7 Reasons Why Best Buy Won't Be Around In 7 Years - Page 2

Originally Posted by richr8 

I went into my local BB last Friday and needed help finding a sound card. Three separate times I spotted an associate across several aisles and headed toward them, and three times they rapidly headed off in another direction as I approached. Each was positioned in a way that they could have easily determined that I needed assistance if they cared about customer service even a little. There were very few customers in the store, so it wasn't about being too busy.
It reminded me of the way I used to be treated at Home Depot before they got religion. I hated going there for anything and would pay a premium price at Ace hardware, because they were always there to help. Looks like Home Depot figured this out, because now when I go to Home Depot it seems like someone is asking me if I need help around every corner. Now the tide has turned and Ace will have to work on their pricing since they can't use customer service as a discriminator any longer.

Originally Posted by jpcamaro70 

When going to HD or BB its always best to know exactly what you need. There are kids working in BB that don't know much, and in HD (while they are a little better now) they don't know much either.

Originally Posted by jpcamaro70 

When going to HD or BB its always best to know exactly what you need. There are kids working in BB that don't know much, and in HD (while they are a little better now) they don't know much either.

Originally Posted by mailiang 

...

6th Ave and Circuit City have already gone and there is more to come
...

Originally Posted by mifronte 

When did 6th Ave go under? I used them 5 years ago to equip my HT and liked the savings they gave to AVS forum members.
Too bad.

Originally Posted by ack_bk 

Well there is one thing happening that can save Best Buy if they get their act together.. Internet taxes.. Time and again I am seeing people post on forums from places like California that they are not going to order a movie or item from Amazon anymore because they can just go pick it up down the street for the same price or cheaper now that Amazon is forced to collect taxes.
Amazon will be collecting taxes from 13 states by 2015, and I suspect that number will grow drastically based on the current environment where most states are seeing rising costs and have to raise taxes or cut back (and I don't see many government cutbacks in the near future, so expect them to try to get more tax dollars).
Truth be told, I am a huge Amazon customer (Prime member) and if my state started collecting taxes, I would still be a big Amazon customer, but I do think I would be more likely to buy more items locally from Best Buy, Target, Walmart, etc. I am sure there are many that would feel this way. Taxes really add up. Especially in a state like California where there can be a 9% tax levied on items purchased at Amazon. While this, by itself, will be enough to save Best Buy, it does help level the playing field but clearly Best Buy needs to step up and do better. In the past I have avoided their stores due to their poor customer service and worthless employees.

Originally Posted by John J. Puccio 

I hear that, N.B. I wouldn't buy an expensive piece of electronics on-line, either, esp. one that requires a subjective judgment about its audio or video properties. However, I'm lucky enough to live in an area where for high-end items there are a number of alternative stores to visit, like Fry's Electronics, Pacific Appliances, and several independent shops, as well as the usual assortment of Walmart, Target, Sears, etc., for lesser-priced items. I just try to avoid Best Buy whenever possible, and this latest annoyance of not being able to buy an "exclusive" product from them makes me steam further.

Best Buy founder Dick Schulze, together with a group of investors, has reportedly begun the due diligence process of a planned leverage buyout of the consumer electronics retail chain he started in 1966 when it was called Sound of Music.

Originally Posted by John J. Puccio 

Sony released their final nine Bond films on Blu-ray today (Oct. 2), three each exclusively at three different stores (goofy, I know). Walmart had theirs prominently displayed. Best Buy? No chance. Nothing. The clerk kept asking me if I was sure they were released today because not only did the store not have them, the store computer didn't list them, and not even their Web site listed them. So Best Buy gets an exclusive on a product and then doesn't have the product, and the consumer can't buy it anywhere else. Great. And another reason why Best Buy may be out of business in a few years.

Originally Posted by John J. Puccio 

Thanks much for the info, ack_bk. The original press release I read had said all nine would be available in the three stories on the same date. Interesting that you would know the release date and Best Buy wouldn't. Which brings up my point: It wasn't the release date that annoyed me; obviously Best Buy wouldn't have the product until later. That was fine. What peeved me was that neither the department manager, the store, or the Best Buy Web site had any idea or gave any clues about the releases, and the manager told me he had no way of finding out. Not the best way to run a store, when your customers know more than you do, and the store says it has no way even to look up the information (or no way the store wanted to bother with, given that I was a mere customer).