and switch and other at all cost tactics. The new stores are great and I think they've got BB beat in the A/V selection.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 11-12-2004 11:39 AM                     Is there some new policy at Best Buy now where they ask you for your phone number upon checkout? This is almost as bad as Radio Shack... I'm buying a $0.75 coupler, you don't need my phone number!! Anyway, at Best Buy I was buying some DVDs and after ringing me up the girl asked for my phone number. (And no, it wasn't because I was the hhhhottest man in the store at the time, she asked the two people before me, too) So I said, "Do I have to?" and she said No, so I didn't. She stood there and stared at me for a few seconds before saying, "Well, I have to put SOMETHING in, so can you just make one up?" I told her, "No. That would be fraud." so she punched in some numbers herself and gave me my receipt. I wonder if I worked retail, and asked people for their social security number after taking an imprint of their credit card on those old carbon-paper machines, if they'd be ready and willing to give up that information. =TMP=  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 11-12-2004 11:56 AM                     A few years ago I got letter from my bank reminding me that VISA rules prohibit retailers from requiring a phone number as a condition for the use of the card. The reasoning, as stated in the letter, was that my bank was issuing me credit, not the store, and they felt it was a security breach. Every now and again, I get a persitant checkout person, and we eventually get to the manager who ok's the transaction without a phone number. /Mitchell  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 11-12-2004 12:49 PM                     Never forget Circus City's DIVX fiasco! These were DVD's competition where you bought a disc for $4.49 and you could play it for 48 hours, then if you wanted to play it after that your machine would charge your credit card for another 48-hour period. They hoped these would take over the home-video market and everything would be on a pay-per-use basis. Their salespeople were forced to hard-sell the system on all their customers, and tell them lies like the Star Wars movies would be coming out exclusively on DIVX.  |  IP: Logged Barry Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Newington, CT USA Registered: Jul 2002 posted 11-12-2004 02:10 PM                        Okay, as far as the pushy sales tactics, yes they are trained to overcome ONE objection. Meaning, they mention it, you say no, they ask why, and re-pitch based on that. There are some instances I agree with service plans and some I don't. They do cover things that can happen no matter how good the product is (power surge, pixels dying (especially on LCD or plasma), etc.) and it's nice for a person to be able to come in with a completely destroyed product, get a credit in the original purchase price, and buy something new with probably better features for less money! I don't know how you got so lucky with game controllers Joe, I've broken at least one for every system that has come out since the original Nintendo and am about to replace my PS2 (hopefully with PS3) since my L2 button no longer works right. Yes, I worked for BB so am a bit biased, and yes, I did see people going over the edge about attatchments, but that is not what the company wants. At least, that is not what my GM expected of us. He wanted us to ask/mention and explain why the person MIGHT want the attachment (cables, service, installation, etc.) If they said no, okay, it was no. Employees are not responsible for selling it, they are responsible for mentioning it. There were days where we didn't meet our goals but that our managers/supervisors were walking around and saw/heard the staff being friendly, greeting, and mentioning (NOT pushing) attatchments and we still got a "good job" at our nightly meeting for doing the job right. I guess I wanted to post again because I never judge an entire company by my one experience with one store in one department with one employee. It's just like theaters, one in the chain may have a crappy care-nothing "usher-b" and the other may have a top-notch quality first PROJECTIONIST. One theater in the chain may have a "ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT A LARGE? WHY NOT?!?!" concessionist and another may have the "How can I help you today? Medium? The large is a better value for you and your 12 children, it's twice as much for only 25 cents more, I can give you extra cups if you like." It's always about the people you hire, and there is no interview/application/training process that will filter out even 50% of the non-desireables. It's up to the interviewer and how they feel about the person, and that interviewer has to be someone who cares too. I'm not saying most every post against BB or CC in this thread is without it's merit, and if I had those experiences I might not go back either, just saying I don't know what the circumstances were and trying to clear up what the company wants from what I was told/taught/practiced. I mentioned before that I had bad experience with CC and have not returned since, that is because I had to deal with the employees, the manager, the GM, and corporate and despite having everything in writing they still refused to help.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 11-12-2004 05:37 PM                        You must be unlucky with your game controllers, Barry, because they really don't break unless you toss them around. And then I don't think they'd accept a twisted controller in many pieces for an exchange (when I bust a controller, I make sure to do a good job). They all are usually pretty robust unless you buy 3rd party controllers. Blech.  |  IP: Logged Barry Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Newington, CT USA Registered: Jul 2002 posted 11-12-2004 11:05 PM                        quote: Joe Redifer 3rd party controllers Yeah I learned that lesson well with PSone, got a MadCatz. Lasted me maybe 50-60 days. I guess I could just be overusing my controllers, or at least I did before I got the wife and kids which provide much more quality distractions. My main trouble with the PS2 controllers have been related to them responding to degrees of pressure, meaning the harder you press it the more the controller responds. The button still WORKS, but doesn't work well when being pressed lightly (to peer over things and what-not) so Best Buy will replace it. That was the 2 year replacement plan (much better than service plans) and they just replace the whole box when one thing stops working. So I can use the semi-broken controller as an excuse to replace the whole PS2. Even better, I bought that PS2 (no discount) and the replacement plan and only paid 10 bucks for the plan (normally 25) I just hope they release the PS3 before my plan expires in January. quote: Joe Redifer (when I bust a controller, I make sure to do a good job). No need to say it Joe, I know that when you do something you go all the way, no half-assing it. I would expect your returns come back run over by Mack trucks, stinking of dirty toilet, and WITHOUT a receipt.