var json_comments = new Array("
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theblackdog
June 12, 2009 5:57 PM
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They didn't have a micro SD card with a mini SD card adapter?

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8 replies
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endless
June 12, 2009 9:54 PM
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@theblackdog:

[www.bestbuy.com]

the replys are correct, this has a mini adapter.

its probably stocked in the mobile phone department, not cameras.

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MrEvil
June 12, 2009 7:51 PM
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@theblackdog: Yeah, if they carry SanDisk products at that location they should carry the Sandisk MicroSD card packages that come with a Full size SD Adapter, Mini SD Adapter, and a USB Adapter.

Mini SD is kind of the stepchild of the Flash memory world. My Motorola Q Smartphone had a MiniSD slot, but every other phone on the market (including other Moto models) takes MicroSD. Thankfully I didn't get myself into too many MiniSD cards. I used mainly Micros with the Mini SD adapter.

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YourTechSupport
June 12, 2009 7:58 PM
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@MrEvil: Micros are also really, really great for smuggling data or hiding blackmail evidence.

They're tricky to lable, tho. Be careful w/ the ballpoint pen on those.

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josephbloseph
June 12, 2009 6:30 PM
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@theblackdog: They probably had several. I wouldn't blame BB employees; odds are most of them weren't working there the last time anyone asked for a mini SD.

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Project_J187
June 12, 2009 10:49 PM
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@josephbloseph: They were probably still in grade school.

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67alecto
June 12, 2009 6:29 PM
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@theblackdog: That's what I'm thinking - I've never bought a retail micro SD card that didn't come with an adapter.

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Matthew Berkhan
June 12, 2009 6:11 PM
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@theblackdog: That's what I'm curious about. I mean still, shame on the BB employees for not knowing the difference, but I have yet to buy a micro or mini SD card that didn't come with adapters of some kind.

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klwillis45
June 12, 2009 6:25 PM
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@Matthew Berkhan: Bingo. I always buy micro and use an adapter if I must. Going up in size is easy, down not so much.

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Applekid
June 12, 2009 5:58 PM
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Last time I wandered into a Best Buy I glanced over at some of the flash media cards and nearly had a heart attack over what they were charging. Prices were between 2 and 3 times what I would find online.

Also, Kingston Memory makes a MicroSD card that's packaged with both a SD/MMC adapter AND a MiniSD adapter. It was pretty cool, and I'm looking forward to GrainOfRiceSD.

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6 replies
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UniComp
June 14, 2009 10:28 PM
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@Applekid: Yeah, I got an 8gb MicroSD card from a seller on Amazon for $18.99. Best Buy's online price is $24.99. Lord knows what they charge in the store.

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morganlh85
June 12, 2009 8:52 PM
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@Applekid: Even Walmart has most of that stuff waaaay cheaper than BB. Cables, memory, all that crap, I never buy it at Best Buy anymore.

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MrEvil
June 12, 2009 7:53 PM
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@Applekid: Kingston also has a package like you mentioned that has a USB Adapter in it in addition to the other SD adapters. I keep the USB adapter on my keychain and use it as an in case of [computer] emergency thumb drive.

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anduin
June 12, 2009 7:28 PM
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@Applekid:
well they need to make a profit but its whats making these big box stores obsolete for smaller tech items. I picked up 2 gb of kingston ram from an online supplier for about $45 with shipping and taxes, etc. Same product in best buy was about $110... its a joke really. They're seriously terrible. I'll go in there occasionally when I want to pick up a game and end up browsing other stuff and the stuff is usually junk. I see open boxes taped back up, sold as new. Online is the future and I'm not looking back.

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AlteredBeast
June 12, 2009 7:21 PM
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@Applekid: I picked up two 16GB MicroSD cards for just $10 more each than buying from Newegg. Grandted, the Newegg ones were faster (Class 6?), and with shipping it'd STILL be less than best buy, but I needed it that day (or rather, wanted it that day!).


Still, not terribly higher. It's probably due to it being a large/expensive card anyway. If you were looking for a 1GB, they are probably dirt cheap online while 10x the price at Best Buy.

