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Crystal Watkins
March 23, 2009 3:38 PM
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How is that even possible to track. Leads me to believe this is fake. Might wanna check into these things before you go and defame them.

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metaled
March 23, 2009 5:31 PM
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@Crystal Watkins: Defame BB? HAHAHA! Several times a month, there is a story here about this exact same thing. You can't defame BB on this issue, it is COMMON KNOWLEDGE!
I'm curious how the plaintiffs are going to prove this happened to them personally. Receipts for the purchased item from BB or different store (refused price match)? E-mails or Phone records proving they contacted them. **Proves you need to complain, even if it does not work, it may be helpful in the future!** Especially if they don't respond, it may help win a class action lawsuit!

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
March 23, 2009 4:09 PM
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@Crystal Watkins: Might want to click through the links and read the court documents.

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ekzachtly
March 23, 2009 4:07 PM
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@Crystal Watkins: You're right. Best Buy probably doesn't do these things, and the people who have complained about it are just making it up or confused.

I'm never one to play the whole \"Facebook commenters are a bad idea\" card, but once in a while I kind of want to.

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KyleOrton
March 23, 2009 4:26 PM
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@ekzachtly: Whoa there! Do you know who you're talking to? That's Crystal effin' Watkins!

-

By the way, as someone who put in his time at a Best Buy for a summer or two, this sounds about right. Unfortunately, since my manager was incompetent, I never knew any corporate policies but I do recall being told many times to convince someone seeking a price match that it was in their best interests to pay more.

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dragonfire81
March 23, 2009 5:04 PM
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@KyleOrton: Consumer tip: Just don't bother with price matching. Find a company that has the price you want and shop there.

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Rectilinear Propagation
March 23, 2009 4:04 PM
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@Crystal Watkins: Before who defames them? They aren't the ones making the allegation. They're just quoting what two former Best Buy employees have said.

I don't know how they kept track but if BB was awarding bonuses based on not price matching the employees must have had to do something to prove they denied a price match.

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blazergst
March 23, 2009 3:56 PM
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@Crystal Watkins: I once had a Best Buy employee tell me \"the price match is only valid if you get the extended service plan\". At an extra $75.00 it more than compensated for the price match of a few bucks.


So I do tend to believe this post more than disbelieve it, based on my own experience.


Oh and don't forget the time I \"had\" to buy the recovery disks for that laptop on sale in the Sunday paper!


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dark_inchworm
March 23, 2009 3:40 PM
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Yeah, I wanted to price match something at Best Buy on Black Friday... \"Sorry, we don't price match on Black Friday.\" Dropped it and left. I eventually got what I wanted on Amazon at the same price, luckily.

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dark_inchworm
March 24, 2009 2:27 PM
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@Scatter: By now I'm sure you're not paying any attention to this, but I'll be very literal here: After being told that I could not price match - which, by the way, was contrary to what I did at the very same Best Buy one year prior - I left the item at the cash register and departed from the store.

I'm sorry that I did not show enough courtesy to restock the item personally.

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Anonymous
March 24, 2009 11:19 PM
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@dark_inchworm:

Best Buy changed the policy in 2008. The restriction on price matching for the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving is now officially in thier policy. That's why your experience varied from year to year.

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Scatter
March 23, 2009 4:18 PM
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@dark_inchworm:

Just dropped on the floor and left huh?

Is that how you were brought up to react to a disagreement?

Why is it always so acceptable to slam retailers for their practices but customers are allowed to pull this kind of crap.

Personally I would have banned you from my store. And yeah, I'm sure you would have replied with something like \"I wouldn't give you my business anyway\". I hear that on a regular basis from scammers and then see them back in my store again a few weeks later. Apparently many people's word and honor has a direct relation to how far the closest competitor's store is and how low my prices are.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending Practices like what Best Buy is doing, but what I'm saying is don't slam them for being a tard if you're being an immature tard yourself.

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Juliekins
March 23, 2009 5:39 PM
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@Scatter: Oh my god, shut up. Seriously. \"Dropped it\" is a figure of speech. I sincerely doubt he actually dropped anything on the floor.

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KyleOrton
March 23, 2009 4:28 PM
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@Scatter: You sure he didn't mean he let the argument drop? Do you sell figures of speech in your store?

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FDCPAGuy
March 23, 2009 3:50 PM
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@dark_inchworm:

Yeah in BestBuy's policy it's in there that they won't price match sales items on Black Friday.

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lalaland13
March 23, 2009 3:46 PM
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Best Buy also refuses to price match for ladies who are buying big expensive electronics without their husbands present.

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aguacarbonica
March 23, 2009 3:49 PM
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How does a company get sued for not enforcing its own price match policy?

Surely price match implies that the customer is more than welcome to purchase the product from a competitor?

I don't disagree that this is shady, but I am genuinely curious as to who would be paid off if this law suit was won?

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metaled
March 23, 2009 5:34 PM
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@aguacarbonica: False advertising, Bait and switch, Unfair business practices... etc, etc, etc....
Fine their butts and require them to conduct business fairly. That's how we win! (I am not party to it, but I would win here!)

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Kogenta
March 23, 2009 6:19 PM
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@metaled: Well, I'm sure that some people have mentioned this in the comments, some of the complaints listed in the article don't really have any merit.


