I work at the second newest one in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and it is without a doubt full of great people. None of this is the fault of customer service, or prices, it's people who don't want to spend money at all.

So before all you start ragging on best buy and blaming them, See it from the inside. And not the inside of a crappy one either.

I have never had a problem with Best Buy. Everyone acts like poor service, high prices, and vicious upselling of useless warranties is only something Best Buy does.

I have never had to return anything or been sold a used item in a new box. No one has ever asked to look at my receipt, and I have never had trouble getting assistance from anyone. Here are some tips for shoppping at Best Buy, or anywhere else.

1. Know what you want before you get there.

2. Comparison shop before you buy.

3. The warranty is useless. Don't buy it. If you have a problem deal with the manufacturer.

They are also flexible with their prices. We bought a houseful of appliances and when I suggested a price break (having done some internet research first and explaining that their prices were higher than some other stores) the salesperson did a great job cutting the prices on every single item. Just awesome.

So why didn't I think of them before? I guess they're so far away and such an anomaly in the retail world that they just don't spring readily to mind. Plus they're prices in general don't seem to be so great. And of course there's the "complete madhouse" factor that comes into play - which is downright uncomfortable sometimes. That said, they are such a great independent store that I must always try to support them before any others. Thanks for reminding me about them.

PS Everyone else should check them out on the internets. They're just as good there an in person, and just try their customer service - I can almost guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised.

*end of mancrush on appliance store*

Good products, bad pricing, horrible service...

Think about it...

If you actually focused on good informed service, and delivered on your word...people would buy there...

But who can actually ever trust best buy?!?!?

Wasn't it Best Buy who touted a no office or work from home program .Thought I read an article where Best Buy let most corporate employees make their own schedule and work from home as long as the work got done .

The article brought up the issues of the importance of meetings and face time .That face time/butt sucking would've come in real handy about now .Well I guess instead of logging on to a corporate web site to work it will be monster jobs or something .

Big markup before the sale?

I don't know how big the chain is, or even if their prices and service are appreciably better, but their sheer selection is such a vast improvement over BB and CC that I love to go there.

I'm really glad for your experiences. I doubt, however BB will survive the crunch. There are just too many dissatisfied customers who will never set foot in the store again. That's not a great retail plan. There may be a few customers that had no idea what they wanted in the first place. But experienced buyers do research (at least I do.) And when you go into a store like BB and the clerk just shrugs and walks away, what conclusion do you draw? I am from a very small town that (thankfully) has a PC agent/repair person qualified in hardware as well as software. After having 3 of BB's reimage mistakes corrected by this person, I can vouch that the "geek squad" ain't geeks! And BB customer service has been rude, accusing me of not knowing what I am talking about and refusing to honor the warrantee I paid over $300 for. Now what do you say? The local store even refuses to return calls from the National BB customer service rep. That's hilarious!

Amen! Lies are only the beginning. Anyone can get a better warrantee from Newegg in a minute (and at less money). Worst Buy needs to go the way of the dinasaur as the Geek Squad needs to get a life doing real work for better money. They know little, and worse than that, Worst Buy won't let them do what they know they need to do (when that occassionally happens.) As for those gift cards - good luck. Worst Buy's prices are the worst of the lot. I got a huge discount by buying from Newegg at the regular price, rather than trying to use a $50 gift card on the same item at Worst Buy. Their prices are inflated way over retail and the whole idea of "Best" Buy is ludicrous. They need to get out of the way for real vendors and quit bothering us knowledgable (experienced shoppers) folk.

Yes, if I bought a laptop and I was lead to believe that if I dropped it I would get a brand new one by the sales person I would expect that too. However I wouldn't be so naive as to purchase the warranty because of what I read on Consumerist and other sites and if I was really purchasing a laptop it most likely would not be from a B&M store.

@Rhayader: Yeah. I have never had any issues with price matching or purchasing anything at Best Buy. While some stores probably have bad service, not all stores do. I would hate to see a large company go out of business and so many people lose their job. That is not what the US economy needs.

@What The Geek: Sometimes, but some items UPS won't leave for me because I'm in an apartment (but I can get prescription drugs delivered in the mail no problem). I order from Newegg but if I want to look at something in person, then my local choices are Best Buy, Target or Wal-mart. I haven't had any real problems with my local Best Buy.

I'm with you. I don't understand why everyone is so up in arms about the incompetence of BB store employees.

My typical trip to Best Buy: walk in, pick up the stuff I want, go to checkout.

Unless the cashier doesn't understand how to work the register, I'm good.

