Author Topic: Best Buy's Redesign is what chased me away (Read 2898 times)

MrAngryFace · « **on:** September 21, 2011, 02:50:59 PM »

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/21/companies-where-employees-losing-hope_n_973485.html#s367673&title=1_Best_Buy

Quote

Best Buy recently released earnings and they were much worse than Wall St. expected. Net income fell to $177 million, or EPS of $0.47, for the quarter ended Aug. 27, down from $254 million, or EPS of $0.60, last year. Analysts expected EPS of $0.52, according to a survey by FactSet. Best Buy dropped its forecast for the balance of the year. It took the action because of concerns about TV and phone sales, along with worry about the economy. Best Buy has had a string of earnings failures, due primarily to its failure to do well online. Best Buy recently said its website would carry items from third-party stores to expand its attraction to shoppers. This did nothing to improve the perception that investors have of the company. Fitch downgraded Best Buy in June. The company's shares are off 30% in the last year. Shares of rival Amazon are higher by 60% for the same period

I walk in these days and all I see are fuckin phones n shit. I want dvds n games n music damnit. Now I just amazon everything to avoid the goddamned scavenger hunt required to find a movie at Best Buy.

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #1 on:** September 21, 2011, 02:52:17 PM »

I do 90% of my media shopping at Amazon. 8% at Fry's and 2% at Best Buy. They've got X-men First Class on BD for $17.99, so I'll be stopping by after work today.

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2011, 02:53:19 PM »

Quote from: Billy Rygar on September 21, 2011, 02:51:42 PM

People still buy dvds

Sorry, meant Bluray- though I still generally buy guilty pleasure television viewin on DVD - Burn Notice, Castle, etc

The Sceneman · « **Reply #3 on:** September 21, 2011, 02:59:21 PM »

ruh roh

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #4 on:** September 21, 2011, 03:05:11 PM »

I haven't bought anything from Best Buy in ages, despite going there fairly often.

Mupepe · « **Reply #5 on:** September 21, 2011, 03:24:57 PM »

I haven't bought anything from Best Buy in a long time. I used to only go for movies or games but they usually have the worst sales. I go to Gamestop or Amazon for those. Every other electronic I go to Fry's or specialty stores. Best Buy is pretty much useless

Rman · « **Reply #6 on:** September 21, 2011, 03:42:26 PM »

Amazon and their sweatshops are killing big box retail.

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #7 on:** September 21, 2011, 03:47:43 PM »

Quote from: Rman on September 21, 2011, 03:42:26 PM

Amazon and their sweatshops are killing big box retail.

Truth

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/20/amazon-allentown_n_971851.html

Quote

Some employees worked 11-hour days during the holiday season and others were forced to maintain their productivity levels, even during the summer heat, The Morning Call reported. That might be what it takes to get the giant boost in sales Amazon saw last year.

The company says otherwise. Amazon officials told The Morning Call in an emailed statement , "the safety and welfare of our employees is our No. 1 priority," in response to complaints forwarded to the company by the paper.

(Read the entire story of alleged Amazon.com abuse here.)

But this isn’t the first time Amazon has been in hot water over the company’s working conditions. Amazon required some employees to work seven days a week and scared others out of taking sick leave, according to a December 2008 report from The Times of London.

Reading this made me feel like shit. Then I opened up my package from Amazon that contained my 8 dollar WarHammer 40k novel.

Rman · « **Reply #8 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:01:20 PM »

Quote from: MrAngryFace on September 21, 2011, 03:47:43 PM

Quote from: Rman on September 21, 2011, 03:42:26 PM
Amazon and their sweatshops are killing big box retail.

Truth

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/20/amazon-allentown_n_971851.html

Quote
Some employees worked 11-hour days during the holiday season and others were forced to maintain their productivity levels, even during the summer heat, The Morning Call reported. That might be what it takes to get the giant boost in sales Amazon saw last year.

