Best Buy Death Pool, also Instant Karma

[Eel O'Brian]

I'm gonna say April 2015 for my local store.

First, they recently fired a shitload of their floor managers (one of my friends had been a manager for 12 years and got the boot). Now no one seems to know what they're doing or where anything is, so they just walk around aimlessly and avoid eye contact, hoping they don't have to answer questions. I've been in there twice over the past month and had to leave empty-handed because no one could find what I was looking for, even though it was listed in stock on the website. The last time was the BL2 Vita bundle, a $200 sale blown. Five motherscratchers walked that store for 20 minutes and couldn't find the case they were in.

Anyway, this is why I know they're fucked. It's just a singular example, but it typifies every visit I've made there over the past six months:

Tonight I go in there to get a keyboard, and there are more floorwalkers than customers. You know a retail store is not long for this world when you overhear the employees joking about wearing costumes and dancing by the road to drum up business.

I find this boxed bundle, the Logitech PC Gaming Essentials Bundle. Keyboard, Headset, Gaming Mouse, Mouse Pad. No price anywhere.  I take it up to the (empty) front register to get it scanned and the lady kind of rolls her eyes and sighs about having to scan all the bar codes on the side of the box.

Sorry I interrupted your daydream at the EASIEST FUCKING JOB IN THE WORLD. I worked from 7 am until 10:30 pm at my job the other day, painting an apartment where the previous tenant decided the walls were a great place to fingerpaint with what appeared to be actual shit. But hey, sorry to be such a hassle by making you hold a scanner upright for five seconds and wanting to give you money and all.

Anyway, it's $89.99. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/logitech-gaming-headset-keyboard-mouse-mouse-pad-package/9999215500050016.p?id=pcmprd214400050016

I take it back and look at the retail prices for all the shit in the box, around $170 if bought separately, not a bad deal at all. So I go back, she scans my Reward Card, scans the stuff, and immediately goes into hard-selling me on their warranty/replacement. I'm not interested, but she keeps going on to an annoying degree, you're not going to find another headset this cheap, blah blah blah. Not interested. She give me the total, and says it's $62.59. Are you sure, I ask? She gives me that look someone gives you when they mistake a perfectly normal question for you insinuating they're stupid. That's what it says, and jams a finger at the screen. I figure maybe I got a discount from the Gamer Club thing, or something? Maybe? Whatever.

Buzzer goes off when I'm walking out the door. Door guard tells me I'm okay. That's when I knew for sure. She was so intent on upselling me a warranty on the headset that she totally missed scanning the keyboard. I mean, I wasn't trying to get over, and I did think about turning around for 1.75 seconds, but then I remembered that attitude, and all the previous bullshit, and kept right on stepping.

TL; DR: This store has fucked itself beyond fixing, dudes.

[Phoenix Dark]

The only time I remember our Best Buy still exists is when my parents sheepishly tell me they spent $600 on a bad computer and I say "...you went to Best Buy again, didn't you."

[Joe Molotov]

I got Zelda: A Link Between Two Worlds for free at Best Buy like that. Got to my car and checked my receipt because it seemed a lot less than I thought it would be be. Noticed they forgot to scan it, oh well, I'm already in my car. 

That's weird that they hassled you about a warranty though, I've never had anyone at my local BB ask me if I wanted a warranty for anything.

[Eel O'Brian]

Don't get the impression that I'm an asshole to these people. If anything, I'm overly polite and apologetic in tone. I remember working retail, and what shitheads customers can be. Way back when I worked at Roses on evenings/weekends during High School I had to step in and back some old fucker off who had the girl in electronics near tears, yelling at her for not knowing some little detail about a TV. I told him "Man, this store sells thousands of things. We make the wage. They don't pay us enough to memorize every product. Go to an electronics store if you want details, we just do cheap." So I get it. This store has just collapsed into total apathy, though. I mean, I think it's kind of funny, but pretty soon I'm gonna have to order everything online, and I don't like ordering shit like TVs online where you can't check them out first. I wish they'd get their shit together.