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dorianh49
June 12, 2009 7:18 PM
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@Applekid: I'm holding out for written character on a grain of rice SD (WCOAGORSD). I like to confuse my technology with dust spects whenever possible.

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DeeJayQueue
June 12, 2009 5:59 PM
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yeah, because if he'd let them, they'd have just spun him around, taken his wallet out of his pocket and swiped his credit card for that micro SD card. Way to be forceful about not buying something. Woo Hoo!

I can understand being upset about them not having what they said they have on the phone, and maybe that caused things to play out a little longer than they should have, but seriously, if an employee obviously doesn't know what they're talking about, why keep talking to them? Why not ask for the person you spoke to on the phone in the first place? If they were so sure they had the product in stock, maybe it's hidden somewhere only they know about? I've had that happen before. It's uncommon but not impossible.

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Wombatish
June 12, 2009 11:35 PM
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@DeeJayQueue: I've had this happen to me. I was building a computer and I needed a DVI-D Male to Male 24 pin cable, so I (mistakenly, admittedly) called Best Buy to see if they carried them. I would have just bought it online, but I wanted to be able to see the cable and make sure it was the right one, since there are multiple DVI cables out there.

The guy assured me they had that specific cable, after I said \"Not any of these other varieties, but this -specific- one, right?\" and he goes \"yes, yes yes\" but it was a 10ft cable. I asked if they had the -same- thing, but in a 6ft length. He went to check and came back and said \"yes\".

So I drove to the store to go buy it, knowing how much it was going to cost (and how much I could afford to spend it come in on budget for the computer). Get there, and only the 10ft cable (double the price of the 6-footer) is the proper cable. The 6ft cable is DVI-I, which would be compatible, except it's 18 pin vs. 24 pin, something I made sure to specify.

At this point I'm pissed, especially since I told the guy on the phone that I wasn't sure they would carry such a specific cable in such a short length, and that it was no big deal if they didn't, that I would just go to Fry's (much further away ((in the opposite direction)) but I knew they carried it). So now I've wasted the time I could've spent getting to Fry's before they closed, and the salesman's idea was \"just buy the longer one\", which I gladly would've done if not for the budget.

Anyway, I ended up asking for the manager, and he reduced the 10ft cable to a reasonable price, and I bought some cable ties to go with it (it's still kind of annoying to have the big bundle back there, but it works).

So yeah. He could have just 'let it go' and left. But when I call ahead to check if a product is available and in stock, sometimes I make plans around that idea, and it's really annoying that it's too hard for an electronics salesperson to.... properly sell electronics. It's a poor business practice, and just plain incompetent. And it happens -way- too often to just be one or two idiots who slipped through the hiring process.

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lannister80
June 12, 2009 6:27 PM
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@DeeJayQueue: Because they're supposed to know what they're talking about, and the next guy who comes in might be tricked by these morons into buying the wrong product.

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wehsmith
June 12, 2009 6:00 PM
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Usually I try not to ask the help any questions, unless I happen to be bored that day and just want to test their knowledge.
As for the card, last time I needed a miniSD i found a micro that had 2 adapters with it. One micro to mini, one mini to standard. Worked fine putting micro into mini adapter.

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Michael Belisle
June 12, 2009 11:14 PM
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@wehsmith: I do that too. It's rare that I meet a salesperson that can actually answer whatever nagging question I wasn't able to answer on my own. They're mostly useful if I find someone who's on par with me and I just want to chat about the merchandise.

But I too was once a Best Buy salesperson. The customer isn't always right. And for 90% of questions customers ask (most of them have the same questions, like \"Do I need converter box?\"), I stand behind my teenaged, blue-shirted peers.

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XTC46
June 12, 2009 7:51 PM
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@wehsmith: As a former electornics retail guy, you were my favorite kind of customer. The one who would come in thinking they knew tons about everything, and werent affraid to show it. I was a terrible sales person becasue I hate sales, people ask me things, I tell them honest answers. But atleast once a week some know it all would try to butt in and tell me how wrong I was about how windows worked (Im was 21 an MCSA, MCDST, A+, Security +, etc at the time) and would usually just explain why they were mistaken without starting an argument, and most would walk away, no big deal. But once in a while there was the jerk who just had to try and prove how incompetent all sales people are, and then had to be proven wrong and usually after arguing, which is just stupid since it looks bad on the sales floor, but I also couldnt let a customer mis inform other customers.


