![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-446358-100x100.png\")
To the owners of Best Buy, this is why we hate your company!
3 replies
To the owners of Best Buy, this is why we hate your company!
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Why do you redact the location of the Best Buy in question? As wannabe well-informed consumers, we cannot act on information that we don't have.
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@vladthepaler: I just figured that if Best Buy decided to respond to the issue they could just pass it off as an isolated incident (which it may be) while trying to talk up how great of a company they are as a whole (which they are not).
By not giving a specific location it's a little harder for BB to pin it on just one store as the bad apple if they don't know the store in question.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-471775-100x100.png\")
@vladthepaler: I suspect that this practice came from when Consumerist refused to disclose the location or employee who they caught stealing data from a computer:
Basically, Best Buy appears to be suffering from a number of systemic problems. If Consumerist reveals which Best Buys are the source of each problem, then Best Buy corporate will just reprimand the store in question. By not revealing the locations of the stores, it forces Best Buy corporate to actually do some investigating and set some policy. Which could reveal (and hopefully correct) other stores that are doing shady thins.
Consumerist shouldn't be doing Best Buy corporate's work for them.
But that's just my guess. If someone in the know wants to chime in, I'd love to hear it.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-291191-100x100.png\")
@plamoni: Uh, Kim's employee number seems to be 9122109. You don't think BB corporate can just look that up and see what store she works at?
We need to know so we can avoid that BB location like the plague (not that I've set foot in a BB in over 8 years).
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-59977-100x100.png\")
@j-o-h-n: In Nogard13's defense the slashes do sorta look like ones. Or it was a joke.
But yeah, definitely the date.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-537475-100x100.png\")
@plamoni: Also, it unfairly punishes the store's innocent employees. If I worked at Best Buy, I'd be really annoyed that one of my coworkers acted stupidly or did something shady, and that I was being punished because someone posted the store's name on Consumerist. I think it's fine that Consumerist redacts the store name or the employee name, but if people stop going to my particular store through actions that are in no way my fault, I'd be very upset.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1223242-100x100.png\")
@pecan 3.14159265: But if you were to know that the given location you work at was doing these very things, you could look and see who is actaully doing it and report them to either store or corporate.
Also is good when people know that a given location has employees doing shady things vs another location in town where a good vist to Best Buy might actually exist. Also good to mention which location so any interested news stations could investigate and shed light on it.
This is pretty much on par from what I've seen from Best Buy in the past. They like to charge absurd amounts of money for simple \"setup\" work. But that's mostly because their target audience is people with a lot of money and not a lot of technical skill.
Of course, this is a new low. Considering how unbelievably simple upgrading the firmware on an Xbox 360 is.
If they have 50 360's in stock and it takes 5 minutes to open and hook up each 360, press the button, and return later to package it back up, then you're looking at about 4 hours to complete the whole process. Which brings in just about $400 an hour in revenue. Minus the $8/hour they paid the employee to actually perform the update.
Seems like a pretty good investment to me. As long as you don't care about ripping off your customers.
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@plamoni: I wonder if this was a returned item, and they updated it to explain the opened box. Nice scheme to get around having to sell it as a refurb, plus they get $30.
@JennQPublic: I'd simply look at it and demand an open box discount. Once the box has been opened, it is no longer considered \"new.\"
@plamoni: work isnt free... and some people just dont know what to do... aaaaand some people don't have routers to do these updates... you gotta understand, its a business... If you dont like the business, shop elsewhere...
How many times has your mom gone to you with a million and one questions about her PC? Or your friends sister who got a virus on her PC for watching too much Pr0n? THAT is BBYs demographic....