[Great Rumbler]

I always end up going to Best Buy for whatever reason and almost every visit consists of me walking aimlessly through the aisles for about 20 minutes and then leaving with nothing.

[Rusty Shackleford]

I seem to recall Best Buy did what Home Depot did several years ago - fired the experienced employees (in Home Depot's case, semi-retired tradesmen) to cut down on labor costs and remain competitive with online stores. Home Depot has since dumped that CEO and tried to recover. Hopefully Best Buy reverses course too on letting old hands go.

After hearing about Amazon's bitchmade moves with Hachette's books, I ended up going to Best Buy for a new TV instead of Amazon. Best Buy has been pretty aggressive with markdowns to compete with Amazon so the price diff was negligible. God help us if Amazon drives BB/Barnes & Noble out of business.

I've only had bad experiences with BB/HD in smallish cities elsewhere. The ones around here are usually staffed pretty well but they are pretty annoying with those damn protection plans at BB. Makes sense since it's pure profit for them, more or less. Of course, most of the stores in the area are "flagship" stores apparently so I'm spoiled or something.

[benjipwns]

I think I read in something that the Home Depot/Lowe's/Menard's group is going back to that hire people who know things like "how to use a paint mixer" because more people actually do want expert guidance/advice ala your local ACE/True Value which is generally still run by the guys who have been there forever and know exactly what size washer you need for some obscure fence or something.

And that part of the surge of "classes" being offered at those places is also due to this and to teach the younger employees.

[thisismyusername]

God help us if Amazon drives BB/Barnes & Noble out of business.

Already started, hasn't it? Or just the shutdown here that was under the guise of "our lease is over and the renter doesn't want to let us extend it" wasn't so much a smokescreen.

I only go into Best Buy if I'm over in that part of town for Steam Wallet and PSN cards. Otherwise I generally try to avoid it. The DVD/Blu-rays are overpriced and that section along with the CD's has shrunk significantly over the past ten years. Throw in their Apple section is small and the employees aren't as smart (IMO) on said Apple products like the Apple store 100 miles or so away and yeah... they also don't really have very many Computer Parts, which I guess makes sense since barely anyone would build a PC around here. But as a general electronics and entertainment store it's kinda lacking.

[benjipwns]

Yeah, it's weird how Best Buy slimmed down in such a way that they don't really have many advantages or differences left, whereas Radio Shack transformed into basically a mobile store while maintaing their random electronics junk in the back section.

The local Best Buy's even got rid of like their speaker room, car section, or some of the more extensive TV/appliance displays, which is kinda the point of being able to see the products in reality. One for their fridges and stuff has like two and then like a wall chart of others they "have in stock" rather than on the floor.

[Quaker]

If you have that much trouble with employees not giving a shit you should try using the in-store pickup on the website. You can still "get it now" or take advantage of their sales without wasting time wandering aimlessly. A month ago I picked up a new Macbook Air for $750 instead of $900MSRP when they were clearing out last year's model and I was in and out in less than 5 minutes plus they didn't try to upsell me on anything.

Their decline is pretty sad though. There's already less competition than when Circuit City was around and I don't want to see what happens to Amazon unchecked.

[Mupepe]

My best buy will price match almost anything. I love it for that reason. I would never buy anything there full price though. 25 dollars for a 3 year old blu ray? L-o-fucking-l

[TVC15]

My local Best Buy has declined soooo much in the past 5 years.  It used to be a pretty upscale store, but now it seems more like a Wal-Mart.

[G The Resurrected]

I've made it a point to support this company more than I should. If only cause its the last large format nationwide electronics store. Yes over the past few years they have gotten rid of almost all full time employees. But it is only to survive the amazon retail war. I buy games from them mostly due to saving 20% off along with their rewards program. It beats Amazon and Target any day especially since Target changed return policy on games.