\"Not same model?\"
Oh come on, are they serious? No store is going to price match a different item than what's advertised. The fact is that a single digit difference in a model number can mean the difference between the fully loaded and the bare bones model is of huge relevance.


\"Not in stock at the competitor?\"
Ok, now, most stores don't bother to check simply because it's not ussually efficient to bother doing it, but I've never seen a price match guarentee that specifically excludes this. The whole idea is that you're buying here what you could get over there if you wanted to. Doesn't really fly if over there has no inventory to sell you though because at that point, you can't go over there and get that amazing price anymore.


\"Do we have free widget with purchase?\"
This I can see as being a semi-legit complaint. Generally speaking most stores I've been to will match the price, but they won't give you the widget, and they mark on the reciept that it was a price match so you can't get the free widget later by bringing the reciept back and complaining you didn't get one.


\"Is it from a warehouse club (they have membership fees, you know)?\"
Depends on the store, but a lot of places don't really consider costco etc to be retailers, and the price match wording generally reflects that.


\"Limited Quantities?\"
Generally speaking, if it says limited quantities, it's also some sort of unbeatably low price that's well below cost. The quantities are ussually so limited that the said store is probably out of stock within minutes of openning anyway which means that \"competator has no stock\" problem comes into play.


\"Is it an internet price? It's below cost!\"
Generally speaking, you need to present that store's flyer to even be considered for price matching. The internet does not in general put out flyers advertising their weekly deals. It's the same reason you can't walk into a store and say you saw something for $10 cheaper at another store as the regular price and demand they price match.


So, not saying there aren't some legitamate problems with how BB is doing their business, but some of these complaints just seem a bit rediculous to be listing.

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oneandone
March 23, 2009 7:10 PM
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@Kogenta: Those aren't complaints; those are BB's suggestions for how to rebuff a request for a price match. Some may be legitimate things that should be brought to the customer's attention (ex - different model) but some are just dopey. And if they're so interested in undercutting any attempt to price match, they shouldn't advertise that they do it.

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Kogenta
March 23, 2009 8:16 PM
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@oneandone: Oh haha, -1 to me for not reading that properly.


I agree that trying to nix a legitamite price match is rather counter-productive. Seems more likely to drive your customers away than anything else. Seems a bit wierd since where I shop as long as you meet all the requirements they'll price match it no problem.

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
March 23, 2009 4:14 PM
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@aguacarbonica: If you read through, it's \"false and deceptive trade practices\" that they've been sued for, and various violations of NY State business laws.

Class action means the payoff will go to all members of the class -- which is defined on page 2 of the filing. (Short version: Everyone in NY screwed by the price match policy out of getting a deserved price match.)

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sodomanaz
March 23, 2009 3:55 PM
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@aguacarbonica: No. Price match implies that the store has the lowest price guaranteed, or will match the competition's price (or better). The whole point is to get you to spend your money at Best Buy, not the competition.

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moore850
March 23, 2009 3:50 PM
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I worked for a place that told me they don't have to worry about price-matching returns because \"hardly anyone ever returns anything, even if it doesnt' really work, usually because they are too emabrassed.\" If everyone really returned stuff, a whole lotta businesses would go away.

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post_break
March 23, 2009 3:53 PM
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I love when best buy doesn't want to play fair. I tried to get them to price match a TV based on one I found online and they had nothing to do with me. I asked to see a manager and ordered the tv for over $400 less than what he wanted right on my phone in front of him. He didn't seem to care much until I told a few couples looking at the tv to go online and save a few hundred dollars.

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Peter Stork
March 23, 2009 3:59 PM
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Agreed that this seems shaky. They bonus off of revenue and margin, which of course is affected by price matching, so certainly it's in their best interest to avoid following the policy. That said, I don't think they directly track that - they don't have a mechanism.

As far as those corporate instructions go, their policy specifies same brand and model so refusing on those grounds is legit - and teaching your managers to follow the policy is fine. Though \"It's below cost\" certainly shouldn't count - tough for them if it is.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with managers bending the rules to make a good customer happy, but I don't see a lot of fire here.

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mythago
March 23, 2009 7:22 PM
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@Peter Stork: So it's OK to engage in a deceptive trade practice as long as it saves you money?

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Devidence
March 23, 2009 4:04 PM
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Yeah. If they don't price match it, just buy it somewhere else...

I agree it's a bad practice, and they should just change their policy really. But if they don't want the sale, they don't want the sale.

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LandruBek
March 24, 2009 12:41 AM
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@Devidence: You can't advertise \"Oh we totally will price match for you!\" but then not do so. Lying like that is such a bad practice that we have declared it illegal. You can't brag about your great deals if you don't intend to come through.

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Yossarian
March 23, 2009 4:05 PM
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I've tried to get Best Buy to price match two times. Both times they did so. The second time was related to a competitor's ad that had a sale price plus a gift card. Best Buy matched the ad's price and also reduced their price by the amount of the gift card. Both price matches compared favorably to Amazon's price.

Obviously it doesn't always work so well, but it isn't always a fiasco, either.

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masterying01
March 23, 2009 4:07 PM
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It seems like everyone who complains about Best Buy's price match policy are price matching some internet website.