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-345033-100x100.png\")
@HomerSampson: It's a console, not a PC. If you don't have an internet connection, you don't need to update the firmware. If a game requires a newer firmware, it will include it on the disk and install it for you. If you do have internet, all you do to get the latest firmware is turn the 360 on, and push A when prompted. If someone doesn't know what to do, the solution is they don't have to do anything.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-425645-100x100.png\")
@AirIntake: That's not actually true. When I got my shiny new XBox last Christmas, I cracked it open and stuck my shiny new copy of GTA IV in. It wasn't hooked up to the internet because I was at the house of a relative who has wifi- her router isn't near her TV. Immediately, I was greeted with a pop-up box asking me to install updates. Any attempt to do so resulted in an error saying that I had no internet connection and needed to take care of that before the necessary updates could be installed. I ended up having to poke around online on my laptop, dig out an ethernet cord, use said laptop as a wireless bridge, and then I was able to install the updates.
Some games may allow you to install the updates directly from the disc, but I haven't found any so far. That's not to say that I don't think that would be a great idea, either.
As far as this Best Buy thing goes, it's standard, and most of the people I knew when I worked there thought it was pretty ridiculous. That said, in the case of the XBox, if you don't have the wifi adapter or a router within reach of your TV, it may be worth the thirty bucks to be sure you have all the updates you need to get started- at the very least, people can be aware when they get the system sans updates that they'll have to hook it up to a network somehow to get started. In the case of the Wii or the PS3, which have wifi built in, it's pretty redundant, but if clueless people are willing to pay for it, I'm inclined to feel like they deserve what they get.
And yeah, don't get me started on the variety of reasons why Microsoft sucks for not just building wifi into the stupid thing to begin with. I was hoping that the new wifi adapter would mean the old one got a price cut to $50, in which case I'd probably buy it, but not so much. Meh, screw them.
@FaustianSlip: Yes, but you can decline to install those updates. The only reason you normally have to install them right then is because if you don't install the patches to a game, you will be disconnected from XBox Live. Protip: That's not particularly a problem for anyone that doesn't have internet to update the firmware otherwise.
There's seriously no need to update it if you don't have internet aside from patches with bugfixes, which come in updates downloaded when you try to play the game, not the system firmware updates. And if you do have internet, the XBox will pop up a box telling you that you need to update and to hit A to continue with the update.
You could honestly train a monkey to do what Best Buy is charging $40 per open-box system for.
@AirIntake: \"If someone doesn't know what to do, the solution is they don't have to do anything.\"
No, the solution is DON'T BUY AN XBOX.
At a certain point, it *does* become the consumer's fault. Buying common electronics with the expectation that you won't have to do a single thing with them other than take it out of the box and have it all magically work. . . in 2009, there is no excuse.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-2736-100x100.png\")
Maybe MS can use BB as a scapegoat for system failures now. \"You've got a red ring? Did you buy your Xbox 360 from Best Buy? Sorry, but we can't help you because you purchased an open-box system.\"
In all seriousness, I don't foresee MS being too happy about this.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-22998-100x100.png\")
@thnkwhatyouthnk: That was my thought. For warranty reasons this may not be an acceptable \"service\" from Best Buy that Microsoft would agree with or even warranty.
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I'd insist on a non-updated one, on the grounds that I don't know how competent the installer was, and I'd heard some bad things about Best Buy... Heheheh...
This is stupid. It adds zero value to people planning to use the XBOX 360 as it is intended to be used, and provides NEGATIVE value to those thinking of using it for unintended purposes.
What the hells the point of BILLING for something that comes out as a net NEGATIVE? Is Amazon going to bill me for shipping me damaged boxes? Ford for giving me a car with \"fresh\" dents?
I mean, really, this is extremely stupid.
@shepd: I don't know- if you're really clueless and don't realize that the XBox doesn't have built-in wifi, you'll be pretty bummed if you get it home, get a message telling you that you need to get online and install updates, then discover that your router is three rooms and a floor away from your TV. Now, whether having all the updates done is worth $30 is up for debate, but if someone's that out of touch that they can't figure out how to do updates or don't realize that they need them, I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for them.
Personally, I'd say it's wiser to take that thirty bucks and put it toward the purchase of the wifi adapter, but that's just me.
XBOX 360 games include the appropriate updates. Assuming they didn't buy a game more than a few years old for the console, the first time they try to play it, it'll ask to update the console (If the console's factory firmware is old enough not to support the adapter, which wouldn't be the case for any consoles sold in the past couple of years). If you say no, no playing the game. :o)
Now, I suppose someone could buy it just to use on live, and be buying some sort of NOS, but that won't be happening at BB. I hope...