The point? there will always be people who dont know as much about something as you do, and there will always be people who know more. Sales people are not experts in the products they sell (well they rarely are, I happened to be doing it as a second job durring college, my first job was as a systems admin)and unless the person is giving wrong information (which happens) just shut up and let them be. The only reason you feel the need to express you superior knowledge is becasue for whatever reason, you feel bad about your self, get over it.

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wehsmith
June 13, 2009 6:21 PM
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@xtc46 - thinksmarter on twitter:


As above, I see if they know something so I can ask questions to improve my knowledge... Most times the salespeople know less than i do. I don't interrupt your presentation to someone else, and I don't argue. I ask a couple of questions to feel them out and either move on, or ask more questions if I feel like the salesperson knew what they were talking about.
I don't want to prove anything.
In my past experience at Compusa, Bestbuy, etc there are usually 2 or 3 people who know what they are talking about (I would then look for those people if I had a question) and the rest don't.


Didn't mean for original post to sound like I was baiting or being a knowitall. It is just when I do have a question I want answers about a product I would like to know who to ask at a particular store and get a decent answer.

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PSUSkier
June 12, 2009 6:16 PM
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@wehsmith: \"Usually I try not to ask the help any questions, unless I happen to be bored that day and just want to test their knowledge.\"

As a former retail employee, let me just say that I hate you and your kind. :)

That being said, I was the undisputed god of my department (home theater), so I usually ended up teaching them a thing or two before they left or correcting a false idea. My favorite fallacy: \"Yay! Bo$e is teh greatest!\"

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wehsmith
June 13, 2009 6:12 PM
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@PSUSkier:
I didn't do it to be condescending, just to see if they know anything, Which you are probably the exception, not the rule. If they do know what they are talking about then I ask them real, intelligent questions.
Even better than \"Bo$e is the greatest\"... \"I just got a great deal on these Oin Ross speakers, they kind of fell of the back of a white van. I only paid $800 for them and they are worth 4 grand!!!\"
I actually had somebody tell me that. I didn't have the heart to tell him...

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YouDidWhatNow?
June 12, 2009 6:00 PM
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It boggles my mind that anybody, anywhere, expects any employee of any retail store, to know anything about anything.

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4 replies
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FLConsumer
June 14, 2009 8:39 AM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: That's because there used to be a day in time when the retail store salesmen were professionals, not pimple-faced kids who didn't feel like working at McDonald's this summer.

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brianary
June 15, 2009 5:59 PM
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@FLConsumer: As a country, we decided a long time ago we preferred feckless Wal-Mart stockers to professional sales staff and Chinese kids to American laborers in order to make our stuff super cheap.

US: $1 tube sox > product knowledge + sustainability

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katstermonster
June 12, 2009 6:30 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: 'Specially 'round these parts.

For me, it's not so much an expectation as a hope. A desperate hope that will most likely go unfulfilled. Like a sort of Second Coming of Customer Service.

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anduin
June 12, 2009 7:29 PM
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@katstermonster:
best buy stopped hiring based on knowledge of the product and just need sales people to push product. Friend of mine works at BB and he let me know that they try to push crappy laptops on people all the time because they know people will break them and bring them back to geek squad to ring up even more money.

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GavinEstecado
June 12, 2009 6:02 PM
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Most microSD cards come with the miniSD adapter, which would be move advantageous to have because you could use it in miniSD devices and microSD devices. They are often a little bit more expensive though. It still sounds like the BB employees were in the wrong, but if explained correctly it may have ultimately been the better choice for the purchase. Just sayin.

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1 replies
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nataku8_e30
June 12, 2009 6:05 PM
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@GavinEstecado: Yeah, I learned my lesson on that after going form a mini-sd phone to a micro-sd phone. They don't even appear to use mini-sd in phones anymore, so I'd say he's better off buying micro with an adapter, and then he has the flexibility to re-use the card in other devices later, if he'd like.

