THE BORE

General => The Superdeep Borehole => Topic started by: Olivia Wilde Homo on July 13, 2012, 08:49:55 PM

Title: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on July 13, 2012, 08:49:55 PM
http://seekingalpha.com/article/708531-best-buy-s-2012-layoffs-reminiscent-of-circuit-city-s-2007-layoffs
http://www.forbes.com/sites/lauraheller/2012/03/29/best-buy-cost-cutting-to-profitability/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrydownes/2012/01/02/why-best-buy-is-going-out-of-business-gradually/

Back in the day, I enjoyed going to Best Buy.  I always thought that they had some decent prices on shit and I could usually find I wanted there if I wanted to make an impulse buy.  This place was also my go to if I wanted a game since Gamestop became an obnoxious experience for the customer.  However the last couple of years I noticed that they were stocking a lot less and it was harder and harder to find the games I used to get that they would have typically stocked a few years ago.  I understand that used games probably bring in more money but after a while, I started seeing used games take up greater aisle space while the new game selection became pitiful at best.

Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Himu on July 13, 2012, 08:53:41 PM
Where do I go to get stupidly overpriced dvds and blu rays now?!?!?!?!??!
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Himu on July 13, 2012, 08:55:53 PM
What do you MEAN you have The Wire series boxset for 200 dollars? Amazon has it for less than 100! Here, I'll be reasonable and give you the extra 100 dollars for The Wire boxset because I'm a FUCKING IDIOT and I think you guys deserve a premium!
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Eel O'Brian on July 13, 2012, 08:58:15 PM
Where will I go to test drive electronics before I order them online now?!?!?!?!??!

ftfy
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Mr. Gundam on July 13, 2012, 08:59:42 PM
I went to buy Redline on Blu-ray at Best Buy back in the Fall. The CD section was paired down to two racks, and even the DVD/Blu-ray section was ridiculously small.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Himu on July 13, 2012, 09:00:57 PM
The dvd/blu ray section at my Best Buy is huge. Well, it used to be. But they've remodeled it and now it's just a few rows when it used to take up half the store.

I'll miss their 10 dollar dvd deals ONLY.

However, Best Buy used to have great prices for newly released music. Like, if a cd was 20, they'd have it for 10. The only use for Best Buy.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Mr. Gundam on July 13, 2012, 09:02:06 PM
The dvd/blu ray section at my Best Buy is huge. Well, it used to be. But they've remodeled it and now it's just a few rows when it used to take up half the store.

Same at the Best Buy near my place in Seattle. Emphasis on used to.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on July 13, 2012, 09:05:15 PM
Best Buy pared everything back that didn't lend itself to "needing" an expensive extended warranty.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: tiesto on July 13, 2012, 09:12:28 PM
Good riddance. I know here we have PC Richards and a few upscale retailers for electronics , but outside the NY metro, what electronics stores are there as an alternative to Best Buy? Frys and HH Gregg?

I miss "Nobody Beats The Wiz".  First time I got to see a Neo Geo, Pioneer Laseractive, and a Jaguar in the flesh.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Joe Molotov on July 13, 2012, 09:21:33 PM
What will I do with my Reward Zone Premium Silver membership now? :(
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Great Rumbler on July 13, 2012, 09:29:40 PM
I haven't bought anything from Best Buy in a long time.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Himu on July 13, 2012, 09:34:29 PM
What will I do with my Reward Zone Premium Silver membership now? :(

What happens if you owe Best Buy a bill when they close? I've got 500 on my BB credit card to pay off.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on July 13, 2012, 09:39:38 PM
What will I do with my Reward Zone Premium Silver membership now? :(

What happens if you owe Best Buy a bill when they close? I've got 500 on my BB credit card to pay off.

You will still owe the remainder of your credit card balance to whatever financial institution is currently in charge of your BB credit card debt now.

Edit: Looks like it is Capital One

Quote
As of May 1, 2012, Capital One, N.A. ("Capital One") purchased the Best Buy credit card accounts from HSBC Bank Nevada, N.A. ("HSBC"). This means that Capital One® is now the issuer of those accounts.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Finance/Manage-Your-Account/pcmcat226300050002.c?id=pcmcat226300050002
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Joe Molotov on July 13, 2012, 09:48:35 PM
What will I do with my Reward Zone Premium Silver membership now? :(

What happens if you owe Best Buy a bill when they close? I've got 500 on my BB credit card to pay off.

Haha, I had the same thought, but I already knew the answer.

Quote
You will still owe the remainder of your credit card balance to whatever financial institution is currently in charge of your BB credit card debt now.

Credit card bills. :(
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Huff on July 13, 2012, 10:09:49 PM
Who needs any stores when we have the Internet?
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Human Snorenado on July 13, 2012, 10:18:04 PM
It's funny, because Best Buy helped kill off specialty music stores around 10 years ago.  I won't miss them.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Eel O'Brian on July 13, 2012, 11:02:43 PM
Internet doesn't satisfy my "I want to be tearing off shrinkwrap ten minutes from now" urge, that's the only reason I'll miss them.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Joe Molotov on July 13, 2012, 11:07:01 PM
Internet doesn't satisfy my "I want to be tearing off shrinkwrap ten minutes from now" urge, that's the only reason I'll miss them.

