Split Thread

I don''t care that Best Buy has my phone number. I never get called by anyone anyway. I get all freaked out when Radio shack wants my life story when I''m just buying a simple converter plug for less than five dollars.

"Reaper81" wrote:

I don''t care that Best Buy has my phone number. I never get called by anyone anyway. I get all freaked out when Radio shack wants my life story when I''m just buying a simple converter plug for less than five dollars.

Yeah, I always thought that was utterly bizarre too. I''ve gone in to a Radio Shack to buy some little doohicky for under a dollar. I think it was a fuse or something. I was paying cash. And they still wanted my name, address, phone number, zip code, blood type, employment history, place of birth, schools attended, 3 references, marriage status, and the amount of income tax I paid last year

"Minase" wrote:

I got some spamversation myself yesterday when I went to BB to buy more ink for my printer. Right when the cashier started things off by asking for my phone number, I told him very politely that I know that he''s been told to say all of this stuff to me, but to please skip it this time. He said OK and I went right on through. Good luck with your new job, Ulairi - make the most of it by buying as much stuff for cost as you possibly can.

I''m done Christmas eve. I was just shocked how things were, this is my first retail job.

In a related note, an article on other stores monitoring customers on the amount of returns they return.

Last time at BB, I was picking up a component cable for my new TV, and saw a BB ""associate"" shamelessly cavorting a mid-50s couple into a purchase of a ""THX-certified"" Monster cable set for the DVD player which they were buying. The cables costed $179, I remember. The DVD player (Toshiba) must have costed half of that. The asshole was nonchalantly explaining to the folks that without these cables, the picture from the DVD ""will not be digital"".

The asshole was nonchalantly explaining to the folks that without these cables, the picture from the DVD ""will not be digital"".

I hate people.

"Reaper81" wrote:

I don''t care that Best Buy has my phone number. I never get called by anyone anyway. I get all freaked out when Radio shack wants my life story when I''m just buying a simple converter plug for less than five dollars.

For my last birthday, my local Shack sent me a birthday card and coupons for batteries. That was pretty creepy. But apparently name/addy/phone were enough for them to cross-link with other databases. Hrmph.

I go to CompUSA for immediate tech needs. I only hit Best Buy for monitors, because they keep them in stock more reliably. For anything else, the whole atmosphere of the store drives me nuts. I''ll stand in an area ignored by staff, then when I hunt someone down (""can you get me this monitor from the top of the rack?"") I get all this upsell lunacy. I''ve been lied to, I''ve been sold damaged equipment that had been repackaged (but the ""Return To Factory"" slip with the info from it''s previous return was still attached!), and I''ve had terrible customer service experiences (""Well, sir, without a receipt I can''t be sure you purchased that broken cable here. You might have stuck that price label on there yourself."")

I hate Best Buy.

"Robear" wrote:

I go to CompUSA for immediate tech needs. I only hit Best Buy for monitors, because they keep them in stock more reliably. For anything else, the whole atmosphere of the store drives me nuts. I''ll stand in an area ignored by staff, then when I hunt someone down (""can you get me this monitor from the top of the rack?"") I get all this upsell lunacy. I''ve been lied to, I''ve been sold damaged equipment that had been repackaged (but the ""Return To Factory"" slip with the info from it''s previous return was still attached!), and I''ve had terrible customer service experiences (""Well, sir, without a receipt I can''t be sure you purchased that broken cable here. You might have stuck that price label on there yourself."")

I hate Best Buy.

I hate Best Buy too. I''m getting close to quitting. A couple came in wanting to get some ""gaming"" computers for their kids. The stupid salesman made a 5k sale on a computer that has its graphic card built into the motherboard with no free AGP slot. therefore, they cannot upgrade the video card. When I tried to get him to use the ""custom built"" PC at the terminal. He refused since he wouldn''t get credit for the sale.

"Ulairi" wrote:

I hate Best Buy too. I''m getting close to quitting. A couple came in wanting to get some ""gaming"" computers for their kids. The stupid salesman made a 5k sale on a computer that has its graphic card built into the motherboard with no free AGP slot. therefore, they cannot upgrade the video card. When I tried to get him to use the ""custom built"" PC at the terminal. He refused since he wouldn''t get credit for the sale.

So is it like a big mall store (JCPenney, Bon Marche etc) where you have a sales goal and these get reflected in reviews?

Do you get a commission at all?

"Eezy_Bordone" wrote:
"Ulairi" wrote:

I hate Best Buy too. I''m getting close to quitting. A couple came in wanting to get some ""gaming"" computers for their kids. The stupid salesman made a 5k sale on a computer that has its graphic card built into the motherboard with no free AGP slot. therefore, they cannot upgrade the video card. When I tried to get him to use the ""custom built"" PC at the terminal. He refused since he wouldn''t get credit for the sale.

