I can't speak for the Geek Squad (as I have never needed to use them), but they price match to Amazon (and several other online stores), and will generally have what I am looking for (at least for consumer electronics). I know that I will get it that day (vs. Amazon's "two day shipping" that regularly turned into three or four days) at an Amazon price, it will certainly NOT be a counterfeit, and I don't have to give my information so I don't feel like I am being tracked.
Lately my items generally show up on time but badly packaged. I would say 9 of the last 10 books I bought on Amazon have had some kind of visible damage, from minor cover dings to folded covers and ripped pages. The worst is when they put a single book into a bubble envelope that is so oversized the book can slide around and rotate a full 360 degrees inside the packaging. This is essentially a trade paperback book in an evvelope large enough to hold a textbook. I have avoided returns because I don’t want to get banned from Amazon over my satisfaction with a $12 book (they are known to fire customers with too many returns), but I have started purchasing the books I want that I see in indie shops at full list just to avoid this disappointing experience.
I've had a lot of "two day" Amazon shipping turn into 3 or 4... the arrival date even on Amazon will show in the past for a few days.
What used to be a sure thing from Amazon, I now just think of as "maybe".
Having said that the crazy mess (tiny isles and disorganized) and $20 USB cables were Best Buy stores made me give up on them a long time ago. I've visited a few times recently to hopefully get a look at some laptops, but they always only had a collection off odd models and wonky specs.
One issue I have with Amazon is the lack of a concrete return policy. I was looking in to order a relatively bulky item (soundbar) and I wasn't sure if I would like it. The best item-specific return policy information I could get was that I "may" have to pay for return shipping and that I "may" be charged a restocking fee.
I went to a brick and mortar store instead, bought the same product for the same price with a well-defined return policy. I ended up not being impressed with the sound and was able to return it without hassle.
For small items where out of pocket return shipping wouldn't be too expensive I'll go to Amazon, but for large items I'll stick to places with a local presence.
I also was recently in the market for a laptop and the listings for Amazon were so confusing and full of pitfalls it reminded me of the bad old days of eBay. Like three-line item titles making it hard to discern what model you were buying. I ended up buying from Best Buy.
After getting multiple counterfeits from Amazon (including Ships/Sold from Amazon.com) due to the inventory commingling, if Best Buy stocks it, I'll go there instead.
As long as the SKU matches. A lot of products tend to have a Best Buy specific SKU which prevents you from price matching on amazon, because amazon doesn't sell the same exact product. I had this happen a few years ago when purchasing a router.
"I don't have to give my information so I don't feel like I am being tracked."
Uhhh, you for sure will.
First - BB is very aggressive on getting this stuff from you cleanly, i.e. name, addy, phone number - so they can 'track you'.
Second - VISA/MC transactions will absolutely be used for that and they'll try to match up their in-store with online experiences. FYI - Visa/MC/Amex will literally sell your transaction data to almost anyone. I went in to do a deal with Amex, their only concern was selling us all sorts of your buying data.
I was sold a set of counterfeit Powerbeats3 headphones at Best Buy about a year ago. No reason to be suspicious initially, but battery life, range, and pairing were never great. They stopped working after a month, and I brought them back to Best Buy. The attendant looked carefully at the headphones and told me that they wouldn't accept the return because the serial number on the headphones didn't match the one on the box or receipt.
Anyone want to tell me how that could happen?
In any case, I called Apple, and they said that the serial number on my headphones was a duplicate and sent me a new set. Range, battery life, and pairing with the legit model are now all great.
There's both a Best Buy and Microcenter near me (I feel very fortunate about this). I always buy from one of those two when I can instead of Amazon. It's always preferable to not deal with shipping at all, especially considering receiving packages at an apartment complex is never quite ideal, and it's always same-day.
There are other benefits as well. A year ago, I was trying to decide between a 27" 1440p 16:9 144hz monitor vs. a 34" 1440p 21:9 100hz monitor. Microcenter made it super easy for me to just try out both and return one. I suppose I could've done this with Amazon but it wouldn't have been as straightforward. (I went with the latter, for what it's worth.)
> vs. Amazon's "two day shipping" that regularly turned into three or four days
Where are you that this is true? This is directly opposite of my experience. I genuinely can't remember the last time a Prime/2-day shipment was delayed. In fact, I'll routinely and deliberately pay a premium to purchase something via Amazon Prime (both within Amazon and across internet vendors) precisely because of the confidence I have in their shipping reliability. No one else comes close, frankly.
That said, in fact I don't tend to buy BestBuy-style products at Amazon very often, precisely because these things are available at competetive prices at retail. Amazon wins for things I don't feel like "shopping" for.
> vs. Amazon's "two day shipping" that regularly turned into three or four days
I find this experience interesting. Here in the UK amazon offers next day delivery (and in same cases, same day delivery), and often delivers next day even when they don't claim they will.