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GrandizerGo
June 12, 2009 6:04 PM
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Wouldn't surprise me that they are trained to tell you they have something in stock when they don't. If you are not in the store, you won't buy something.
If they get you in the store, you will be more likely to buy something.

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6 replies
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krista
June 13, 2009 12:20 PM
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@GrandizerGo: I doubt that deliberately lying to a customer to \"get them in the door\" would work very well. If it were me, I'd be very miffed, not buy anything that day, and likely never go back to that store again. I think they were probably being incompetent and not dishonest, but my reaction would be the same. They would forever lose me as a customer.

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Anonymous
June 12, 2009 7:35 PM
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@GrandizerGo: @GrandizerGo: @GrandizerGo: Not likely. Devices that take Mini SD cards are getting rarer and rarer, and they are often mistaken for Micro SD cards because their nomenclature are so similar. Also, Micro SD cards are still compatible with Mini SD slots with an adapter that they often come with.

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chrisjames
June 12, 2009 7:29 PM
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@GrandizerGo: Exactly right.

After all, the #1 tenet of business is that all you need to do is get people in the store (or on the phone, on the website, looking at the catalog, etc). The rest is moot.

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Shoelace
June 12, 2009 7:03 PM
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@GrandizerGo: I agree. This way they can also avoid bothering to look for the product and they can get off the phone quickly.

I stop into Best Buy about once a year. If I can't find what I'm looking for quickly, and the staff can't give accurate directions (I give them once chance), then I'm out of there.

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anduin
June 12, 2009 7:31 PM
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@Shoelace:
yea...big box stores are no fun anymore, it's like theyre getting progressively worse each year

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calquist
June 12, 2009 6:16 PM
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@GrandizerGo: I doubt it. Whoever was on the phone was probably just a cashier and didn't know the difference between what he was looking for.

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misokitty
June 12, 2009 6:04 PM
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Once I went to Best Buy to purchase HD-DV tapes for an HD camcorder that my film company has. The packaging and name of the tapes had changed since the last time I purchased them so I asked an employee if they were the right ones and the answer I got was: \"I didn't know HD cameras used tape.\"

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4 replies
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MikeF74
June 12, 2009 6:24 PM
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@misokitty: I just use MiniDV in my HD camcorder. Glitches in the recordings are extremely rare. Though, since you're doing professional video, I can see why you might need to be especially vigilant against such glitches.

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FLConsumer
June 14, 2009 8:41 AM
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@MikeF74: As long as you're using that exact camcorder you used for recording as your playback device, I've found the MiniDV tapes work rather well. Now, putting those tapes into an HDDV tape deck and then trying to load footage is asking for dropouts.

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Anonymous
June 12, 2009 6:58 PM
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You can also cut down on \"glitching\" by fast forwarding the dv tape all the way to the end and then rewinding it back to the beginning whenever you go to use a new tape... it'll help shed any particulates that may be there. I was actually one of the few knowledgable employees Best Buy once had, before I was fired for making too much money (I had been there for a few years, and had racked up some nice performance review raises...)

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GMFish
June 12, 2009 6:08 PM
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@misokitty: \"I didn't know HD cameras used tape.\"

At least he gave you an honest response.

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kaceetheconsumer
June 12, 2009 6:06 PM
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Based on some experiences I've had at some electronics stores, it wouldn't surprise me if they do have the right thing somewhere but the clueless staff don't know it and/or don't even keep it in the right place.

And then these stores wonder why so many of us have given up and use the online stores instead. Sheesh.

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syzygy
June 12, 2009 6:08 PM
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Perhaps I'll stop going to Best Buy for things that are readily available online without the headache.

Dingdingdingding! Tell him what he's won!

These days, I think of Best Buy and similar big-box brick-and-mortars as showrooms for the online retailers that get all my business. Higher prices, inept staff, sales tax, availability problems? No thanks.

