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-- Not Best Buy's Best Day (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=1418)

When I started this thread I really did not intend to demean all Best Buy employees. I was expressing my utter amazement at BB management putting that completely PDA illiterate person in front of a camera. I realize every employee can't be versed in every item, but come on, BB Management, if you are putting someone on TV at least make an effort to pick items they at least know SOMETHING about.

And before everyone razzs me, no... I don't believe everything I read in the newspapers, I simply had a little faith in mankind that someone would at least put in some level of effort into doing a competent job.

I was assisting a friend choose a digital camera over the weekend. We went to BB, and not only didn't the rep know anything, he wouldn't even let me look at the product's manual or even the box!

We made the purchase blindly, not even being allowed carry take the box to the checkout. Rather, the rep hand carried the box to the checkout counter for us. I was so pissed.

But hey, I'm used to BB's sh*tty antics, I'm a Mac user.

Best Buy has a habit of lowering their prices when they're out of stock. This happened to me twice.

First, I walk in to buy my BVD and they have a 3xe at $209. So I'm thought, "For $50 less, and somewhat same features, I'll go with the 3xe." So I ask the guy behind the counter for one and he tells me their out of stock and they don't know when they'll be getting anymore. So I go home with a shiny BVD.

The second time, I went to buy a new monitor. I knew I wanted 17 or 19", but I would be happy for either one. I find one of the best Samsung monitors, flat screen, .24 dot pitch, etc for $210 - $30 rebate. I ask the guy for one and he tells me their out of stock, but a store an hour away has some, so my dad says he'll take me the next day. We go to the Best Buy an hour away and they have none! Worse, I check the card on the monitor and it's at $279!!!

And then they have some store policy that they don't sell floor models only if it's a discontinued model. WTF is up with that? Luckily I found one that they were gonna send back, and it's working great.

I know this is another thread, but I went to Circuit City and I was playing with they're PDAs and like 5 salesmen walk by me at regular intervals and say stuff like, "That's pretty cool, huh?" and "That's a nice little toy." Just thought that was wierd.

Hey! I never have to enter Best Buy again, their site is awesome. I use Outpost.com, but I just browsed the site for a few minuted looking for an APS camera. I could find one camera, then do a search for similar cameras, then compare the cameras I selected feature by feature. That's great.

It makes up for their crappy sales floor.

Well. . .my BB experience confirms the threads here. The first guy I talked to had no clue about PDAs--he thought the Palms were better made and had "more programs." The next guy, though, was great. He knew all the techno-speak on Palms and Visors, and actually HAD a Visor strapped to his belt. He cited me chapter and verse on the virtues of the Visor and strongly suggested selecting it over the Palm. Fortunately, I had done some research and was leaning that way--I am a Mac user, after all!--but his assistance was helpful. He did, however, try to hard-sell me the extended warranty. (no thanks)

Best bet when shopping for anything that costs more than $5--do your own research and ask your friends--don't trust anyone who stands to make a buck off of you.

I've never noticed that BB lowers prices when they're out of stock. However, they do raise prices when there are rebates offered.

I was building a computer for a friend of mine, so I bought him a Voodoo3 2000 for 100 bucks there. About a week later 3dfx had a 30 dollar rebate for the same card, so I figured I'd take it back and rebuy it if they didn't want to do anything about it. Well, when I went back, the card was mysteriously raised to 130, but after the rebate it was 100 again. Shady.

And the problem I have with a lot of retail folks, especially BB, is they're so damn full of themselves they will not ever admit they don't know. When I was in retail a few places, if I didn't know I instantly became the consumer because I wanted to know as much as that person did. I researched it, looked in the manual, and asked around till someone gave me a definite answer. The fact that I was honest about not knowing allowed me to make a better sale because they trusted me more instead of saying something BS or agreeing with them when they knew I was wrong.

Best Buy experience:

I find the Stowaway keyboard. The sales rep had seen it when stocking the shelf, but doesn't quite know what it is/does. On request, he opens the box (no way am I going to -- Best Buy is tough on such things...). I do a little self-test/demo to make sure it's what I want. It is. I buy it, saving on s&h.

The sales rep, admittedly green and intimidated at my RhinoPak 2000 and eyemodule -- neither of which he or his partner had seen -- ASKS ME if he should get a Visor or Palm as he begins college in the fall.

So, we have another young Visor convert in a truly self-service store.