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Best Buy 2Q profit drops 90%

The service level has gone down a lot over the years. When Skyrim came out, I decided to get the PC Collectors Edition. Was told if I reserved it that it would be guarateed to be in the store on release date. Night before release i go to the store and they assure me that my collectors edition is in the back waiting for me. I don't beleive it and ask for the guy to verify and he leaves for 10 min comes back and says it has my name on it and to be at the store at opening.

Of course, they did not have it and they did not know when. Spoke to the same person and he said it was for a different person with the same first name as mine, but then I asked how many they got and they said none.

A second time, for another new game recently, I asked 2 clerks to verify if they have enough copies of a game and they both assured me they had 10 copies of the collectors edition...they said no problem, be here when we open and we will have it. As I left the Supervisor was out on a smoke break and he asked me if found what I wanted, told him about the game I wanted and he had a puzzled look and said "I dont think we got any". Took my name a number and sure enough called be 15 min later to say the 2 guys were full of shit.

I use to be a long time custome of BB, basically brought every HD TV for me and family members for the last 6 or so years. It has been 4 months since I step foot in the Store now and they are only 5 min away from me. TO me guest service is the most important and they lost me as a customer and many family members due to the poor service.
 
Best Buys in Canada are fine. Best place to buy games and movies IMO. BRs always seem cheapest there. Best place to buy more expensive electronics too because you can return it no hassle if you have a single dead pixel or some small crap like that. Buying online involves shipping the item back and forth, waiting etc. which sucks.
 
I love my local Best Buy, and shop there pretty often. You need places like this to survive. Their competition helps keep prices down.
 
Better use my Reward Zone points before they're up.

I will say, it was nice to get a Washer/Dryer combo from them recently. Their price was good and it was nice to see things in person. The rep was actually knowledgeable.

I could have found it cheaper online but I rather support local as long as the price difference isn't drastic.
 
No one should have any pity for Best Buy. They harass you first off when you enter the store, hey you need help? Nah, im good. Repeat that 20 times over the course of your shopping there. Second, they always give you shit at registers about using coupons or something else. Their prices suck and they try their best never to honor their price matching policy. Best Buy corporate gives all the power to store managers, so they literally can ignore Best Buy's own policys which is ridiculous as hell. I once walked into their store asking if they would price match something and they said that they couldn't because Fry's wasn't a competitor, really????


EDIT: How can i forget the clusterfuck they had this past Christmas with cancelling orders on people and saying they shipped your order and it never actually shipped? I was one of those people, i waited 3 weeks for an item realizing it is Christmas and things are crazy and yet they ended up cancelling like 8 items i bought gradually withoyt any explanations, no sorry, no kind of apologu gift card or something.

EDIT2: I only go to BestBuy to trade in games and then i promptly put my credit on a visa giftcard and walk out never spending any of that money with them. I go to microcenter or some online competitor.
 
water_wendi said:
Unless you can sell groceries or perishables.. or until digital sales are taxed so brick and mortar stores can compete.. your time is up. The economy is just going to continue to spiral down the drain in the meantime.
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Well, more and more states are taxing Amazon anyway. Sadly even my state of Texas. I guess places like newegg are still in a gray area.

But anyways even besides the tax issue Amazon has big advantages. They dont need to employ nearly as many people as brick and mortar, so they can charge lower prices. Plus, nearly endless inventory (there's tons of things at Amazon that just would never be stocked at a brick and mortar, like this cool little $20 pod speaker I got today)

I think Wal Mart will stick around, there's probably always going to be a need for a place you can physically go and get something fast, and of course Wal Mart does absurd volumes so their prices are low. Beyond that dunno.
 
I like my local Best Buy a lot. Always grab blu rays and games on the cheap. I love testing out speakers too in the Magnolia rooms.

Even though, them going down would mean some serious clearance stock. Hmm...
 
Lord Error said:
Best Buys in Canada are fine. Best place to buy games and movies IMO. BRs always seem cheapest there. Best place to buy more expensive electronics too because you can return it no hassle if you have a single dead pixel or some small crap like that. Buying online involves shipping the item back and forth, waiting etc. which sucks.
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I agree completely with this post. I have never had any issue whatsoever with a Best Buy in Canada. No hassles in returns for mundane reasons either such as "I don't want it anymore".
 