I know that feel, bro.

Amazon Prime 2-day shipping sometimes just isn't enough.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: MrAngryFace on July 13, 2012, 11:13:29 PM
SORRY BEST BUY I DONT WANT TO BUY A CELLPHONE/CAMERA
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Mr. Gundam on July 13, 2012, 11:21:33 PM
Amazon Prime is killing retail stores, and if they go to same day shipping, then it's the nail in the coffin for Best Buy.

It's funny, because Best Buy helped kill off specialty music stores around 10 years ago.  I won't miss them.

Maybe in the suburbs. Independent music stores are still thriving here in the city. I do about 90% of my music buying at B+M stores.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: MrAngryFace on July 13, 2012, 11:33:08 PM
yeah I usually hit silver platters for fun for all DAT HipSTer sHIT I LISTEN TO NOW
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: fistfulofmetal on July 13, 2012, 11:35:38 PM
around the ages of 18-22 going into best buy was like being a 10 year old and going into a toys r us. it was magical

then i got a job
and signed up for amazon prime

best buy isnt so magical anymore.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Phoenix Dark on July 13, 2012, 11:36:15 PM
where is my family members going to buy $600 Emachines from now?  :'(
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Mr. Gundam on July 13, 2012, 11:47:05 PM
Monster cable overlords are crying.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Eel O'Brian on July 14, 2012, 07:11:06 AM
Amazon Prime is killing retail stores, and if they go to same day shipping, then it's the nail in the coffin for Best Buy.

Now, see, if the Best Buy here closes and Amazon buys and turns the building into a warehouse, I'd be ordering shit all day long because it's only a block away from me.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: benjipwns on July 14, 2012, 12:17:24 PM
One of the last times I went to Best Buy was probably over five years ago. To buy Battlefield 2 Complete since I couldn't find my original (no expansions) disc anymore and it was on sale for $10.

I later re-bought this on Steam. Because, well, of course I did.

Me and a friend played whatever the horrible rebooted Rampage game was on the GameCube demo station for like half an hour because two of our friends at the time were in some kind of token stacking situation with the Guitar Hero display.

They should do a newer, but good, version of War of the Monsters. On PC.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Himu on July 14, 2012, 12:17:32 PM
We, as a society, are going to need to consider drastic measures to keep up with such changes.

Yup. Won't miss Best Buy but all of those jobs. :(
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on July 14, 2012, 12:21:15 PM
Amazon Prime is killing retail stores, and if they go to same day shipping, then it's the nail in the coffin for Best Buy.

Now, see, if the Best Buy here closes and Amazon buys and turns the building into a warehouse, I'd be ordering shit all day long because it's only a block away from me.

Supposedly Amazon is going to transition to same day delivery in a few select areas.  That would be the death of non-Walmart retail to me.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Groogrux on July 14, 2012, 03:28:52 PM
The last time I was at Best Buy was almost exactly a year ago when I bought my laptop.  Honestly, I don't go there for much else but they do have decent deals on PC's.  Plus, I spent a couple extra bucks and had them remove all the crap loaded onto it by the manufacturer.  Yes, I could have done it myself, but it was so much easier to let them and save myself the hassle.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Himu on July 14, 2012, 03:53:50 PM
The west doesn't have a population problem. Some countries in the west are even paying families to have children. Our problems are in relation to resource management, as we're burning through resources, which of course, doesn't help when you have kids, but it's the population of western countries isn't really too much.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Smooth Groove on July 14, 2012, 04:15:58 PM
Luckily Fry's is still around and the closest one is only a 10 min drive. 
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on July 14, 2012, 04:31:37 PM
The more realistic scenario is due to Corporate America fully embracing the doing more with less mantra, these laid off Best Buy employees will probably bounce around from disposable retail to tech support gigs, all for less money than what they are currently getting paid at Best Buy.  Some of them will take more useless certifications that won't get them anywhere, some of them will go to school, which these days is getting to be more and more of a scam, and then they will try to carve out a lower-middle class (the new middle class!) life.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: king of the internet on July 14, 2012, 04:40:17 PM
I like to go to there look at things to buy later on the internet.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Phoenix Dark on July 14, 2012, 05:18:17 PM
I've never been to a Frys or seen one. Perhaps it's a regional thing; we have a couple big Best Buys and used to have a lot of Circuit Cities
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: chronovore on July 14, 2012, 07:49:45 PM
Frys is crap; go there if you want the most unpleasant retail experience feasible outside of a Gamespot.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Rahxephon91 on July 14, 2012, 11:06:43 PM
Which Frys are you near? What was wrong with it? The one in IL is pretty much like any other store.