The company says otherwise. Amazon officials told The Morning Call in an emailed statement , "the safety and welfare of our employees is our No. 1 priority," in response to complaints forwarded to the company by the paper.

(Read the entire story of alleged Amazon.com abuse here.)

But this isn’t the first time Amazon has been in hot water over the company’s working conditions. Amazon required some employees to work seven days a week and scared others out of taking sick leave, according to a December 2008 report from The Times of London.

Reading this made me feel like shit. Then I opened up my package from Amazon that contained my 8 dollar WarHammer 40k novel.

Yep. That's what i was referring too. It's all over the internet.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #9 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:01:58 PM »

I haven't bought anything from Best Buy in ages. Last time I went was to pick up my uncle's computer; he let the geek squad install a sound card and usb mouse for $80 because he didn't believe I could do it. smh

Cheebo · « **Reply #10 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:02:49 PM »

Amazon killed book stores, they are clearly going to do the same to dvds/blurays and the like.

The Sceneman · « **Reply #11 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:04:26 PM »

Quote from: Rman on September 21, 2011, 03:42:26 PM

Amazon and their sweatshops are killing big box retail.

" deal with it "

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #12 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:12:05 PM »

Quote from: Cheebo on September 21, 2011, 04:02:49 PM

Amazon killed book stores, they are clearly going to do the same to dvds/blurays and the like.

and people, apparently

Mupepe · « **Reply #13 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:15:08 PM »

I try to find stuff in store before I go to Amazon. If I can't find it or it's obnoxiously overpriced (more than a few bucks compared to Amazon) then I buy it online.

Cheebo · « **Reply #14 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:15:55 PM »

The biggest loss is browsing. Searching on Amazon just isn't as much fun as browsing a giant bookstore or endless shelves of movies.

Mupepe · « **Reply #15 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:17:59 PM »

Quote from: Cheebo on September 21, 2011, 04:15:55 PM

The biggest loss is browsing. Searching on Amazon just isn't as much fun as browsing a giant bookstore or endless shelves of movies.

Truth.

2nd is having things right then and there. Getting a package in the mail 3 days later isn't nearly as exciting as the ride home with your new toy excited as fuck to open it when you get home.

Positive Touch · « **Reply #16 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:18:42 PM »

and then when you find something good on the shelf, you think "could i get this cheaper on amazon?"

Mupepe · « **Reply #17 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:21:02 PM »

Quote from: Positive Touch on September 21, 2011, 04:18:42 PM

and then when you find something good on the shelf, you think "could i get this cheaper on amazon?"

That's what a smart phone is for

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #18 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:27:31 PM »

There was a sort of thrill to finding something I didnt even know I wanted at stores in the past.

Mupepe · « **Reply #19 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:28:23 PM »

well there's a thrill in impulse purchases. I love going "window shopping" and walking out with something I could have lived without but for those few minutes I felt like I couldn't.

I get thrills from online impulse purchases. But it's only when something is on sale and I can't pass it up. I'm more critical of my purchases online.

Himu · « **Reply #20 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:30:03 PM »

Stores > online shopping

but online shopping is cheaper

I got my dad's LOTR boxset for like 90 bucks. It was 71 dollars or so on the WB shop online and I made it next day shipping. in stores it'd probably be msrp, which is around 120?

Mupepe · « **Reply #21 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:30:08 PM »

I dunno. I've got a friend who works at the Houston warehouse for teh evilz Wal Mart and he's never said anything like that about his job. He's fairly happy there.

Mupepe · « **Reply #22 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:31:09 PM »

Quote from: Stringer Bell on September 21, 2011, 04:30:03 PM

Stores > online shopping

but online shopping is cheaper

I got my dad's LOTR boxset for like 90 bucks. It was 71 dollars or so on the WB shop online and I made it next day shipping. in stores it'd probably be msrp, which is around 120?

I got mine for 30 bucks

We were at Half Priced Books and we saw some dude take it up to the window to sell it and they told them they'd give him 10 bucks. He declined and walked away. I intercepted and offered him 20, he said 30. I said deal!

