Or you missed that it was an "online only" offer, and surprise, surprise, the in-store systems bring up in-store retail only.

As much as I hate those online only offers because they cause confusion, the whole idea is to get people to buy online instead of taking up in-store labor resources.

Great idea in theory, lousy in practice, especially since the employees usually have no idea about it.

So it's probably not "click & switch", it's probably "read the fine font".

I've owned BBY in the past; never CC; neither now. Always preferred going into BBY, and I continue. BUT... I'm also a good shopper. In past few mos. I have purchased a laptop, printer, SLR-Digital Camera, several accessories, Vacuum Cleaner. All purchased at CC based on price. W/camera the online price was less than in-store. Went in-store for hands-on experience and was told by employee that they would "match" their online price. They did! Threw-in 30-da. price adjustments if price changes. Cashed-in on that also. Bottom-line: CC was able to beat BBY on price for everything I bought, and just enough to make the total of savings on all my purchases well-worth the comparison shopping. I'm wondering when others are going to notice what I have; and when CC may start pulling ahead.

I no longer shop at BB. Very deceptive . I needed a new computer printer. Just needed a basic one with a few options. BB had several on the sales floor well above $190 range. They had a space for a few $100 models, but none in stock. In the same shopping center was a Comp USA. They had exactly what I wanted for $90. I was looking at TV's recently. Went to BB just to look. Very confusing sales floor. I also needed a new mouse. Could not find what I needed in just a regular basic mouse either.

I wouldn't buy anything at Best Buy. I bought a laptop there. It kept shutting down for no reason right out of the box. Later, I found out it was a bug in a driver. I tried to return it the day after purchase, but Best Buy would only take it back if I paid a $255 restocking fee. What a rip off!

Couple articles mentioning Best Buy's tactics:

http://www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=2241
http://www.walklightly.org/william/article.htm

No kidding folks, the website offers different prices sometimes. The Best Buy website has items that the store does not. In fact, if mr whiny customer really wanted that item, he *could* have ordered it from the website.
Also, the staff at the Best Buy I visit, are well educated, customer-friendly, and just plain nice folks.
I think that customers can do a little better job of not being so ornery.

Somehow I think that the management or the manager of the store is at fault with BB's policies. My monitor died after 2 1/2 years. I brought it in and they told me that they had to keep it for at least 2 weeks. I need a monitor, so I bought another one, and told them that when my monitor is fixed or replaced, I will return the new one. They had no problem with that. Well, 5 weeks later, they called me and told me that my original monitor was shot, and asked if I was happy with the one I bought. I wasn't, so I brought it in and got the best one they had. I had no problem with BB. I did purchase the 3 year guarantee on the monitor, because $550 was a lot to pay for it. Well, as far as progress goes, I now have a fantastic monitor with PIP. With a 3 year guarantee.
As far as price changes, that's illegal. I'm sure that in the ad, they mentioned "online purchases only." If, in fact, they do something like that, report it to the State's AG. Then they, BB, will replace the manager.

I actually had a very good experience with a Toshiba laptop from Best Buy. It was an onlinr offer for 500 dollars, but it only came with the 90 day warranty option. I called their 1800 # to ask to buy an extended warranty and they told me I couldn't, so I went to the store and asked if I bought it online would they sell me a product replacement plan and they did! So maybe some of the stores are still looking out for the customer, I'm actually using that very computer right now

I face the same problems at Best buy as well, several times,but I do not know that it is their trick till this article comes out.First time,it is " SONY " computer. It is the first day to start the sales on that particular model and I am the first customer go in when the store opens and the only one that ask to buy that model. The sale person tells me "out of stock ".I ask him to check if any other " BEST BUY " stores have so I will drive to buy from them. He comes back after a while and tells me none of them has it. I ask for the manager,show him the ads and the day the sales starts which is that day and I am the first and only customer that come in to buy that model.I tll him I want to place the order on that day, when stocks come in , call me to pick up. He says he can't do it . It is against store policy . I tell him I will write a complaint to BEST BUY. He finally gives me a " RAIN CHECK " and tells me will call me when stock is available again. One week later , I see the same ads run again so I go back immediately on the first day sale. Again, they tell me the same story. When I show them the " rain check ",they tell me it does not mean that I can buy. It is good only if they have stock available for sale at that price. I give up and buy other brand instead that the sale person tries to sell me the very first time . It is possible that the ads just to get the customers to come in and they can sell other brands which give the store more com.