[Quaker]

Are you talking about Target's insane 90 day return policy that didn't use to exclude games?

[G The Resurrected]

Are you talking about Target's insane 90 day return policy that didn't use to exclude games?

Yeep it was great cause you knew a deal would happen in those three months. It now is considered a modified return policy. Some games and movies have to be returned within 7 or 15 days of purchase.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

A month ago I wanted to buy a game and a couple of Blugays on impulse.  I knew the Best Buy selection has shrunk so I decided to check the availability of the items before going in there.  I went in there and the games section is almost nothing although for some reason, they had a shelf full of used PSP games.  The games weren't sorted alphabetically but eventually I found the game I wanted.

I went to the video section and despite being told what I wanted was available on the website, it wasn't there.  I asked for help.  An employee who made it clear that he did not give a shit did a cursory look at the titles and didn't find it.  I asked if he could look it up and see if they have it in stock and that the website showed that it was available to pick up.  He visibly balked at this and asked if I looked at the website correctly to see if it really was in stock.  I still had it on my phone and showed it to him.  He said, "I guess the website is wrong.  Sorry, man" and walked off.  I decided not to get anything at Best Buy but as I was at the exit, sure enough, the movies I wanted were there.  This dipshit didn't want to look it up in the system even though I was maybe one of a dozen customers milling about in the store.  I could have asked someone who did give a shit or complain but then I realized that Amazon is a much better experience, Best Buy didn't deserve my $90 or whatever it was going to be, and I could wait a couple days for Amazon to ship the stuff I wanted.

I'm not going into Best Buy again.  It's a shame because 15 years ago, going into one of those stores was an event.  Not sure when this particular store will close since it's in a run down part of town but I wouldn't be surprised if it stays up for more than two years.  Then again, Best Buy in general may not be around in a couple of years.

[Rusty Shackleford]

God help us if Amazon drives BB/Barnes & Noble out of business.

Already started, hasn't it? Or just the shutdown here that was under the guise of "our lease is over and the renter doesn't want to let us extend it" wasn't so much a smokescreen.

I only go into Best Buy if I'm over in that part of town for Steam Wallet and PSN cards. Otherwise I generally try to avoid it. The DVD/Blu-rays are overpriced and that section along with the CD's has shrunk significantly over the past ten years. Throw in their Apple section is small and the employees aren't as smart (IMO) on said Apple products like the Apple store 100 miles or so away and yeah... they also don't really have very many Computer Parts, which I guess makes sense since barely anyone would build a PC around here. But as a general electronics and entertainment store it's kinda lacking.

I think BB and B&N have both entertained offers to go private. B&N has also spun off its Nook line and I think it used to own Gamestop, actually.

BB really does seem to be hit-or-miss as far as customer service goes. Store to store, it can be completely different. I guess the store's tone comes from the GM? I dunno.

Circuit City realized too late that it had dumped its one advantage over Amazon by firing its experienced floor staff. Best Buy seems to be slowly waking to the same realization. Knowledgeable sales staff and aggressive price-matching may help stabilize retail stores. BB's new commercials seem to be playing that angle.

We don't want Amazon as the sole national electronics retailer. If it faces no brick and mortar competition, of course it'll start to jack its prices up. As the Economist pointed out, it's practically already a monopsony as far as publishers go.

[Eel O'Brian]

Anyhow, the keyboard (or should I say "freeboard" lolcoughahem) that came in the bundle is pretty good:

http://gaming.logitech.com/en-us/product/g105-gaming-keyboard

It's not mechanical, but it has the larger mechanical-type keys with a deeper throw, which is what I was shooting for. I can handle chiclet keys on a tablet keyboard, but I don't care for them at the desktop, and my last keyboard had tiny keys. It's backlit, which is nice, and has 6 programmable keys on the side with game profiles in the software. Also has a button that disables the windows and menu keys while you're playing. Pretty basic gaming keyboard, but I mainly got it for typing, and I like the feel of the larger keys. Most standard keyboards nowadays have tiny keys and feel mushy. I'm eventually going to get a mechanical keyboard, but I don't want to spend more than $100 so I need to do some research.

