Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[philthy]

Hi I recently returned from a best buy store attempting to exchange a few video games I purchased with a receipt for store credit.  I had purchased games for the buy 2 get 1 free deal, but when I came home I noticed that the prices on amazon.com were significantly cheaper and that I was able to buy 1 game individually from amazon that was the same price as needing to buy 3 from best buy.  

While attempting to do the return I was rejected and was told that the only way I would be getting a refund was if I returned all 3 games.  I told them that I had already opened one of the games and that is why I wanted a store credit, because I had planned on using the store credit to buy more games in the future and that it shouldnt matter since the games were unopened.  I told the person that Call of Duty Black Ops is going for $45 on amazon...yet I had to buy 2 games at best buy just to get 1 free and those arent necessarily games I wanted, and had I known amazon had the game for 45, I wouldn't have spent 119.98 at best buy.  Since the exchange got rejected, I asked for a price match, since in essence I really did not save any $ from using the best buy promotion.  That request was also turned down.

I have taken a look at all of amazon's video game prices and it looks as if all across the board their prices are significantly cheaper than best buys, and best part of all, I dont have to deal with rude customer service people at best buy.  I also can do so from the comfort of my own home and not waste any gas. 

I originally started purchasing from best buy bc their customer service was on par with costco, however after I had my warranty issue with my dryer, and now this issue with the video games...I don't see any reason to continue shopping at best buy.  I have felt insulted in the past when home theater employees were trying to explain to me that $100 dollar HDMI cables are vastly superior than $5 dollar generics you can get on the internet, when in fact they did not know the difference.  

I'm now stuck with a couple games I could have lived without and overspent by $75 dollars...so you win round 1 best buy.  However I can assure you that I'll be telling my family and friends about my experiences and will be encouraging them to shop elsewhere, and will be telling my experiences to various message boards on the internet.  

[deusexmachina Valued Contributor]

So the deal is "Buy 2, Get 1 free" and you're returning one of those games which means the deal would be "buy 1 get 1 free + store credit" doesn't sound like the same promotion. Also, you can't return an opened game, you can only exchange it for the same one.

They don't price match Amazon since its not a B&M store.

$100 HDMI cables ARE "better" than $5 HDMI cables, the difference is just not huge. Shielded cables and hand soldered cables will always be better than unshielded, machine soldered cables. The price is consumer driven.

[philthy]

look it doesnt seem like much of a promotion when prices are jacked up and then a sale is offered on those high prices. amazon isnt even running a sale/promotion and their prices are comparable to best buys promotion. the salesman told me when i purchased that best buy will price adjust within 30 days...but that statement was misleading bc he did not specify that it was only brick and mortar stores within a certain location like the returns specialist did.

the whole thing is misleading. as far as hdmi cables go...99% of people will not be able to determine the difference in those cables, and if people did a side by side comparison in person I doubt that anyone would choose the premium cables at a premium price over the bargain ones. best buy is just preying on people who have not done their due diligence and taking advantage of that, which is what happened to me with the games and happens to all kinds of people buying any of the premium hdmi cables that they sell.

[AaronE]

I believe Best Buy sold you the games at MSRP so I don't understand your 'jack up the price' argument.

I purchased a cheap 25 ft HDMI cable online from one of the popular cable retailers and it had handshake issues (the cable was also being run in wall). A better quality cable did not have the handshake issues the cheap cable did... shame I had to rip the wall open again at the studs and remove the nail guards and re-run the new HDMI cable. If I had purchased a better cable from the get go it would have saved me time, spackle, paint and aggrivation. I guess I'm the 1%.

[Mbrguy Emerging Expert]

If 99% of the people who purchase the higher octane fuel 89 or 91 rather than the 87 octane will not see a difference in performance, does that mean that the fuel companies are ripping the consumers off?  Nope.

If you don't want the higher quality cables, don't buy them.  The higher quality cables DO make a difference and many people want the best.  Should Best Buy not offer the higher quality cables since you don't like the cost of those cables?  Seems a little bit self serving, don't ya think?

[philthy]

there are a lot of things that are priced at msrp that arent sold for that...how many people go buy a new car off the lot at the msrp pricing?  none.  best buy is not the same company it was when i first shopped there...misrepresenting information that the store price matched but does not for online companies is wrong.  seems like best buy went down hill after they got rid of their competition and their stock prices these days reflect that.  

[Mbrguy Emerging Expert]

The price match policy clearly states that online prices are NOT eligible. The policy is there for ANYONE to read.

[deusexmachina Valued Contributor]

How would you expect Best Buy to pricematch a store that has no physical location? Its obviously much cheeper to run an online store because of all the costs that are cut. I don't know why any b&m store would ever price match online only vendors. Also, if you read the PM policy, its pretty clear what is and isn't PM'd.

[AaronE]

Ok to use your analogy of car prices... no one accuses the car dealer of 'jacking up the price' if it is sold at MSRP though.

Lots of electronics are sold at MSRP: game systems, cameras, video games at pretty much every B&M store, computers, GPS units, etc.

I'm not trying to be argumentative with you but your way off base accusing Best Buy of 'jacking up the price' when they sell something at MSRP. Now if they sold you something at above MSRP ok your assessment would be correct. As the others have noted in this thread: B&M stores cannot be expected to price match an online only seller which has very few physical locations, minimal staff and very little overhead.

[ndg2006]

I'm struggling to see where your problem is.  By the time you buy two $45 games from Amazon, you have paid $101 after shipping.  So you are really making a big deal about getting games immediately without waiting for shipping for only $18?  Not to mention if you join the RZ Gamer club you get a $10 coupon after you spend $150 in games.  To me it seems like Best Buy is the better deal, even without the discount from Amazon.