Another time, is a another new computer which I buy from them also. Few years ago, they stop giving you the program disk and it does not come in as pre-load program like now, so the store has to load it for me after I buy it. It does not work properly, just stop and turns off by itself many times.

Sincerely,

I am a bestbuy employee and all i need to say is that employees like those are the ones who give BB a bad name. First off they need to log onto their online toolkit because it does not show updated sales on the computers considering the network is blocked from incoming information. Also they could tell the customer to bring in the paper if they cant find it on the computers there. Finally, we match, AND BEAT by 10% of the difference all competitor pricing!!!! Bestbuy is not a bad choice if you ask me.

I would love to tell you of our experience my wife and I add with the Big Blue Box (Best Buy) in Green Bay Wisconsin. Trust me if I would have know of your Web site I would have heeded the warnings and advice of others that have had just horrible experience with Best Buy.

Well here goes:

My wife and I decided to take some of our Tax Return to buy us a new Washer, and Dryer. Well as usual we went to BB as we have done for in the last (9) years to buy all of our Big Price appliance items, as we have bought our (3) Desktop Computers, (2) Refrigerator, (1) Dishwasher, (2) TV’s (3) DVD Player’s, (2) VCR’s, (3) Surround Sound Systems…. etc…well you get the picture, close to $10,000.00 over those (9) years.

Things seem to go smoothly with the purchase of both of them till the arraigning of the FREE delivery that was with the package deal. But the sales person worked out the glitches an made the delivery on Wed’s the 14th of February in the late afternoon. I informed the sales person that we had some serious plans made, and could they arraign it before or after the 14th. “No” was the reply that it was the only day they could make the delivery. Well ok I said, “but let’s make sure it happens”. No problem was the reply; a they would call us the night before to confirm the time in the afternoon. “Great”, I said, let’s do it.

The night of the 13th we waited till around 9pm for their call. Nothing, no call. So I called the store a talked to the sale person that sold us the Washer/Dryer, and asked when they would be delivered. I waited on hold for over 20 minutes. Finally I called back and asked for the Manager on Duty. Waited other 10 minutes till he came on the line. I explained the situation to him; he stated he would check into this. After other 10 minutes he game back on the line. He stated that the Order for delivery was CANCELLED and that there was not going to be a delivery. Well my jaw dropped to the floor. “What the Hell was going on”, I asked, I know we didn’t cancel the order for delivery. I informed him of this and said this was not acceptable and that they would need to make the delivery as promised and that we would not be available for any other day. And why the Hell had this had happen. After waiting for other 15 minutes on the phone he finally came back on with “ it will be delivered tomorrow between 4pm an 6pm” OK I said great. As I was about to thank him he hung up, without an apology of any kind, or any explanation of what was going on? Well this should have clued me into Best Buy’s customer service policy of SCREW’EM AN LOSES’EM. Well as promise they did deliver the machines on time, but not with out some hassles there too.

Where comes the good part:

The following week my wife an I decided to buy a new laptop computer, and of course BB was having a Package Deal on a Toshiba laptop with Windows Vista installed and also with Mini mouse, and carrying case. This sounded great, and in our price arrange too. So we went into the Store and as usual we had to hunt down someone in the computer department to help us with the purchase. After finding a fresh Snot Nose Narcissistic Kid barely out of high school to help us, we decided to ask a few questions about the New Windows Vista system. We wanted to know if this laptop would be able to communicate with the other (3) computers we have in our home running Windows XP? And would it work with our Linksys Network Router System? And will we be able to share files, and to use our Lexmark Printer with this new Windows Vista, and our Network? “ Well of course it would…was his reply, with no problems. “ Well with that, and the blind trust I put in people we bought the laptop, and the extended service plan. And back home with our new toy.