The mouse is nice, but it only has two buttons, so I'll probably stick with my regular wireless mouse for normal use and buy another dedicated gaming mouse with side buttons.

The mouse pad is, well, a mouse pad. It's big as hell, and thin. Don't buy mouse pads.

Haven't used the headset yet. I already have a headset. I'm sure it's fine.

I was just going to buy the g105 keyboard, but they were out of stock except for the ones in the bundle.  Considering what I paid, I might leave the headset unopened and sell it along with the mouse (opened but unused).

[etiolate]

I went to best buy today looking for three things. That G105 keyboard, Orwells CD, and one of those all in one record players. They had none of those items. It seems they barely carry CDs now. In fact, the store seemed devoted to mobile/phones, high end Audio/Video and then an appliance section nobody visits. The PC area was also kind of sad and lifeless.

[bork]

Missed this thread completely.

I don't go to Best Buy very often, but the last few times I've been there pretty much echo the experience that Eel had in the OP.  My last trip there was to get Borderlands 2 for Vita.  Their game section is a wasteland and it is now impossible to tell what they have in stock; the website will say they have something, but it's never on the floor.

I wanted to ask someone for help, but nobody was around.  I mean nobody.  Not even the annoying guys wandering around, trying to get you to sign up for [cable service company]; they've recently moved onto greener pastures at Costco instead.

So I had an idea and walked over to their laptop/tablet section, then started messing with one of the devices.  Within an instant, someone was on me asking if I needed help.  Was told to go to the register to ask.  It took five people to realize that they needed to check the cage, containing new media items, which was right behind them all, for the game.  The general attitude of the place reeked of defeat and it was pretty clear that nobody gave a shit about their jobs here.  That's nothing new, but I mean even more than usual.

This particular store was once the top BB location in Atlanta, from what I heard.  I would find that very hard to believe now.  They moved from one end of the shopping center to another in 2013 and while the store is bigger and generally much-nicer looking inside, it also looks far, far emptier.  Both in items for sale and in customers/employees.  Their prices generally suck, sure, but that's typical for any brick and mortar store.

Meanwhile stores like Microcenter and Fry's carry the same type of stuff and have been packed when I've gone there, which also isn't that often-- most of my shopping is done online.

If you have that much trouble with employees not giving a shit you should try using the in-store pickup on the website.

Was afraid to do this last time I couldn't find something, because I wondered how long it would take for someone to even notice an order had come in and then to try to find it.

[Mupepe]

The in store pickup is usually fast for the stores in my area.  Within like 30 minutes I get an email saying it's ready for pickup

[Eel O'Brian]

I've done in-store pickup before. I usually do it around the holidays. I've never had a problem with it, but the vita thing probably would have been a giant hassle since no one could find them. They'd have had to put the money back on my card.

[bork]

The in store pickup is usually fast for the stores in my area.  Within like 30 minutes I get an email saying it's ready for pickup

"Within 30 minutes" is pretty long when you're already in the store.   

[Brehvolution]

They have iPad minis for $199 in store only I think.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/ipad-mini-20140611

[Mupepe]

The in store pickup is usually fast for the stores in my area.  Within like 30 minutes I get an email saying it's ready for pickup

"Within 30 minutes" is pretty long when you're already in the store.   

oh haha  I thought you meant before you go.  Yeah it would take too long at that point.

[Arbys Roast Beef Sandwich]

I only go to Best Buy if they have some insane deal on games or peripherals; even then I just do in-store pickup and grab it on the way home. Otherwise I work half a mile away from a Fry's. Now THAT store is staffed by way worse idiots than your average Best Buy but at least I know enough to not ask them anything and just grab what I need from the shelf.