Himu · « **Reply #23 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:34:40 PM »

Half Priced Books owns

Cheebo · « **Reply #24 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:36:46 PM »

The new extended edition blurays for 30? Wow. I think I got it for 80 something when it came out a few months ago.

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #25 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:37:06 PM »

I gave up on taking books into Half Price- its pretty much ROBBERY and a lot of fucking work. All DVDs/BluRays/Books/CDs I dont want go straight to the library. Fuck working hard for 15 dollars.

Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #26 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:38:49 PM »

yeah warehouse work sucks dick

Cheebo · « **Reply #27 on:** September 21, 2011, 04:40:05 PM »

Anyone remember media play? Books and video games in the same store was awesome

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #28 on:** September 21, 2011, 07:46:50 PM »

Quote from: Cheebo on September 21, 2011, 04:40:05 PM

Anyone remember media play? Books and video games in the same store was awesome

That's pretty much what Hastings is. Books, CDs, DVD/BDs, Videogames, Boardgames, random Hot Topic crap. It's pretty cool.

fistfulofmetal · « **Reply #29 on:** September 21, 2011, 10:46:44 PM »

Online shopping > retail stores

Join us in the future, old fogiee.

chronovore · « **Reply #30 on:** September 21, 2011, 10:59:44 PM »

Quote from: The Business on September 21, 2011, 10:45:57 PM

I don't see why knowing that you bought something from a company where the employee worked an 11 hour shift or was "forced to maintain productivity levels" (does that mean they had to do their job?) would make you feel bad. That's called working. If participating in that makes you feel bad you should probably stop being a consumer.

I've also got to say that when I see an Amazon tab open in my browser I get just as excited--if not more--than the prospect of going shopping at Best Buy or Barnes and Noble. While I used to really like both, Amazon has more stuff for better prices, and has reviews. I frequently find myself looking up stuff on Amazon on my phone in a Best Buy or Barnes and Noble to see if whatever I'm looking at is shit or not, but I never wish I was in a physical store when I'm shopping on Amazon. Plus, the downside of retail stores is that they are filled with people I have to see or talk to. Dumb people in the aisles, milling about, looking at dumb things and doing dumb things. I don't have to interact with any people on Amazon. The wait thing doesn't bother me either. I'm an Amazon prime member so 2 day shipping is free and next day shipping is only like $3.95 or something. I fucking love Amazon.

If knowing the workers were keeping a tough schedule, were overworked, and sometimes laid off at the end of the schedule, makes you uncomfortable, and you should definitely give up playing videogames.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

You shouldn't give up vidjo games. It's just work.

[close]

Van Cruncheon · « **Reply #31 on:** September 21, 2011, 11:00:49 PM »

if best buy actually had high-end gear (read: laptops and pc parts that aren't cheap crap) i'd shop there

BlueTsunami · « **Reply #32 on:** September 21, 2011, 11:51:50 PM »

What I hate is that the allure of Best Buy is seeing some electronic device physically and being able to use it and make an informed decision based on the physical aspects instead of just paper specs. But my local Best Buy tends to not have certain devices hooked up at all (just dummy devices or not powered on). This tends to be the case for a good amount of their cameras. Its one of the reasons I haven't visited one for a while (aside from an emergency cord purchase but they didn't even have the cord I needed. Ended up going to Monoprice). But I guess this is all first world problems.

Cheebo · « **Reply #33 on:** September 22, 2011, 07:36:32 AM »

Basically it seems like the only stores not doing badly/going out of business is places that sell food or clothes. The internet hasn't really figured out how to replace those ones yet.

Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #34 on:** September 22, 2011, 08:16:31 AM »

Quote from: Van Cruncheon on September 21, 2011, 11:00:49 PM

if best buy actually had high-end gear (read: laptops and pc parts that aren't laughably overpriced cheap crap) i'd shop there

added for lol

Brehvolution · « **Reply #35 on:** September 22, 2011, 08:17:19 AM »

Pretty much. BB's prices are what turn me away.

Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #36 on:** September 22, 2011, 08:28:20 AM »

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/PNY+-+NVIDIA+GeForce+GTX+460+1GB+GDDR5+PCI+Express+Graphics+Card/1234118.p?id=1218239484650&skuId=1234118&st=gtx%20460&cp=1&lp=4

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133326

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #37 on:** September 22, 2011, 09:02:28 AM »

Best Buy's videocard prices are always hilarious. Get you some crusty old cards for $200+, yeah boy.

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #38 on:** September 22, 2011, 09:05:23 AM »

Quote from: Joe Molotov® EDGE™ on September 22, 2011, 09:02:28 AM

Best Buy's videocard prices are always hilarious. Get you some crusty old cards for $200+, yeah boy.

Van Cruncheon · « **Reply #39 on:** September 22, 2011, 10:42:38 AM »

Quote from: The Business on September 21, 2011, 11:12:52 PM

What are you talking about? They have the 27" iMac.

i said "high end" not "high priced garbage"

Bloodwake · « **Reply #40 on:** September 22, 2011, 08:44:00 PM »

Quote from: Cheebo on September 21, 2011, 04:40:05 PM

Anyone remember media play? Books and video games in the same store was awesome

There's a store that still sells books, video games, and blu-rays.

www.hastings.com

Overpriced? Hell yes. However, the only retailer I can find really obscure blu-rays at other than the internet.

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #41 on:** September 22, 2011, 08:58:08 PM »

Quote from: Bloodwake on September 22, 2011, 08:44:00 PM

Quote from: Cheebo on September 21, 2011, 04:40:05 PM
Anyone remember media play? Books and video games in the same store was awesome

There's a store that still sells books, video games, and blu-rays.

www.hastings.com

Overpriced? Hell yes. However, the only retailer I can find really obscure blu-rays at other than the internet.

But the best will always be:

http://www.hpb.com/

bork · « **Reply #42 on:** September 23, 2011, 09:38:07 AM »

Media Play was awful. They had the worst prices I had ever seen...they still had new SNES and Genesis games well into the 32-bit era, selling for $70-$80.

Quote from: Mr. Gundam on September 21, 2011, 02:52:17 PM

I do 90% of my media shopping at Amazon. 8% at Fry's and 2% at Best Buy. They've got X-men First Class on BD for $17.99, so I'll be stopping by after work today.

Yup, only for me it's more like 99% Amazon, 0.8% Fry's and 0.2% shitty-ass Best Buy. Amazon almost always has lower prices, plus I'm on prime for free, so I get everything from them nice n' fast for nothing or next to nothing.

There's a Best Buy right down the street from my apartment. They just moved to a bigger storespace in the same shopping center and redid the whole inside of the store. Like MAF said, the games and movies are more "difficult" to get to amidst the sea of phones and other crap, and there's now like 30 people on the floor, standing around doing nothing, since they have less check-out areas now (WTF? I don't even want to think about how bad it's going to be during the holidays...they went from like 10 registers to THREE).

I always tend to go to these stores looking for something, and even if the price is decent, I end up checking Amazon and ordering the item from them instead.

TL; DR: Brick n' mortar stores LOLOLOLOLOL.

BlueTsunami · « **Reply #43 on:** September 23, 2011, 10:07:39 AM »

Media Play was def' cool for window shopping. It was still around my area in my teens and I have some distinct memories of the place. I remember having my Mom buy me this album when I was around 13...

...an artist known for this track...

bork · « **Reply #44 on:** September 23, 2011, 10:55:27 AM »

Quote from: The Business on September 23, 2011, 10:34:31 AM

lyte edge, how are you on prime for free?

My father has prime, and had the option to give it to two family members for free. My brother and I got it.

News:

Author Topic: Best Buy's Redesign is what chased me away (Read 2898 times)