@FaustianSlip: No you wouldn't. The XBox isn't psychic. Without internet access, it can't check the MS update server to see that there's a system update. They don't hardcode the things to know that at X date there's gonna be an update so that all XBoxes will nag you to update at that point. Even using the system update, as Best Buy is, will only update the system menu. Any game patches and fixes are only installed when playing the relevant game after the patch has released. And guess what? You can refuse to update titles. But you will be signed out of Live... a nonsequence (non-consequence) to those that don't have internet to do the update anyway.
There is absolutely zero needed from any of these updates. These won't update the games with any bugfixes for the above reason. Sure, it'll add Netflix...but uhh, with no net, fat lot of good that'll do. It'll add avatars, but wtf's the point when you have no net and thus no friends list to show them off to? The way the 360's firmware works, it's generally irrelevant to those without internet access. This service would be mostly useless for free, let alone $40.
Well, to be honest, I see an open-box Xbox 360 they are selling for 29.99
Pretty good deal if you ask me.
They're not selling it for 29.99, they're ADDING 29.99 to the price of a NEW (not open-box, even though it is) Xbox 360.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-543146-100x100.png\")
@pervy_the_clown: Actually, there's nothing noting (in the picture provided) that it is an additional $29.99. A customer could make a convincing argument that $29.99 is technically the lowest marked price on the item, since there is apparently no fine print clarifying what, if anything, that $29.99 is for.
@RecordStoreToughGuy_OwesNigeriaAnApology: Must agree. And it's written BY a store employee, with their signature and date. It could be argued to be the lowest MARKED price on said package by said retailer. And I bet they would let ONE person get away with it, dock the pay of \"Kim\", then change it on the other boxes.
At least they used a professional looking way to alert you to what they did. Could be worse, it could have had some mispeelings in it.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-741824-100x100.png\")
@GitEmSteveDave_@Gmail.comNeedsAWaveInvite: Looks like very sloppy writing considering the female name.
@Lurks with Gophers - Still Flying: Unless it was an asian male technician. I have seen a few unusual names in the past.
Or, not to be sexist, not every female has great writing.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-74896-100x100.png\")
I wonder if you could get them to sell it to you at an Open Box price.
On a side note, does anyone know if Microsoft is OK with this practice?
We used to charge a half hour labor charge at Geek Squad to update someones PS3... A lot of people actually don't have routers, or ways to connect to the internet... Soooo, since work isnt free, 1/2 hour labor charge it is... BTW 1/2hour labor charge was $19...
Although, from this article, it looks like the store is pre-opening and doing the install without anyone's consent... now THAT is wrong... horribly wrong... And i believe its against the contract with M$ and the resellers that they are not allowed to do crap like that...
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-931793-100x100.png\")
It is actually fine with the service agreement with the M$ because not every unit gets preset. The agreements BBY has worked out with the gaming and comp manufacturers state 40% of the delivered quantities.
So nobody jump down my throat, I said \"40% of delivered quantities\", so that means when everybody comes through and says they want one without it means eventually 100% of the units left will be preset.
And like I say all the time, BBY doesn't do this because its so amazingly hard... they do it because the American consumer is lazy as hell and has more money than sense. Thus they pay for it every day.
@HomerSampson: Even grandparents who don't know how to use a computer have routers now for when their children/grandchildren come to visit. Believe me I've had to troubleshoot for them.
[/overbearing absolute statement]
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@Lurks with Gophers - Still Flying: It might be that someone asked Best Buy to update it and then canceled the order, leaving them with an open Xbox to sell. But they should have marked it down.
@HomerSampson: Only the Geek Squad would think many people don't have routers and/or ways to connect to the internet.
