Best Buy Aggravation
 

I'll admit it. I actually like Best Buy. I can spend hours browsing in their store. But today, I got really pissed off because of one of their policies.

Everyone who knows me knows how much I love music. So as a result, I ended up with almost $200 in BB gift certificates for Christmas. Cool, I think, I won't have to buy a new release for a few months, at a minimum. Problem is, my taste in music isn't exactly mainstream 90% of of the time. But that's OK, because BB online has pretty much everything I want, so I can either order it online or have them special order it in the store.

Wrong. I can't use my BB gift certificates online. And BB refuses to single order any items, since they can be purchased online. But I can't use my gift certificates online.

*cue vicious cycle*

WTF?! I've got a wallet full of free money that I'm dying to spend, but I'm going to have to buy most of the stuff I want with MY real money. I've basically been given gift certificates to an expanded Columbia House - brand new releases from artists I don't like, greatest hits albums, and old stuff to fill in the holes in my collection. Otherwise, unless I find a big ticket item or some software, these suckers are lasting 6 months, while I spend hundreds of my real dollars on the stuff I want.

I'm especially pissed because there is 1 thing that came out today and 2 that come out next week that I want, but it looks like I'm going to have to wait to confirm that they won't get them in my store, then buy them elsewhere.

FU BB!

you should sell the giftcards on ebay.

I was thinking about offering them to anyone here who is going to spend over $150 cash at BB anytime soon - I'll trade straight-up for the cash.

on gift certifcate, how long there good for..


i have one from Target like a year old and one from Best buy like a year old.. i forgot i had them in my wallet

Why don't you get something to play that music on. An Ipod or a download card etc...

If you're in California, by law they cannot expire. I don't know about the other 49 states.

I've got an MP3 player, but honestly, I don't really have much use for it outside of working out. My car is my personal stereo. I also don't download unless something's been released exclusively online. I still like the idea of "collecting" CDs.

I could go waste it on a bunch of DVDs or old CDs that are on an "if money was no object" type list, but I haven't gotten to that point yet.

On OG gift cards they are good for 2 years, then after that you will start being charged a monthly $1.50 "service charge" until either you use it or the accumulated service charges empty the card...

What is this "buying music" you speak of?

I say you blow the f-ers up.

Maybe I can order them COD and list my address as the local BB store. :)

It's a definite possibility.

After I use my gift certificates, anyway.

Oh no, here we go. Don't you take my bitch thread and turn it into a moral discussion about downloading!

If you do, I'll gladly help out in any way I can...maybe itll wipe out what we owe them :rolleyes:

Right but their action today demands an immediate retaliation. And, if you don't, you're nothing but the nerd they say you are.

Very few people are aware that Best Buy (stores) and bestbuy.com are two completely different businesses.

Sounds like a sexual frustration problem to me..... :D

I always thought you liked Kpancakes.

Actually, it's KBelgian waffles.

So if I know somoene likes music this past holiday season I bought them a gift certiifcate to iTunes or musicmatch depending on what I knew about how they listened to music.

Anyhow what I would do is talk to corporate headquarters/the store manager and remind them that they cannot legally book your 200 as revenue until you spend it. So all in all you're really just trying to help the bottom line.

I would love to hear that conversation.

I think I could have made a very interesting audio documentary if I had recorded all of the conversations I've had with Best Buy employees.

raises hand

so bend over and you'll get a sharp object then I guess

You talk like it's a bad thing.

I'm not sure where to go with this other than to shake your hand and wish you luck.

HOWWWW did I KNOWWW :rolleyes: I'll need directions to your house...

I can make things uncomfortable so quickly, it's a skill.

My own little BB story...

I want to buy a car CD player ASAP to put in my car by this weekend (Friday afternoon to be specific). I call, asking if they have any install times available. He says no, but if someone cancels I could squeeze in... but I don't plan at sitting at the mall all day long. So I say, in a very "wink-wink" kind of voice... "Are there ever things done with the finances that would make it possible to get it installed by Friday?"... Him: "Nope."... Me: "Ok, thanks for the help. --click--".

