LOLBest Buy need I say more?

[jyakotsu]

lol, where did i say they needed to plunge into tech culture?

I'll even simplify it further:

1. - open Internet Explorer, or find someone who has it.
2. - visit Wikipedia.org
3. - Search for "Playstation 3".
4. - read


No it isn't, it's like asking someone to know that self-service stations exist before you take it to a full-service station.

I 100% agree with TG. If you don't know what is going on with the purchase then it is your fault honestly. It may be not mainstream or it may be.... Thing is that if you don't know what is going on, then maybe you should spend that extra 30$ to make sure your system is running properly. The companies are there to make a profit... if they can't exploit those that don't do their work prior to the purchase then they will end up just like circuit city.

 

[jyakotsu]

Yeah I'm not saying best buy doesn't get things way below cost. As I mentioned with the $100 cable i got for $4, I got some sick deals because I only had to pay 5% above cost. But we're discussing the PS3 price here, and I just highly doubt they were getting them for basically half off.

You who has worked at a computer company, this time being BB, should also know the profit margin that comes with expensive electronics. They get the PS3 and sell it for barely more than what they paid for it... they sell it so that they can sell the games that come with it... same goes with laptops, they make a marginal gain in profit when selling one... they sell them for the attachments that come with them... IE cables, accessories, cases, warranties, stupidpeoplethatbuy30$updates.

 

[RaidrX]

You who has worked at a computer company, this time being BB, should also know the profit margin that comes with expensive electronics. They get the PS3 and sell it for barely more than what they paid for it... they sell it so that they can sell the games that come with it... same goes with laptops, they make a marginal gain in profit when selling one... they sell them for the attachments that come with them... IE cables, accessories, cases, warranties, stupidpeoplethatbuy30$updates.

Yeah thats exactly what i've said like, 3 times lol. They don't make money on the system such as a PS3 or Laptop, its the accessories and services. Mostly the services since those are almost pure margin in some cases, but certain accessories are pretty marked up as well.

 

[Valandil]

It's not a scam. I fucking do it all the time to users whose computers I fix or remove viruses from. Those MS Updates have a regularly-updated Malicious Software Removal Tool for a reason. Why shouldn't I charge them if I'm going to sit and spend my time running broadcasted updates that they clearly won't?

Let me pose this question to you. If you were selling someone a brand new system, knowing that the purchaser is going to have to run some kind of update process, and also knowing that this update process very simplified, straightforwarded, and mostly automated, would you then try to sell that person a service that would require very little of your time? We all know what is going on in the Best Buy scenario. The business is banking on a customer's fear, regardless of who the purchase is for, because the customer is presented with situation which is intentionally setup so that it appears there are only three possibilities: 1) refuse the "service," get the system home and have it work like it should 2) refuse the "service," get the system home and not know how to update it yourself or somehow screw up the update so that you have to bring the system back and pay even more and 3) go ahead and pay for the service at the time of purchase in the hopes of avoiding scenario #2. Now you, and others, claim that if the purchaser has not bothered to inform themselves, then the joke is on them and you just parted a fool from their money. Okay fine, dog-eat-dog world, you gotta get yours, whatever and you're just another greedy douchebag who shares the exact same mentality of the people who came up with wonderful ideas of Over the Counter Market Derivatives and Mortgage-backed Securities.

But I know that you (Tristam specifically) believe in a higher authority and at least partially adhere to the code of conduct laid down by this authority. So then I also ask, when, if ever, do your personal ethics enter into the equation? Whatever happened to the rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?" Do these rules no longer apply when it's a business transaction? You can't sit there and tell me that you are nearly as well informed about every purchase you make that is over $100 that you are demanding of the people buying PS3s from Best Buy. So, when you're in a similar situation, would you not prefer that the sales associate be honest and upfront with you and not try to sell you shit that you don't need? Wouldn't you be more likely to walk away from the sale having a little more respect for that sales associate, and thus more likely to return to them and future and trust their advice, if he or she said, "You know what, you don't really need to buy this service. It's something you can do at home in about 10 minutes and it's very straight-forward. In fact, if you have any problems here is my card, just give me a call and I'll be happy to help you out." That, is a paragon of customer service. Maybe if people stopped being greedy little douchebags and trying to squeeze as much money as possible out of their fellow human beings, and instead started treating each other with a little more respect and dignity, then just maybe the world wouldn't be so dog-eat-dog. But then again, what do I know, I'm just idealistic atheist.

 

[Taurothar]

I work for Geek Squad, I'm constantly asked to "pre set up" these gaming systems and I flat out refuse. The real purpose of them is supposed to be to update, and configure parental controls for the units. If all you're doing is clicking a few buttons, it doesn't fulfill the SOP (standard operating procedure) and is considered to not be a properly done service, and you're not supposed to charge for services that are incomplete.