@GitEmSteveDave_@Gmail.comNeedsAWaveInvite: Actually, he's right. Or partially right. There are plenty of people who still don't have routers- hell, I work with at least two people who still have dial-up. On the flip side, there are plenty of people who don't realize that the XBox 360 doesn't have built-in wifi. So even if they have a router, if it's four rooms away from their TV, it's not going to do them a whole lot of good when they get home and discover that the XBox has to be plugged directly into said router to do a system update.
Now, as I've said elsewhere, I think the smarter move is to bite the bullet and get the wifi adapter, putting the thirty bucks towards its purchase rather than spending money on an \"optimized\" system, but if someone's so uninformed as to shell out the cash, that's really their problem. I don't think it's appropriate to be cracking open boxes to optimize them before sticking them on the sales floor, but I think this will actually lose sales in the end; if someone wants just the XBox with no updates and all that are available are the updated ones for another thirty bucks, nine out of ten people will go to another store (possibly another Best Buy, but more probably Target, Wal-Mart or Gamestop). At the end of the day, that's Best Buy's loss.
And for what it's worth, when I worked at Best Buy, the vast majority of my coworkers found the whole \"optimization\" thing ridiculous and never tried to sell people on it unless the pre-optimzed systems were all that were in stock. And even then, I'd usually tell them that it wasn't too hard to do, and they could probably get a standard system over at Wal-Mart or wherever. But then, I no longer work at Best Buy, so obviously the Kool-Aid didn't really take.
@FaustianSlip: There is a myriad of reasons why my location does not practice this:
1. The time it takes to unbox, setup, update, and rebox for each unit.
2. The fact we only have 1 TV usable for these sort of things at Geek Squad.
3. We do not have adequate staffing to have someone out in Gaming to actually sell the service.
4. The service doesn't sell.
5. (possibly the most important...) The service is a dumb idea!
@FaustianSlip: True, except for the fact that the system and title updates aren't mandatory and only offer useless features if you're not online anyway. Every update tells you if you don't want to install it, you will be signed out of Live, which isn't even applicable if you have no internet.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-4808-100x100.png\")
That's even worse than their computer optimization \"service\" that costs between $30 and $100 depending on location. But, hell, it's a deal compared to their in-home PS3 setup!
@ganzhimself:
There is a bit more to it then just clicking run. I know this because there are torrents of their tools online. In addition the prices do not vary by location. The prices vary by service; optimization, optimization + restore discs, standard security and performance, etc.
Me thinks you need an education before you call a few thousand people 'snot nosed'
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-80140-100x100.png\")
@ganzhimself: I think this is a steal. I would rather spend $29 to have a pre-optimized Xbox 360, than have a \"Freak\" Squad person inside my house to set it up for $99.
What I meant was pre-optimization, where you get an open-box laptop or desktop that was \"optimized\" by a snot nosed Geek Squad Agent who just put a CD in the drive and clicked run... Then re-sealed with a big GS sticker over the original seal, and sold at a premium of $30-$100.
There is only one, single, solitary \"benefit\" from this.
IF you aren't planning on hooking the Xbox up to the Internet, at least you get the most updated software when you buy it.
Not much of a benefit, though.
Also I believe most of the newer games have the latest update on the disc as well. So there really is no need at all for BB to do this.
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@NeverLetMeDown: You can always go to XBox's site and download the most recent updates, burn them to a disc and put the disc in your 360. Or you can go to a 360 demo unit and insert a memory card and download the updates that way.
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Why are you redacting the local best buy's name??
Yeah, why the store removal?
Just wondering if the Geek Squad works on the Spiff system. Because when I worked at compusa in the tech shop I could've passed this 30 dollars charge off as an upgrade which would've netted me 3 dollars per upgrade purchased. What leads me to believe they have the same system is that she put her name on the box and the 9122109 could be her employee number for the cashiers to ring up at sale so it knows who the spiff goes to. As I said I'm not sure if they use that system but salesmen at comp used to do the same thing or they would bribe the cashiers to use their number anytime an \"unassisted\" customer rang up.
@arimer: Umm, 9/22/09 is the date the update was performed. There are no spiffs or bonuses for any line-level employee. And many, many people don't have access to internet/routers in many rural areas. Several of our customers only have access to dial-up or use broadband cards. This is a service, albeit one that many of you with high-speed internet find pointless, and GS charges for it. Don't want it? Pick another XBOX, it's not like you are forced to pay for the service.