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2 replies
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Brazell
June 12, 2009 7:43 PM
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@syzygy: Agreed. If it's a \"tactile\" purchase, I do my homework online, go to the store to look at it and hold it, then go online to make the purchase. Your average commenter on NewEgg knows 10x the amount that the best BestBuy employee knows.

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jc364
June 15, 2009 5:31 PM
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@MichaelBrazell: Very true. Your average BestBuy employee probably has never used the product you are considering, and may never have even heard of it. It's so much more helpful to read comments from people that have actually tried out the product.

What I always do is sort by lowest rating and see if there's a common problem. For instance, if a product has several one or two star ratings, and all of them mention the same issue, then I have an easier time believing that there's an actual problem with the product.

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Notsewfast
June 12, 2009 6:08 PM
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\"It's my favorite store for electronics.\"

Well there's yur problem...

Seriously though, I see how this could be potentially confusing even for employees. The issue is more that there are so many memory and connection protocols that need sorting out, than that the employees were confused.

At least the field has been leveled to just various SD and CF cards rather than the previous XD, SD, Smart Media, Micro-Drive memory stick, memory stick duo etc... The employees probably deal with customers all day long calling something by the wrong name and since they don't stock mini-sd cards, assumed you meant micro. Just because they don't know what you're specifically looking for doesn't mean they're unfamiliar with their own products.

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3 replies
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MrEvil
June 12, 2009 8:01 PM
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@Secret Agent Man: To the best of my knowledge, MicroDrive was/is fully compatible with Compact Flash it really wasn't a seperate memory standard. However, thanks to uber cheap flash that can achieve higher densities than Microdrives they've all but gone extinct.

Also, much to everyone's dismay. Memory Stick and Memory Stick Duo are still around. Sony insists on cramming it down consumers' throats. However, Sony Ericsson has said new handsets from them will be MicroSD rather than Memory Stick micro. Memory Stick is part of the reason Sony Digital cameras aren't on anybody's radar these days. Sony had a good thing going with the Mavica. However, Flash memory cameras have far surpassed my CD burning Mavica. And Sony's insistence on Memory Stick for their newer cameras has hurt their posistion in the Digital Camera marketplace.

Sony makes a good camera. My Mavica still works (which is why I haven't replaced it). If they'd get their heads out of their bums and switch to a flash memory format that everybody else uses they might make some inroads.

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katstermonster
June 12, 2009 6:33 PM
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@Secret Agent Man: I have to disagree. Whoever answered the phone specifically stated that BOTH microSD and miniSD cards were available, meaning that individual knew that there was a difference, and presumably understood exactly what that difference is. Or at least...one would hope, given their OBVIOUS NAMES.

The people the OP talked to in the store are a totally different story. They clearly had no clue whatsoever.

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Notsewfast
June 12, 2009 6:48 PM
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@katstermonster:
My thought is that the person on the phone didn't know what the difference between the two was and was confused. A quick search on Bestbuy.com for 'Mini SD' brings up only an entry for MicroSD, leading me to at least assume not all locations carry miniSD cards.

Its entirely possible that the one confused employee answered the phone and that the people on the floor were just trying to help out.

I'm not typically one to defend BB here, and I'm not a fan of the place, but I don't really see how this is a huge deal. The OP knew what card he needed and didn't buy the wrong thing. To me it just looks like mis-communication and not some indictment of Best Buy and its systematic attempts to fool customers into buying and returning merchandise.

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i_love_life
June 13, 2009 11:19 PM
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@Secret Agent Man: My thoughts exactly, god forbid an employee makes a mistake and the whole company gets a bad rap. Mistakes happen, we're all humans.

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Devidence
June 12, 2009 6:16 PM
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Wait what's a miniSD card? If I was BB, I would've just stared at you confused until you left.

Sorry.

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6 replies
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Sparerib
June 12, 2009 7:26 PM
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@Devidence: Hello, I own Best Buy. Would you like a job?

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ColoradoShark
June 12, 2009 6:42 PM
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@Devidence: That would have been an improvement over the service he got. I really prefer someone say \"I don't know\" rather than make it up.

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nakedscience
June 12, 2009 6:41 PM
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@Devidence: So basically you're an idiot who can't do his job? And you're proud of this?