So is it like a big mall store (JCPenney, Bon Marche etc) where you have a sales goal and these get reflected in reviews?

Do you get a commission at all?

No commission but they do keep track of our sales and we do have goals.

Interesting information Ulairi and I am glad you gave a window into some behind the scenes BB activities. I plan to go into my BB and belittle the employees who are full of sh*t even more now.

On other hand, belittiling some low-on-cash salesdroid sap for trying to upsell you on a thing you don''t really need in first place, strictly speaking, is totally un-American.

I''ve got a friend who went into Best Buy a number of years ago to buy a whole bunch of stuff (back when Voodoo 2 cards were the new hotness). He grabbed one of those big huge flatbed carts and he got a 27"" TV, a VCR, a laserprinter, a Voodoo 2 card, and some other stuff. The entire time we were loading the cart ourselves, no blueshirts asked if we needed anything. Finally, my friend was trying to decide which printer cable to get when an employee rounded the corner and noticed the flatbed full of goodies. His eyes went wide and he started trying to sell the extended warranties for all the stuff on the cart. My friend said he wasn''t interested in the warranties (he used to work at Radio Shack and knew the scam) and the kid kept selling. My friend said no three times and the kid kept going. Finally, my friend said, ""If you say one more word, I''m putting all of this back and walking out of here with nothing. One more word."" The kid looked at him, looked at me, and walked away.

I''ve worked in retail, and I know that there can be some salespeople who are real asses.

I''ve worked in retail, and I know that there can be some salespeople who are real asses.

We''re told to keep trying to sell it even after we''ve been told no. The only time I push it is on notebook computers for the batteries.

"Ulairi" wrote:
I''ve worked in retail, and I know that there can be some salespeople who are real asses.

We''re told to keep trying to sell it even after we''ve been told no. The only time I push it is on notebook computers for the batteries.

Well, BB needs more people like you but that will never happen of course.

I was in Tweeter the other day checking out a plasma TV with my wife and another couple was standing there as well. I was looking at the exact model I had been wanting to buy but the picture didn''t look as good as I had anticipated until the salesman switched it over to the Green Bay game. I was definitely impressed then. I asked him what signal the display was receiving, he answered, and then I said thanks. About that time he started going into this big sales pitch and stressed how there was a recent price drop on this plasma and how it was a great buy. Well, I had done my research and I knew the price was the same as every other store''s. He was also spouting off incorrect information about the display''s specs. It really frustrated me. I wanted to say something to the couple about how they could get that display for at least $500 less than what Tweeter was selling it for but the slimey salesman never left. I know this isn''t a big deal to many people but I am passionately against people getting ripped off and I always want to do something about it.

My phone number? Sure, its 867-5309.

I called that number and some girl named Jenny said to stop calling. What''s her problem?

The stupid salesman made a 5k sale on a computer that has its graphic card built into the motherboard with no free AGP slot. therefore, they cannot upgrade the video card.

If you''re not even getting a top-end video card, what are you spending $5k on for a computer? I mean, I could do it with an Alienware, but that''s also spending close to a thousand bucks on a video card...

They push those printer/scanner/monitor packages. I could see that pushing them above the 5K limit if done ''properly''.

I too have a problem seeing people get ripped off but I''m not a afraid to say something with the salesman standing there. I was in Software Etc one time when some guy came in asking if any of the video cards sold there would work on a linux PC. The person behind the counter says, ""well I don''t see why they wouldn''t work..""

I told the guy that if he researching linux he should get on the site of the distro he''s looking to play with and start reading up on the hardware requirements. He''ll spend less time getting the run around from someone that just wants to make the sale and could care less if the card worked ''the first time'' for his intended purpose.

I''ve also recommended people to hi-fi/home theater forums and searches on google to get some basic understanding of features and acronym translation before letting themselves be talked to by a sales person.

However, if the person or couple are buying a whole system all at once, I usually don''t bat an eye. They know their budget and the salesmen does usually have a decent enough grasp of what tuner can handle the outputs of what gear.

They sell you scanners, a multi-function printer (which usually includes a scanner), $30-50 USB cables (I actually saw a guy purchase like a 30ft USB cable), a 19in LCD monitor, and a ridiculous 5.1+ speaker package that isn''t even supported by the integrated sound card.