Generally agree w/ your sentiment but don't assume you aren't being tracked. You most assuredly are. If you get a chance, try looking up how retailers are now sharing/selling "Level 3" data with some 3rd parties.
The counterfeit issue seems to be getting worse, not better. It's also become harder to differentiate legitimate listings from the manufacturer versus a third-party. I bought my smart TV from Best buy simply because I don't trust Amazon anymore. I'm having a hard time thinking what I wouldn't be suspicious of on Amazon...clothes are regularly counterfeit, colognes, electronics... Maybe books?
> I know that I will get it that day (vs. Amazon's "two day shipping" that regularly turned into three or four days)...
I've been seeing a big uptick in this, as well.
When I asked support, they gave me a response about "we only guarantee two days shipping time". There's no guarantee on order-to-ship time, and I've seen it go from reliably a couple of hours to 2-3 days at times.
But that call-in "customer support" is a deal killer. I made an online purchase, a cheap antenna (thank goodness). It arrived in a box with my address taped on it but with customized shirts inside. Boxes were damaged during shipping and when put back together, someone got my stuff and I got theirs. UPS - "it's not on us, contact Best Buy". So I decided to use this to test Best Buy's customer support. I call. Foreign accent. I explain very carefully, slowly, in detail. She didn't listen to a thing I said. Started asking questions that did not pertain to the situation whatsoever. More explanation. 10 minutes in. 15 minutes. Finally she says, oh, I have a tracking number right here and your new shipment is on its way! I said, give me the tracking number, a little surprised she found the solution so suddenly. She read it off. It was the identical tracking number of the damaged box I had just received, and UPS showed it delivered to my house already of course (the one with the shirts inside). Anything to get me off the line. I called her bluff and said "That's the same tracking number as the box that was already delivered and had shirts inside". She said "Well, it's not our responsibility anyway." Me, "goodbye". Only $15 (and 20 minutes of time) to determine to what extent Best Buy cares about customer support, and to guide my purchasing decisions accordingly.
After reaching out to their customer service to try and resolve it, the next call should've been to you bank. You could've disputed the charges and gotten a refund pretty easily.
I've had similar issues with Verizon support reps. What I've started doing is if I get the feeling they're not helping, I just hang up and call again. At least with Verizon I'd say 50% of agents know what they're talking about, so usually that works.
I know this is a shitty solution (and to be honest, I've never had to do the same with Amazon) but it does help.
A tiny side note, it used to be the same everywhere, but recently (I'm in Paris) businesses start to care about customer support. To the point they even advertise it quite visibly on commercials (all local tech support). There might be a change.
On that note, it's tiring to read your experience.. I had better help from minuscule ebay sellers somewhere in China..
Conversely, Amazon customer support is world-class. I've had multiple instances of things arriving DoA, or breaking some months later, and every time I've hopped on the text chat Amazon has just shipped me a new one without asking for the old one back
Like most Americans I order a shitload from Amazon. However the last item I bought from Best Buy was a TV (my old LG just ... died).
Ordered online, chose to pick up in store.
Drive 35 min to store
Pickup process takes 10-15 min
Drive 35 min home.
Left after dinner, was watching it that evening.
The only condition that would have prevented me from using this model would be traffic, as it could extend the trip by 60-90 minutes and would also increase my stress significantly.
Whereas Amazon would take 2-3 days (maybe more) and I'd be shitting bricks worrying about it getting damaged and being forced through the horrors of shipping a return.
This is rather off-topic, but the only thing that saddens me about Best Buy is that it just doesn't feel the same walking in as it used to.
I remember when I got my first job, at age 14, in 1998. I cut, baled, loaded, hauled, and stacked hay in a barn for a local farmer. It was extremely hot and tiring work for an overweight geek, but it paid better than anything else I could have gotten at that age - I was paid by the bale and I want to say it worked out to about $6 / hour. I saved all summer with nothing in mind other than "I want to buy a cool tech gadget!"
At the end of that summer I convinced my grandfather to drive me ~90 miles to the nearest Best Buy, and walking in that day was the best feeling in the world - a whole store full of cool toys that I didn't have! I walked out that day with one of the first MP3 players, a Diamond Rio PMP300, and a 32MB SmartMedia card. I spent about $350 on them, which my family thought was absurd.
I proceeded to go home and fill it with songs I downloaded from UseNet, and took it to school. I went to a rural school, and I don't think anyone had a clue what it was - several people asked me if it was a MiniDisc player. I explained to them what an "MP3" was.
I wish I could recapture the feeling of walking into Best Buy in the 90s. These days I have pretty much every tech item I want, and there are very few things there that can hold my interest. It makes me a little bit sad to walk through the doors and not be excited about what I'll find. It's pretty much the very definition of a First World Problem, but it is what it is.
Back then, I wasn't really wanting "toys" as much as I was thirsting for knowledge and fields to explore. That little MP3 player introduced me to UseNet, then Napster, and finally Gnutella. It ended up being a pretty big part of what got me interested in technology in general and development in particular - I went from "Hey, this is cool, free music!" to "Hmm... LimeWire is open source, I wonder if I can figure out how to fix this bug..." over the few years following.
