Best Buy's Return Warning, It could happen to you. - Page 6

Then explain it. The only time you used the word bet is when you bet that I am a shoplifter. An accusation completely out of left field.

Already answered once before. The loyalty coupon is meant to influence your decision making. You can claim not to be influenced, and hell, maybe you aren't. But given just how haphazard your thought process in this very thread has been, I have to say I doubt it. It is always the ones who think they are immune that are actually the easiest to influence.

No I used the word bet when you stated I would go over with my coupon and you used that same little word. That's why I stated earlier I have my house paid off..really I'm frugal that's why I shop and look for really good deals at Best Buy. Did I mention I love BB?

To qualify for the Premiere Silver program, you spend $2500 in a calendar year with Best Buy. Period. Oh, and you have a Reward Zone account that gets swiped every time you buy.

That I do know.

Yeah, right, because Amazon NEVER changes their policies in ways that aren't popular to some.

That's a stove purchase. Refrigerator or recently the television. Washer dryer. Not hard to do

G'night Jerry we'll resume this tomorrow. My iPad battery is low. Time for a double shot of WoodFord Reserve Double Oaked. I feel like the sheepdogs/coyotes on that cartoon overlooking the pasture....

Correct. They never have. Glad you see it my way.

I get the point JerryW is making, but his point is kinda like...well, duh? A customer loyalty program does its duty if it influences a customer to buy at one place over another. He seems to be implying that there's some malicious intent at play on behalf of Best Buy -- they are, after all, in business to make money. An incentive program is meant to do just that -- get people to spend more money, and when they do, to spend it at the particular retailer offering the incentive. I think anybody with half a brain realizes that it's in place to make you want to buy things at Best Buy. Does that mean that it offers zero benefit to those who have a RZ card? Hardly.

I just can't seem to connect the dots on another one of Jerry's points -- from what I'm gathering, he seems to think that the mere fact of having a RZ card so clouds the judgment of prospective shoppers that they get tricked into buying things at Best Buy, or are otherwise unable to comparison shop, and end up getting ripped off. Some specific examples really would help here, as Best Buy has generally developed a good price match policy concerning certain online dealers (to that point, a policy which I very much doubt is sustainable in the long run, but that's a different discussion...), so scoring a price match to, say, Amazon, and still collecting RZ points on top of that doesn't seem like a bad proposition to me. I think you're also underestimating the level of savvy that a growing percentage of shoppers possess. People definitely watch the sales and know what's a "good price" and what's not more than ever before. Consumers have never been at the mercy of retailers less than they are right now. Sure, the certificates are only redeemable at Best Buy, and act a catalyst for the customer returning back to the store for future purchases....but that's kind of another "duh," don't you think? It's the entire point and depending on how you use them, it can very much work out in your favor. What do you expect, an Amex gift card to use anywhere you want? There has to be some incentive built-in for BB. I think it's pretty obvious that BB isn't offering RZ certificates to customers out of sheer goodwill.

Maybe the reason you can't connect the dots is because those aren't my dots. How many times have I said that it is not black and white? That it is about pushing people who are near the edge, over the edge? If it were as simple as the words you are trying to put into my mouth, it would be obvious and nobody would be arguing about it. You want examples? I've already posted three relatively straight-forward scenarios. What more do you need?
They do provide zero NET benefit. The problem here is that the "benefits" are easy to see while the costs are well hidden. So you get all these people who can see the pros, but it makes their heads hurt to think it through enough to see the cons, so all they do is focus on the pros and it gives them warm fuzzies inside and they go around saying things like "I LOVE BEST BUY."

I really don't understand your argument about rewards cards?

I signed up because i'm a frequent shopper and it only makes sense to get money back. If i shop around like i normally do and decide i want an item at BB, this is a win win, I get extra money off (not in discount, in rewards). They don't push me over the edge, I already made the descision to buy.

Where are the hidden costs? If you are shopping and they are price matching, where are those costs so "well hidden"?

JerryW after a good nights sleep and a few,WoodFord Reserves I'm joining your camp. I told the wife we will each get a extra part time job. I'm not going to the evil doer anymore (Best Buy). Heck whenever I shop and they give me a % off or a rebate card I'm going to run out of the store and purchase the item somewhere else. And on top of that (you'll love me for this) I'm going to pay TOP DOLLAR for said product even if I have to travel many miles. Just makes sense now to pay top dollar for the product ....it has to be better somehow, even if it is the same product A at the higher price. I'm doing this with everything now. From car purchases...one dealership wanted to give me a few oil changes after purchase I ran out and screaming you non soulful evil corp. trying to get my money. That's why I accused you of shoplifting..you must not purchase anything because your reasoning was this your quote " Really? I don't think I've judged a single person here, although your accusation is judgmental. 7:1 says nothing about judging corporations, they are not people, they do not have souls and their only prophet is profit." So I take that you don't give your money to any business...they are out to get your money. Shoot even that fast food place I went to and I didn't realize this until after the purchase they gave me two sandwiches. I told them I only purchased one. And they replied back get this Jerry the "Gall of this evil unsoulful corp" the employee said its buy one get one free. Needless to say I threw the whole bag at them and demanded my money back. Trying to swindle me like that. Thanks for the heads up. I am glad my house is paid for saves a extra $1000/mos. so we can pay top dollar at mom and pops stores around the country and I don't want to frequent them too often..they may one day offer me a BOGO free. Then they are evil also. You know what I may start shoplifting too. All them evil doers are after my money.