\"If you are about to make a purchase and discover a lower advertised price offered by a local retail competitor on the same available brand and model, let us know and we'll match that price on the spot. \"

that is EVERY retailer's price match policy. Why should a retail store have to match online websites that operate out of a warehouse with a 2 person staff that probably isnt even an authorized retailer for that product you're buying?

The bonuses are based off of Revenue and Margin...just like bonuses from every other retailer out there. I am not going to discount $400 off a $1000 tv just so you i can NOT follow policies and match www.mramazingplasmadeals.com . Cheap people...like the ones complaining are the reason why our economy is in its current state. You keep wanting to buy stuff, but you keep wanting that stuff for little to no money. IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD THAT TV, DONT BUY IT.

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chucklebuck
March 23, 2009 4:48 PM
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@masterying01: Unless your store has $400 of value-add, me paying $600 online for a TV instead of paying you $1000 for the same TV is smart, not cheap.

I think there's a case to be made for supporting local retailers even if they're slightly more expensive, but that's a big discussion for some other place (especially because we're talking about Best Buy here, not Joan & Dave's TV and Appliance).

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Anonymous
March 23, 2009 7:23 PM
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@chucklebuck: Fine. Go buy it online. Wait a week for shipping, then deal with (Random URL Place Here) when there's a green spot in the corner, or the bezel is cracked.

I doubt there's 50% worth of value add in whatever Best Buy is doing, but it's all in what you value.

*shrugs* But don't blame Best Buy for trying to turn a profit.

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cortana
March 23, 2009 4:43 PM
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@masterying01: Best buy is basically a warehouse with a 2 (informed) person staff.

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Mike Mancuso
March 23, 2009 4:20 PM
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@masterying01:

So basically you want to overpay for something? You in the market for magic beans?

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Alex Santa Maria
March 23, 2009 4:15 PM
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@masterying01: O I don't know, maybe they want your business. Amazon isn't some new fangled phenomenon anymore, its a normal store just like anything else. They sell things at the retail level, therefore, they are a retailer.

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UX4themasses
March 23, 2009 5:17 PM
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@Alex Santa Maria: Amazon isn't some new fangled phenomenon anymore, its a normal store just like anything else.

This generalization is wrong and ignorant. Amazon is NOT a normal store in that they have dispersed inventory, subretailers taking on cost, etc. They are a normal part of the shopping experience is what you should have said.

Until Amazon has to pay for storefronts nationwide, they are simply a middleman with a URI.

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
March 23, 2009 4:10 PM
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Why, why, WHY do corporations put stuff like this IN MEMOS??????

It's like none of them have ever seen a movie or anything with a smoking-gun document.

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mythago
March 23, 2009 7:24 PM
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@Eyebrows McGee (on Twitter: LPetelle): They have to get the information to the rank and file out somehow. Plus, you're a lawyer, you know how businesspeople think: I AM INVINCIBLE!!!!

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
March 23, 2009 8:04 PM
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@mythago: I know it, but when it's a point of law you could LEARN FROM TV any day of the week, I find it kind-of appalling when a huge corporation with an in-house legal department is acting like dumbasses.

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Brawndo_The_Thirst_Mutliator
March 23, 2009 6:20 PM
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@Eyebrows McGee (on Twitter: LPetelle): BB Corporate Memo: Re: Putting information in memos: Please see the memo about PR release memos.

I think its fairly safe to say, a lot of people don't really think their actions all the way through.

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Snarkysnake
March 23, 2009 4:39 PM
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@Eyebrows McGee (on Twitter: LPetelle):

Agreed... (Hey ! The response feature is fixed. For now.)

Why would anyone be so stupid to put this in writing ? Plausible deniability is not just for old episodes of Mission Impossible.This is something that you rarely say out loud and NEVER write down...

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Supasam83
March 23, 2009 4:11 PM
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So knowing the insides of the company. I can tell you one thing...tracking any price matches does not exist, it was never available and it never will be. So there is no way bonuses can be given out on numbers that can't be tracked. Managers and supervisors bonus from margin and revenue and THAT'S IT. Sure a lot of price matches are turned away, but they are legit reasons when they are turned away. That memo that is posted in the OP pretty much summarizes bby's price match policy that is already available online in proper English. Now if one store (the oddball) wants to make it their mission to stop price matching and make it hell for every customer that walks in...then they should be dealt with by their district staff. In general most stores abide by the price matching policy.From first hand experience bby does a lot of shady stuff...but not this...

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metaled
March 23, 2009 5:41 PM
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@Supasam83: You are telling me they don't track the times a manager sticks that key into the register and over-rides the original price for a great discount?
WOW, I need to be a manger and have all my friends come into my store and give them all great big discounts, I can't be caught since they don't track it!
Believe me, they *DO* track it! The manager has to give a reason for the discount and that reason shows up as \"Price Match\". He would not get any type of bonus if a weekly review showed he gave 10 - $400 discounts on a certain TV, it would probably mean his job and he would have to explain who/where the price match came from. It *IS* tracked.

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Supasam83
March 24, 2009 6:43 PM
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@metaled:

The system is setup so more then just managers have overrides to the registers. therefore it is not trackable by a certain manager giving an override. not only that but actual prices matches themselves are not tracked as a separate report. there are literally hundreds of price overrides on a daily basis. they are not looked at by the district staff nor by the GM, they are looked at by seniors and supervisors for verification...if something stands out.