I'm not going to shed any tears for Best Buy when Micro Center does brick and mortar so much better. Prices are usually comparable to Newegg and Amazon, and they have a great selection for the areas in which they focus.

Brick and mortar stores aren't going under, just the poorly managed ones that have been coasting for decades.
 
EvilDick34 said:
No one should have any pity for Best Buy. They harass you first off when you enter the store, hey you need help? Nah, im good. Repeat that 20 times over the course of your shopping there. Second, they always give you shit at registers about using coupons or something else. Their prices suck and they try their best never to honor their price matching policy. Best Buy corporate gives all the power to store managers, so they literally can ignore Best Buy's own policys which is ridiculous as hell. I once walked into their store asking if they would price match something and they said that they couldn't because Fry's wasn't a competitor, really????
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Yeah I kinda agree with this. Never was harassed too much there, but the whole chain seemed based on shady business practices (like the time I bought a laptop and wanted to charge me $40 or something for their bullshit "software optimization", funnily none were available that did not already have the optimization done so they tried to get me to go along, but I protested and they took the charge off).

So yeah, they always seemed based on shady rather than sound business practices. Say what you want about Wal Mart but for the most part Wal Mart just sells you a product at a price and gets out of the way.
 
Reading threads like this I'm always surprised to see how many Gaf members still buy games at brick and mortar stores.

Ever since Amazon began offering release day delivery with almost every game I've never looked back. I don't even need to drive to a store, and the game is delivered to my home or desk at work the day the game comes out.

Even better, I'm usually paying a price less than I would at Best Buy, AND I'm paying no tax. The average savings is usually about $5 per game. If you don't have Amazon Prime the release day shipping is only a dollar extra. Seriously people, if you live in the U.S there is no reason to be irritating yourself with these retail stores, and paying more to do so.
 
BruiserBear said:
Reading threads like this I'm always surprised to see how many Gaf members still buy games at brick and mortar stores.

Ever since Amazon began offering release day delivery with almost every game I've never looked back. I don't even need to drive to a store, and the game is delivered to my home or desk at work the day the game comes out.

Even better, I'm usually paying a price less than I would at Best Buy, AND I'm paying no tax. The average savings is usually about $5 per game. If you don't have Amazon Prime the release day shipping is only a dollar extra. Seriously people, if you live in the U.S there is no reason to be irritating yourself with these retail stores.
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Don't you need to have Amazon Prime though to get release day delivery? I will say this, i am 90 precent PC GAMER and all i do is buy digital, i couldn't even begin to tell you the last time a i bought a phsyical copy of a pc game.

The other 10 percent is ps3 and 3ds and with that, i buy the game where i get the best deal.
 
They expanded a bit too fast.

In this one strip mall near me a circuit city opened next to a Best Buy. Circuit City went bankrupt. Then the Best Buy closed down about a year later.
 
BruiserBear, I'm with you on things I don't need to see in person, like games or movies. However, I really like being able to see/feel/try things like computers, cameras, tvs, appliances, and speakers before I buy them. Wal-Mart just focuses on the low end and just doesn't carry merchandise I'd buy. Fry's and Best Buys are showrooms, and since they've been good to me with pricematching I'll give them my business. I'm hesitant to buy big ticket items from Amazon based on tiny photos and questionable user reviews. I'd never buy a car without seeing it in person either.
 
I would agree with those who said poor guest service. if i have to research whats so good about my electronic,why have people on the showroom floor.

god, they are terrible.

apple succeeds more in that.
 
water_wendi said:
Unless you can sell groceries or perishables.. or until digital sales are taxed so brick and mortar stores can compete.. your time is up. The economy is just going to continue to spiral down the drain in the meantime.
Click to expand...

Keep your digital taxes out of my digital realm.