It's ok guys, it's optimized.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-670018-100x100.png\")
There is a reason Best Buy charges people for services like this, THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT!!
Why do people condemn a business for trying to make money. Not everybody has the required equipment at home or is tech savvy enough to be able to do the things that BB is charging them to do.
It's kind of like back in the day when there were full service gas stations. There were usually self serve and full service pumps. If you were willing to pay the price, you could have someone pump your gas for you. If you werent, you had to get out of your car and do it yourself. This is the same thing people, its a business trying to make a profit by providing a service that some people might not be able to do for themselves.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-107016-100x100.png\")
@leprechaunshawn: Well, if you're breaking manufacturer distribution contracts to get that extra buck, then you might be in for a surprise when MS's lawyers start breathing down your neck... You know, since contracts are legally binding...
@leprechaunshawn: When you paid for full service gas stations, you were paying someone to do a simple task: pump your gas because you're too lazy or rich to do so. This is analogous to the gas station giving you full service before you can protest/do it yourself because it assumes you're too stupid to know how to pump your own gas.
Anyone else think this may not be what it seems? It could have been written on there by a salesperson as a note IF they want to get the firmware. Sure that is still shady to charge so much for a firmware update, but the post is trying to make it seem as if this is an actual unit with a firmware upgrade which when taken to the register would be charged at an extra 29.99, and that there are no units without this. Second post of questionable authenticity. Is it April 1?
@Don Roberto: Much as I hate to say it, it's pretty much a certainty that the box was opened and resealed; this is a standard Best Buy thing that I saw happen at my own store when I worked there. They take a few of each system, open and update them, then reseal the boxes and put them back on the shelves. Ours would have a Geek Squad label attached indicating what had actually been done, rather than the ghetto marker writing shown here, but it was pretty much the same thing. Most of us lower-level employees found in absurd and made pretty much no effort to sell people on the supposed \"benefits\" of buying one of these \"optimized\" systems.
That said, in the case of the XBox, if your router's well away from your TV, and you don't get the wifi adapter for the console, one of these may not be as terrible an idea. Still short-sighted, as it's better to buy the adapter for a permanent solution, but not quite as ridiculous as paying for upgrades on a Wii or PS3, where wifi is built right into the console.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1240476-100x100.png\")
The 'work' was done because the box was opened as well as there is a date scribbled on there around the time I was given the firmware update on my own 360.
@Don Roberto: Don't see it stated if all the units were marked as such but given there's also a pic of the box resealed using the Best Buy branded tape yes this 'work' has been done.
@Lurks with Gophers - Still Flying: And this isn't the first time they've used this particular scam either.
I had something similiar happen to me at the Best Buy in Houston. I went in to buy an laptop, they had three in stock and so there should of been any issues. Right off the bat they wanted to optimize my laptop for me, this consisted of pulling off crapware and fiddling the msconfig. I explained all I wanted to do was purchase the laptop for the displayed price. She brings me a box with the laptop and explains that all they have left is optimized computers, she offered to take half off of the optimization cost i.e. 32$. This went back in forth, eventually they gave it to me with no extra cost. The point is, I'm sure none of the manufacturers want best buy opening their products, so they can install best buy crapware. By the way they did a very poor job and ended up disabling several important features on the laptop, they also replaced the crapware with there own crapware.
The worst part about this is that they lie to you so you will buy it. I went with a friend of mine to pick up a 360 the guy told us the only way they were backwards compatible was if you got the \"optimization\" service, when I called him on his lie stating i owned 3 xboxes he told me i was wrong.
Also the models that they keep on the floor are only the optimized ones, and they don't tell you that unless you ask, otherwise they will just give you one that costs $30 more.
And finally, the fact that they charge more money for a product that has been opened is disgusting, especially since when we tried to buy a laptop from them they would not open it stating that if they did they would have to lower the price because it was an open box.