It''s pretty sickening.

here''s my Best Buy story. (please excuse the spelling mistakes. i am typing fast and at work...shhhh)

I was having Car Stereo problems and decided, because i was an idiot, to get Best buy to sell me and install some new speakers.

i left the car, at the back of the store, wne inside and asked the guy to show me some speakers. i picked a set (front and back) and the guy then took me into the bay to sign the form.
i put my phone number and address on the form, and the guy said come back in an hour (after i paid up front).

i left, did some browsing, came back. the guy gave em my keys and said, ''go have a listen''.
i did that. went back to the bay, saw nobody, so i decided to leave.
later that day, i had a bank appointment. so i put my baby in the car, my wife sat next to him and of we went to the mall.
Just as i was getting onto the highway, my wife comments on how the car seat is a little loose and moving a bit back and forth.
ithought, odd...so i pulled off as soon as i could, (at the mall since it was juat around the corner off the highway) and when we parked, i see that the seat isnt attached at all!
Those dumb-@*&$ at BB disconnected my baby seat and dint tell me!

as you can guess i was on teh phone before i left the side of my car and demanded to speak to a manager.
he was very accommodating and together we tried to figure out where the breakdown in communication was.
we figured it was when the installer failed to inspect my car with me when i brought it in.
i got the installation for free and he replaced my deck (that did not have the blessed extended warrentee, even though i insisted i did have it...did i? no, but if you insist hard enough, sometimes you get what you want, especially when they F up this badly).

I would have had a lawsuit on these guys if i was in the car and my baby was fliping around back there if my wife werentback there...now im all riled up again...ARGH! never again! (except for the odd movie)!!! ARGH!

"Chumpy_McChump" wrote:
The stupid salesman made a 5k sale on a computer that has its graphic card built into the motherboard with no free AGP slot. therefore, they cannot upgrade the video card.

If you''re not even getting a top-end video card, what are you spending $5k on for a computer? I mean, I could do it with an Alienware, but that''s also spending close to a thousand bucks on a video card...

They have a 17 inch flat pannel tv, they bought a Sony VIO, the service plan, the all-in-one printer, a years worth of AOL Broadband, a joystick, better keyboard and mouse, they got the goldplatted USB cable, a battery backup, surge protector, paid for the geek squad to do the plat set-up which inculdes antivirus and updating to service pack 2.1, MS office, and half-life 2 (my only suggestion).

Uhh, and that cost $5k? I assumed it was because they bought more than one computer.

""Best Buy"" my ass.

Best Buy for them. They never inteded to care for their customers, and you know they admitted it.

"Paladin" wrote:

Uhh, and that cost $5k? I assumed it was because they bought more than one computer.

""Best Buy"" my ass.

They got two computers.

I wanted to say something to the couple about how they could get that display for at least $500 less than what Tweeter was selling it for but the slimey salesman never left. I know this isn''t a big deal to many people but I am passionately against people getting ripped off and I always want to do something about it.

When this I happens and I''m there, I just tell the other people how the sales person is trying to screw them- while the sales person is standing there. It''s really funny to have them try and argue with me about stuff that I know more about than they ever could.

Sales person, while pointing at expensive printer: ""This printer has a much higher resolutiy-thingy than all of the other ones, it will make your pictures look better.""

Me: ""Nope, the other printer over there, that''s 100 less, has the same resolution. This one just prints a little faster. Unless speed is really important to you, I''d go with the less expensive one.""

Sales person: ""I hate you.""

Me: ""Good, don''t lie to people.""

I worked at Best Buy a while back. Here''s a few manager stories.

Sales Manager: ""Back when I worked at the USED CAR LOT (HELLOO!?!?!?) I would go up to customers, and the first thing out of my mouth would be ''Let me see your wallet.'' I would pull out his credit card, go over to my computer, and run a credit check and see how much he had available on the card. Then, I would say ''Okay, here are the cars we''ll be looking at today...''""

Also, on more than one occasion, our technology would come up to the customer to ''close'' the sale, and if the customer didn''t want the extended warranty (err, I mean... PERFORMANCE SERVICE PLAN... sounds so much better...) he would write out, on a piece of paper, BY HAND, something along the lines of ""I, the customer, understand that by NOT choosing the Performance Service Plan, that on and after the 15th day after my purchase, Best Buy is in NO WAY responsible for my computer, and that I need to send the computer into the manufacturer"" and then he''d make the customer sign it, and make a copy, one of which he''d keep, and one of which he''d give to the customer.

...

I hated Best Buy before this thread; now I''m never going to get within 100 yards of their store.

On the other hand, just to spice things up, have any of you ever been in a situation where the salesperson is telling you something, some other random person overhears it and starts to add his input or correct the salesperson, and you happen to know that the salesperson is right?

I remember at least two distinct occasions when this has happened to me.

a question to Ulairi neverthelews: do you happen to have a secret stash of Xboxes at the back of your store''s warehouse somewhere? I need one and can''t find ti anywhere -- everybody''s sold out