Ultimately, it led me to my career. I wouldn't quite go so far as to credit Best Buy with that, but it's fair to say that the store contributed a great deal to building my interest in a technology.
You really can't beat going into a physical store for a large ticket item purchase. No waiting for shipping, easy to return, viewing the product in store.
Recently purchased a MBP from Bestbuy. The first one I received had noticeable back light bleeding near a screen corner. Walked back in the store the next day to return. The process from an online retailer would have taken weeks.
Yesterday, I went into a Best Buy for the first time in ages because I needed a USB A to USB micro b cable and I was on the road in a small city (fewer than 50K).
I was surprised by how clean, well-organized, and well-staffed it was. When I asked where such cables were (not having yet left the front of the store because, not having a lock with me, I needed to stow my bicycle up front), the associate on the floor came over and directed me precisely and accurately to where the cables were.
I hope Best Buy figures out how to stick around because the cable I bought is actually pretty nice (braided cable) and I like having the option to buy quality electronic accessories from a clean storefront when I'm on the road (i.e. urgent electronics need and I don't want a low-quality no-name throw-it-away-after-5-uses knock-off).
Their prices are not too bad anymore. They usually are about the same as online prices and returns are easier in store, so I have got a few things from Best Buy. Most recently a Macbook for my wife was $50 cheaper in Best Buy vs in the Apple store.
Don't forget, Best Buy's Geek Squad has been acting as an extension of the FBI for awhile. The FBI regularly pays Geek Squad employees to report on suspected illegal activity worth investigating further. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/03/geek-squads-relationsh...
I worked at the Richfield HQ in 2010 before Joly came in and it was a disaster working there. Environments would go down and stay down for hours or days. I would come in at 8am and not be able to work until 1 or 2pm. They had such a consistent turn over, they would have 3rd party vendors and have no idea who the contact was or what company actually operated large chunks of their network. They essentially had a 70-80% contract workforce so the code was unbearable to deal with. Nobody cared about how bad the code was, they just cared the site looked nice. The amount of hacks I saw were shocking. Writing a 25 line script to indent an H3 title two spaces? Yeah, that was pretty common.
I left after 8 months. Several of my friends stayed on and noticed how different it was when Joly came on. Several years on, things have gotten significantly better. They've modernized a lot of their apps (even through their website is still clunky and old) and are in the process of revamping their site to a far more modern stack. Joly cleaned house and brought in people who want to modernize their software, and from what I know now, the people who stayed on are a lot happier nowadays.
I did a couple of 2-year stints there as a contractor; about a dozen years ago, and a few years ago. When I worked there most recently, my team was at first given a lot of leeway to use our own toolsets and and processes, things were going well, but then we got caught up in some turf battles between the IT and BBY.com organizations and everything kind of fell apart. Everybody left or got let go and they eventually offshored our team. Regardless I think things are way better than the Brian Dunn years.
I noticed that in the article, Joly gave back the employee discount and said it was a big morale booster. I think morale is important, especially for retail. Employees run the business, and store floor employees are the face of the business.
I've gone to Best Buy mainly for store pickups - but generally a good experience. One time I was there for pickups, and in general looking for a new vacuum cleaner...so I wandered over there. An employee approached me with a positive demeanor and asked if I had any questions, and even asked if I wanted a demo. I gently declined, she said I can find her if I have any other questions and she didn't bother me.
I didn't buy my vacuum cleaner from there...I found a clearance at Walmart that had great reviews. But if I wanted to buy one at retail value (or at least, non-clearance price) I'd go to Best Buy...good customer service, and they'll match anyone.
Happy employees = good business. I work for a big company, and management always does surveys. One of the biggest complaints is we don't get free coffee. The executives addressed it and responded...no free coffee. Would you rather want free coffee, or hire more employees? (funny thing is we're not hiring)
I was almost hired a few years ago to work on OpenStack at BB HQ, any word on how that project went? I've heard through the grapevine that the project was scrapped.
Amazon won me over with "real two day shipping". It was truly glorious when I signed up. It lulled me into this constant consuming state - shipping was so fast (and 'free' with prime) I could just mindlessly order any thing without waiting for a big shipment. I would order from Amazon a few times a day for days on end - any random thing I remembered I needed. It would all quickly stream into my house - I stopped even thinking about shipping and delivery days. It was wonderful.
They lost me with "not really two day shipping." Today, two-day shipping means "two days from when we ship it, not counting weekends, and not counting however long it takes for us to actually process the order, and then not even actually two days." 'Free two-day shipping' often comes in about a week for me. My constant state of consumption was interrupted by going days thinking, 'where is that thingamajig I needed to finish that project?' - often manifesting by ordering something on Mon/Tues assuming it would be here for a weekend, only to have it not show up in time, forcing me to run to the local hardware store (or whatever) and then return my Amazon item.