BTW JerryW my most recent purchase was the Sony 950. And that was my second purchase at BB in a year. I purchased a Bluray Disney movie for my wife and this TV. And I went without a TV for around 3-4 mos before making a decision on which one. So I don't haphazardly jump in on purchases and don't solely purchase from BB. That is why again I mentioned my house being paid off...I don't waste money so your "way off" again Maestro. I have to admit though I would of purchased at Pauls TV because I really liked the salesman, good guy and knowledgable but they did not carry the Sony...I'm Loyal like that (oops, that word again) when it comes to purchases I'm a Sony fanboy, Denon and Toyota and Lexus. I just purchased a Lexus RX350 for my wife and it is great....mind you JerryW and I think you will "approve of this" maybe not. The 350 was a lease turn in 2 years old. My reasoning why purchase new when right as soon as you drive it off the lot you lose thousands. And I saved around $25K by purchasing this way....of course they threw in some coupons for free auto detailing after the purchase...if I would of known what I know now I would of run out right then and there when they handed me them coupons...evil doers all over the place

Isn't one of the best things about the RZ at BB is the longer return policy? I get sixty days to return items.I return at least a dozen items a year at BestBuy. I've never had any warnings saying that I could not return another item during the next ninety days. And with their new price match policy it's even better. I've had them price match Tiger Direct and Amazon this year. So I get the RZ dollars, a nice price match, and a sixty day return policy. And if I have an issue, I just need to go to one of the two dozen stores in the DC area to return or exchange an item.

Now granted with tax the price will be a little higher than getting it online but it makes it so much easier if there is an issue. I used to buy most of my electronics from mail order in the 80's and early 90's and from online in the mid 90's to mid 2000"s. But since then I have gradually purchased more and more electroncis locally since I've been able to find very good deals that way. And with more online price matching options now, I'll probably be buying even more items from B&M stores in the future. Especially BestBuy.

No tax on my Sony 950 purchase. They were $15 lower than Amazon. They charged tax but lowered the price of the product to even it out. In a way it feels like I take advantage of BB. I get great financing, points rewards and price matching I don't have to drive all over wasting fuel albeit the store is 22 Mi. One way but being a RZ member I do get free shipping. But I chose to pickup at store being the 950 was a high dollar purchase and the box fit in the Lexus RX350 just barely though by about 1 1/2" the box is huge. I wanted to check the shipping box b4 leaving the store. It was perfect. Did I mention I love Best Buy

The only problem I see with what you are doing is being a fanboy of Toyota and Lexus. But hey, Denon and Sony are great stuff.

You are so right, sir!

These satisfied customers prove it!

http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-sucks/forum/Fx1FXZJET22FVJX/Tx1GPU116HQ21WZ/1?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B000QFOD8E

http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-delivery-sucks/forum/Fx3L0V31F5CP1F/Tx22BHMZTG4A6CU/1?_encoding=UTF8&asin=0811818780

http://thetruthaboutamazon.com

http://amplicate.com/hate/amazon/7300758-amazon-sucks/

Strange how that works. In the late 90s and my teen yrs. 80s I was all Ford. Cars and my last 2 Fords were a 98 ext. cab step side full of chrome and my wife took that from me so then I purchased a 99 Ford F150 fleet side. Then I purchased a Avalon and now a Lexus. I think I'd purchase a GMC before a Ford now.

How could I be so wrong.
Four unsatisfied customers out of how many transactions? 1billion? I don't know. Maybe you could do some more of your useful research and post your findings.


As I'm sure many here know, Best Buy is changing their price matching March 3rd.


Starting March 3, 2013 Best Buy will price match the current pre-tax price for new, identical, immediately available products from local retail competitors and select designated major online retailers at the time of purchase only. (No subsequent price matching of competitors is allowed)

Here is the full list of online competitors that are included in the price-matching guarantee:

Amazon.com
Apple.com
Bhphotovideo.com
Buy.com
Crutchfield.com
Dell.com
Frys.com
hhgregg.com
HP.com
HomeDepot.com
Lowes.com
Newegg.com
OfficeDepot.com
OfficeMax.com
Sears.com
Staples.com
Target.com
TigerDirect.com
Walmart.com


I'd say my days at buying at bb are over.