Anyway this sucks. I don't really like shopping online and it sucks to have any store close down.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: PigSpeakers on July 15, 2012, 01:00:19 AM
Frys is crap; go there if you want the most unpleasant retail experience feasible outside of a Gamespot.

I went to Frys for the first time earlier this year and thought it was pretty nice. No one really bothered me, I tried out a couple tablets, and they even let me play their grand piano.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Howard Alan Treesong on July 15, 2012, 02:12:38 AM
the Fry's in Fountain Valley is like Best Buy after the apocalypse (and a few good lootings)
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: chronovore on July 15, 2012, 02:43:05 AM
Which Frys are you near? What was wrong with it? The one in IL is pretty much like any other store.

Anyway this sucks. I don't really like shopping online and it sucks to have any store close down.

There are Fry's in Campbell, Palo Alto, and Milpitas (or Hayward), and they are all equally crap.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: CrystalGemini on July 15, 2012, 04:54:09 AM
Which Frys are you near? What was wrong with it? The one in IL is pretty much like any other store.

Anyway this sucks. I don't really like shopping online and it sucks to have any store close down.

There are Fry's in Campbell, Palo Alto, and Milpitas (or Hayward), and they are all equally crap.

There's one in Dublin and one a little further in Pleasant Hill too.  Haven't been inside one in a long time.

It'll be interesting to see what landlords can replace them with.  It must suck to find tenants for such a huge space.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: G The Resurrected on July 15, 2012, 05:29:12 AM
Which Frys are you near? What was wrong with it? The one in IL is pretty much like any other store.

Anyway this sucks. I don't really like shopping online and it sucks to have any store close down.

There are Fry's in Campbell, Palo Alto, and Milpitas (or Hayward), and they are all equally crap.

I shop at most of those stores and the sunnyvale store. I hate how fucking annoying they are but I learned a valuable lesson. Go in for pricematch of amazon this will get them to reduce the price on games/guides/movies/music in the store. Then I head over to bestbuy and pricematch fry's price which is actually amazon's price. I get points for my purchases so it can be worth it for some things.

Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Takao on July 15, 2012, 06:17:56 AM
Best Buy Canada is an amazing company. They opened hundreds of stores directly across from Future Shop (a competing big box electronics retailer) and then just bought the company. To this day there are many locations where there's a Best Buy, and then a Future Shop down the street. Who thought this was a good idea?
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Mupepe on July 16, 2012, 11:05:30 AM
I haven't been to Best Buy since Black Friday last year.  And I won't go again until Black Friday this year.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bork on July 16, 2012, 12:22:34 PM
I go to Best Buy every now and then to sell games and use the credit for new titles.  Haven't purchased any "big" from them since 2009 when they had a small TV cheaper than Fry's.  Wouldn't matter to me in the slightest if they closed. 

Once I tried applying for a job there...was kind of "forced" into it by my Father after I finished my Network Certification course.  I did NOT want to work there but he wouldn't leave me alone about it and I was living at home at the time, so I applied.  Was looking at the Geek Squad.  I asked to speak with the hiring manager and was told to wait in the PC section.  I stood there waiting for an hour until someone came up to me and asked if I needed help.  He went to go get the hiring manager, but came back and said "yeah, he took off like 30 minutes ago."   :-\  I saw the guy the next time I stopped by and asked if I could give him a resume.  He was a complete tool and I was glad that I did not have to pursue this any further.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Arbys Roast Beef Sandwich on July 16, 2012, 02:19:02 PM
the Fry's in Fountain Valley is like Best Buy after the apocalypse (and a few good lootings)

Funny, that one was walking distance to where I used to work. Now I work two blocks away from the Anaheim branch. Weird.

I've been going to Best Buy a lot recently though, mostly to see what cheap b-tier clearance game I can plonk $15 down and spend a weekend on.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Great Rumbler on July 16, 2012, 04:39:30 PM
I did my part by dissuading my grandmother from putting down $160 on 4 years of Geek Squad whatever when she bought her new computer the other day.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Positive Touch on July 16, 2012, 05:11:43 PM
an ex's parents had me work on their ancient, bug-ridded pc with the hopes that i could make it "fast" again.  when the anti-virus programs i installed didnt work right they accused me of making the computer even worse (how you can get worse than a pc that opens infinite popups every time you try to start a fucking program is beyond me), and they took it to the geek squad instead.  geek squad said the only solution was to back up the hard drive and reformat it for the low low price of SIX HUNDRED FUCKIN DOLLARS.  "well you could buy a much better pc than this old thing for the same price" positive touch said.  "no thank you, we'll stick with the one we've got" they replied.  "my parents are really mad at you because this cost so much" the ex-gf told me.