I still buy some stuff on Amazon - mostly things that I don't really care about when it comes as long as it comes. I've gotten into the habit of compiling lists at home of stuff that I absolutely need at a certain time and then making trips to local stores when needed, including Best Buy.
Similar to a lot of people in this topic, I recently visited a Best Buy for the first time in years, and was impressed with the new interior and layout.
I ended up leaving and buying what I needed on Amazon though. I had limited time in the store and didn't feel knowledgeable enough to choose between a handful of products, so I went home to do some research before ordering.
I wonder if Best Buy would benefit from a lounge, where you can sit down in peace, read product reviews, and browse online to make an informed purchase. Or maybe they could have tablets on stands next to groups of products with reviews. For example, you go to the printer section, and there's a tablet that shows all the printers and their user reviews. Then you can quickly compare options, sort by price, and see what printers are best reviewed.
Sometimes I try to check reviews in a store with my phone, but I usually feel out of place standing in an aisle for 15 minutes looking at my phone. So, it would be cool if they had a place where you could actually sit down for a while to educate yourself and make a decision.
If I'm browsing around a Best Buy, I almost always pull put an item i am looking at on Amazon, so that I can check for price match and check reviews/research.
kind of a reverse of the old model of playing with something in store, then buying it online.
I remember years ago on HN, there’d be debates over whether it was ethical or decent to go into a Best Buy store, then do a price check and order on Amazon, effectively using BB and other brick-and-mortar stores as showrooms. I remember the debate seeming split on generational lines, with younger folks pointing out that BB should adapt or die, and older folks arguing that brick-and-mortar was at a huge disadvantage no matter how low they cut prices, and that shuttered stores were a blight on real-life communities.
I still buy most of my stuff of Amazon but the nearby Best Buy stores are good enough that I see them almost as a premium shopping experience. Not at the level of Apple of course, but good enough that I’m happy to spend money there. I think the turnaround moment was a few years ago when I noticed a premium wireless mouse going for an incredibly low $20. When I tried to checkout, the cashier said that according to the system, it appeared the mouse was labeled wrong on the shelf, to the tube of $40 off. But without hesitation he gave me the discount anyway.
I would’ve predicted back when Amazon released its Price Check app that Best Buy would be decimated. I don’t use their tech support/consulting so I still am surprised they are surviving. Ironically, I now take advantage of Amazon in order to buy at BB. When I see something I like on the shelf, I check to see if the Amazon reviews are good. If so, I can buy it without the same level of nagging doubt about the product’s authenticity.
The moral arguments extend beyond "brick and mortar" vs online. I think the bigger issue is how they treat their employees. One company uses "third party contractors " to skirt labor laws and has their employees pissing in bottles to stay in good standing.
Ironically, I now take advantage of Amazon in order to buy at BB. When I see something I like on the shelf, I check to see if the Amazon reviews are good. If so, I can buy it without the same level of nagging doubt about the product’s authenticity.
Same here! Amazon's a cesspool of Chinese knockoffs buoyed by for-pay reviews, but any item that's also sold at Best Buy must be legit (since BB went through the trouble of sourcing and buying it), so Amazon ends up being a great place for real reviews.
Recently I've found myself at Best Buy a few times after not having been in years. There's a few reasons.
For big ticket items like TVs, Amazon usually isn't much cheaper if they are at all like it seemed to be a few years ago. Being able to see them in person and take them home same day is also nice.
Amazon's listings are mess. Sometimes the listing are just skeevy looking and have missing or wrong information. Even when the listing looks good, I'm not always sure I'll get quite what I ordered. I've already started to basically not use 3rd party sellers, but even when Amazon is listed as the seller, I've gotten items that were clearly used(when they were supposed to be new) or just not the right item, once being a counterfeit of what I was ordering.
I also noticed that for "gravy" items like cables and stuff, where Amazon was often 3 or 4 times cheaper, Best Buy is at least not as bad as they were in the past. They've still got some very overpriced options, but they also have some more reasonably priced options. So now its a decision to spend $3 or $4 more on that HDMI cable at Best Buy when I get the TV rather than $15 more. The decision to to spend the couple more dollars at Best Buy for the cable isn't just convenience, but is bolstered by cheaper items on Amazon being even more of a crapshoot than they were in the past.
I actually think it's Amazon that has the poor business model, and I'm puzzled how it's working for them. They are usually not competitive on price compared to other sites, and sometimes it's the same price off the shelf at Best Buy. Big ticket items from Amazon usually have free shipping, but it's a 3-4 day wait unless you pay for "free" shipping by joining Prime. But I quit Prime a few years ago after 10 out of my last 10 orders arrived late. I can understand the convenience of using a single website, but when you can find the same items elsewhere for $30-$40 cheaper, I don't see why more people aren't shopping around.