I thought they were an energy drink company? Or...wait. Don't they make computer animated movies? Now I'M confused!

@Jordan Martin: Wait, do you mean Monster Cable or that putt-putt place, I am constantly confusing them.

Management must be blind, deaf and dumb to see these thugs taking over the store. In addition to the clueless Blue Shirts who know nothing about what they sell, I say good riddance! Perhaps the thugs will crawl back to the sewers they spawned from.

In the meantime, well meaning paying customers will still find alternate stores to buy electronics.

I hope they find new jobs of course, these losers, just maybe not in retail.

The others you mention either generally have horrible prices (Borders, B&N, Gamestop), are not national or exist in very limited locations - not in my major metropolitan city, Chicago - or have really bad customer service, like Blockbuster (also a haven for freaks and losers), and should drown themselves in antifreeze. Target is OK. But limited in selection and their prices aren't that great.

Walmart: Never.

Costco: Awesome, but a limited selection for electronix, media, and everything else.

I guess I was hoping for a store somewhere that did things right that I might have overlooked. It seems there really aren't any. I don't why it's so hard for them but it apparently is.

Yeah, but at least I don't have to pay shipping.

But yeah, I agree with you. The only real outrageous thing at Best Buy is the prices on cables and accessories. Just ridiculous. Other than that though, I would say they are an above-average big box stores.

My post was related to finding real-world stores that I might be overlooking not bragging about my choice of shopping at Best Buy. I like to shop for stuff. It torques my crank. So, if you have any suggestions for doing that, they'd be welcome. I could care less where you shop BTW.

@dangermike: Costco all the way! Their return policy is stellar. I especially recommend it for video game systems because they still offer the lifetime warranty on those. (it's no longer available on TVs, laptops, iPods and some other things) We have had to replace DS's Xbox 360 once and Rock Band twice and they exchanged both no problem--no questions asked. Where elese are you going to get that kind of service?

I bought a Mac there in August and had the mouse die on me two weeks ago. Note that that is 5 months, far past the return policy. I went into the store and talked with the customer service rep and manager who not only took the mouse back, but allowed me to go grab a new one, not some refurbished one like the Apply store will do to you.

In addition to that, Best Buy is a Minnesota company (where I live) that has provided thousands to millions of jobs to people across the state and the US.

Yes, sometimes large companies don't always have the best service, but in this economic state, instead of bashing companies, we should hope for their success so more people aren't standing in the unemployment line.

Also, the story discusses the problems the company has had in this quarter specifically. I don't think anything has changed in their customer service policies that recently. Poor customer service has been an issue of theirs (and at pretty much every store ever) for years now.

It's the notion that salemen could add any value whatsoever that I find odd. If you've done your homework (and you damn well should when buying things like TVs and AV equipment), then what can a salesman possibly add to the transaction? Aside from a higher cost to the store, that is? I don't want to deal with salesmen because I don't want to "be sold" on ANYTHING. I know what it is I want, and I'm just there to compare and decide; I just want to see the item in person, take a look and weigh my options. No input is needed nor required from someone who has other motives -- namely, making a commission on my purchase. There's is nothing they can do which makes that money worth leaving my wallet.

Just leave me be until I'm ready, then go in the back, wheel the thing out and I'll load it up, thank you. No need for the higher-end model, no need for the service plan.

@SudhamayiKabong: You get paid infinity dollars if no one returns anything that day.

@downwithmonstercable: While I may not agree with you that there are 100 "good" experiences, I think your correct in that there are 100 "not bad" experiences. I've shopped there, and I don't exactly share the hate, but I can't say I ever had a particularly "good" experience. They were pretty much all just "not bad". You can decide what that means in terms of their fate.

I am the consumer. If they dont cater to me they will not get my business.

@alexcassidy: My thoughts, precisely...

I was only pointing out that poor store layout probably doesn't have a whole lot to do with the recent struggles this article talks about.

Also, pretty much any store with a "rewards" or "membership" card keeps track of what you buy, or at least what you spend.

I had a laptop taken from my Kia. The lawyer for the insure company said I never got the laptop from best buy. It was one of the times I spent over 2,000 cash (ex-wife need I say more?). Yet not only did many lawyers see the laptop so did some Judges. Along with many other people ??? I ask for the printout. Yup everything I bought with my CC and their card was logged and sold to the lawyer. Cash no.

So I called them, told them I need info on this person. I used a lawyer that I know, they told me the cost without even checking if I was who I was. The lawyer did tell me to do this.

I still shop at BB I just pay cash now.

