What about me? I open-carry a 9-mil wherever I go.

"Insane?"

Yeah, AngrySicilian, that's what that sentence in the post means.

I think the term is "losers"

I'm also with etinterrapax... I've not set foot in a Best Buy to get anything since discovering Amazon. It's a lot cheaper, and the selection is far far far far better.

You mean cables like HDMI which they sell for $100+ for 4 feet that you can get online for $10?

Funny thing about that is they will try to convince you that you need monster HDMI cables for superior picture. Well thats BS right there since its a digital signal the picture is either there or not. There is no superior cable because digital doesnt accept interference like analog (component, composite etc) does...and even those are really prone to issues unless your cable is 50+ feet!

The interweb is far more effective at selling you things, when you know exactly what you want. Just make sure the seller has a reputable return policy and a decent reputation, and you can't go wrong. Even for the occasional item gone wrong or damaged in shipping, I STILL consider it far better than the usual 100% + markup pricing at all the big box stores.

However, I can certainly understand why the store would be angry at web quotes for non B&M stores as a lowest price. You can't undercut a web seller who ships almost direct from the manufacturer in China - Best Buy has a whole supply chain to feed and send to college.

Best Buy has now given me yet another reason for despising them more. No wonder why I buy most of my stuff on Amazon.com

The devils are its worst customers. They buy products, apply for rebates, return the purchases, then buy them back at returned-merchandise discounts. They load up on "loss leaders," severely discounted merchandise designed to boost store traffic, then flip the goods at a profit on eBay. They slap down rock-bottom price quotes from Web sites and demand that Best Buy make good on its lowest-price pledge.

A: Smart Consumer?

Really though, this is nothing new. There are sales people at all levels, in all industries, no matter the size of the store do this. I'm just not 100% sure that most companies actually make it part of their training materials.

Personally, I'm a devil and when i was in sales I respected people that knew how to do their research and how to haggle/get a better deal. They are the ones that are most likely to generate repeat business and referrals if you treat them well.

I'm also wondering how accurate Best Buy's assessments of their customers can be. I suspect there's a much larger pool of people like myself, who never buy DVDs or games there because Amazon's cheaper, but might go in for either a quick purchase (a cable or plug or any other item that can't wait) or something that needs trying out, like a camera. Except we don't buy cameras more than once every five years at the most, and even less often buy large items like TVs. Come to think of it, that would make BB more like furniture stores or bridal shops--trying to wring as much profit as possible out of occasional customers.

Maybe I'm crazy, but wouldn't the best strategy be to treat customers as actual human beings? Maybe they wouldn't sell as much up front, but they'd sure build repeat business - something they're not terribly good at right now.

loss leaders
rebates
lowest-price guarantees

(Not to mention extended service plans...selling/upselling quotas for employees...)

These are things that manipulate consumers. As such, they invite counter-manipulation.

Best Buy's business model is thoroughly lousy.

Term for people who avoid Best Buy altogether, like the plague: Wise.

As an overpaid rich white guy with a blow addiction and a few girlfriends on the side, I am offended. How dare you?

Seriously, though. What interests me about the recent articles about Best Buy is not that they brand us or have some sort of carefully planned out strategies to trick us. What interests me is HOW they do it. It's an incredible insight into human psychology.

Honestly, as long as they're not violating any laws, I rather applaud the effort. They're perfecting a skill. I'm impressed. I always say if you're going to do something, do it to the best of your abilities. That's what BB is doing.

I still have so much to learn. Teach me Best Buy. Teach me.

Unfair to who? Certainly not me when I walk into the store knowledgeable on the item I wish to purchase.

No its only unfair to them cause they cant sell you that poorly rated 60 incher for gobs more than its worth. You know... unfair to the overpaid rich white guys with blow addictions and a few girlfriends on the side.

I dont want extended service plans...and I dont buy anything from Best Buy except DVD's and Video games!

If they were smart I would be labeled "The guy we want shopping here so lets do something about our store to attract him and get him to spend his money here Angel 666"

When me and another co-worker where going through black friday ads from here, he actually went ballistic on us saying that what we where doing was criminal and that he could report us to his bosses at BB and have us arrested... as if...

Those BASTARDS!!! Why, they really ARE like Satan!