I'm hesitant to buy major products from Amazon based on tiny photos and questionable user reviews.
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Also this. If retail stores go I can see electronics going as well. Not being able to test drive stuff is a deal breaker.
 
jonny_boi said:
It's nothing like this in Canada.
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Yeah, sales reps are really annoying whenever you buy a TV. ("No I do not want your warranty") but that's about it from my experiences. The dude at the door will notice if you were just at the checkout and won't be up in your grill if you're walking out from the checkout or walking out with nothing. Most of the time the employees leave you alone if you're just casually browsing, the cashiers don't try and upsell you on a million things and their website sometimes has good deals with free shipping.
 
I used to spend a shit load of money at Best Buy. Hell, I looked forward to my weekly trips, despite the terrible sales staff.

Then the whole experience started to grate on me....the ever increasing prices.....the shifty salespeople pushing extended warranties and $100 HDMI cables on uninformed buyers.....the shady return policies. But the final nail in the coffin was Amazon Prime. Two day shipping and not having to deal with their in store experience was a one-two combo they couldn't recover from. I literally went from spending thousands of dollars a year there to zero in the space of about 2 years.

Add in a recession and their failed gamble on 3D TV's and it's no surprise they're in the state they are.
 
This is a shame because BB has really tried to improve in a post-Amazon world. I admire that about them. They're no myopic Blockbuster but it still didn't help them in the end.
 
Most of my memories are in the 90s when they had Rows of CDs. Last I was there it was like 2.

The rip-off industry that was music in the 90s had to of lined their pockets.
 
Best Buy should take a page out of Walmart's playbook, and set up stores in relatively rural or low-income communities where the threat of Internet and same-day shipping aren't as heavily prevalent. Opening up or maintaining a large retail store in a city or affluent town isn't financially feasible in this day and age.
 
Nostalgic Nightmare said:
I remember when Circuit City went under. Back in the day they had really good sales staff, but Best Buy took away their thunder by hiring sales on the cheap, where that kind of bond didn't matter.
Now the consumer has the internet to research and buy and it's BB's timetime to go under.
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Yeah, I used to work there. I remember when company shares hit 11 cents, and best buys model was the one to emulate. Gotta tell you, right now I'm getting a kick out of this
 
The Horror the horror said:
Best Buy should take a page out of Walmart's playbook, and set up stores in relatively rural or low-income communities where the threat of Internet and same-day shipping aren't as heavily prevalent. Opening up or maintaining a large retail store in a city or affluent town isn't financially feasible in this day and age.
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Thing is, Walmart already has electronics for poor people covered. If you want a terrible music player, DVD player, or camera for under $20, they got you. Best Buy and Fry's carry mostly mid-range and high-end gear.
 
Best Buy has become a complete and utter joke and it's a shame that so many jobs are going to be lost due to their inevitable demise. Their service is awful, their selection is awful, their prices are awful. I'll give just one example of how far they have fallen.

I went in there to buy an iPad and only to buy an iPad. I went up to some girl to ask to get one and she had to put me on some queue. There were only two people on the floor and there were four people ahead of me, so it was probably going to be a looooooong time before I would be next in line, and all I wanted to do was BUY A FUCKING IPAD. No questions, no peripherals needed, no additional software needed. I had to make up a lie that I needed to go places and she took it out of the case and I went to customer service and completed the transaction. Took all of 10 minutes. I probably would have waited 100 minutes had I not lied to the girl.

This is why they're a glorified Amazon/newegg showroom. Their service is the worst I've ever seen in an electronics store. I would gladly wait three days or however long it takes from Amazon rather than waste gas going to that place. And I don't care if it's ten minutes away. That kind of service is downright inexcusable.
 
DarkAkatosh said:
Best Buy has become a complete and utter joke and it's a shame that so many jobs are going to be lost due to their inevitable demise. Their service is awful, their selection is awful, their prices are awful. I'll give just one example of how far they have fallen.

I went in there to buy an iPad and only to buy an iPad. I went up to some girl to ask to get one and she had to put me on some queue. There were only two people on the floor and there were four people ahead of me, so it was probably going to be a looooooong time before I would be next in line, and all I wanted to do was BUY A FUCKING IPAD. No questions, no peripherals needed, no additional software needed. I had to make up a lie that I needed to go places and she took it out of the case and I went to customer service and completed the transaction. Took all of 10 minutes. I probably would have waited 100 minutes had I not lied to the girl.