I am glad this is getting more public recognition because I've always seen the set ups on the PS3, 360, and Wii systems in store as being somewhat backhanded to do before leaving the store. What should be done is adding them on to home theater set ups so that it can be configured and adapted to their home system and a demonstration of how to use the unit with their own products. Our lead in media which is the head of gaming as well asked me to do 360 updates on the latest ones that didn't even have updates yet... Which means we'd be charging 29.99 for literally turning it on, syncing the controller, and typing in blank info to the account creation... I refused and convinced management that I WILL NOT do that service, and nobody at Geek Squad in my store will perform it either. We will only do it if it is requested that accounts are created and parental controls are set up. That should be true company wide, but unfortunately not all stores are as honest as mine is.

Is this a dishonest service? no. Are there dishonest employees? yes. Best Buy *stores* (not sure about corporate level) make literally 0 on gaming systems other than the Wii (something like 83 cents literally). This is just a way that a business is trying to take advantage of a "need". While you may not consider this necessary, not everyone does. Not everyone can change their own oil, so are you saying that mechanics don't deserve their *severely* overpriced labor costs? If you don't want to pay for this service, you don't have to buy it. If that is the only one left and it has the service already done? State to a manager you do not want it, and they CAN NOT make you pay for it.

 

[Morcheeba]

I'm curious though on what the RDC's are making on their own stores..?

My last employer marked up a 10% margin before selling to our *stores*. They got everything "at cost", but even they marked up the prices slightly. Everyone gets a little piece of the pie.

But that's neither here nor there. Just curiosity.

 

[RaidrX]

The hell I can't. I sat on the decision to buy a Kindle versus a Nook for three weeks, money IN HAND, while I did my research. Ask my wife. I drove her batshit talking about it so much.

Which did you go with? I got a kindle from my work a week or so back and I like it. Only have 1 book for it at the moment though and honestly haven't spent much time reading, but I like the feel of it.

 

[Hexx]

sup old man

Raidrx, I'm glad you and I think alike in this.

Buyer-fucking-beware, 100% of the time. This might be dishonest or whatever you want to call it, but they're running a business. A business to make money, as often as they can. If you as a consumer didn't do your research and signed up for $30 additional for them to do updates you were too lazy or ignorant to do yourself, then that's your damned loss.

LOL right back at ya daddy-o we both fathers now so we count as someones "old man" =P

 

[Pompidou]

People have been paying for convenience since people began paying for anything at all. I'm opening a café. If I were completely altruistic, I would tell every customer, "Hey, it only costs 30 cents to make this small coffee if you buy the whole beans in bulk and make your coffee at home. I don't want to swindle you into paying 1.25 when making a cup of coffee at home is so ridiculously easy." If someone wants to pay for convenience, and someone is willing to offer it, more power to them. We pay for so many frivolous things to save time, be lazy, not have to think - Best Buy's not a villain here. There's a price tag for convenience, and in this case, it's about 30 bucks.

 

[ShomeGhuye]

People have been paying for convenience since people began paying for anything at all. I'm opening a café. If I were completely altruistic, I would tell every customer, "Hey, it only costs 30 cents to make this small coffee if you buy the whole beans in bulk and make your coffee at home. I don't want to swindle you into paying 1.25 when making a cup of coffee at home is so ridiculously easy." If someone wants to pay for convenience, and someone is willing to offer it, more power to them. We pay for so many frivolous things to save time, be lazy, not have to think - Best Buy's not a villain here. There's a price tag for convenience, and in this case, it's about 30 bucks.

I think what they're doing is more akin to something like you getting a customer who's never had a coffee before, and doesn't know how to prepare one. Then, you say for the coffee to taste good, it needs to have sugar and/or cream mixed in. If you like, for an extra $1.50 we can add the sugar and cream for you (there wouldn't be any on the counter for customers).

Educated buyers are likely to tell you to no thanks, as I'm sure they do in best buy. But educated buyers aren't the ones they're targeting here if you ask me :/

 

[Strid]

I think what they're doing is more akin to something like you getting a customer who's never had a coffee before, and doesn't know how to prepare one. Then, you say for the coffee to taste good, it needs to have sugar and/or cream mixed in. If you like, for an extra $1.50 we can add the sugar and cream for you (there wouldn't be any on the counter for customers).

Educated buyers are likely to tell you to no thanks, as I'm sure they do in best buy. But educated buyers aren't the ones they're targeting here if you ask me :/

Every buyer should be educated though. It's solely their responsibility to be educated buyers, no one else. So there is no issue with targeting uneducated buyers nor should their be. The only problem that should and does exist is when information is withheld in order to force uneducated buys, which is in itself an uneducated move. However, that doesn't mean that a day one release purchase, when little is known of the product and the ins and outs is of that nature, only when information is forcefully withheld, which isn't very often.

That being said, is it a dick move? Absolutely. However, it's good, smart business. It cost Best Buy almost nothing to offer this service, it's almost pure profit, save for employee time however that could be negated if you consider the employee is working almost min. wage and had nothing better to be doing, i.e. a dead showroom floor. It's like I say about Bobby Kotick. He's a pure sleazeball. However, his bullshit amounts to press which leads to sells, at present massive sells. He is a great, great businessman for his stock holders despite helping tarnish my hobby of choice.