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KyleOrton
March 23, 2009 4:31 PM
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@Supasam83: You're telling me that Best Buy or any store has a policy that changes the price they offer to a different, lower, price but they don't know when or if it happens?

They absolutely know. There's a reason why it's a special modification and the register even asks what store was matched. I'm sure it works like theft and loss, and all they have to do is beat an average or predicted number.

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FDCPAGuy
March 23, 2009 5:01 PM
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@KyleOrton:

The registers know of the price match because of what you mentioned and also the need for an override. No retail store I've ever worked at has done the metrics of price matching to the point of knowing which individuals do it. In fact, best buy could not do this because the people ringing up the items are often not the floor sales staff who helped the customer.

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KyleOrton
March 23, 2009 5:15 PM
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@FDCPAGuy: They don't need to know who. The manager is in control of the whole store, so they can look at the storewide level.

And supervisors are in charge of all pricing in their section. Simple as that.

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Supasam83
March 23, 2009 5:33 PM
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@KyleOrton:

and the manager that is in control of the whole store bonuses off the same metrics as the Assistant managers and supervisors. Margin and Revenue...that's it. price matches are not tracked at all...in any way.

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dragonfire81
March 23, 2009 5:06 PM
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@FDCPAGuy: So there's no way to look at a transaction record and determine an item was price matched?

I would think if you look at all the transactions where price overrides have occurred (Which I believe only managers can do at a big box, might be wrong), you could determine which ones were price matches.

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KyleOrton
March 23, 2009 5:16 PM
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@dragonfire81: He admits they know what was price matched and by how much, he's just talking about who authorized it or \"sold\" the product.

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Geekybiker
March 23, 2009 4:12 PM
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I think the issue is not so much that the won't price match. Its that they advertise they do and then deny it even when you've met the requirements. Not sure what statute they are suing under, but it has to be similar to false advertising.

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savdavid
March 23, 2009 4:12 PM
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Crystal, why are you taking up for Best Buy and not the consumer? Defame? Tough language, Lambchops.

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madanthony
March 23, 2009 4:16 PM
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Almost all the things in the memo are listed as exclusions on their website:

The Price Guarantee does not apply to our or our competitors' free offers, limited-quantity items, items for sale November 28th & 29th, 2008, open-box items, clearance items, Outlet Center items, mail-in offers, financing, bundle offers or pricing errors.

The only one I don't see is warehouse clubs, but they do limit the policy to local retail competitors, so they could argue that warehouse clubs are wholesale, not retail.

I don't see anything that they won't PM if it's below cost, so if someone has a PM denied on that they have a legit gripe.

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Rectilinear Propagation
March 23, 2009 4:18 PM
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How hard is it to just disclose the exceptions in some tiny type?

Item must be the same model in competitor's ad and in stock at the competitor's location. Competitor must be within a X mile radius of the BB location. BB does not price match warehouse club or online vendor prices. Price match does not apply to items in Limited Quantities or items that include another item/service free with purchase.

I left out \"below cost\" and \"we've got financing\" because those excuses don't make sense even when disclosed.

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masterying01
March 23, 2009 4:24 PM
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Again, you guys are choosing what to read and what not to. There are people who argue Amazon is a retailer. You're right. But the policy says LOCAL retailers. Websites are not local. Maybe opening your eyes and reading the whole thing would help?

Most people that want to price match BELOW cost are price matching from online websites. So...again...NOT local retailers.

Costco And Samsclub carry a lot of stripped down models in their electronics section. a 40\" Sony LCD at costco is a stripped down model with different/lower end features then a KDL40S4100 at Best Buy. Why should Best Buy give you the better Television for the price of the stripped down one?

There are some ignorant people out there.

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metaled
March 23, 2009 5:50 PM
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@masterying01: The Mayor of New York would argue the point that Amazon is not a local store, since he is charging them LOCAL sales tax now! (last time I followed it, I may be wrong)
Maybe that's what this is all about? Amazon is behind it, wants a court to say they are not a local retailer? HEHE

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Anonymous
March 23, 2009 4:25 PM
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I was in Best Buy this last Friday looking at stereo at their Lake Pleasant location in Arizona. They had it on clearance for $202, but they didn’t have any models left except for the floor model. The guy was nice enough to let me know that the store on Bell & Grande had 3 models left.

I made the 20 minute drive over and there it was! But the price was $268 at that store. I asked the manager to price match the other Best Buy and he gave me some strange excuse that they couldn’t do it because the other store’s price was based on volume or something.

I asked if they would transfer the radio to the other store, and they said yes. But I had to drive back to the other store to do it.

I was willing to fork over the money right there on the spot, but they wouldn’t let me spend it.

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TCama
March 23, 2009 4:25 PM
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Umm, he didn't say he dropped it \"on the floor.\" He said it \"dropped it.\" Meaning he dropped the issue.

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pecan 3.14159265
March 23, 2009 4:43 PM
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Seriously, people. BB does not price match online retailers. That's it! I've always been able to price match at BB with local stores, but not Amazon or any other online retailer. It's not complicated, and it's clearly stated in their policy.