FUCK PC ILLITERATES
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Great Rumbler on July 16, 2012, 05:17:52 PM
You should have just pulled the heat sink off the processor.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Joe Molotov on July 16, 2012, 05:43:06 PM
Anytime someone asks me to work on their 9 year old computer because "it's running really slow", I just immediately roundhouse kick them in the face.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Human Snorenado on July 16, 2012, 05:45:00 PM
Anytime someone asks me to work on their 9 year old computer because "it's running really slow", I just immediately roundhouse kick them in the face.

That's pretty much the only rational response.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: chronovore on July 16, 2012, 06:08:11 PM
an ex's parents had me work on their ancient, bug-ridded pc with the hopes that i could make it "fast" again.  when the anti-virus programs i installed didnt work right they accused me of making the computer even worse (how you can get worse than a pc that opens infinite popups every time you try to start a fucking program is beyond me), and they took it to the geek squad instead.  geek squad said the only solution was to back up the hard drive and reformat it for the low low price of SIX HUNDRED FUCKIN DOLLARS.  "well you could buy a much better pc than this old thing for the same price" positive touch said.  "no thank you, we'll stick with the one we've got" they replied.  "my parents are really mad at you because this cost so much" the ex-gf told me.

FUCK PC ILLITERATES

Should have installed Ubuntu on their machine, then changed your phone number.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on July 16, 2012, 10:31:41 PM
My parents wanted me to work tirelessly to resurrect their eMachines computer that they bought in 2000.  Since eMachines are cheap pieces of shit, it just kind of fell apart after 4 years.  They got a new PC when even local computer repair shops refused to work on it.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: MrAngryFace on July 16, 2012, 10:35:54 PM
Man, the inside of emachines were worse than the inside of old compaqs. packed for space in the most inconvenient ways
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Eel O'Brian on July 16, 2012, 10:46:43 PM
I just play dumb nowadays whenever someone asks me to "fix" their PC.

"I don't know how to fix that."

Even when I do.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: chronovore on July 17, 2012, 01:05:21 AM
I just play dumb nowadays whenever someone asks me to "fix" their PC.

"I don't know how to fix that."

Even when I do.

:bow2
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Positive Touch on July 17, 2012, 07:07:59 AM
wow, what a peniswrinkle
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Brehvolution on July 17, 2012, 09:40:43 AM
Anytime someone asks me to work on their 9 year old computer because "it's running really slow", I just immediately roundhouse kick them in the face.

:bow
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: ferrarimanf355 on July 17, 2012, 12:13:10 PM
I kinda feel conflicted about this, since I worked at a Best Buy for a little bit. On the one hand, it always sucks to see a company in its death throes, especially when you know someone working there. OTOH, that Seeking Alpha article is pretty convincing in its argument that Best Buy is almost done.

My employer, Walgreens, has been in business for over 110 years. How did they manage to keep with the times while many other businesses went by the wayside? It's the question for the ages, IMHO.

It's obvious to everyone here, though, that big electronics retailers are soon to be a thing of the past. Why bother getting something from Best Buy when you can probably find it cheaper at Amazon, or a mom-and-pop retailer, or at a swap meet or anywhere else?
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bork on July 17, 2012, 12:16:21 PM
an ex's parents had me work on their ancient, bug-ridded pc with the hopes that i could make it "fast" again.  when the anti-virus programs i installed didnt work right they accused me of making the computer even worse (how you can get worse than a pc that opens infinite popups every time you try to start a fucking program is beyond me), and they took it to the geek squad instead.  geek squad said the only solution was to back up the hard drive and reformat it for the low low price of SIX HUNDRED FUCKIN DOLLARS.  "well you could buy a much better pc than this old thing for the same price" positive touch said.  "no thank you, we'll stick with the one we've got" they replied.  "my parents are really mad at you because this cost so much" the ex-gf told me.

FUCK PC ILLITERATES

 :lol

I just play dumb nowadays whenever someone asks me to "fix" their PC.

"I don't know how to fix that."

Even when I do.

Tell them that you charge $100+ just to look at the problem.  Works every time!
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Van Cruncheon on July 17, 2012, 07:44:23 PM
i just say "i'll do it for half bench and half the going hourly"

"bubububu you're family!!"

"a man's gotta put bread on the table!"

"YOU WORK FOR [HUGE SOFTWARE CORPORATION]!"

"i like NICE bread."

seriously, though, i wouldn't have come down like this if i wasn't tired of EVERY FUCKING FAMILY MEMBER AT EVERY GATHERING *TELLING* ME THAT I "NEED TO FIX THEIR PC." like i am not only expected to do so, i am OBLIGATED to do so because a) i am related; b) i am a fucking nerd; and c) i work with computers for a living. fuck 'em.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Akala on July 17, 2012, 07:51:04 PM
MY CUPHOLDER IS BROKEN HALP ME PLS

FFS THAT'S A DVDR
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Himu on July 17, 2012, 08:06:31 PM
MY CUPHOLDER IS BROKEN HALP ME PLS