It's amazing how many things Best Buy is doing right that have largely gone unnoticed over the last few years. While still not perfect, they've done more than almost any other retailer I can think of to modernize the shopping experience, while leveraging their existing advantages:
* Local Inventory with Google Shopping - if I search for almost any product on Google, Best Buy is usually the only major retailer that shows me local inventory for that product. I can't believe how few major retailers do this. If I search for an external hard drive on Google, I can see right away if I'm able to go down the street and pick it up.
* In Store Pick Up - this is almost as seamless as picking up an order at the Apple Store. Just yesterday I placed an order for in-store pick up at my local Best Buy. 20 minutes later I received a confirmation email that my order was ready, and all I had to do was show my ID when I showed up to the store. No signing a receipt, or making sure I had the credit card I placed the order with. The whole process took less than 3 minutes, and I could even add additional name(s) of people who were authorized to pick it up for me.
* Open-box items - I know these can be hit or miss, but at least with Best Buy you can inspect open box items before deciding to take them home (as opposed to Amazon Warehouse, where you have to go through the process of shipping it back if it's not what you expected). They even have these "outlet items" highlighted on both their app and website, so I can see which Best Buys around me have a specific open box item I'm looking for.
* Geek Squad Protection - this isn't perfect, and it can be expensive, but it's nice to know that if something goes wrong with a large item (such as a TV or appliance), someone will actually come to my house to check it out. They are also very willing to give you a brand new replacement if the repair is going to be expensive or labor intensive. I know I probably sound like an old fogey, but dealing with factory warranties directly through the manufacturer is always such a pain, and they almost never offer a full replacement.
* Best Buy APP - their app is great! It keeps track of all of my orders, and even tells me when something I've bought has an open recall. I think Target is the only company that does a better job combing both the in-store and e-commerce aspects into a single app.
They've also IMO done a good job keeping the in-store experience consistent between locations. I'm sure there are still some locations that have less helpful employees, or less reliable inventory, but this is happening less often for me.
Yes I'd second the comment on local inventory control in general - unlike other box stores with "fuzzy" inventory listed online, Best Buy seems to have a very accurate representation of what is in each store. If I want an item now I have high confidence that when I go there it'll be there for me to pickup.
Best Buy still exists mainly because you can go and demo the gadgets. For certain things, you want to see them in person and they always price match Amazon for anything Amazon has cheaper.
I bought an 85" 4K tv a few years ago and it was not a cheap item. Do you really think someone would just buy something for $10k on Amazon and hope it is ok? I also paid them to have a team of 3 people come and install it on my wall. This is a case where the local store beat the online store.
Over the last few months, I decided to try and reduce my Amazon.com shopping as much as possible. As a result, I have been doing my item finding on Amazon and then going out and buying the item at a brick and mortar. I find it to be an interesting reversal. It has also been pretty shocking to see how much money I save when I don't have a Prime account. It turns out that most things I want are things that I don't actually need.
I went to Best Buy recently on a whim to try and _not_ by something from Amazon.
I had found a product on the Best Buy website, a $79 55-65 inch LCD/Plasma corner wall mount. So I drove to the store and looked for it. This was roughly 2 months after Christmas.
The store had about 300 units of a $199.99 version and 0 units of any thing the below $150...
I spent about 15 minutes looking for somebody to tell me what I already expected, they only carry the expensive one in store.
I bought the same brand (slightly different model number off Amazon.com [likely to prevent price matching]) while in the Best Buy for $69, shipped to my house.
It was $10 cheaper, I didn't need to leave my house, I didn't need to talk to anyone...
Best Buy completely lost my sale because they didn't have inventory and pushed a more expensive and way higher margin unit ...
I was so disappointed because I really, really tried to _not_ buy from Amazon.
It's no wonder Amazon is eating the world while only being mediocre... Retailers are simply botching any advantage they have (being local) for the last 15 years...
(disclosure: I worked for Sears Electronics department part time for about 3 years while going to college [sears no longer sells electronics like Televisions or radios])
[+] [-] kop316|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jurassic|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] duxup|7 years ago|reply
What used to be a sure thing from Amazon, I now just think of as "maybe".
Having said that the crazy mess (tiny isles and disorganized) and $20 USB cables were Best Buy stores made me give up on them a long time ago. I've visited a few times recently to hopefully get a look at some laptops, but they always only had a collection off odd models and wonky specs.
[+] [-] biggc|7 years ago|reply
I went to a brick and mortar store instead, bought the same product for the same price with a well-defined return policy. I ended up not being impressed with the sound and was able to return it without hassle.
For small items where out of pocket return shipping wouldn't be too expensive I'll go to Amazon, but for large items I'll stick to places with a local presence.
[+] [-] emodendroket|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dahdum|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sc00ty|7 years ago|reply
As long as the SKU matches. A lot of products tend to have a Best Buy specific SKU which prevents you from price matching on amazon, because amazon doesn't sell the same exact product. I had this happen a few years ago when purchasing a router.
[+] [-] sonnyblarney|7 years ago|reply
Uhhh, you for sure will.
