Briefly...I took a laptop into Best Buy (Geek Squad) for service and required a new hard drive. When I went to pick up my laptop, Best buy tried to charge me more than the quoted price. Once that issue was resolved, I paid the charge with a check. Best Buy's check authorization system declined my check despite a balance of more than $1,000 (5 times the invoice amount). I left the check and took my computer. I later received a letter inferring that I was a crook, stating that I needed to stop in and pay for the service on my computer...that they gave me a special discount on the hard drive. They still have my check. It is STILL good! I have not gone back into a Best Buy store since, and not likely to ever shop there again.

To the first commenter "J. Lee."

If your check was not accepted by Best Buy's computer system, then, you would have to pay another way, perhaps by debit card. You have one of these no doubt. Most Americans with checking accounts do. Merely "leaving" the "unaccepted" check is not considered payment. If you did that anywhere else you would have been stopped by security or employees and the product would have been taken back or the police would have been called.

I find it hard to believe that a major retailer sent you a letter calling you a "crook" although, in all reality, you left without paying for services and goods. Your case would not stand up in a court of law. Once your check was declined you should have paid by another means, by credit card or debit card. If you did not have those means, then, you should have left your laptop, and come back with cash. Because you didn't means that you now can be charged with theft of property. Retail cashiers cannot "know" how much money is in your bank account. They rely on the computer systems which process your payment method and which also determine whether or not it is acceptable. There must have been a good reason why your check was declined unless it was a glitch in the system. Either way, you should have resolved this in a legal manner. At this point, legally you have committed theft. Maybe you should think before you act next time.

I have known since 1993 that Best Buy was much better than CC. When I was looking for a CPU for the home, I first went to CC since it was closer to home. I went in and what little I knew about 'puters, I still knew more than the workers. Back then they were paid commission. Sales was all that mattered. I left and went to Best Buy and was taken to school. I learned so much about puters that although I didn't buy from BB, chose Gateway, I have since purchased 6 laptops, 3 digital cameras, 2 desktops, stereo equipment etc... in the past 14 years all from Best Buy. Their service is great. I had two laptops that BB determined were lemons. The first one after 2 years, 11 months and 2 weeks. 2 Weeks left on my service plan and they replaced the laptop for nothing (actually picked up some rebate money too.) The second one, also a lemon after 18 months. Since 1993 I haven't even read the CC ads, only BB for me. Earlier this year, CC had meetings in Las Vegas and I was also in town on business. At the Las Vegas airport I was dining at Rubys Diner and when I approached two guys wearing CC shirts about the table next to them, they told me they were taken. I ended having to sit on butt nearby and eat my meal. For the entire time I sat there, noone sat down at that table. When i stood up, I told they they were schmucks and they gave me all the ammunition for me to tell them that I thought circuit city sucked and that Best Buy ruled. It didn't hurt that I am 7'0" tall and 350 pounds, like they were going to do something about it. Keep it up BB.

Brian White has written several articles comparing Circuit City to Best Buy over the last few years. They consistently detail problem after problem with Circuit City while lavishing praise and perfection on Best Buy. This has been the same predictable pattern throughout his coverage of the two retailers. I hope the fact that Brian White owns shares of Best Buy doesn't bias his opinion or compromise his journalistic integrity.

I agree with the article, though sometime at Best Buy you can be overwhelmed with help, it was a lot better than Circuit City when I had to walk around and find help. Besides if I ever have any computer related question the Geek Squad has always been there willing answering and giving me tips. And the few times I have seen a product as CC that was cheaper than BB, BB would always price match it. Best Buy is obviously far ahead in the game. Thanks!

Well i work at CC. I have no clue where the hell this guy goes to shop. our store is leaps and bounds ahead of our local bast buy. People stop going to the local mall because best buy was in it. not all CC are the same i guess

I have had similar experiences at CC's. I have walked out because of lack of cashiers and/or lack of salespeople. I think the final straw came last week when I tried to apply for a CC credit card on line because I wanted to take advantage of their 18 month no interest financing on LCD tvs. My husband had surgery and was on his back for a month, so I thought a new TV would keep him happy.

The website said that it couldn't approve me because it couldn't positively identify me. So, I went to CC with my driver's license in hand and explained what had happened. The clerk tried to rerun an application in store for me and after 20 minutes he still had no response so I left. Come to find out that the system wouldn't take a second application but no one in the store including the manager knew this. No one tried to call the bank, instead the clerk just told me to come back to the store the next day so I could get the sale price for the TV.

The next day I called the store rather than going back, and they told me that I needed to call the bank. I called and they stated that they needed to verify who I was. They asked me a string of questions and I answered them and even told them that I had gone to CC with my driver's license. In the end they declined my application because they couldn't verify who I was. They then told me that I would have to wait 45 days before I could reapply again. I thought they were kidding, but they weren't.

I ended up looking up a better model on BB's website and went to the store to pick it up. The price was different online than in the store. I told the clerk about it and he overrode the price, no questions asked and gave me the no-interest deal. He offered to take everything to the front of the store for me and was as nice as could be. They helped me get it into my car and even told me not to lay it down because of the screen. Final Score: BB got a $1200 sale and CC got zilch, which is what I plan to spend there in the future.

If you got declined for a credit card, that has nothing to do with Circuit City. Newsflash: Retail stores use banks now, Circuit City uses Chase, which is one of the largest credit card companies. If they declined you, it was not CCs fault. Also, the 2nd app problem, again Chases fault not CC.