FFS THAT'S A DVDR

:rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on July 17, 2012, 08:19:28 PM
A cousin of mine who does web design/graphic design work was asked by his uncle, who was running for political office this year, to do his website.  The politician uncle was shocked when the cousin wanted to charge him money.  The uncle is apparently running as a teatard too :derp
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: chronovore on July 17, 2012, 09:49:47 PM
A cousin of mine who does web design/graphic design work was asked by his uncle, who was running for political office this year, to do his website.  The politician uncle was shocked when the cousin wanted to charge him money.  The uncle is apparently running as a teatard too :derp

Tell him to call his uncle a communist for expecting to get proletariat work to support the state without recompense.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Himu on July 17, 2012, 09:51:22 PM
A cousin of mine who does web design/graphic design work was asked by his uncle, who was running for political office this year, to do his website.  The politician uncle was shocked when the cousin wanted to charge him money.  The uncle is apparently running as a teatard too :derp

Ugh. MY LIFE.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Joe Molotov on July 17, 2012, 10:01:46 PM
I think it's just old people with the "Oh hey, you know how to do X, can you come over and do X for me for free, plz?" thing. NO I CAN'T, BECAUSE WE DON'T LIVE IN A HIPPIE COMMUNE LIKE YOU DID BACK IN 69 WHEN SPENT THE SUMMER GROWING CABBAGES. IPADS COST MONEY, AND AT&T WON'T ACCEPT CABBAGE IN EXCHANGE FOR MY DATA PLAN AND ALSO I'M LAZY AND ANTISOCIAL AND JUST WANT TO GO HOME AND WATCH BREAKING BAD ON NETFLIX FUUUUUUUCK! Something like that.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Eel O'Brian on July 18, 2012, 12:11:47 AM
I got pretty pissed at my Nephew a couple of years ago. He gave my Mom an old PC which had like a 75mhz processor, 14.4k modem, etc. And she kept after me about getting it working so she could get online even though I kept telling her that she probably couldn't even set up an email account on something that old.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on July 18, 2012, 12:15:18 AM
I got pretty pissed at my Nephew a couple of years ago. He gave my Mom an old PC which had like a 75mhz processor, 14.4k modem, etc. And she kept after me about getting it working so she could get online even though I kept telling her that she probably couldn't even set up an email account on something that old.

Those were the specs of the first computer we got.  It couldn't even go on the internet in 1997.  We used Juno, a freemail program.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: brawndolicious on July 18, 2012, 12:49:19 AM
I kinda feel conflicted about this, since I worked at a Best Buy for a little bit. On the one hand, it always sucks to see a company in its death throes, especially when you know someone working there. OTOH, that Seeking Alpha article is pretty convincing in its argument that Best Buy is almost done.

My employer, Walgreens, has been in business for over 110 years. How did they manage to keep with the times while many other businesses went by the wayside? It's the question for the ages, IMHO.

It's obvious to everyone here, though, that big electronics retailers are soon to be a thing of the past. Why bother getting something from Best Buy when you can probably find it cheaper at Amazon, or a mom-and-pop retailer, or at a swap meet or anywhere else?

Well it's certainly easier to buy electronics online and with no person-to-person contact than it is to buy prescriptions/groceries. The only downside is that you want see/feel the product before buying it if it's a TV or a computer.

I don't even know if mom-and-pop electronics stores exist anymore and isn't a swap meet a flea market? I've never seen a TV for sale at a flea market.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Groogrux on July 18, 2012, 11:26:22 AM
Mom-and-Pops electronics stores = Walmart (see: the death of every small community retailer)

Swap Meet = Craigslist or sometimes Facebook groups (see: the internet has made us incapable of actual socialization)
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: BlueTsunami on July 18, 2012, 11:52:14 AM
Now I can't look at giant plasmas I'll never own
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bork on July 18, 2012, 12:19:39 PM
seriously, though, i wouldn't have come down like this if i wasn't tired of EVERY FUCKING FAMILY MEMBER AT EVERY GATHERING *TELLING* ME THAT I "NEED TO FIX THEIR PC." like i am not only expected to do so, i am OBLIGATED to do so because a) i am related; b) i am a fucking nerd; and c) i work with computers for a living. fuck 'em.

This is what is definitely so fucking annoying now.  There was even one gathering that started on a Friday- I get home from work, tired as hell, we go to my parents' house, and the first thing that happens when I walk in the door is my aunt getting in my face with "YOUR UNCLE CAN'T GET HIS LAPTOP WORKING!!  HE BROUGHT IT OVER FIX IT NOW!!!!!!" I responded with a loud "Yeah, 'cause the first thing I want to after a long day at work is MORE FUCKING WORK."  I still ended up doing it though.  Really pissed me off.