Setting up the TV I would imagine includes mounting it if necessary, and plugging it in everywhere...not entirely an aesthetic issue. Additionally, depending on lighting and your room set up you can optimize your TVs display settings for the best picture.

That said, the cables the store sells are always overpriced and not necessarily the highest quality and anyone can set this up themselves. At least with the installation service if something goes wrong they're insured (not that you won't be fighting tooth and nail to get your money out of them)

These areas have the greatest diversity in products and they also cost enough that you could make money on the sale plus you could make it on the service sales: the installs and the warranties.

That said, I don't think Best buy follows this model. I have had a little bit of luck finding people in my local best buy that seem to know stuff but I wouldn't rely on it. I have complimented them to managers when they've helped us, but knowing those managers it may have hurt them in the long run, the longest blade of grass is the first to get cut.

What is bad is I need to install a SATA drive last week. The this was a now job. So I hit the local computer store and even best buy. In the end the person end up paying $20 for both cable. He did call and tell me that he has another drive coming and can I install it next week. I place a order the other day. My cost Red Sata .50 each and the power (2 per) .24 each. I only order 10 of each and shiping was free. So?

Monster cable wont go out of business because its like a status symbol. Every genre of things has that one brand thats over the top but the rich buy them to make a point. Its sickening and retarded, but its fact.

Sudden, seismic shifts in the credit markets and consumer demand will do this to the best of companies. Costumer service record aside, Best Buy is one of the best companies out there in terms of using sabermetrics and active performance management techniques to maximize revenue. They're a best-of-breed retailer, which means their competitors are in even deeper.

We're seeing a company that's enduring suddenly massive carrying costs on inventory and drastically softer demand in the space of a few months.

Wish I could get into that system.

This seems like cronyism at its worst. Get an Ivy League degree, and you get a great job until the plug is pulled by the economy.

@floraposte: I'm getting a little worried, soo there won't be any place for me to go to get my electronic's or at least go to see them in person before I buy them online.

The other thing that really determines the quality of service you'll get in one store over another is the management. If you have fun, easy to get along with managers that still hold people accountable for the quality of service, rather than the amount of stuff they push, you usually get happy employees. I've seen many employees leave because of issues with management, especially when we've had a manager who only cares about the bottom line. And they get this pressure from the district and regional managers. It's not about the customer, or the experience anymore. It's all about the profit, which is why I don't care anymore.

In my opinion, screw Best Buy.

@voteccow:

I wish exactly one person out of a job. The Geek Squad employee who (after I ordered a 1gig stick of RAM online for store pickup) handed me a 256mb thumb drive.

IMHO, these stores need to focus more on customer service, good sales, and less upselling. Give me those three things, and I'll be a customer for life.

Phew, I guess I'll add BB to the list of stores from whom I will NOT be purchasing gift cards...

I must say, the checkout lines at lunchtime in their 23rd Street store here in NYC have been only a few people long recently, and they have about one third the usual number of cashiers on duty.

Best Buy is also corporate heavy. They have two huge office buildings in Richfield. Even for a big company like Best Buy they do not need that many people to run it.

@katylostherart: Sorry - my mistake. Commission based retailers also pay minimum wage or some kind of supplement income to make sure you make some sort of income. Kind like restaurant workers who make tips. I had that assumption in mind when saying what I said.

@What The Geek: I agree; I only use brick & mortar to get a hands on feel for the product before buying it online alot cheaper. Got my 52" Samsung LCD from Amazon for $1000 less than BB was asking plus free shipping (5days) and NO TAX!

BAM! beat that CC/BB!

@sarusa: LOL, I love those "pro setup" or "cable upgrade" pitches. I've had people tell me that "this TV looks like garbage without these cables." So...you're saying this TV - which you just told me was top of the line - is garbage?

@dangermike: Internet is a great place to shop for smaller big ticket items like a computer, but for a TV I decided I didn't want to risk it. Newegg had the best price on a TV anywhere, but their return policy on TVs was a no-go. I ended up at Costco to buy it, which I am perfectly happy with paying tax and a little more on price, knowing Costco's return policy, and the fact that they extend the warranty for free.

There's something interesting to examine here.

Everyone assumes that Circuit City "failed" due to its crappy stores, pitiful selection, higher prices, moronic executives, and the apathetic employees who replaced highly skilled ones in March of 2007.

Now we have Best Buy who, despite what many would argue as suffering from the same problems, was seen as relatively safe. That no longer seems to be the case. It's looking like the reason for Circuit City's bankruptcy was less of a corporate issue and more of an economic one.

PS - I said the same thing for CC/BB just 3 months ago.