First - BB is very aggressive on getting this stuff from you cleanly, i.e. name, addy, phone number - so they can 'track you'.
Second - VISA/MC transactions will absolutely be used for that and they'll try to match up their in-store with online experiences. FYI - Visa/MC/Amex will literally sell your transaction data to almost anyone. I went in to do a deal with Amex, their only concern was selling us all sorts of your buying data.
But it's nice to get stuff 'same day' :)
[+] [-] Stubb|7 years ago|reply
Anyone want to tell me how that could happen?
In any case, I called Apple, and they said that the serial number on my headphones was a duplicate and sent me a new set. Range, battery life, and pairing with the legit model are now all great.
[+] [-] nilkn|7 years ago|reply
There are other benefits as well. A year ago, I was trying to decide between a 27" 1440p 16:9 144hz monitor vs. a 34" 1440p 21:9 100hz monitor. Microcenter made it super easy for me to just try out both and return one. I suppose I could've done this with Amazon but it wouldn't have been as straightforward. (I went with the latter, for what it's worth.)
[+] [-] ajross|7 years ago|reply
Where are you that this is true? This is directly opposite of my experience. I genuinely can't remember the last time a Prime/2-day shipment was delayed. In fact, I'll routinely and deliberately pay a premium to purchase something via Amazon Prime (both within Amazon and across internet vendors) precisely because of the confidence I have in their shipping reliability. No one else comes close, frankly.
That said, in fact I don't tend to buy BestBuy-style products at Amazon very often, precisely because these things are available at competetive prices at retail. Amazon wins for things I don't feel like "shopping" for.
[+] [-] nicoburns|7 years ago|reply
I find this experience interesting. Here in the UK amazon offers next day delivery (and in same cases, same day delivery), and often delivers next day even when they don't claim they will.
I have had problems with counterfeits though.
[+] [-] misterbwong|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] coleifer|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ceejayoz|7 years ago|reply
I've been seeing a big uptick in this, as well.
When I asked support, they gave me a response about "we only guarantee two days shipping time". There's no guarantee on order-to-ship time, and I've seen it go from reliably a couple of hours to 2-3 days at times.
[+] [-] chaostheory|7 years ago|reply
This is the competitive advantage that retailers without 3rd party sellers need to further emphasize
[+] [-] dropfrog|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] MichaelApproved|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ApolloFortyNine|7 years ago|reply
I know this is a shitty solution (and to be honest, I've never had to do the same with Amazon) but it does help.
[+] [-] tjr|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] agumonkey|7 years ago|reply
On that note, it's tiring to read your experience.. I had better help from minuscule ebay sellers somewhere in China..
[+] [-] Torn|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gwbas1c|7 years ago|reply
But really, as someone else pointed out, you should have charged back.
[+] [-] josefresco|7 years ago|reply
Ordered online, chose to pick up in store.
Drive 35 min to store
Pickup process takes 10-15 min
Drive 35 min home.
Left after dinner, was watching it that evening.
The only condition that would have prevented me from using this model would be traffic, as it could extend the trip by 60-90 minutes and would also increase my stress significantly.
Whereas Amazon would take 2-3 days (maybe more) and I'd be shitting bricks worrying about it getting damaged and being forced through the horrors of shipping a return.
[+] [-] LyndsySimon|7 years ago|reply
I remember when I got my first job, at age 14, in 1998. I cut, baled, loaded, hauled, and stacked hay in a barn for a local farmer. It was extremely hot and tiring work for an overweight geek, but it paid better than anything else I could have gotten at that age - I was paid by the bale and I want to say it worked out to about $6 / hour. I saved all summer with nothing in mind other than "I want to buy a cool tech gadget!"
At the end of that summer I convinced my grandfather to drive me ~90 miles to the nearest Best Buy, and walking in that day was the best feeling in the world - a whole store full of cool toys that I didn't have! I walked out that day with one of the first MP3 players, a Diamond Rio PMP300, and a 32MB SmartMedia card. I spent about $350 on them, which my family thought was absurd.
I proceeded to go home and fill it with songs I downloaded from UseNet, and took it to school. I went to a rural school, and I don't think anyone had a clue what it was - several people asked me if it was a MiniDisc player. I explained to them what an "MP3" was.
I wish I could recapture the feeling of walking into Best Buy in the 90s. These days I have pretty much every tech item I want, and there are very few things there that can hold my interest. It makes me a little bit sad to walk through the doors and not be excited about what I'll find. It's pretty much the very definition of a First World Problem, but it is what it is.
Back then, I wasn't really wanting "toys" as much as I was thirsting for knowledge and fields to explore. That little MP3 player introduced me to UseNet, then Napster, and finally Gnutella. It ended up being a pretty big part of what got me interested in technology in general and development in particular - I went from "Hey, this is cool, free music!" to "Hmm... LimeWire is open source, I wonder if I can figure out how to fix this bug..." over the few years following.