Then a few weeks ago I got a text from my aunt saying "YOUR UNCLE GOT A NEW LAPTOP.  SET IT UP FOR HIM.  HIS NUMBER IS XXX-XXXX."  I called my father to rant about it and he told me that some years back, he got their ancient PC running and they wouldn't leave him alone for months and months whenever they had ANYTHING happen with the PC.  He suggested I tell them I'd charge money for it.  I texted my aunt with that back and didn't hear anything back about it.   :lol  It also turns out that my uncle is paranoid about not having email access but insists on buying cheap, crappy old used laptops, won't get a smartphone, and doesn't use a web-Email service- he insists on using Outlook.  :spin

Had another uncle blow up and get all pissed off when I suggested he password-protect his wireless network, too- "YOUR COUSIN SET THIS UP HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING!!!!"   :maf
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Eel O'Brian on July 18, 2012, 12:22:59 PM
"My computer is being gay and running slow."
"How many open programs, browser windows, and tabs do you have open on this $300 laptop with 2GB ram that you say is being gay?"
"...I count 14."
"I submit, sir or madam, that it is not your computer that is being gay."
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: ferrarimanf355 on July 18, 2012, 01:33:21 PM
Isn't Amazon like a flea market, just online?

I also forgot Costco. You can buy a 3DHDTV with your ten-gallon jar of mayo.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: chronovore on July 18, 2012, 02:42:18 PM
How safe is it to order a TV on Amazon? I mean, it would have to be delivered to your home by FedEx or some other thrower. That can't be good for it.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Mupepe on July 18, 2012, 03:27:58 PM
How safe is it to order a TV on Amazon? I mean, it would have to be delivered to your home by FedEx or some other thrower. That can't be good for it.
When I ordered from Amazon it was a freight company that delivered it but mine was a 65 inch.  I don't know what they do with smaller sets.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bork on July 18, 2012, 03:32:45 PM
Hmm...

http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_21087775/best-buy-shifts-from-layoffs-hiring-adding-500
Quote
Best Buy shifts from layoffs to hiring: adding 500 Geek Squad agents

By John Welbes
jwelbes@pioneerpress.com
Posted:   07/16/2012 12:01:00 AM CDT
Updated:   07/16/2012 10:01:57 PM CDT

Questions being answere at the Geek Squad Solution Central at the latest Best Buy prototype store in Richfield Friday afternoon June 29, 2012. (Pioneer Press: John Doman)

Less than two weeks after announcing 600 staff cuts in its Geek Squad service team, Best Buy Co. says it plans to hire 500 new agents for that unit in coming months.

The shift coincides with increased demand from Geek Squad customers who need cross-platform work, which could include whole-house networking of multiple devices and services for small businesses.

The new employees will be spread out among Best Buy stores nationally and at Geek Squad's remote support channel that serves customers online, said Paula Baldwin, a Best Buy spokesperson.

When word of the Geek Squad layoffs came on July 6, the cuts appeared to be focused on repair and home electronics installation positions. The new hires, geared more toward higher-end service, will also help Geek Squad build its contract business that gives customers unlimited access to work on their PCs and tablets, with terms of a year or more. The service will include virus removal, operating system and software installation and repair and other trouble-shooting duties, Baldwin said.

When Richfield-based Best Buy announced a major reshuffling of its business earlier this year, it also noted it will sell support services to small businesses, including securing data.

Geek Squad employees who earlier were notified that their jobs would be eliminated will have an opportunity to apply for the new jobs or other Best Buy openings, Baldwin said. Required credentials for Geek Squad jobs can include various industry
accreditations "depending on the specific job," Baldwin said. The company also tests "for technical proficiency, as well as for passion and curiosity."

The shift in the 500 to 600 jobs would represent about 3 percent of the Geek Squad's 20,000 employees.

In its most recent quarterly earnings report released last month, Best Buy noted a 2.3 percent decline in sales of services. The decline "was primarily due to a decrease in computer services revenue" that resulted in a shift from "one-time repair services to ongoing technical support service contracts," the company said.

The 600 Geek Squad job cuts announced a few weeks ago were among 2,400 job cuts announced that week, which included reductions in store employees' ranks.

All of the moves at Best Buy are tied to an overhaul of the business announced in March, as the company faces increased competition from online rivals and customers who are increasingly willing to shop around.

That overhaul included the immediate closure of 50 stores and 400 job cuts at the company's Richfield headquarters. Many of Best Buy's big box stores also are being shrunk in size.

Best Buy stock, which started the year at $23.68 per share, closed Monday at $18.90, down 10 cents.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bork on July 18, 2012, 04:17:49 PM
Isn't Amazon like a flea market, just online?

A flea market with way better customer service and selection I guess, sure.