I think Monster Cable requires assholes like Best Buy.

This past Monday a woman came in with a Macbook that she bought this past June. She dropped it and now the lid will not close entirely (the laptop runs fine). She purchased the BTP protection with accidental damage from handling. She wanted a replacement laptop. We told her that we have to send it off to service. She will not receive a replacement because the problem with the damaged lid is cosmetic in nature. The BTP brochure for laptops explicitly states that "If your product requires four qualified repairs, you'll receive a comparable replacement". That is our No Lemon Policy. She felt ripped off. Well, she should have read the brochure before purchasing BTP.

@dangermike:

Hate to be the bearer of bad news there Sparky but Best Buy owns Pacific Sales.

I've spent several thousand dollars there the last few years, and I never have a problem with their service. I'm a price shopper, so I know, going into Best Buy who has the best deal, and I have Best Buy match it with no issues.

Recently Best Buy Premier Silver support took care of me in a timely matter. There was a coupon that got sent out, that I didn't get so instead, since I bought the item, they sent me a gift card for the value of the coupon.

I seriously have no issues here in St. Louis with Best Buy. Not one time have I regretted going into the store for a purchase, but like I said I'm more of a price shopper / bargain hunter, so I know when I should be in there.

I do agree that they need better prices, so when the average Joe walks in, they aren't raping him with prices, when he knows no better.

I really hope they don't go under. I wish they'd turn around stores across the country that people have problems with constantly.

If you need convenience and price leadership there is Fry's for B&M or Newegg for web and excellent customer service.

I've spent about $250 at Best Buy in my life- $60 on a shitty vacuum (that actually worked for 4 years) and $180 on an A/C unit both when I was in college- every other time I'm there I'm disappointed with both the lines they carry and the pricing/selection.

Bait & Switch = Get your ass to the store early if you want the ad deals because so does every other nerd reading the paper or browsing the web.

Returns can be shifty- if you're in the right ask for a store manager and be civil- Fry's has never left me hanging out to dry. (not to say they haven't tried...)

Sales people are mindless drones- never met _anyone_ there that has even given me any decent advice on anything.

I give them thousands of my money annually because of their selection, convenience, and pricing.

@madanthony: There was, until the "cheap commodity stuff" got almost as good as the high end stuff. I know there were other factors in Tweeter's demise, but the fact that "high end" is reachable by most now for far fewer dollars didn't help.

@FDCPAGuy: My retail-managing girlfriend can vouch for this... they get frisked even more thoroughly than those of us common customers.

@katylostherart: FYE was never an option if you like having any sort of money to your name.

I've scarcely heard better news! So long, Best Buy! Good riddance! We won't miss ...

Over-inflated prices

Being treated like criminals after leaving the checkout but before heading through the exit door.

Unfulfilled warranty promises

Poor, antagonistic return policies

And a million other complaints that have been levied your way.

Bye, Bye!

I've stopped patronizing your store YEARS ago, and have not missed it in the least.

I wouldn't mind that so much if the employees actually had any value to add, but they never do.

My friend worked there for a while, the returns department is paid a commission on how much they don't take back just to give you an idea of how they operate...

wow lots of hate in this thread, well I didnt need a job anyway thanks.

I think there might be a niche for higher-end stores as far as electronics and home-theater stuff goes. For cheap commodity stuff, most people will go online, or buy from a mass-merchandiser like Target or Wal-Mart, but for big/expensive stuff I think high-end stores can probably grab some market share.

For everyone else, I highly recommend Newegg and Amazon for your electronics purchases. Newegg has a shipping plant in NJ which happens to be where I live - I get everything the day after I order using standard shipping. Otherwise, it takes three days - still not bad. Same goes for Amazon - again, I live in NJ. They have shipping plants in DE, MD, and PA. Any of the three gets me my stuff in one day with standard shipping. Order a lot? Get a amazon prime account. $80 for the year, and free two day shipping as well as $3.99 overnight. Also, the prices at newegg and amazon beat brick and morters by a long shot - even after you factor in shipping.