Ultimately, it led me to my career. I wouldn't quite go so far as to credit Best Buy with that, but it's fair to say that the store contributed a great deal to building my interest in a technology.
[+] [-] gzu|7 years ago|reply
Recently purchased a MBP from Bestbuy. The first one I received had noticeable back light bleeding near a screen corner. Walked back in the store the next day to return. The process from an online retailer would have taken weeks.
[+] [-] mistersquid|7 years ago|reply
I was surprised by how clean, well-organized, and well-staffed it was. When I asked where such cables were (not having yet left the front of the store because, not having a lock with me, I needed to stow my bicycle up front), the associate on the floor came over and directed me precisely and accurately to where the cables were.
I hope Best Buy figures out how to stick around because the cable I bought is actually pretty nice (braided cable) and I like having the option to buy quality electronic accessories from a clean storefront when I'm on the road (i.e. urgent electronics need and I don't want a low-quality no-name throw-it-away-after-5-uses knock-off).
[+] [-] seiferteric|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] NelsonMinar|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] chris72205|7 years ago|reply
- Same price (or sometimes less)
- No waiting on delivery
- High confidence that I'm getting a genuine product
For me, it's the last point that's most important...especially with more expensive electronics purchases.
[+] [-] mieseratte|7 years ago|reply
Coming from a guy wearing a $50 pair of counterfeit Billabong shorts right now, that I bought off Amazon, I agree.
[+] [-] at-fates-hands|7 years ago|reply
I left after 8 months. Several of my friends stayed on and noticed how different it was when Joly came on. Several years on, things have gotten significantly better. They've modernized a lot of their apps (even through their website is still clunky and old) and are in the process of revamping their site to a far more modern stack. Joly cleaned house and brought in people who want to modernize their software, and from what I know now, the people who stayed on are a lot happier nowadays.
[+] [-] LargeWu|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] fma|7 years ago|reply
I've gone to Best Buy mainly for store pickups - but generally a good experience. One time I was there for pickups, and in general looking for a new vacuum cleaner...so I wandered over there. An employee approached me with a positive demeanor and asked if I had any questions, and even asked if I wanted a demo. I gently declined, she said I can find her if I have any other questions and she didn't bother me.
I didn't buy my vacuum cleaner from there...I found a clearance at Walmart that had great reviews. But if I wanted to buy one at retail value (or at least, non-clearance price) I'd go to Best Buy...good customer service, and they'll match anyone.
Happy employees = good business. I work for a big company, and management always does surveys. One of the biggest complaints is we don't get free coffee. The executives addressed it and responded...no free coffee. Would you rather want free coffee, or hire more employees? (funny thing is we're not hiring)
[+] [-] SteveNuts|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] lolsal|7 years ago|reply
They lost me with "not really two day shipping." Today, two-day shipping means "two days from when we ship it, not counting weekends, and not counting however long it takes for us to actually process the order, and then not even actually two days." 'Free two-day shipping' often comes in about a week for me. My constant state of consumption was interrupted by going days thinking, 'where is that thingamajig I needed to finish that project?' - often manifesting by ordering something on Mon/Tues assuming it would be here for a weekend, only to have it not show up in time, forcing me to run to the local hardware store (or whatever) and then return my Amazon item.
I still buy some stuff on Amazon - mostly things that I don't really care about when it comes as long as it comes. I've gotten into the habit of compiling lists at home of stuff that I absolutely need at a certain time and then making trips to local stores when needed, including Best Buy.
[+] [-] Guest9812398|7 years ago|reply
I ended up leaving and buying what I needed on Amazon though. I had limited time in the store and didn't feel knowledgeable enough to choose between a handful of products, so I went home to do some research before ordering.
I wonder if Best Buy would benefit from a lounge, where you can sit down in peace, read product reviews, and browse online to make an informed purchase. Or maybe they could have tablets on stands next to groups of products with reviews. For example, you go to the printer section, and there's a tablet that shows all the printers and their user reviews. Then you can quickly compare options, sort by price, and see what printers are best reviewed.
Sometimes I try to check reviews in a store with my phone, but I usually feel out of place standing in an aisle for 15 minutes looking at my phone. So, it would be cool if they had a place where you could actually sit down for a while to educate yourself and make a decision.
[+] [-] spathi_fwiffo|7 years ago|reply
kind of a reverse of the old model of playing with something in store, then buying it online.
[+] [-] danso|7 years ago|reply
I still buy most of my stuff of Amazon but the nearby Best Buy stores are good enough that I see them almost as a premium shopping experience. Not at the level of Apple of course, but good enough that I’m happy to spend money there. I think the turnaround moment was a few years ago when I noticed a premium wireless mouse going for an incredibly low $20. When I tried to checkout, the cashier said that according to the system, it appeared the mouse was labeled wrong on the shelf, to the tube of $40 off. But without hesitation he gave me the discount anyway.