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Derp
March 23, 2009 4:58 PM
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Edit much? I read that internal memo; it goes on to say how we should take care of customers in the store now and honor price matches regardless if its on-line, or our financing is better, or anything like that. This memo in full is a positive for customers.

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Rectilinear Propagation
March 23, 2009 7:04 PM
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@Derp: Where'd you find the full memo? I couldn't find it on the page at hdguru or in the PDF they link to.

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bravo369
March 23, 2009 4:58 PM
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I don't understand the 'it has to be in stock at the competitor' requirement. I have stalked products before when i know it's cheaper somewhere and wait for it to come in stock. a place just lost my business if they don't price match because i would have walked out today with it. instead, i now wait until the other place has it in a week. and for big ticket items that sell out instantly...sure i could have gone to walmart early in the morning as they open but i decided to come to bestbuy.

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Rectilinear Propagation
March 23, 2009 7:10 PM
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@bravo369: I guess they're banking on you not being patient enough to wait for a week.

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madanthony
March 23, 2009 6:14 PM
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@bravo369:

It makes perfect sense to me why it would have to be in stock at the competitor. BB is offering to price match because they want you to buy it from them instead of from a competitor. If the competitor is out of stock, they know that you won't buy it from the competitor because, well, you can't, because they are out of stock.

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htrodblder
March 23, 2009 4:59 PM
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Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results.
I would say going to Best Buy and expecting good service at a reasonable price would certainly qualify as insanity.

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jedo1507r
March 23, 2009 5:11 PM
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Back in early 2006 I went to my city's BB for the first time, there was a DAP being sold at an advertised price--and the last one was an open box model going for $12 over the advertised price. I picked it up and asked about matching the ad flyer to an associate, which he said it was possible. When I went to the counter to purchase it, the clerk was insisting that the open box was not covered. So, I was about to leave and the manager rushed to correct the clerk, apologizes to me, and knocks off an additional 10 percent from the advertised flyer price. I left the store with the music player, and I did not raise a stink (very odd).

(I learned later, that the ad's fine print states that open-box products are not covered in the advertised pricing. Very lucky.)

I still think BB's shenanigans will catch up to them soon.

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eelmonger
March 23, 2009 5:26 PM
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The plaintiff in this case was trying to price match a camera he bought at Best Buy for $1999 to an ad for $859, over a $1000 difference, which I think anyone would be hesitant to do.

Best Buy refused so he returned it and paid the restocking fee and then bought it at the other place. So really his only damages are the fee, the 10% guarantee (since he already purchased the item), and maybe gas. That's assuming they can prove that the other place ([www.tristatecamera.com]) was legit and the camera was exactly the same.

I don't think there are going to be a lot of other people who can demonstrate real damages from Best Buy not following the policy, as most people who were denied the match would do the smart thing and just buy it where it was cheaper in the first place.

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Geekybiker
March 24, 2009 6:22 AM
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@eelmonger: I know BB in new york must love having stores like BH around.

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Anonymous
March 23, 2009 5:40 PM
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I tried to price match a Video Game at Best Buy from a Circuit City ad(before they went out of business and had their sale). The BB sales person looked on the comuter and said CC did not have it. I believed her, bought it at BB. Went across the street to CC and CC had the item for $10 cheaper. Bought it at CC and returned to BB to same salesman. So obviously they are trained to \"look it up\" at the other store and state the other store does not have it.

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FDCPAGuy
March 23, 2009 5:41 PM
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@eelmonger:

Bravo to you Sir. You are one of the few who reads deeper into stories.

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Anonymous
March 23, 2009 5:42 PM
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I needed a car phone charger for my iphone and happened to be near a Best Buy (Atwater Village). There was a Belkin charger on one aisle for $26 and the same charger on the next aisle for $27. Confused by and wary of this pricing, I search on a nearby computer for prices for the same charger at the online Apple Store, which as many people know, lists the SAME prices at your local Apple Store. The price at the online Apple store was listed at $19.99. Since I didn't want to travel to the hell that is the Galleria where the local Apple Store is, I decided to request a price match. My first time ever. At first the cashier refused because when I told him of the product and the price on the apple store website he said \"Apple doesn't sell non-Apple accessories\". WTF? His next block was that \"it is definitely not the same product since the prices are so different\" I tried to take him to a display terminal to show him that it is exactly the same charger I want to purchase. He refused on the grounds, that he cannot use BB display computers to verify price matching. So I whipped out my iphone (which needed charging soon) to personally look up the product on the apple website to compare product numbers and to verify price. He tried to complain but couldn't as the phone was my own property and not Best Buy's.

He price matched the charger.

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Cptcaucasian
March 23, 2009 5:53 PM
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As someone who has worked for Bestbuy, but never shops at Bestbuy, I can only advise that people don't shop at Bestbuy. I \"interviewed\" thousands of Bestbuy patrons across the US who've been lied to about warranties, or the capabilities of certain products, or the quality of those products etc. etc. etc.

Bestbuy's business model seems to be \"rape you at the store, then send you to customer support for therapy\". Surely their upper management must be asleep at the wheel because it doesn't make sense to make a few extra bucks by swindling people, and then having a whole department of tech support dealing with pissed off clients.