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Devidence
June 12, 2009 8:37 PM
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@nakedscience:

I don't work at Best Buy, my point was that this doesn't surprise me. Best Buy would hire people like me, and I'm pretty sure \"miniSD\" wouldn't be in the training manual.

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dragonfire81
June 12, 2009 9:54 PM
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@Devidence: No it should be something an employee should be aware of before he or she even STARTED work at best buy.

If you don't know what a miniSD is, you shouldn't be applying at best buy.

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Corporate_guy
June 12, 2009 6:24 PM
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@Devidence: Too hard to look for it on the shelf and read the label or look at the picture?

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Devidence
June 12, 2009 6:37 PM
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@Corporate_guy:

For best buy? Yes. The difference is I know they aren't electronics experts.

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nnj
June 12, 2009 6:16 PM
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Other than groceries, I buy everything from Amazon. I don't know what I would do without them. Too much of an inconvenience to go to the store. If you already know what you want, it really is a no brainer.

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sharkzfanz
June 12, 2009 6:19 PM
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[www.bestbuy.com]

The only MicroSD card they sell comes with a MiniSD adapter so the associate was right you did need that one. He was wrong to say you were wrong but they were selling the correct product. They do have both in one package since it has the adapter..... Did you check the package. Do a check by zipcode and if they have it then it was there....

Lets see what is posted in the Update section!!!

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Corporate_guy
June 12, 2009 6:23 PM
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Both are wrong. The consumer is wrong for not accepting that the microSD cards come with adapters and Best Buy is wrong for not explaining this fact.

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2 replies
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josephbloseph
June 12, 2009 6:38 PM
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@Corporate_guy: Not all come with that adapter, and also it would be good to point out that most mini SD devices would likely not be compatible with micro SDHC, which might be accidentally purchased.

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Corporate_guy
June 12, 2009 8:03 PM
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@josephbloseph: They have a webpage, find what you want and do in store pickup. Technically this fact makes the buyer even more wrong.

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larrymac thinks testing should have occurred
June 12, 2009 6:29 PM
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Several people have mentioned adapters - when this story popped up, I grabbed my handy box o' flash (ah ah) and checked . . . none of the three microSD cards I've purchased came with a MiniSD adapter. Yes, they all have standard size SD, but not a mini in the bunch. I understand that some brands do come packaged with all the three bears, but that is not a given.

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jayphat
June 12, 2009 6:33 PM
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Hey Phil, Wal-Mart carries Mimi-SD cards.

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2 replies
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zentex
June 12, 2009 6:42 PM
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@jayphat: don't say that too loud...you'll incite the wal-mart haters and then you'll have 8 replies telling you how you are an idiot for shopping at walmart and 60 telling you they will never step foot in a walmart.

But yea- WM, surprisingly, has a nice selection of flash cards and they even carry MiniDV tapes for not that much. Last time I needed a flash card I was shocked to see ALL flavors of memory on the rack (some of it was kinda expensive thou).

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Anonymous
June 12, 2009 6:35 PM
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This makes a lot of sense, I work in the \"tech\" department at a retail store and basically if you don't teach yourself you're not trained on any products sold. We're just trained to \"attach, attach, attach\". I'm not surprised that they didn't carry miniSD in the store, it's kind of rare, but I am surprised they didn't know the difference.

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vampired
June 12, 2009 6:35 PM
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MiniSD is very rare, it is almost impossible to buy locally. I needed one for my Canon HV30 video camcorder so I can use it for stills in an emergency and had to buy it online. A majority of people don't even know MiniSD exists and will confuse it with MicroSD.

I really won't defend BestBuy, they are a crooked business, but MiniSD is such a low demand item you can't expect every employee at BestBuy being paid $6/hr to know about it, more over, this certainly is a hit story to talk about.

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Claremole
June 13, 2009 5:30 AM
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Oops, sorry. Should have been:

\"A majority of people don't even know MiniSD exists and will confuse it with MicroSD.\"

That doesn't explain how the person on the phone told him that they had BOTH mini and micro.