Though where I live there are a ton of rich, non-tech savvy cacs whose first choice for their electronics/camera purchases is Best Buy so I don't think any Best Buy location near me is closing down anytime soon.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Oh man. Fry's associates can barely find their ass with both hands. You damn well better know what you're going in the store to get 'cause you ain't getting any help.

Fry's actually started out as more of an electrical engineer/electrician parts & supply store. The one in Fountain Valley used to be a lot smaller, with dingy aisles that you could see over. Resistors and capacitors galore. I think when that NASA-looking store in Anaheim was built in the mid 90's was when they really expanded into consumer electronics.

[Shadow Mod]

My dad went over to BB to buy the HD tv they got now. Surprised they don't just go all out on TVs/screens. That's the shit people want to see in person who aren't going to research the best crap online for hours.

[Rusty Shackleford]

I think that's why they have that Magnolia section. It's higher end products with more sales attention(?). I think they pushed it as a reaction to Amazon and online shopping - play up the in-person angle. That is a good point, though. They really should just downsize the CD/DVD/games and really focus on computers and TVs. Push the stuff that people like to play with before they buy.

[chronovore]

Fry's is such a soul-eating experience. I really dislike the place; I've never had such hostile "assistance" before or since.

[a slime appears]

I remember when Best Buy first opened near me and they had insane prices on music CDs. They were actually responsible for the local Virgin Megastore closing which in hindsight is sad because their music selection was seriously awesome way back when.

I like huge electronic retailers though. I still miss Incredible Universe which is still to this date the greatest electronics store in existence. It blew my mind when I was a kid since a typical visit usually involved a trip to the McDonald's located inside to grab lunch, catch a live action stunt show on their performance stage in the middle of the store, and then I got to play any video game on the market since they had kiosks setup for every console in mid 90's and you could literally play anything they had in stock. IT WAS A DREAM COME TRUE I TELL YOU.

[Mupepe]

Fry's is such a soul-eating experience. I really dislike the place; I've never had such hostile "assistance" before or since.

Fry's near me used to be great.  I used to have a side business of building PC's for people and the staff was always helpful and their selection was great.  Now I get some douche in there telling me the RAM I'm buying won't work and trying to upsell me RAM that's not compatible.  The guys there don't actually know shit about building a PC.  Overhearing the advice they're giving people is rage inducing.  At least in Best Buy the people are straight up clueless and the teenagers walking around will just say "I don't know".  But in Fry's these dbags are acting like experts. 

[Arbys Roast Beef Sandwich]

FWIW, I've always had a much better CS experience at Micro Center compared to Fry's. They actually seem to know their shit and aren't assholes about it.

[TVC15]

I buy at Fry's but I just don't listen to their associates.  I just bought my new, awesome gaming laptop there.  And the TV I bought that was accidentally way more giant than the one it was replacing.

[Shadow Mod]

Clueless sales staff and better prices online means why bother with brick and mortar. Worst part is a lot of them put the damn place out of business you could get great assistance.

[chronovore]

Fry's is such a soul-eating experience. I really dislike the place; I've never had such hostile "assistance" before or since.

Fry's near me used to be great.  I used to have a side business of building PC's for people and the staff was always helpful and their selection was great.  Now I get some douche in there telling me the RAM I'm buying won't work and trying to upsell me RAM that's not compatible.  The guys there don't actually know shit about building a PC.  Overhearing the advice they're giving people is rage inducing.  At least in Best Buy the people are straight up clueless and the teenagers walking around will just say "I don't know".  But in Fry's these dbags are acting like experts.

Wow. I've never had misinformation; I was accustomed to them telling me to go ask a person responsible for the section I was in, or or even outright pretending not to hear me in a couple cases. Another thing that kills the joy of shopping there is their return policy. It is always a pain returning stuff there, even if it's within 10 days and they've sold me a lemon, they're acting like I'm trying some tricky business.

Yeah, screw 'em.