I don't see how Amazon is any different than buying from Bestbuy.com- only they actually have the products in stock.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: BlueTsunami on July 18, 2012, 05:48:33 PM
From shitty electronics store to shitty PC service
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Phoenix Dark on July 18, 2012, 06:56:21 PM
"Come to our store, we'll fix your Apple device"

(http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/9061/smugdon.png)
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Positive Touch on July 18, 2012, 07:01:08 PM
best buy positioning itself as the leader in the stable and forever-expanding area of extortion-price pc repair
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Van Cruncheon on July 18, 2012, 07:13:54 PM
"best buy: because not everyone has a passive nerd family member(tm)."
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Phoenix Dark on July 18, 2012, 07:16:42 PM
Earlier this year one of the staff members at work suggested we buy new speakers for one of the computers because they were broken (no sound). Guess what the solution was

spoiler (click to show/hide)
un-muting the sound in the computer's audio control
[close]
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bork on July 18, 2012, 11:06:55 PM
Earlier this year one of the staff members at work suggested we buy new speakers for one of the computers because they were broken (no sound). Guess what the solution was

spoiler (click to show/hide)
un-muting the sound in the computer's audio control
[close]

This is like 99% of all audio-related problems!
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on July 18, 2012, 11:12:24 PM
Hmm...

http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_21087775/best-buy-shifts-from-layoffs-hiring-adding-500
Quote
Best Buy shifts from layoffs to hiring: adding 500 Geek Squad agents

By John Welbes
jwelbes@pioneerpress.com
Posted:   07/16/2012 12:01:00 AM CDT
Updated:   07/16/2012 10:01:57 PM CDT

Questions being answere at the Geek Squad Solution Central at the latest Best Buy prototype store in Richfield Friday afternoon June 29, 2012. (Pioneer Press: John Doman)

Less than two weeks after announcing 600 staff cuts in its Geek Squad service team, Best Buy Co. says it plans to hire 500 new agents for that unit in coming months.

The shift coincides with increased demand from Geek Squad customers who need cross-platform work, which could include whole-house networking of multiple devices and services for small businesses.

The new employees will be spread out among Best Buy stores nationally and at Geek Squad's remote support channel that serves customers online, said Paula Baldwin, a Best Buy spokesperson.

When word of the Geek Squad layoffs came on July 6, the cuts appeared to be focused on repair and home electronics installation positions. The new hires, geared more toward higher-end service, will also help Geek Squad build its contract business that gives customers unlimited access to work on their PCs and tablets, with terms of a year or more. The service will include virus removal, operating system and software installation and repair and other trouble-shooting duties, Baldwin said.

When Richfield-based Best Buy announced a major reshuffling of its business earlier this year, it also noted it will sell support services to small businesses, including securing data.

Geek Squad employees who earlier were notified that their jobs would be eliminated will have an opportunity to apply for the new jobs or other Best Buy openings, Baldwin said. Required credentials for Geek Squad jobs can include various industry
accreditations "depending on the specific job," Baldwin said. The company also tests "for technical proficiency, as well as for passion and curiosity."

The shift in the 500 to 600 jobs would represent about 3 percent of the Geek Squad's 20,000 employees.

In its most recent quarterly earnings report released last month, Best Buy noted a 2.3 percent decline in sales of services. The decline "was primarily due to a decrease in computer services revenue" that resulted in a shift from "one-time repair services to ongoing technical support service contracts," the company said.

The 600 Geek Squad job cuts announced a few weeks ago were among 2,400 job cuts announced that week, which included reductions in store employees' ranks.

All of the moves at Best Buy are tied to an overhaul of the business announced in March, as the company faces increased competition from online rivals and customers who are increasingly willing to shop around.

That overhaul included the immediate closure of 50 stores and 400 job cuts at the company's Richfield headquarters. Many of Best Buy's big box stores also are being shrunk in size.

Best Buy stock, which started the year at $23.68 per share, closed Monday at $18.90, down 10 cents.

Sounds like a death spiral.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: ferrarimanf355 on July 19, 2012, 01:01:19 AM
Isn't Amazon like a flea market, just online?

A flea market with way better customer service and selection I guess, sure.

I don't see how Amazon is any different than buying from Bestbuy.com- only they actually have the products in stock.
And better prices, don't forget that.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: CajoleJuice on July 19, 2012, 01:08:25 AM
How safe is it to order a TV on Amazon? I mean, it would have to be delivered to your home by FedEx or some other thrower. That can't be good for it.
When I ordered from Amazon it was a freight company that delivered it but mine was a 65 inch.  I don't know what they do with smaller sets.

My 42 inch got white glove fucking treatment.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Mupepe on July 19, 2012, 11:18:26 AM
I would have touched your 42 incher with my bare hands :drool
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bork on July 19, 2012, 01:55:14 PM
How safe is it to order a TV on Amazon? I mean, it would have to be delivered to your home by FedEx or some other thrower. That can't be good for it.
When I ordered from Amazon it was a freight company that delivered it but mine was a 65 inch.  I don't know what they do with smaller sets.

My 42 inch got white glove fucking treatment.