Dumbass. Took it to a car-stereo place and got it done for the same price, and it was installed within an hour.

I'm not sure I'd even shake his hand.

About 6 years ago I was buying a new PC @ Best Buy. The guy kept pressuring me for the extended warranty it went like this after me telling him no 10 times...

BB Guy: why don't you want the extended warranty
Me: If something breaks on a computer I know how to fix it and it will cost less than the $200 warranty.
BB: Computers are getting more and more complicated and things are always easy to fix anymore.
Me: Not interested, plus everyone I know who every purchased a warranty and tried to get service was denied for some silly exception
BB: I wouldn't recommend buying this computer without the ext. warranty
Me: Ok, Thanks, guess I'll take your advice & not buy it.

I then turned and walked away, he had all the paperwork filled out and everything... so the guy is chasing me through the store trying to get me to come back and buy the computer... :)

Me: Why would I buy the computer, you just told me basically it is a piece of crap & you wouldn't buy it w/o getting the warranty?

I then left, went to the Besy Buy on the other side of town & bought the same computer. I was hoping for more fun but at this store they asked once and then dropped the subject.

That is great :D

I got a Comp USA giftcard... which is even worse. No music at all, poor selection of games, and they are slow to get newly released games in stock. There really isn't anything I want from that store. Maybe if I go in and buy a stack of DVD-Rs they will just give me change for the rest of the giftcard so I can spend it somewhere else.

Dola

Oh yeah, what's the deal with giftcards anyway? I don't really see the point. I mean really if you want to give me money then just give me cash. Restricting me to one store that I can spend it at has always struck me as odd.

Gift Cards are useful for when you know someone likes to shop at the store, but have no idea what to get them from said store.

Plus, it's a little nicer gift than just crass cash.

Though from the retail end of things, I hate selling gift cards... because there's no guarantee the money on it will go to our store because, as alluded to by someone else earlier, the money doesn't get counted as revenue until the card is actually used.

Also echoing an earlier sentiment, the online division is almost always separate from the store division in large retailers... or in the case of Victoria's Secret where I work, it's divided between store division, online sales division, and catalogue division, all of which are under the umbrella of the Limited Brands company.

"Plus, it's a little nicer gift than just crass cash."

This is what I don't get. I don't see how a plastic card is any better than cash, but I guess I could be in the minority on this. I mean I'd take an envelope labeled "Universal Giftcard" with cash in it if it would make the giver feel better. :)

And they have different prices and sales. I saw something on sale on the web page, but it wasn't on sale at the store.

To me it showed that the giver had some thought about what type of gift you would be interested in. If I give someone cash as I gift I have no idea if they are using it a "gift" product or just putting it in the bank. If I am giving a gift I want some to get something tangible.

Todd

Now it's a first come, first serve basis. At least that is what they went to here where I live.

I used to love BB, but now.. they have too many f-n "rebates" for me to mess with that place too much... and Ksyrup, I agree about not being able to use your gift cards online, that sucks!


Todd

How the hell did everyone else in this thread miss the most important line in the thread?

K, stop whining about your $200 (just buy something for the wife for V-day and spend your real money on yourself) and lets get to the pix pls-- thx.

It sounds real good till the first time you have to help a 70 year old woman try on a thong.

I know, but I was offering to tip the guy to do my car by Friday... his casual reaction to it, instead of "Sorry, we have a policy that we can't do that" leads me to believe he couldn't even be bothered to pay attention to worry about what I was offering.

Does anyone else think the signature of "Lorennnn... :rolleyes: " is really fucking cute? I'm drooling over here, and my wife has already dialed 5 digits toward the wacky wagon.

No fair, your much skinnier than me, hence you can run faster.

What? You're trying to run away from my wife, too? I didn't know she was also trying to get you locked up.

No my friend, the 18 wheeler thats attached to her husband. :D

Oh shit.

So, uh, about that Best Buy place...

Shit, Pumpy can probably jump too.