To be fair, some consumers are to blame as well. There is no incentive for Bestbuy to change their business model, if you keep bending over asking for more sodomy.

In conclusion, stop shopping at Bestbuy.

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Terraxsu
March 23, 2009 5:55 PM
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I've never personally understood people complaining about a price-match issue. I mean, I understaind in principle that a consumer may wish to continue building a consumer relationship with company A by allowing them to keep your business for that one transaction should a competitor have a better deal. The problem with that assumption is that a great deal of consumers are price-shoppers and will give their business to whomever has what they want at the price they want these days.
I was a manager of a retail store for many years while in college and whenever someone came in brandishing a competitor ad requesting a price match I couldnt help but think to myself \"If their deal is so good, why aren't you at that store buying it already?\". My favorite was when I was working for Footlocker and customers would come in and complain that Champs was cheaper for product X. I personally wanted to tell them to go shop at Champs then (since it didn't matter to our sales anyway because Champs is owned by Footlocker), but we usually kept our mouths shut and price-matched the items to remain sane.


From the business perspective, the Best Buy corporate division decides what quantity of each item to send to each store as well as how to price it appropriately to that particular market. Stores only miles apart could have vastly different customer demographics and thus differt stock and prices accordingly. They are trying to tailor their strategy to entice the local consumer to shop there, not the price-shopper from across town willing to make the out of the way trip for a TV $25 lower so it isn't entirely unreasonable to for there to be reluctance to pricematch non-local competitors, internet stores, or even other stores from the same company. From the business perspective, I can see how the policy is trying to be implemented, but from the consumer's point of view I can see how it seems confusing and unfair.

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Rectilinear Propagation
March 23, 2009 7:40 PM
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\"If their deal is so good, why aren't you at that store buying it already?\"

@Terraxsu: The two I can think of is because it saves them time (your store is on the way, there's another item they have to buy there anyway, etc.) or because the other store has problems they don't want to deal with (pushy sales people, crowded, etc.).

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coren
March 23, 2009 6:13 PM
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Argh, I'm getting the reply error.

Hope this suit expands to other states.

I'm curious how people will prove they got screwed - not for the court process but for the reward claiming

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cametall
March 23, 2009 6:46 PM
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I remember pulling the \"it's a different model number\" schtick when I worked at Circuit City. Not that I had a choice, manager's instructions, and only they can lower prices.

The difference in model number? Ours had a US at the end while BestBuy did not.

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JeanStork
March 23, 2009 7:16 PM
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The bonus doesn't come from not giving discounts... It comes from the portion of the actual \"profit\" made by the store in a given quarter... including but not limited to: having a small staff, giving less hours to employees, having more part-time and less full-time, meeting \"D-Sub\" quotas, meeting credit card signup quotas... and so on...

So in general, its not just \"not discounting\" but there is a bunch of other shady things a manager can do to increase his/her bonus...

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sandman307
March 24, 2009 8:09 AM
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@JeanStork:

LOL, D-Subs, been awhile since you worked for best buy or knew someone who worked there. Yes labor is a controllable item which can effect their bonuses. Although less labor means less face time with employees, which equals less revenue/margin, which are 2 ways to increase your Net Operating Profit. Credit Card quotas are measured as a part of the bonus structure. However when customers do choose to use the Best Buy Card it does save the company money. The charges are not as high as what they pay to Visa, Mastercard, AMX, etc. I'm not quite sure how that is shady though. It's a business. The idea is to drive profitable growth. Best Buy understands that without customers, they do not exist. The goal is meet each customers unique needs. What Shady things are there. Offering services are not shady. Expecting your sales staff to sell is retail. Nothing is forced and customers are given the option. Shady practices like hard bundling or misrepresenting products or services, are frowned upon. I've seen employees and managers who practice these types of things removed from the company

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snclfe
March 23, 2009 7:49 PM
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@JeanStork:
Essentially, the more a manager does to alienate the customer, the more likely he is to get a bonus.

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snclfe
March 23, 2009 7:43 PM
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I've definitely encountered managers trying to prevent price-match before. I've generally been successful at getting them to eventually honor their policy by repeatedly referring them to the copy of it posted on their wall. Once for some DVD box set (Star Wars I think), there were huge lines of people buying it and Fry's had advertised it about $10 lower than anyone else) Everyone in line had the Fry's ad in-hand and everyone was murmuring that they were refusing the price match. I got up to the register, they refused the price match because Fry's was out of stock. I asked which Fry's, they told me and I asked if it was out of stock at another Fry's about as far away in the opposite direction. They didn't know so I had them call over. They never got through but eventually got tired of me tying up their line so they gave the price match. The bonus was that everyone within earshot heard me and demanded the price-match as well. I felt pretty good about that.
I also have an exception that proves the rule, One manager once didn't just match the price but gave an extra 10% off. He didn't bother with time-wasting phone calls to confirm it was in-stock elsewhere. He just matched the price on the spot. It was very notable because it was the only time that's ever happened. He probably got fired.
So does this class-action address the fact that the rarely have new releases in stock from mid-day Tuesday through Saturday when the sale ends - then suddenly have lots of stock the next day?