Same.  I got mine later than expected, but that was due to a major ice storm in the area that shut everything down for a week- the delivery people still got me the TV when there was a lot of ice on the roads and there were no problems whatsoever. 
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: G The Resurrected on July 19, 2012, 06:46:12 PM
I just got my tv from amazon and the shipper they used (CEVA Logistics) was late and a real pain in the ass to deal with. They couldn't find our place and it took 30+ minutes of back and forth to get them to deliver the tv. We ended up having to find them cause they were lazy assholes. I'm now the happy owner of a larger samsung 60 inch plasma. Its gorgeous! I would have got it at bestbuy but I got a better deal out of buying it from amazon.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bdoughty on July 20, 2012, 12:06:13 AM
around the ages of 18-22 going into best buy was like being a 10 year old and going into a toys r us. it was magical

Going to age myself a bit but way back in the day when Toys R Us had those flip cards for games showing front and back covers (how this idea died off is beyond me) and inventory cards/out of stock that you took to the counter to purchase or pre-order.  Those were the days.

Kinda makes me miss a time when a Waldensoftware was around in a shopping mall near you. A great place for stuff until Electronics Boutique started running them.

Link for fellow old farts

http://waldensoftware.com/

See, they had those Preferred customer deals way back when, just did not have the internet to bitch about it. Just imagine all the magazine racks left standing upright back then and there were so may magazines back in the day. ;)

http://waldensoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/WS-Pricie-Sticker-Comparison-Closeup.jpg
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Mr. Gundam on July 20, 2012, 02:39:46 AM
around the ages of 18-22 going into best buy was like being a 10 year old and going into a toys r us. it was magical

Going to age myself a bit but way back in the day when Toys R Us had those flip cards for games showing front and back covers (how this idea died off is beyond me) and inventory cards/out of stock that you took to the counter to purchase or pre-order.  Those were the days.

Those were the days. There were something pretty damn wondrous about going to TRU, grabbing the paper slip and taking it to the person at the game counter.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Himu on July 20, 2012, 04:29:01 AM
Yup, that was badass.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Human Snorenado on July 20, 2012, 05:00:15 AM
I remember doing that for Phantasy Star II as a shitheaded little 13 year old or whatever.  God damn that game.  Still so good.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bork on July 20, 2012, 10:00:15 AM
It was awesome being able to hide that last slip of paper in another aisle and coming back later to grab the last copy of the game!   :lol
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bork on July 20, 2012, 02:39:08 PM
Same-day shipping?  :drool

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/technology/general/view/20220719amazon_eyes_same-day_delivery_sales_tax_part_of_package_if_co_charts_new_course/srvc=home&position=4
Quote
Retailers in the Bay State and beyond have lobbied for e-commerce powerhouse Amazon to collect its fair share of state sales tax.

But this may soon be the quintessential case of be careful what you wish for.

Sure, Amazon’s ability to undercut prices is a tough break. But imagine how much worse it could be for retailers if the wondrously successful site turns the market upside down by delivering products at all hours of the day, on the date of purchase.

That’s the prospect right now, according to recent reports that Amazon, led by CEO Jeff Bezos, is striking agreements to pay sales tax in states throughout the nation as part of a plan to open warehouses near populous areas and provide same-day delivery.

The Retailers Association of Massachusetts estimates that doing so would add $25 million to $45 million per year to Bay State coffers from Amazon alone.

Jon Hurst, association president, and other retail experts believe Amazon, which did not respond to requests for comment, is planning to move forward with this major shift in its business model. Recent reports also suggest the company will do its own deliveries, forgoing FedEx, UPS and other services.

“It’s a concern,” said Hurst. “Small retailers are going to have to find a way to keep prices in line, but enhance their services to compete with that quick delivery.”

He added: “The power of the smartphone is making it difficult for local sellers.”

But Colin Sebastian, analyst at Baird Research, said same-day delivery service by Amazon would put the squeeze on big box stores such as Target and Best Buy — not mom-and-pop stores that carry unique items.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: G The Resurrected on July 20, 2012, 02:44:13 PM
It was awesome being able to hide that last slip of paper in another aisle and coming back later to grab the last copy of the game!   :lol

I remember doing this when the N64 came out I hid all of the ones for the games I wanted. I even hid the console one. While everyone else was waiting to get there console's and scrounging to find them at other retailers. I went and picked up the slips behind an old gamegear game.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: Huff on July 20, 2012, 03:09:16 PM
We used Best Buy all the time in undergrad, we would buy copies of games on sale for 10/15 bucks that walmart was still selling for 49/59 and trade them in for mad profit.
Title: Re: Best Buy is apparently almost finished
Post by: bork on July 20, 2012, 04:35:30 PM
We used Best Buy all the time in undergrad, we would buy copies of games on sale for 10/15 bucks that walmart was still selling for 49/59 and trade them in for mad profit.

 :lol I did this a lot too, but mainly before Best Buy was in the area- Toys R Us tended to have shitty high prices on SNES games.  I remember buying Faceball 2000 new at a Software Etc. for $14.99 then returning it to Toys R Us for $59.99 and getting Super Street Fighter II when it came out.

Electronics Boutique also let me return games for credit without receipts, until one day this unlikeable dickhead there was prompted to manager and stopped all the fun.   :'(  I quit going there for a while and resumed this when he left the store a few months later.