This is why they're a glorified Amazon/newegg showroom. Their service is the worst I've ever seen in an electronics store. I would gladly wait three days or however long it takes from Amazon rather than waste gas going to that place. And I don't care if it's ten minutes away. That kind of service is downright inexcusable.
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My takeaway here is that you needed preferential treatment over the people that got there before you. Granted the store sounded understaffed, which is bad, but I'm seeing the girl in your story being reasonable and you being impatient.
 
I shouldn't have needed a queue though. All they needed to do was open the case, get the iPad, direct me to a register, boom done. All of 5 minutes.
 
DarkAkatosh said:
I shouldn't have needed a queue though. All they needed to do was open the case, get the iPad, direct me to a register, boom done. All of 5 minutes.
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They're not just going to hand you an iPad and assume you'll head straight to the register with it. They have to take it there themselves, and the employee was preoccupied with helping customers that were there before you.
 
There was a time when on Sundays I'd gO through the sales ads on Sunday and see at least one compelling deal on games from Best Buy or Circuit City. After CC folded, Best Buy stopped that shit pretty quick-and I stopped shopping there.
 
Why won't amazon buy them and move into the retail outlet market? Having the same deals online at the store would boom.
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the awful DirecTV salespeople they contract out to harass the shit out of you in the store. They don't even work for Best Buy, why the hell would corporate allow them to pester customers? How many people go into a fucking Best Buy for a blu-ray or a camera and end up switching their cable service? The success rate has to be less than 1%.

I still go in there mainly as an excuse just to get out of the house for a few hours and browse or if I see a decent sale on blu-rays, but their model is really a joke anymore.
 
I would gladly pay more at a Best Buy if they could provide me with superior service. I went a month or so ago to get a new video card. While I was 95% sure what I wanted I asked their opinion anyway. The best that three guys gathered around could do was essentially "this one has more megabytes". Even if they just had one dude there who could make me feel comfortable about my decision I'd would easily pay a little more.
 
I used to purchase an absurd amount of electronics off Amazon instead of Best Buy. Now Amazon charges tax in my state and I hardly buy anything at all. Its just that much more expensive. Speaking of which, I bight cables at best buy yesterday because with amazons tax, it was more convenient for me to just buy in store.
 
I bought a TV from them recently. So...you're welcome, Best Buy!

Personally, I like them. It's the closest thing to competition Gamestop has. When Marvel came out, Best Buy had the game up, not Gamestop. I suspect that I'll be going there for my Wii U demo, too. I know Best Buy customer service can be a bit abrasive with how often they ask if you need help, but it's leagues about Gamestop's wallet vampires. I shop at both, but Best Buy is big enough to hang out in and walk around. Gamestop always has some awkward kid trying to engage in conversation with me like we're friends (we're not).
 
Karsticles said:
I bought a TV from them recently. So...you're welcome, Best Buy!

Personally, I like them. It's the closest thing to competition Gamestop has. When Marvel came out, Best Buy had the game up, not Gamestop. I suspect that I'll be going there for my Wii U demo, too. I know Best Buy customer service can be a bit abrasive with how often they ask if you need help, but it's leagues about Gamestop's wallet vampires. I shop at both, but Best Buy is big enough to hang out in and walk around. Gamestop always has some awkward kid trying to engage in conversation with me like we're friends (we're not).
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Best Buy employees have done that to me when I'm perusing the game aisle. I just ignore them. You just can't get away from pushy salespeople.
 
DarkAkatosh said:
Best Buy employees have done that to me when I'm perusing the game aisle. I just ignore them. You just can't get away from pushy salespeople.
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I worked at Best Bizzle, and the employees are non-commission. If you don't need help, just let them know that. It was a relief to me to hear that a customer had it handled.
 
I actually shop at Best Buy all the time now. It's become my go-to store for game pre-orders. Now that Amazon charges sales tax in Texas there's really no reason to avoid retail.

Just wait, other states. Your days are numbered.
 
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