I would’ve predicted back when Amazon released its Price Check app that Best Buy would be decimated. I don’t use their tech support/consulting so I still am surprised they are surviving. Ironically, I now take advantage of Amazon in order to buy at BB. When I see something I like on the shelf, I check to see if the Amazon reviews are good. If so, I can buy it without the same level of nagging doubt about the product’s authenticity.
[+] [-] mikec3010|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gamblor956|7 years ago|reply
Same here! Amazon's a cesspool of Chinese knockoffs buoyed by for-pay reviews, but any item that's also sold at Best Buy must be legit (since BB went through the trouble of sourcing and buying it), so Amazon ends up being a great place for real reviews.
[+] [-] bsharitt|7 years ago|reply
For big ticket items like TVs, Amazon usually isn't much cheaper if they are at all like it seemed to be a few years ago. Being able to see them in person and take them home same day is also nice.
Amazon's listings are mess. Sometimes the listing are just skeevy looking and have missing or wrong information. Even when the listing looks good, I'm not always sure I'll get quite what I ordered. I've already started to basically not use 3rd party sellers, but even when Amazon is listed as the seller, I've gotten items that were clearly used(when they were supposed to be new) or just not the right item, once being a counterfeit of what I was ordering.
I also noticed that for "gravy" items like cables and stuff, where Amazon was often 3 or 4 times cheaper, Best Buy is at least not as bad as they were in the past. They've still got some very overpriced options, but they also have some more reasonably priced options. So now its a decision to spend $3 or $4 more on that HDMI cable at Best Buy when I get the TV rather than $15 more. The decision to to spend the couple more dollars at Best Buy for the cable isn't just convenience, but is bolstered by cheaper items on Amazon being even more of a crapshoot than they were in the past.
[+] [-] gmiller123456|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] thomasec|7 years ago|reply
* Local Inventory with Google Shopping - if I search for almost any product on Google, Best Buy is usually the only major retailer that shows me local inventory for that product. I can't believe how few major retailers do this. If I search for an external hard drive on Google, I can see right away if I'm able to go down the street and pick it up.
* In Store Pick Up - this is almost as seamless as picking up an order at the Apple Store. Just yesterday I placed an order for in-store pick up at my local Best Buy. 20 minutes later I received a confirmation email that my order was ready, and all I had to do was show my ID when I showed up to the store. No signing a receipt, or making sure I had the credit card I placed the order with. The whole process took less than 3 minutes, and I could even add additional name(s) of people who were authorized to pick it up for me.
* Open-box items - I know these can be hit or miss, but at least with Best Buy you can inspect open box items before deciding to take them home (as opposed to Amazon Warehouse, where you have to go through the process of shipping it back if it's not what you expected). They even have these "outlet items" highlighted on both their app and website, so I can see which Best Buys around me have a specific open box item I'm looking for.
* Geek Squad Protection - this isn't perfect, and it can be expensive, but it's nice to know that if something goes wrong with a large item (such as a TV or appliance), someone will actually come to my house to check it out. They are also very willing to give you a brand new replacement if the repair is going to be expensive or labor intensive. I know I probably sound like an old fogey, but dealing with factory warranties directly through the manufacturer is always such a pain, and they almost never offer a full replacement.
* Best Buy APP - their app is great! It keeps track of all of my orders, and even tells me when something I've bought has an open recall. I think Target is the only company that does a better job combing both the in-store and e-commerce aspects into a single app.
They've also IMO done a good job keeping the in-store experience consistent between locations. I'm sure there are still some locations that have less helpful employees, or less reliable inventory, but this is happening less often for me.
[+] [-] kfarr|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] danielhlockard|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] SEJeff|7 years ago|reply
I bought an 85" 4K tv a few years ago and it was not a cheap item. Do you really think someone would just buy something for $10k on Amazon and hope it is ok? I also paid them to have a team of 3 people come and install it on my wall. This is a case where the local store beat the online store.
[+] [-] luddaite|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] foxhop|7 years ago|reply
I had found a product on the Best Buy website, a $79 55-65 inch LCD/Plasma corner wall mount. So I drove to the store and looked for it. This was roughly 2 months after Christmas.
The store had about 300 units of a $199.99 version and 0 units of any thing the below $150...
I spent about 15 minutes looking for somebody to tell me what I already expected, they only carry the expensive one in store.
I bought the same brand (slightly different model number off Amazon.com [likely to prevent price matching]) while in the Best Buy for $69, shipped to my house.
It was $10 cheaper, I didn't need to leave my house, I didn't need to talk to anyone...
Best Buy completely lost my sale because they didn't have inventory and pushed a more expensive and way higher margin unit ...
I was so disappointed because I really, really tried to _not_ buy from Amazon.
It's no wonder Amazon is eating the world while only being mediocre... Retailers are simply botching any advantage they have (being local) for the last 15 years...
(disclosure: I worked for Sears Electronics department part time for about 3 years while going to college [sears no longer sells electronics like Televisions or radios])
[+] [-] unknown|7 years ago|reply
[deleted]