Well we got it home and started to set it up, and everything was going as smooth as silk till we tried to set up the Network to share files/folders with the other computers, and the printer. Now I am not illiterate when it comes to computers, nor am I an expert, but I knew something was a miss, and something was not right. Well it was late and we decided to wait till the morning to finish the setup.

The following day was the Worst Frkin Nightmare I have had in 35 years (showing my age of 55) of dealing with any big business, and of course the worst day I ever had with Best Buy.

I kept trying to make the Laptop communicate with the Network, and my other (3) computers. I would keep getting a Microsoft Windows Error of “not finding a Network”. After spending an hour on their web site I could find nothing, so I called them. I spent over 45 minutes waiting; finally I spoke to someone about the problem (because I thought since it was a Windows Error the would be able to help) no such luck. They said I would need to contact Toshiba about this since this was an OEM (original equipment manufacture) problem, and not theirs. “Great” Called Toshiba, nothing, this were their service person informs me that the new Windows Vista program will not work with the network, router, a printer if my other (3) computers are running Windows XP. “HOLY COW POOP”. This was Frkin Peachy. Toshiba suggested to call Best Buy to see what they can do for me, buy asking someone there if they could help set up the network to communicate with the other computers. Sounded like sense. So I did.

So I called the Big Blue Box (BB) and spoke to same manager I had dealt with on the delivery problem. Wow that was the most stupid mistake I ever made. This manager was the biggest “DICK” I ever spoke to. I calmly explained the problem to him, an how I was led to believe that there would be no problem with this Laptop running Windows Vista to work with my computers, network, and printer. He told me point blank told me that his sales person would have “never would have told me such a thing”. God I was outraged, not only was He calling me a Lair but also it was quite clear that this worthless manager was not going to help me at all. I asked to speak to his Boss, (the store manager) SHE was not there. Then I asked how to get in contact with his District manager…. guess what…that’s right, he refused to give me that info also stating he did not know how, an even if he did he would not give me that info, because all customer concerns, and problems are handled at the store level, and that this problem did not warrant any further attention. What a worthless piece of human waste. I asked what was the name of his store manager, at first he was very hesent, and then he gave me her name.

Well for the next (4) days I spent calling the Best Buy customer service line, (what a gdamn joke this is), calling their Corp Office, calling their District office, trying to get someone to listen and care about my problem. Again No-one gave a Royal flying Rats Ass about what was going on. Only to inform me that all the customer relation problems needs are handle at the Store Level. “My God, don’t they understand that here in lies the problem the Store Management and the rotten little peckerhead that sold me the Laptop. “NO>>>HELL NO”. So after nearly going to the Hospital because on my Blood Pressure I decided to give it up. Knowing that Best Buy had SCREWED ME IN THE ASS AN NEVER USED ANY TYPE OF LUB TO EASE THE PAIN. Then out of the Blue the lousy Store Manager called an gave me the lamest apology I ever heard but still would not help me with my problem only offering to send out the GEEK Squad to make my Laptop work with my other computers, an network. But of course this would cost me other $200.00 for their service. God what kind of sick joke these folks live under, what kind of CON-Game they are playing on the costumer, what kind of people believe they would have me come back an waste my money in their store after this kind of Bull Sh___t.

God I pray, and beg anyone reading this not to buy your need’s at Best Buy, they will Lie, Cheat, an screw you up the behind so hard, that you will see stars. If any one reading this and still believes they will get good service from BB, all you will get is a Stroke.

BEST BUY GO TO HELL YOU ROTTEN MOTHERF___KERS.