Oh, and if it's a cable you're after, check monoprice.com before anywhere else.

we have a "local" electronics store called nebraska furniture mart.

i am a best buy reward zone card holder and i love getting rewards for things like video games, blu-rays, cds worth buying or anything else mass produced all being sold at pretty much the same price during their first week of release. no matter where you go everyone sells madden 09 for $59.99. sidenote: yes, i bought it on maddenoliday.

however, the nebraska furniture mart always sells their appliances there for cheaper. i got a washer and dryer set for 1200 there, same one selling at best buy for $1400. i also got a hear of tide he detergent, free delivery, install, and take-away for my old get my clothes not so clean, but really wet and smelly machines. not only are their salespeople commissioned, but they are friendly and knowledgeable. when was the last time you got a business card from someone at best buy?

i am glad for places like this as they offer incentives such as zero percent financing for 18-36 months, depending on how much you spend. if they mess up, they do everything to make it right.

kudos to nebraska furnture mart. their website - www.nfm.com -- does not do it justice.

one good thing about best buy... they did replace my ps3 when the hard drive went out on me. they told me to grab a new one off the shelf and be on my way.

That's probably the most sensible comment I've seen yet. They will have to change their business to adapt to the economy and they need to promote consistency. Having tons of stores with great customer service is canceled out by all the other stores with mediocre to bad customer service. Best Buy will not go under but they will have to drastically change their business model to make it through the next 2 years.

I could not care what happens to any of these retailers, but being able to buy something I need at a convenient time sure is handy.. I don't need use of their staff other than a cashier.

This is my problem as well. I keep hearing "Company X is terrible" and "Company Y mistreats consumers". Where do I shop, then? I can't even buy things online, since it's pretty much impossible for me to get packages.

In these economic times you all who are wishing loss of jobs, income, and prosperity on your fellow man should be ashamed. It's your choice to not shop anywhere but to outwardly wish thousands more people become unemployed is short sighted IMO.

On the e-tailer side, I live in California so I am unfortunately subject to sales tax when buying from Buy.com and NewEgg.com

However, the worst possible shipping choice on NewEgg, combined with NOT checking the "$2.99 to expedite" box, still gets me everything next business day.

With this, I can get items next day (not instant gratification) for the price of tax and shipping, but at the substantially cheaper NewEgg price (as compared to best buy).

(Thankfully NewEgg is NOT like Amazon; where if you choose the super saver shipping, they sit on the package for a 5 day penalty period before actually even mailing it).

There are a lot of places to get stuff.

And remember when they offered double and triple points on items every week for Rewards Zone members; not anymore. Now they are reserved for special events or are reserved for companies who have a big ad buy or marketing spend with Best Buy.

Not to mention that they opened the Rewards Zone to everyone for free after so many people had already paid for their cards and then proceeded to raise the number of dollars you had to spend to get a $5-off certificate that 4-6 weeks to obtain.

I try to shop there as little as possible.

@Raekwon: I feel you on this. There is so little choice these days.

I hope LP harasses them on the way out the door like they do everyone else. "Can I see your receipt please?"

FWIW, you shouldn't disclude "the internet" as a source for electronics. There are many fine online retailers that will treat you properly (newegg is a shining example) and you will often find prices low enough to offset shipping, avoid sales tax, and/or hit a free shipping discount.

They seriously need to rethink the way they treat customers there (instore and out). It's downright antagonistic.

So, where to shop for DVDs, game systems, and electronics if they go under? And don't say the internet. "The internet" is not an answer.

Wholesome company! HA! It's like saying sharks are soft friendly and cuddly @Jordan Martin:

Also they need to stop pushing all that crap at the register and stop signing customers up for magazine subscriptions automatically. Any store that bugs me too much at the register has lost my business.

For the Best Buy flunky reading this website while keeping track of all the negative info on Best Buy, no need to thank me. I am more than happy to continue sending people elsewhere!

@rolla: Why? So Wal-Mart can rule the world? Less competition is bad.

@sarusa: They probably can't draw people that know their stuff, because they are paid hourly instead of on commission. I sure as hell wouldn't go work for $9 an hour to sell TVs when I could be making twice or three times that at a commission based job. (depending on your salesmanship abilities of course)

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 16, 2008 -- Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) today reported net earnings of $52 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, for its fiscal third quarter ended on Nov. 29, 2008. These results were compared with net earnings of $228 million, or $0.53 per diluted share, for the prior-year fiscal third quarter.

Best Buy
Circuit City
Walmart
Target
Neighbors unlocked back door

Previous choices that went under:
CompUSA
Ultimate Electronics

So basically brick and mortar fails me. It's just a lesser of two evils thing for now.

There sure are a lot of comments saying that they had this coming because of bad service. I think this goes beyond crappy customer service, and that this is more economy related. You don't see Fry's going under.

You know some people might think that Best Buy letting go all of its management as a sign of desperation. This may not be the case, in fact most people might not notice. Furthermore this might actually be an improvement.

Off to use up my gift card.

hopefully this doesnt happen to monstercable....

Imagine my complete and utter shock....