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trujunglist
March 23, 2009 7:51 PM
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@Crystal Watkins

Why aren't you on slickdeals? Every consumerist should at least look at slickdeals occasionally. Slickdeals is full of evidence against BB in regards to their PM policy...

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l0stn0tfound
March 23, 2009 8:29 PM
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That memo sounds more like the beginnings of an email explaining what stores do and what's cut off is what they SHOULD do. Just my opinion.

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Peter Stork
March 23, 2009 9:34 PM
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@mythago (because this thing doesn't want to nest my comments properly when I click the little round arrow for some reason)

Not even close to what I said. If they follow the policy as written - which says it must be the same brand/model, and has to be a local competitor (no internet,) then there's nothing wrong with denying a match. But they can't cite things that aren't listed (like \"it's below cost\" - so what?)

I also said they most likely don't directly bonus off the number of price matches they deny because there's no way BBY tracks that. They bonus *indirectly* through margin.

(Insert smart aleck comment implying you didn't even read my post.)

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Anonymous
March 23, 2009 10:24 PM
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I've had Best Buy use one of these exact excuses before, claiming that their \"On the Spot\" price match does not apply to internet pricing. The manager claimed that they had \"no way to verify the price\", even though I brought in a printout and they had an internet kiosk in the store which I suggested using.

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Anonymous
March 23, 2009 10:34 PM
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I never worked at Best Buy, but I did work in retail electronics. We did follow the policy, but no one ever read the price matching policy or even asked.

For example, we didn't price match if:

1. the competitor didn't have the item in stock - sometimes competitors would lower their prices to hurt profit margins of the competing retailers.

2. The items weren't the same product - must have same manufacturer model number - the items looks the same in the ads but their functionality was not the same. They had different features than the item the customer wanted a price match for.

3. It was a discontinued item from the manufacturer or the competing retailer.

4. It was an online retailer - must be a local retailers.

5. Item was not advertised and verifiable by phoning the competing retailer.

6. It was a manufacturer mail-in rebates.

But, the question should be to the customer: If you found the price lower at another retailer, why not buy it from there?

There is a reason you want to buy it from a particular retailer and to me that difference justify the higher price. If not, then go back to where you saw the lower price.

The price match or guarantee is to assure the customer he's getting the best price at the time of purchase. If after he has bought the product and finds it for less somewhere else, the retailer would refund the difference for the customer if the criteria was met for the above reasons.

(And yes I do agree that there should not be a price matching policy.)

I believe price matching or any policy/decision should be made based on all three of the following being true:

1. if it's good for the customer,
2. if it's good for the store or company, and
3. if it's good for the employee(s)

And if should be at the store manager discretion since he's responsible for the profitability of his store.

-Marvin Wilson

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Anonymous
March 23, 2009 10:59 PM
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It's amazing how many apologists there are for corporations on here, as well as some other boards. The law is clear as day. If you say you will do it, you have to do it. If you want to make an exclusion, you must state it. End of story.

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twophrasebark
March 23, 2009 11:20 PM
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Whatever. The class action attorney will get $$$$$$ and customers will get a coupon and not even a good one. Not even one a smart shopper could find right now.

Whatever.

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wellfleet
March 24, 2009 2:12 AM
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I've worked for BBY for three years and I have never seen anything like this. I'm really disappointed Consumerist! I count on you guys to show the good and the bad and this is just irresponsible. The memo goes on to say to STOP USING these excuses and take care of the customer in the store.

Supaspam83... You are so wrong. I can track every single price change that happens in my store. In fact, it's a report we pull every single morning. We can track the cashier, the overriding manager, the reason, the amount obviously, etc. I have never received a bonus for denying a price match. Then again, I don't turn away many people. I have been known to turn away people who want to price match bobsyouruncle.com or some shady, unknown site.

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Corporate-Shill
March 24, 2009 4:10 AM
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Price Matching is the biggest sleaze tactic in the book.


I look at this issue pretty simple. BB etc have 100's of employees who do nothing but shop the competition's prices. BB has had their chance and they now what the competition is going to advertise for the same product. If they want my business they can advertise the lowest price. SIMPLE.


One chance to get my business. Then I go some place else.


The price guarantee is just sleaze to attract consumers not smart enough to price shop the products.

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Corporate-Shill
March 24, 2009 4:18 AM
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Anybody heard of the camera vendor Broadway Photo?


Yea, that place.


The home of the $400 battery to operate the $100 camera. Oops, forgot. You need a $90 camera strap to go with that camera.


Just a reminder the next time you want a brick and motar firm to cowtow to your internet price demands.


Oh, and Broadway Photo's latest spawn is selling on Amazon and ebay. Buyer beware.

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kyle4
March 24, 2009 6:01 AM
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I've never had a problem price matching at the [Ontario, Canada] Best Buy I go to. One time they even did a $35 price difference for me. It's one of the reasons I'll keep getting stuff there.

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David Rosado
March 24, 2009 3:51 PM
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I once wanted these great sounding computer speakers from J&R but when I went there, they were out of stock. Best Buy was charging almost double for them, so I went and printed out the internet page for the product before heading over. To the surprise of nobody, they tried that \"it's an Internet price\" argument on me. It was a couple of years ago already so I forgot what I said exactly, but I was able to convince them to price match \"just this once\" after about 10-15 minutes of arguing (I was annoyingly persistent). I couldn't find the speakers anywhere else, but if I did, I wouldn't have bothered. It's not worth the argument if you can buy them elsewhere.