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takes_so_little
June 12, 2009 6:42 PM
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The employees want a sale, period. If they don't sell what he wants and they just come out and tell him so, GUARANTEED no sale. But if they try to shove something else on him, they MIGHT get a sale. Who cares if it's what he really wants or not? Maybe it gets returned, who knows, but, like I said, there's a chance of a sale, where as if they're honest they're SOL.

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TrueBlue63
June 12, 2009 6:47 PM
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Best Buy is not a Tech Store, they are a department store. And people make mistakes all the time. I feel bad that the guy made an unnecessary trip, but sometimes that is the way the cookie crumbles.

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Joshua Petersen
June 12, 2009 6:50 PM
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Every micro sd card I've seen at best buy has had the adaptors and I just checked their webiste and everyone best buy sales on their includes the adaptor as well.


So the best buy employees were right he did want the micro SD card + adaptor. It would have worked and isn't out dated technology like the mini sd card he ended up buying. However he certainly didn't want to buy it from best buy anyway since as many people have pointed out they overcharge 2-3x as much as you can purchase them for online.

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farker
June 12, 2009 8:52 PM
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@Joshua Petersen:

A quick search of Best Buy and Amazon actually reveals that there are MANY microSD cards sold with SD and USB adapters.

However, there are less microSD cards sold with a trio of adapters (miniSD, SD, and USB).

One of the latter may have been appropriate for the OP, but the point of this article is that they insisted he was looking for the wrong product, and that he was told he wanted a microSD card instead.

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derrick_
June 12, 2009 7:01 PM
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@Joshua Petersen: I disagree. He wanted the miniSD for a specific product. If that is what he wants, that is what he should get.

That is why we have Google in our employee toolkit. We can look up the specs for most anything that can be found on the web.

Thats when you make the call of advising the customer that he needs a different card or not. He has an older camera that uses a specific format, so he would be correct in what he needs.

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oshae
June 12, 2009 6:57 PM
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Do you hear that? That is the sound of the smallest violin in the world.

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derrick_
June 12, 2009 6:58 PM
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While its not surprising that some employees do not know about miniSD, i find it astounding that the associates could not simply google miniSD (its in their employee toolkit).

Then again, random knowledge is why many of my co-workers come to me when they don't know about a product.

And yes, I do work @ BB.

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colineff
June 12, 2009 7:02 PM
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yeah i am sure the card would have worked and it would have the adapter, but its the best buy guys fault for not explaining it

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derrick_
June 12, 2009 7:03 PM
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Sorry for the double post, but I see many people saying that microSD cards come with adapters.

That is correct, but they do not come with adapters for miniSD. They come with adapters for full-size SD (basically just a SD card with a slot, and no memory itself, to put the microSD card into).

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jdmba
June 12, 2009 7:04 PM
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Someone explain to me why people insist on taking technical advice from people who work stocking shelves in retail?

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krom
June 12, 2009 7:18 PM
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Petty, considering any microSD card bought nowadays more than likely will come with an adapter for user as either a miniSD and a regular SD.

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YourTechSupport
June 12, 2009 8:07 PM
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@krom: Yeah. But they won't fit in gadgets designed for the upcoming NanoSD cards. Which will not only require an extra adapter, but will come with magnetic tweezers an a magnifying glass.

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ooloncoluphid
June 12, 2009 9:13 PM
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\"I'd expect this at Kmart or WalMart, but the Best Buy employees, so I thought, would know something about the products they sell.\"

Why would you think this? I always assume that nobody know what their talking about until they prove otherwise.

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wayneschmidt
June 12, 2009 9:55 PM
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Everyone knows your best buys are always at Fry's!!!! I will never go to Best Buy ever again!

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Con Sumer Zealot
June 12, 2009 10:37 PM
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Meg - again - why are you and the other editors redacting the names of stores on these posts? Direct consumer response and action makes your blog all the more powerful. When companies do this kind of crap, they need to be accountable to the public, and that means phone calls, emails. etc.