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 11-13-2004 12:09 AM                        I once twisted a Gamecube controller in half over a game of F-Zero. I don't like PS2 games that use pressure sensitive buttons. Annoying. One thing I did at Best Buy was to buy a certain component A/V switch (8 component inputs, 1 out, 3 of them with TOS-link digial audio inputs, 1 out). It cost $100 at Best Buy, but I didn't know if the switch would be of high quality of not, so I didn't want to buy it at the place that sold it for $80 that didn't accept returns. I think Best Buy only matches advertised prices, so it would probably be hard for me to get them to match their price. So I just bought the thing at Best Buy, and it turned out to be a pretty good piece of equipment after testing it for a few days. I then went and bought the one for $80 at the other store, brought it home, took the new one out of its box and put it in the Best Buy box and took it back to Best Buy and got my $100 back. I just told them it didn't meet my high quality expectations. A lot of work to save $20, but worth it since the lower priced store didn't accept returns or advertise their price on the item.  |  IP: Logged Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 11-13-2004 11:55 AM                     But Barry, from what I have seen, the BB that you worked at does not seem to be as pushy as most. I don't know if it is because you guys were always so busy or understaffed but everytime I needed help I had to go search out an employee. There were times I waited in line for products at the cell phone and camera counters for over 40 minutes (yes I timed it, I'm not exaggerating). When I finally did get a person they did always ask if I wanted the extras. When I've gone into other BB's in New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Wisconsin they were on you the minute you walk into the door. You could easily spend 15 minutes in the store and have 10 sales people come over asking if you need help, especially in Green Bay, they are by far the worst! It is so annoying. Because of this I would much rather shop in the BB that you worked at, then again when you needed help, it took way to long. I actually remember trying to get help from you on a digital camera I was buying...I couldn't catch you!  |  IP: Logged Jason Black Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1723 From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 11-13-2004 12:55 PM                        Rachel, Simple solution for the 'at the door attack' is to look them in the eye an dtell them that when you need them, you'll let them know. I'm not fond of sales staff. Allow me to look. DO not try and 'sell' me something. I came into your store knowing what your products are, give me the common courtesy of being a support person rather than an over aggresive hawker...  |  IP: Logged Dean Kollet Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 591 From: Florida State University Registered: Jul 2003 posted 11-13-2004 04:16 PM                     in case anyone was wondering...I chose Circuit City. I went for orientation yesterday and mgmt. was really nice. They actually seemed to be appreciative that I wanted to work there and whatnot. Way nicer than BB, and less pushy and more relaxed/chill. Joe, now I can get MONSTER SUPER THX GOLD ULTRA PREMIUM Cable for you.....  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 11-13-2004 05:55 PM                        Yes, unfortunately Circuit City only sells Monster Cable. What is up with MC? They are monopolizing the market. It's getting harder and harder to find cables that cost half the price of Monster and are just as good if not better!  |  IP: Logged Adam Wilbert Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 590 From: Bellingham, WA, USA Registered: Mar 2002 posted 11-13-2004 08:23 PM                        quote: Chris Medley The GENERAL MANAGER of the store can not even answer some basic questions about the features. You can't fault the GM for not knowing everything about every product in the store. They sell thousands of items, from car stereos to washing machines. If they're not staffed (and adequately covered during breaks) with knowledgeable people, thats one issue. But pulling a guy who's main job is probably accounting and delegation to ask specifics about a palm is a bit overly optimistic. Anyway, congrats on the position Dean.  |  IP: Logged Barry Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Newington, CT USA Registered: Jul 2002 posted 11-14-2004 12:36 AM                        Hey Rachel, bout time you said "hey" to me. Thought maybe because we both moved to different states we had nothing to talk about any more. Anyways, you are right about the staffing, we could never get enough people and you know what the large pool of job-seekers is like in that area, LOTS of people who have no common courtesy or manners or self-motivation. Not to mention working there is hard if you are in a specific department and know NOTHING about it. This came up when I was asked to move to Car Audio. I really do know NOTHING about it. I spent some time doing web searches and talking to some installers to get an idea of what brands to recommend and mostly memorizing features so if someone came in asking for MP3 capable or something I wouldn't be looking around like a damned fool. As for the camera, you're better off with me running by you, trust me. Appliances, cameras/camcorders, and wireless (cell phones/PDA's) were my departments I would immediately page for help. I was and still am clueless about them. I have yet to buy a major appliance in life (all my apartments have come with them) and have not purchased a cell phone (crappy credit helps there) or a camera (waiting for someone to buy as a gift ) The way I sold most of my service/replacement plans was the power surge coverage. You would NOT believe how many people told me the reason they were buying a new *whatever* was because their house was struck by lightning and blew it! I mean at least 2-3/week, if not more! I started getting really nervous when electrical storms came by.  |  IP: Logged

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