Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[npa201]

I'm very frustrated with the pricing policies of Magnolia products and I'm wondering how one is supposed to keep track of pricing without literally going to every store every week?  Below is my story:

Last Sunday I went to the BB in Brick NJ to help my Father-in-Law purchase an LCD TV and finally got to see the Pioneer Elite 111-FD about 20% of the original MSRP (not sure what MSRP is today).  Found it a bit too expensive for my taste given the Pioneer is exiting the TV biz.  Yesterday (Saturday) I went to the West Paterson BB as my own father needed to purchase something and saw the same model for literally 50% MSRP.  I was pretty excited about that price and when I got home told the wife that we need to check out the store that night and potentially purchase one.  So last night went to the BB in Paramus (as we had to go to another store near there) and low and behold the price at that store was somewhere in between the two prices and with no Magnolia employees to help out we couldn't do anything but walk out.  

Fast forward to this afternoon and we go to West Paterson BB again with 75% probability of purchasing the TV and the price is now $500 more!!!!  Again, as usual there are no Magnolia employees to help me at the store but a regular BB employee asks if I need help and I tell him this TV was $500 less yesterday and he says he will talk to the manager.  I wait 15 minutes and see him helping others and I'm like, "What gives?"  and he's like, "Well you were totally committed to buying one so I didn't come back but since you're asking the manager says he can match it but you'll have to buy an extended warranty."  I'm like, "Ok so can I get all the final numbers on this" and he says, "I'll get the manager"  25 more minutes pass and nothing.  Frustrated and angry I just walk out of the store seeing the absolute lack of customer service when I'm the only person in the store looking to purchase something that is even close to the price range we're talking about.  

So here are my issues:

-How can 3 stores in the same sales week (Sunday - Saturday) have 3 different prices?

-I understand prices can change from week to week but how am I supposed to keep track of the pricing when these specific items are NOT advertised in the fliers and apparently change prices from store to store?!?!?!  I just checked the price on the BB website at its listed at MSRP!

-How can they have Magnolia centers with no employees there to help?  I understand that we are in an economic crisis but how are you supposed to sell high-end products without sales people and instead get general BB employees who don't understand the product who just leave you hanging because they are trying to make sales in their own section?

Honestly, BB is making it near impossible for them to take my money. 

[Starflyer59]

Prices at electronic stores seem to change almost daily. I was at a HHGregg store just looking around and this past Wednesday the 46" LED LCD Samsung was $1899.99, Then I called the store on Friday and the price was $2199.99 and then i stopped by the store Saturday night and the price was $2499.99.

Three price changes within 4 days?????

[npa201]

So are you suggesting it is based on the manufacturer or the retailer?  Because I went to two different BB stores in one day and it was two different prices.  Incidentally the higher price was in a richer neighborhood.  I am going to try one more time today and if they will match Saturday's price I will purchase.  Heck, I read on AVSforums that people last week were getting the unit for $200 less than I saw on Saturday! After that, then I guess I'll have to give up my search and perhaps also give up on BB altogether.

BTW, the TV my father-in-law purchased last week has changed price at BB 3 times in one week as well.  I caught it by accident on Saturday and he got the price drop.  At least BB gave him that.

One last thing, this community forum is great because I get the real deal on the service contracts as the best buy employees gave me a very different picture as to what I would be getting if I were to purchase it.  

[Elizabeth-BBY Community Supervisor]

Hi npa201,

I've asked Aaron, one of our Geek Squad Community Connectors, to follow up with you.  You should hear from him within the next few business days at the most.

Thanks for sharing your concerns,

[Aaron-GS Community Connector]

Hey npa201,

You are correct in understanding that many of our in-store prices are determined by our weekly advertisements, but there are a number of reasons why you may be seeing different pricing on this specific model from store to store. The first, of course, would be if one of the stores had an open box model on display. Display models are traditionally discounted to reflect their time on the sales floor, and the final purchase price of these open box products is ultimately determined by the store itself.

The second reason why you may see differences in price from location to location is if the product is no longer going to be carried by Best Buy. Just like open box products and display models, clearance items may be discounted on a store-by-store basis.

Third, while our online prices generally reflect those within our retail stores they may occasionally vary. These differences – combined with time-sensitive manufacturer promotions – may help explain the disparity in pricing you are seeing between our retail stores and BestBuy.com. For more information regarding this policy though I would strongly encourage you to review the site’s Conditions of Use.

What concerns me, however, is that you mentioned a manager only offered to match the lower price if you were willing to purchase an additional service plan along with the TV. Like Dorothy-BBY previously explained in this thread, this would be a case of “inboarding” – a practice that Best Buy strongly discourages. Price matching is never contingent upon the purchase of additional goods or services!

If you are still interested in purchasing this TV please do not hesitate to let me know. Simply send me a private message and I would be glad to work with your local store to see if a price match can be arranged. You can send me a private message by clicking on the letter icon in the upper right-hand corner of the page and composing a new message to my user name “Aaron-GS.”

[flounder21]

Sounds very familiar to my last experience with Best Buy and "Magnolia".  I am ready the purchase a Samsung UN55B8500.  I was told that they could only match Best Buy TV prices and not "Magnolia" with other vendors.  "Magnolia" is part of Best Buy and is located in the store?  I too am trying to let Best Buy earn my business at a fair price but as of now I am looking elsewhere..... 

[zhockin]

Hey everyone...don't get too mad at the Manufacturers. Turns out this is common practice. I had a VERY similar experience with a TV stand last night. When I spoke with the Manager, she informed me that each district (store location) gets to set their own pricing. You'll find higher prices in richer or more populated areas (near a mall, etc.).

I purchased a stand at one location, but it was only in stock in another location. I went to pick it up there, and happened to need something else, so I walked by the stand to see that it was a full $100 less! Had I gone to customer service to pick up the stand first as instructed, I never would have seen this.

Be careful when you shop best buy...if your "favorite" one is in a rich neighborhood, you may want to spend the extra 5 minutes driving to a different location.

Unless you're like me...in which case, with as many electronic retailers that are out there, you can just boycott, Best Buy and all of their shady practices.

If I wanted to shop around at different locations of the same store like it was a distribution sales model, I'd buy wholesale!

[Nokia]

BB will always match their own prices, no matter which store its in.

[starhelper2587]

Are you sure?  There's been complaints on here a/b stores doing exactly the opposite.

[Josh-BBY Retired: Community Connector]

Zhockin,

Thanks for your post to our forum. I am sorry that you experienced a large price difference like that. While pricing may vary by market I can understand why you would feel that a $100 difference on a TV stand to be out of the ordinary. I have made sure that our business team is aware of what you experienced. We value the feedback of our customers and I thank you for bringing this to our attention.

I have sent you a private message to connect with you about more of the details. In order to view your private messages, please make sure you are logged into the forum and click the link that looks like an envelope in the upper right hand corner of the page. I look forward to hearing from you!