Posted on 03/29/2012 8:06:03 AM PDT by Hojczyk
Zackly right. I used to go to BB for CDs, but now we just download. With large HDDs and flash drives, nobody needs disposable media like CDR and floppies, and you can buy ink and paper at the drugstore. So what do you need an electronics big box for? So you can touch and feel alternatives before you go online and shop for the best deal that UPS or FedEx will then deliver right to your door, often for free, and usually without paying sales tax.
Sorry Best Buy, but I colored you gone a couple of years ago....
Best place to buy a TV or electronics is Costco. They have a 90 day return policy so if the price goes down during that time period, you can get the difference back. They also have a 2-year warranty and you can bump that up to five years for a very small fee.
Not the largest selection in the stores, but you can get more options online; and without the sales tax.
The Apple and the Microsoft stores are great. The people who work there actually know what they are talking about.
You better believe it. Any given time of day, the local Apple store has more customers inside than the big box Best Buy does. The Apple store is so busy that they could open a drive-thru window.
Back when Sales Associates were still on commission, Circuit City did NOT have this problem. A commission-based sales guy who didn't know his stuff didn't last long.
The one local to me in NC did the same.
I chose to no longer patronize them because of it. Sam's Club, too.
Best Buy has numerous problems. First why the heck does a supposed electronic retailer sell vacuum cleaners and refrigerators? Customer service at Best Buy was hit and miss in my experience. Lastly the audio CD is nearly obsolete so why devote a considerable amount of retail space to selling them? Much smarter would be to sell music downloads through a computer kiosk. Best Buy also has increased price competition from online retailers and discount stores like Sam’s Club and Costco particularly on bigger ticket items like TVs.
You better believe it. Any given time of day, the local Apple store has more customers inside than the big box Best Buy does. The Apple store is so busy that they could open a drive-thru window.
Apple stuff just plain works. This from a PC sysmgr since the 6502 and Z80 microprocessor days.
Posasibly, if Best Buy had immediately following a lackluster Christmas season, fired 400 and closed 50 stores, shedding some costs and possibly lowering some prices as a result, their costs-vs-revenue situation would have quit depreciating by now. The signals were undeniably there months ago. They didn’t need another 90 days to tell them what to do.
I’ve hated Best Buy for years and have not shopped there since I was charged a “restocking fee” several years ago.
Around Christmas, the wife wanted to get me an iPad cover (the kind that is like an easel). No one at Best Buy helped her. The salesperson asked stupid stuff like "what type of iPad?". She eventually went to Fry's and the salesperson found just what she wanted immediately.
These are located closest to the store along with the handicap spaces. Counted more of the fuel efficient spaces than handicap...
Parked my SUV there anyhow. Asked the employee at the door what qualified as a fuel efficient car, he said anything that gets 35 MPG +. Pointed to my SUV (the only one in those spaces by the way) and said it gets 35+ going down hill with a tail wind....
Things always speed up when going downhill.
It’s not him, it’s them. They didn’t change correctly for the changes in their business. Most of their “middle of the store” stuff (music, movies, games) is available completely digitally and even in physical form cheaper with a wider selection elsewhere (mostly Amazon). Even a lot of their “perimeter” stuff (computers, TVs, car stereo, appliances) is easily acquired elsewhere, often directly from the manufacturer, again cheaper and with wider selection. To make up for that they’ve jumped big into the mobile market, selling other companies’ cellphones competing directly with those companies that almost never give them a discount, so once again the customer can buy it cheaper elsewhere, a market that Radio Shack has already proven is not profitable.
Most people could make a pretty long list of reasons why online shopping is preferable to going to a retail outlet. If you don’t have to try it on, or test drive it, or otherwise evaluate the product in person, shopping online offers big advantages including lower prices and almost unlimited selection.
The smart retailers now have their own websites and online shopping for anything that can be shipped economically.
Sales of electronics aren’t dwindling, sales AT Best Buy are.
They at least need to be pranked one more time like this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgUIbPfhSuo
The USA is massively over-retailed. All of these “big box” stores are going to have to close at least 25% of their locations to survive. Best Buy, having become “Amazon.com’s Showroom” is probably in even worse trouble than the others. They offer nothing that can’t be had easier at Costco and Wal-Mart or cheaper online.
You're expecting top shelf service?
What do ya think your going to get with an $8 per hour/no benefits employee?
Wastin away in Barack Obamaville....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.