Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[pbrogerio]

I've been a customer of Best Buy for about five years, and I've spent probably close to $30,000 in that timeframe. Given the way I was treated yesterday, along with the outright arrogance of the manager of the store, I doubt they will ever see another cent of mine, or anyone who ever asks me about them. Yesterday, I went to the BestBuy store in Emeryville CA and attempted to purchase a printer. When I handed my Visa card to the cashier, she immediately asked me to show her a photo ID. I said "No, I don't have to". Now, I am aware that it is commonly *thought* that a mechant can ask a person using a credit card to show ID and deny the purchase if the person refuses to show ID, but that is not correct. If you don't beleive me, read page 29 of Visa's policy: http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/rules_for_visa_merchants.pdf. The cashier, looking very confused, said she couldn't let me charge anything without a photo ID. I asked for the manager. The manager came to the counter and she told me the same story. She refused to produce any proof of that being any formal policy of the store, and essentially told me to go away, because I was holding up the line. The rules of Best Buy's (and all Visa-taking merchants, for that matter) specifically state that a customer cannot be denied usage of the card if the customer has a) signed the card...(not that it would have mattered in this case, since she wouldn't run the card  and in fact never even looked to see if it was signed) and b) refuses to show photo Id and c) the signature on the card matches the customers's signature at the time of purchase. I plan to contact Visa and report this.

[secondlaw]

I think you're being ridiculous.  The ID thing is for your protection.  I'm personally happy when they ask to see my ID.  Whether or not they tap into the CIA computer to make sure you are who your card says you are, doesn't really matter to me. 

That's just me though.

[QuantumThunder]

Ummm....Why are you being such a whiner?

Okay, I know in everyones minds best buy is some faceless corporation that can deserves to get screwed but let me break this down for you.

Best Buy doesnt check ID, someone steals your wallet, takes your credit card to best buy, runs up a few thousand dollars.

You see your statement, dispute the charge, Best Buy eats that money and has lost all that product and the money.

But what do you care about best buy? You got your ego and page 29 of visa's agreement.

Personally id rather have them check my id then have to clean up identity theft issues...

[Adamtech Emerging Expert]

Hi there and welcome to the Community. I understand your point but also look at it from ours, as a merchant. Checking ID before using a credit card is a common practice of several retailers and shops to prevent theft from both the customer and the retailer. The action only takes a few seconds and I would rather my ID be checked than to deal with the paperwork and phone calls if my wallet or identity were stolen.

[RealGeorgeW Emerging Expert]

Out of the thousands of ID's I've checked NONE of them have been unhappy with the fact that I'm verifiing that it is indeed them using their credit card.

Put it this way, what if it was NOT you who was holding the card and the only way we could verify that was by checking ID?

[Nokia]

With how you worded it, namely "No, I don't have to", it sounds like you had your ID, but just chose not to show it. Can I ask why?  If you didn't have it at the time, that's fine. However, it sounds like you had it and did this just to prove a point. It sounds like you went out of your way to be difficult for no reason other than to be right. Do you always do this when asked for your ID?

If I asked and the customer refused, I'd immediately become suspicious, merchant agreement be darned. Any retailer has the right to refuse any purchase without reason. Yes, you are correct about BB not being able to refuse your card. However, you are incorrect about BB having to complete the sale. Did you at any point give a reason why you refused to provide ID?

If the above is correct, then I completely agree with the manager's actions. If you did this in my line, I'd simply ask for the next customer in line and leave you to go on your merry verification-shunning way.

[pbrogerio]

You're missing the point. I don't want BestBuy employees seeing where I live. There's no reason to. Why don't you check Id when cash is used? It's easier to counterfeit cash than a credit card. There are rules for a reason. And, by  the way, to the person who said that BestBuy doesn't have to honor the card, you are flat out wrong. Read the rules.

[pbrogerio]

Oh, and, uh, here's another reason I don't want BestBuy employees knowing more than they have to about me:

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls/PressReleases/090406-01.html

[RealGeorgeW Emerging Expert]

I'm not insinuating that any BBY employee would do this, but there are many, many, ways of us being able to access your information from within our systems, getting it off a glance at your drivers license not being the quickest one of them.

[SlimJim77]

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pbrogerio wrote:

You're missing the point. I don't want BestBuy employees seeing where I live. There's no reason to. Why don't you check Id when cash is used? It's easier to counterfeit cash than a credit card. There are rules for a reason. And, by  the way, to the person who said that BestBuy doesn't have to honor the card, you are flat out wrong. Read the rules.

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Your address is no secret. You could have put your thumb over the address. They only need to see your name and your face. You seem to enjoy making life harder than it needs to be.