Are we sure the employee number is 9122109 and that isn't just, say, the date? You know, 9/22/09?
I'm just sayin'...
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-666088-100x100.png\")
Why don't people pay attention to what they're picking up and putting in their carts? It's your own fault for not noticing.
They offer that service for people who don't know how to do the update or just don't want to do it themselves. It's not automatically evil or \"omg, a rip-off!!1\" just because you don't fall into that category.
Being I used to work for Best Buy, I do know we are not ALLOWED to do this. We do not open any kind of console etc and do presetups.
We only did Presetups on laptops, unless they changed policies, but I do know NO store I have ever worked at has ever pre-setup consoles and then charged money for that and wrote on it with a crappy sharpie. So This store is breaking policy and they should be beat up for that.
Ya know...posts where you don't use vowels is really annoying. Not sure if its the \"new cool thing\", but really stop
Stop NOW
Grrrrrr
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-122634-100x100.png\")
@robgbrown: Are you being serious? Mods disenvowel people that are rude or are trolling. It's punishment. In fact, you can click the little box with the lower case \"a\" in it to get more details.
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@Scatter: It's unclear if this was done to every X-Box in stock. We also don't know if this may be happening in more than one location. If someone goes to Best Buy and there were no unadulterated 360s in stock, they've just wasted their time. As someone that has considered getting an Elite, I'm glad I read this.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1162726-100x100.png\")
I'm wondering if they use this as a ruse. Perhaps someone bought the unit in question and returned it for a variety of reasons. Rather than resell it as a discounted \"open box\" item, they do this simple upgrade, and reseal it so they can sell it as NEW again. Still slimy, either way, but not quite out of the realm of reason.
Some Best Buy stores do even more shady things.
I had a 360 go bad on me - but I had the store warranty. I went down and picked up a new one and all was good - until:
The clerk behind the desk said that I couldn't keep the hard drive. Even after their \"geek squad\" determined that the issue was present without the drive and that it wasn't related, she said \"Microsoft says we can't return the console without the Drive\". Then, of course, goes on to say \"However, we do offer a data transfer service for $59.95.
I say no thanks, and went to a different Best Buy - one that apparently didn't get the memo to rip off their customers with tricks. I told them flat out - the other store said I couldn't keep my drive because MS says so... they said they'd never heard of that and didn't know what I was talking about.
@zoompooky:
It's true MS wants a drive back with the unit. If the two units had the same sized drives I've seen them just swap the drives and give you the new unit with your old drive.
@FDCPAGuy: That's exactly it. They should simply take the new HDD and return it with the unit, allowing me to keep my previous one. They wouldn't do that.
@zoompooky: I keep my saved games backed up on a memory unit, so I guess I'd just lose DLC, which I only own one DLC pack anyway... Wouldn't be a huge loss, but no way would I pay $60 for them to transfer data when I ahve the transfer cable from the last time my 360 died.
Thanks Best Buy, I needed a good laugh today.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-124285-100x100.png\")
If you don't want a pre-setup unit, don't buy it? You all act like there are ONLY systems at BB that are pre-setup. At my store we have professional papers on it, it's clearly had work done by Geek Squad, and no one pushes it on you. A lot of people don't have high speed internet where I live (Vermont, and my store is in NH...and not Manchester area) and it's hard for them to download new content.
People are going to pay for stuff they can't do. A lot of people like the service. Other people don't. I personally don't need and it wouldn't buy it. But really, Best Buy is a business and they need to make money, or maybe all businesses should never make money?
Holy moly, I enjoy reading Consumerist but there are certain companies you all have a vendetta against and it's old. :P
@Raziya: It's more of an issue than that. If the pre-upgraded ones are the only ones left, your choices are to either pay more than you're supposed to, or take your business elsewhere. Doesn't seem all that smart on Best Buy's part to drive business away.
@Raziya:
Plus it's Phil Villarreal. He likes to utilize snark a bit too much sometimes, skips over facts his linked articles have in them to better make his point, also doesn't research stuff or do any real journalism... but then again this is Consumerist why would they do real journalism ;)
Doesn't this run horribly amok of all those state retail laws regarding \"new\" vs. \"used\" or \"refurbished\"?
