Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[CrimsonRain]

Very good read from a company that actually does crunch numbers and analyze trends.

The comments are actually pretty valid.

Alright haters and doomsayers, I want to hear from you. Your comments are always the most humorous and whimsical.

[Area51Kev Regular Contributor]

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Mbrguy wrote:

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Sound reasoning and a thought-provoking response there Mbrguy. 

[SlimJim77]

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CrimsonRain wrote:

Very good read from a company that actually does crunch numbers and analyze trends.

The comments are actually pretty valid.

Alright haters and doomsayers, I want to hear from you. Your comments are always the most humorous and whimsical.

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 Good stuff. I know the haters around these boards are being facetious. That;s unless they never leave mom's basement.

[APR28]

As much as I think BBY is bad company, I would rather see them change their business ethics than fail. 1990's BBY I thought was a great company.

Now it seems they've turned into a "stupid people" store and are very content being that way.

I really can't see why anyone would want to subject themselves to 60 minutes of hard upsells after deciding on an item from Monster screen cleaner, Direct TV, expensive cables, credit card app, protection plans, installs.

And if a manager happens to be standing nearby and hears you decline, will personally start the whole ordeal again by asking you why you don't the "extras".

[Mbrguy Emerging Expert]

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Area51Kev wrote:

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Mbrguy wrote:

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Sound reasoning and a thought-provoking response there Mbrguy. 

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Sorry, haven't really been firing on all cylinders today. Woke up at 3pm Alaska time on Thursday night, worked a 12 hour shift, then packed and got everything ready, took a 2 hour nap before heading to the Kenai Airport south of Anchorage and been flying home ever since. Can't sleep well on planes and one hop left to go till I get home. I'm in a bit of a daze right now, lol, but I can't go home yet once I get to my final airport because I'm driving directly to a wedding once I land. Actually I was planning on subscribing to the thread and hit post by mistake. I can say one thing though, I'm going to crash hard once I do get home, lol.

[CrimsonRain]

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APR28 wrote:

As much as I think BBY is bad company, I would rather see them change their business ethics than fail. 1990's BBY I thought was a great company.

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The 1990s was probably one of the most trying times for Best Buy. Circuit City was still in the lead and Best Buy was buying up property trying to stave off Circuit City and other competitors such as BEST and Fedco. It wasn't until 1998 that Best Buy was virtually tied with Circuit City. The early 2000s was the golden era for Best Buy where they underwent massive expansion and growth.

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APR28 wrote:

Now it seems they've turned into a "stupid people" store and are very content being that way.

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I don't quite understand this. Please elaborate.

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APR28 wrote:
I really can't see why anyone would want to subject themselves to 60 minutes of hard upsells after deciding on an item from Monster screen cleaner, Direct TV, expensive cables, credit card app, protection plans, installs.

And if a manager happens to be standing nearby and hears you decline, will personally start the whole ordeal again by asking you why you don't the "extras".

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Not going to lie. Sometimes I get annoyed by it now that I am on the other side (as a customer). With that said, I don't know what Best Buy's current business model is, but I do know that they have always strived to get the customer the "complete solution." I don't know what crazy acronym they use now (CARE+? TRUST?), but I do know it serves their target audience well and has been the core of their success. Yes, some stores do take it a bit out of hand and overdo it, but as a whole, I think Best Buy understands their market. As the article stated, it's the industry that is changing and everyone that is connected to it must adapt (e.g. retailers, supply chains, manufacturers, support services, customers, etc.). Gone are the days where supplies and products came from some unknown mystical place and here are the days of a globalized economy and bustling internet commerce.

[SlimJim77]

Wow, Crimson. You continue to outdo yourself.

[rellarillear]

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APR28 wrote:

As much as I think BBY is bad company, I would rather see them change their business ethics than fail. 1990's BBY I thought was a great company.

Now it seems they've turned into a "stupid people" store and are very content being that way.

I really can't see why anyone would want to subject themselves to 60 minutes of hard upsells after deciding on an item from Monster screen cleaner, Direct TV, expensive cables, credit card app, protection plans, installs.

And if a manager happens to be standing nearby and hears you decline, will personally start the whole ordeal again by asking you why you don't the "extras".

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You and I the consumer have dictated these markets. We let the bargain shopping compress margins so far that, the only way they can make money is on the "extras"....more often than not. We as consumers decided that it was better to skip on the service, skip on the knowledge, and "screw everything else" I want everything as cheap as possible. Then we step back and look around and complain that the service and the knowledge had to disappear? The only way the stores we shop in could afford to stay staffed and still give you the lowest price you demanded was to hire minimum wage college and high school students as the backbone of their workforce....then we like to sit around and complain.

In my own experience, I actually "need" or "want" those extra to go with whatever else I'm buying.

Ironically enough, having spent time in retail, at a few different large chains where those accessories or extended warranties need to be offered. The customers that shut you down the quickest, are the rudest about even letting you tell them something, and the first to complain when they get home and realize they don't have everything they needed, or it breaks and they are forced to deal with someone else.