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HogwartsAlum
June 13, 2009 1:59 AM
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Stupid BB. When I bought a desktop there, I got the BB Insignia brand (it was all I could afford at the time and I really needed a computer for school). It turned out to actually be a good computer, but the guy tried to upsell me to a Radeon video card. I didn't have the money and said no.

Later, I took it to a local place to have something done - I don't remember what - and asked then if they had the Radeon card and if I could upgrade the basic one that the computer came with so I could play URU. They said, \"Um...there's no place on the motherboard for that card.\" I was like \"WHAT!?\"

If I had bought the card, it would have been useless. And I'll bet money they wouldn't have taken it back either.

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jacromer
June 13, 2009 9:08 PM
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The service at Best Buy stores have been poor to downright non-existent.

I have walked into Best Buy to purchase many different things ranging from something as simple as a music CD to a video game all the way up to a laptop. And every time I walk into a store like that, I'm ready to buy that day. I don't mess around and window shop.

Never in my experiences have I ever been offered assistance from their agents.

I don't know why though. I think I am an approachable person and I know I don't have B.O. ;) But anyways...

Partly I could simple ask for assistance too, but I feel a nice warm welcome would set up some sort of class of service. \"Is there anything I can help you with?\" would make the shopping experience at Best Buy 100% times better.

In any event, if it wasn't for a promotional price or the need for me to purchase an item in haste, I'd shop elsewhere.

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P_Smith
June 13, 2009 9:48 PM
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I doubt this was as much about incompetence as it was about trying to increase sales.


I once called a chain store based on a flyer and asked if they had a specific product that was on sale (a printer); the store near my house didn't have any left. \"Yup!\" they said, and they would hold one, so I travelled across the city to get it within the hour.


I get there, and lo and behold, they don't have any in stock. The idiot that I spoke to on the phone didn't have the decency to answer when I asked why he lied.


I went to the store manager and said what happened, and he said he knew nothing about the call. The idiot employee was called in. I told the manager he had ignored me before and I asked again why he lied: \"So you might come in and buy something,\" was his response.


I told them both what I thought of them in the most impolite way, while mentioning the other store and why I travelled to theirs. I wouldn't have gone six miles out of my way if I didn't need to, and I expected them to pay my taxi fare home for having wasted my time.


Surprisingly, the store manager forked over a $10 to pay for it. It didn't cover the whole taxi fare, but I made the point: lying isn't going to make my buy from you. Honesty will.

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Black-Cat
June 14, 2009 1:25 AM
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Worst Buy strikes again.

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juddcarlos2003
June 14, 2009 5:25 AM
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I agree with some of the other commentors here... Many best buy employees really don't know about electronics. I think that employees are hired on the basis of \"I LOOOVE iPods\" or something similar depending on the department. I went to best buy a few months ago and wanted to buy an iPod touch skin but for the second generation. The guy in the mp3 dept. had no idea there was a second generation iPod touch. I was furious because many times these employees don't know their stuff. Why are they hired in the first place? Because they know how to make sales! If I was manager, I would hire people that know and keep themselves updated with the tech world because if these people know their stuff, then that keeps people coming back. IMO

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Black-Cat
June 14, 2009 8:00 AM
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@juddcarlos2003: You have the right idea, but sadly, companies like this are run by a bunch of dumb fucks in suits who actually know nothing about consumers or whats new in technology. They just keep doing things the same way over and over again, and expecting better/different results. Oh wait...that is the definition of insanity...

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Anonymous
June 15, 2009 1:05 PM
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For the longest time, I couldn't stand going into Best Buy due to their pushy employees who refused to admit they were wrong.

In four seperate occassions I would got into Best Buy to ask if they had a splitter/switch. They assured me I needed a router and that there was no such thing as a splitter/switch. The employees would go on to say that I must be mistaken and would be calling a router a wrong name. I'd get frustrated and just say never mind and let whoever I had come in there with to get what they needed to so we could leave. They would keep talking to me even go so far as to get other employees to back up their claims that splitters/switches aren't real...

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brianary
June 15, 2009 6:02 PM
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To be fair, is *isn't* the wrong memory card. Adapters for microSD to miniSD (or normal SD, or USB), as has been pointed out several times here, usually come with the memory card.

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