I was a dodge fanboy for a while (well Ram fanboy if you want to get technical), still am to a point. For cars, I've never been for anything until the last 10 or so years when i switched over to the German cars.

While this may be new on paper, they have done it for a while. They, last year, price matched from amazon and crutchfield for me.

What a total waste of money, sausage burners. lol

If'n your one of those get out of my way Audi or VW owners, my sleeper little DODGE will smoke ya.

I am shocked, I say!

By the way, who is missing from that list that you believe they SHOULD price match? Bob's Plasma??

The issue is the one day price match at time of purchase. It used to be 30 days.

I do agree with you there. It seems like a business should be celebrating and drawing attention to its competitive differentiators, not abolishing them.

This part of the change I am disappointed in.

A while back we exchanged 4 macbook pros and 6 pc laptops for one customer. He kept saying there were issues with them and in the end, we exchanged them out all within the return policy. Not once when the ID was processed did it reject him even though i was sort of hoping it would about 4 laptops in.

I see that most of the time, when a return is rejected due to driver's license, its because the employee didn't enter in the correct driver's license ID. I've made that mistake 2 times, both times the return was rejected.

I have not read this entire thread just skipped through it but being an employee for Best Buy for 5 years and enjoying my employment there I might be able to answer or clear up some issues here.
An ID being required from my understanding is based by State Laws just like Game Exchange requiring a copy of your ID in California if you trade in a game it is not required here in Arkansas to take a photo copy of your ID. But most states are requiring the ID from my understanding. I work in the Home Theater department and not customer service desk.

To the OP the issue could be already fixed on being flagged for returns but I have ran into the issue with customers having a similar phone number for reward zone or the original phone number was entered incorrectly and one of the customers sharing the same phone number is not paying attention when clicking the RZ info on the screen is correct. All your purchases are tracked by RZ, so say a customer that is not yourself with that similar phone number purchased something and clicks correct without reading the screen to add the purchase to your reward zone account. Then they go to return that product it is noted in your account as a return then you return a product you have two returns in that short amount of time. I know if you return or exchange the same product 3 times in a 30 day period you can be flagged and watched for fraud. The whole scenario sounds stupid that people don't read the screen in front of them when the employee asks them to verify if we have the info correct but it happens. We also have hot coffee symbols on coffee cups in drive through restaurants...... As we all know companies employ these practices to protect themselves.

With all that being said it is not Best Buy's policy for the employee or manager to be rude to the customer. I have had some really great managers and some really terrible ones in my time there and that is the sad thing about that company bad news travels quickly. But on the other hand the employee behind that counter is more likely to be defensive if the customer is being defensive or starting to lose their cool with the situation. The nicer you are the nicer any employee at any company will be, that should go without being said.

On price matching it is not our policy to match the companies that are not on the list obviously but if you ask for a price match to a non approved site or retailer sometimes the manager will work with you. They don't have to but I know my store we have worked with customer to make sure we are getting their business and keeping them happy. On the products in the Magnolia room it is a lot less likely to happen because this comes from above that the pricing is very strict on those products. We are very unlikely to play with the pricing on UMRP or UPP products due to we could lose inventory on the product if we break the rules that the manufacturer set.

It sure would be helpful if you could provide a citation for your claim that even one state has a law requiring ID to make a return - not a trade of something you bought somewhere else, like at a pawn shop.

To my understanding-

if you have a receipt, it proves proof of purchase. Having that proof of purchase should allow you any returns provided in their return policy.

If you DON't have a receipt, you have no proof of purchase. Having no proof of purchase, you are at the mercy of the retailer. Scanning an ID is their way of protecting themselves from fraud.


I understand that if it's recorded under the reward zone, it should be proof enough for proof of purchase- but I'm not in charge. As far as being a state law that an ID is required for returns, I've never heard that... but would be interested as well to see where that information is coming from. That's my 2 cents.

So are you suggesting Best Buy tries to be righteous in cases like this just to be seen by others?


Isn't that basically all corporate marketing?


I find it odd, of all places, to see scripture being quoted in this thread...lol.

Yes and no. I find a lot of this as hard line to walk, based on how I was raised, and what I believe.

I don't believe that for something to be well intended, it has to be done anonymously. I'm thinking of all kinds of things that I have seen companies, schools and even individuals do...where that attention brought in more for the cause/charity they were supporting.

Now, I'm not saying that is why BB does or doesn't do it, but I'm not saying just because they choose to do it publically it's competely self serving.