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Anonymous
March 24, 2009 4:21 PM
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I bought a Rock Band Ion Premuim drum kit from best buy... I walked in knowing how much it was(299.99), but I also work retail, so I know my states weights and measures rules. I saw the box I wanted, they only had 2 in store, both were on the floor in a floorstack, with 2 cheaper drums on top of them with only one sign, the sign for the cheaper drums(179.99). I looked and made sure there was no other signage, and took the package up to the counter. It rung up at the correct price, not the marked price on the sign which I knew was wrong, so I played dumb, made them get me a manager and made him price match it. After her refused, I asked if he knew the local weights and measures office's phone number, or would I just have to call google411 to get it. He didn't give me the number, but it shook him up enough to offer to meet me halfway in price(239.99), which I took. It was sunday, w&m would be closed, and the manager knew it, plus I knew they would modify the signage after I left and It would be my word against theirs. Moral of the story: Tell best buy if they don't match a price shown at the location of the product in store, threaten to call the authorities. In most, if not all states, it's illegal.

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Crystal Watkins
March 24, 2009 5:08 PM
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So instead of answering how it would be possible to track someone turning down a price match, you guys chastise me for using FB. Good job. Anyway, seeing as though I had someone who has been managing at BBuy for years next to me, and has never seen the memo, I'd thought it was worth pointing out.

Now I gotta go find my Consumerist account username/password so I can go back to posting in anonymity.

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halfs
March 24, 2009 5:53 PM
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I must say, just because a snippit is written on the wall does not mean it's the full policy. Best Buy has the policy clearly written that the price match is on the \"out the door\" price of \"local\" competitors and not valid on timed sales (ie. black friday 4am-noon sales)

Im on the side of BBY for this one;
-halfs

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u1itn0w2day
March 24, 2009 6:07 PM
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I think alot of these companies selling from stores need to get rid of the fine print when they say they'll match or beat a competitors price .


In large print the same size as ' We Match the Lowest Price ' they need to put EXCLUSIONS apply . Alot of the public is looking at the word LOWEST , they don't realize or care about the difference between selling a product that has to be displayed and sold from a store shelf and a warehouse over the internet . I see the customers point of view because they see what Best Buy and others want you to see : ' we'll beat the lowest price ' . And I see the store's point of view , their price matching is ment for direct and equal competitors and products like a CompUSA or Circut City was . But it is Best Buy who also should be finding a way to explain that as simply as possible .


I do think it's disingenuous of Best Buy & others to advertise something they know full well they'll get out of even if they do use the list of publicized exclusions . It's almost like false advertising - how can you advertise something you know full well you won't have to deal with over half the time .

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Anonymous
March 25, 2009 2:08 AM
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Defamatory?!?

All it takes is clicking on one link and then on another link to find out that Best Buy ADMITS it's a Best Buy document. It claims the employee who wrote it is just a big kidder.

The court says: \"The plausibility of this explanation will be for a jury to decide.\"

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JBauman347
March 25, 2009 8:52 AM
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There are so many parts to this story as well as people's comments that are illogical and uninformed. Also, people have strong opinions without all the facts and don't take the time to educate themselves.


This \"internal memo\" doesn't look or sound like anything I've seen before in my ~6 years with electronics retail. Perhaps an email sent within from a higher up but I can't believe from the corporate level. As well, there is no \"Anti-Price Match Policy\" in place that is being brought up.


I'd be curious to see more info around the specifics of the price match mentioned in the legal document. That variance in price IS extremely large and makes me wonder if it was a clearance item, which isn't covered under BBY policy, or a different model being import/grey market/refurbed. If it is an of the aforementioned, the product doesn't qualify. If it is not, perhaps someone made a mistake or error in judgement. Ask yourself, are all the people you work with committed to excellence and portray yourself as an associate and your employer in the correct light? If one person at your work gives a poor experience, are you equally as bad or is your company bad?


Seems there are two individuals looking to cash in on tough times if you ask me.


As for the logic of not pricing online retailers. It's simple, it's not entirely feasible to keep a brick and mortar store open with prices that low. Price is also not the only underlying component of value. There is time, reliability, convienence, knowledge, etc. that online retailers can not always offer.


As for retention and earning a customers business, there are entire classes taught on the Life Time Value of customers and when looking at retention and acquisition, customers who shop solely on price and consistently drive profit margin down to near or at cost, can actually be a detriment. Selling an item at cost doesn't cover any additional fees such as shipping, admin, and storage fees.


I'd rather deal with someone face to face and not have to deal with the hassels of the internet.


Lastly, for the person who didn't understand not honoring a store who did not have the item in stock. Let me give you an example. I'm advertising \"limited quantities\" of Lambos for a dollar just to drive traffic down to my lot, should someone else honor it? If someone does not have an item in stock, may not get any more in stock, or the price may change by the time they do, it's a moot point as it's no longer an option.

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Overheal
March 29, 2009 12:07 AM
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Fortunately my Best Buy in Summerville just price matched my new wireless mouse. So its not very pandemic.

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