Since this is now an open box, it cannot be sold as \"new\", and I also have to wonder if this causes problems with it no longer being supported by Microsoft since you (the buyer) didn't do the upgrade. If anything, Best Buy has to knock at least 10% off based on the retail price, and I don't think they can charge the $30 service fee either.
This worked in my favor the last time we were laptop shopping. We found the laptop we wanted. Best Buy had the best price but was sold out. Frys had one, but was more expensive. The manager was a jerk and wouldn't match the price, even though we were holding a Best Buy flyer showing the same laptop. Fortunately one of his coworkers took us aside, and asked if we would like to open the box to confirm it was the same laptop. When we did, he winked at us and said \"oh, look at that, it's an open box. i have to re-price it now.\" Open items get a 10% discount, which beat the Best Buy price by a few bucks and change.
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Please someone made a comment it was for people who don't have an internet connection? Do people know that the system will work fine without being connected to the internet and that most newer games can update the firmware with a update that is put on the new game disk. And I still feel the media an improper users have caused alot of the RROD failures on the 360. I own 3 Xbox 360's 1 from launch, 1 from 3 months after launch and 1 from this year and none have failed. Weird huh.
The thing is here, the upgrade does not do much for you anyway, sure you may get the newer dashboard but who cares if you are just using it to play games? No advantage at all. If you ever do decide to take it online it will update automatically before you can do much anyway.
This $29 upgrade is worthless.
Don't blame BB, blame the consumer.
Bob, Dick and Stan want low prices. Vendor complies with low prices. Then vendor discovers that they aren't makeing enough $. So Vendor starts sneaking in fees to compensate for selling the goods for low prices.
Bob, Dick and Stan want even lower prices. So vendor sells the goods below cost... in hopes that the vendor can raise even more fees from unsuspecting customers.
Give this circle of discounting enough time and we will so find free Xbox 360s at BB conditional upon signing up for a fee laden Credit Card, buying the extended warranty for $999 AND leasing a Snuggie for the weekend.
I tried to buy a laptop from BB this week. The clerk told came back empty handed and told me ALL the laptops were currently being \"optimized\" by the GEEK Squad. He told me they had already started on all of them, and couldn't sell me an un-optimized laptop, and I'd have to wait an hour and a half for them to finish. That's why I love COSTCO, no pressure to add services, and a great return policy.
Reminds of me of a situation over at the Best Buy in Burbank, CA. Went in to buy a netbook for work a few months back, found they had one in stock asked for it and the sales person pulled it and took it up to the register for me. While being rang up I noticed the price was about $70 higher then the tag... the cashier showed me a love letter from geek squad stating they had \"pre-installed\" Anti-virus software to help me out.
After 10 minutes of arguing I walked out refusing to set foot again in the store... have not been back since and I am sure amazon appreciates it :)
Lots of people still don't have the internet I hope you all realize. Yet they still wanna take advantage of the new features rolling out on consoles. Is $3o really that expensive compared to $50+ every month?
Ok people. Former employee here. If you see a laptop or gaming consol with this, and you dont want the service.....dont take it. If there arent any left but the pre-setup ones, tell an employee you dont want the service. They wont make you pay for it if there arent any sealed new ones left. Bestbuy isnt going to withhold that product from you for something they did.
So stop all your whining. The website name should be www.whiningsite.com
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But most people don't want their crap on it. And they want to buy an unopened product. Ridiculous, huh? People wanting to buy the product they want without crap on it. What, you didn't want three hundredweight of dung along with your computer? But it's free!
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What a Joke.
@BB_User: Yeah, and the punchline is that these units are mostly returns that have already been opened. This is Best Buy's way to divert attention to that fact, and actually make more money off a used system.
Dirty crooks. As if Consumerist readers really needed another reason to avoid Best Buy. I'm waiting patiently for consumers in general to say \"enough already\" and drive them out of business. It's coming... Anyone touting their size as a reason they'll never fail is oblivious.