I don't know what store you went into, but we get all of BB's customers all the time. We just had a customer today come in saying the BB people treated her like crap, so she ended up coming to us, bought a $3,000 tv, and alot of other things with us. I guess some stores are way better then others. Especially when my store has a high composite score (customer satisfaction score) Its at 90%. Best Buy has way too many problems in our area, and I live in one of the richest countys in California. So, again, some stores have problems, but most don't. If you came to my store, anyone on the floor would have rang you up, and would have helped you in the first place. Instead of having to go to the front, they ring you up at the nearest register, which we have one right where the hard drives are, and you would have been gone way faster.

I have been saying for the last year, The circuit city here on staten island is on it's way out. Best Buy is 3 blocks away and you can tell, there is only 1 register in the whole store. I see they did some department upgrades to compete with BB's video dept. but I feel like they are waiting to be bought out.

Best Buy is a bunch of crooks and they do not honor their PRICE MATCH claims at all. I will never shop there again. The Managers are unprofessional and rude. I went to Sears and purchased what I needed.

Just about every single experience I have had with CC is exactly like yours. Best Buy focuses on "seeking out the customer" rather than you finding an employee. Everyone at BBY is very knowledgeable in there own areas. This is due to the fact that every employee is required to take a duty called E-Learnings. This online learning is on almost every product on the store.

But on a lighter note. Check this funny video out on Best Buy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utkkXCF8ZVc

Circuit City employees take E-Learnings too.

Wise up folks. Here is the the real story. For every person who has a great experience with a retailer, there is another cursing the place to anyone who will listen. You usually only hear the bad because, guess what... it is a better story to tell!! No one wants to hear about the friendly LP guy with his friendly wave and smile, they want to know about the poor old Wal-Mart greeter propped up on a stool waiting to die. Believe me friends, I have worked as a retail manager for some of the biggest chains out there, and every one has there bad moments. I have been in your beloved Best Buy and only received greeting from the cheery LP and had to wait in a line deeper than Crater Lake. I have had similar experiences at Circuit City, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Target, Lowe's, Sears... shall I go on? But you know what? I have also had great experiences in every one of them. I guess you just have to understand that in today's competitive environment, there has to be some cost cutting to stay profitable with everyone selling the same product and price matching everything down to nothing. The easiest cut is payroll, and unfortunatley, that is the nature of the beast.... everywhere!! So the next time you go into a 30,000+ sq. building, surrounded by 200+ customers and expect fifty people to trip over you to find your computer part... give the place a break. One more myth to dispell and I am done. Most companies (and maybe Best Buy is an exception) do not have a Bat Man like repairman on duty that springs forth with amazing speed fixing air conditioners, nor are associates usually trained for such tasks. Therefore, much like you would in your own slice of heaven, they have to wait for someone to get there, figure out what the problem is, and then actually fix it. As I said, I myself am a retail manager and like to think that my team provides some of the best service around, and many customers agree. However, I know there is always that breakdown that occurs, and that one experience is the one you will hear about forever... not the thousands of great experiences people have everyday. Life is short, quit being so damn critical of meaningless things... there are so many bigger issues effecting our world than how many people in blue shirts you had to jump over to get to the cheapest product you could find. Good luck and happy shopping!!

I work for Best Buy. I have worked for Best Buy for almost a year and I will share some insight with you. There are reason's Circuit City's stock prices and net sales are DRASTICALLY under ours. Do you know why? It's because the General consensus is that you can't get help or service in C.C and when you do it's not satisfactory. We are practically putting the CC near out of business (not that it really needs help to do that, they'll do that to themselves anyways). CC is not nearly customer oriented as BBY. BBY is striving to be the first truly customer centered business in the world or country. Why? Customer Loyalty. That's something CC doesn't seem to understand, it's like their business plan is like wal-mart's and they're just there to take product off the shelves and stock them. Are there bad experiences with BBY? Of course there are. Are a large portion of them due to the fact a lot of customers have outrageous demands? Yes. Is there times when we just flat out screw up? Sure, but find me a company that doesn't. Just today I dealt with a customer who was happy as could be, and I get that a lot. MOST of the time you walk into a BBY you will leave with a good experience. And if you're disagree with me, go to CC, where you wont be greeted at all. There's reasons why BBY sells so much more than CC, it's because customers return to us. I'd love to see a CC employee try to tell me the correct way to make a sale. Come to BBY for all you electronic needs, we do all we can make sure you leave the building with the things and information you need with a pleasurable experience.

Ok, I'll join the fray. Walking into CC the first thing that stikes you is the stereo systems are on so darn LOUD! You can't have even a reasonable shopping experience when you are being assaulted with music at that level (even with a recording you like). No one bothers to approach you. I see them talking to each other but not to me. It is especially frustrating when you need assistance with someting in a glass doored display case. Instead of hanging for someone to help me, the assaulting music triggers my fight or flight reaction and I leave. I'm one of those shoppers who likes to walk the store and see what's new in many of the areas. CC does not lend it's environment to a shopper like me.
Best Buy on the other hand is OK. I'm asked if I need assistance in each of the areas I saunder to and the atmosphere is condusive to that. One note is that when I purchased a computer the check out desk tried it's damnest to push product and services it inferred I couldn't do or figure out how to install. I was annoyed a bit but held my ground until he got the message and gave up.
Another thing about CC that is my major hatred of an organization that FIRES their longest dedicated employees because they make too much money and then offer to hire them back at a lesser rate. This is not a company, it's a Chinese sweat shop! Did the upper corporate management take any pay cuts? Yea right! That is why I won't even look at a CC flyer to this day.
Best Buy as I stated is OK. I do shop there because it's the only store offering a wide variety of goods and the atmosphere is condusive to my way of shopping.