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This type of business is bound to change as technology evolves. It used to be people would get the good information from Circuit City and then go across the str

This type of business is bound to change as technology evolves. It used to be people would get the good information from Circuit City and then go across the street to Best Buy for better prices. And now Circuit City is gone. Somewhere down the line Best Buy started over charging for services that aren't necessary. My primary example of this is that they offer to come calibrate your new HDTV for $500 upon purchase. You can order the same software they are using off of amazon for $12. Another thing is their price on cables. They just rip you off and smile in your face. Its annoying. Geeks like to shop at tech stores, you know? These sorts of practices force us to purchase things online. I just think somewhere down the line Best Buy quit putting the customer first and just like the rest of the comments, this seems like the beginning of the end.

mgkimsal 15y ago
This seems to be very dependent on the people and store locations. We just bought a $2k HDTV, and weren't pressured in to warranty, weren't upsold on any services like that, and they delivered, installed and configured it for free. re: cables - every retail store rips you off. go to target, walmart, radio shack - they all have $20 cables that you can get online for $5. I've had other geeks laugh at me when I complain about cable pricing. "Dude, just get it online!". Well... when I need a cable, I need a cable. I don't want to preemptively buy 5-6 cheap ones online (however cheap they are) on the offchance that I'll need one of them later.
- zbuc 15y ago
  I wonder if that's due to the profit margins on the big-ticket items(like an HDTV) being so low that they have to make it up on the accessories.
  - mgkimsal 15y ago
    maybe, and maybe, because we bought a more expensive one, there was no call/pressure to upsell? they'd already hit a profit min for that sale? still, I'm not even sure we were offered an extended warranty. Well... maybe. been a few months now - can't remember.

mgkimsal 15y ago

This seems to be very dependent on the people and store locations. We just bought a $2k HDTV, and weren't pressured in to warranty, weren't upsold on any services like that, and they delivered, installed and configured it for free. re: cables - every retail store rips you off. go to target, walmart, radio shack - they all have $20 cables that you can get online for $5. I've had other geeks laugh at me when I complain about cable pricing. "Dude, just get it online!". Well... when I need a cable, I need a cable. I don't want to preemptively buy 5-6 cheap ones online (however cheap they are) on the offchance that I'll need one of them later.

zbuc 15y ago
I wonder if that's due to the profit margins on the big-ticket items(like an HDTV) being so low that they have to make it up on the accessories.
- mgkimsal 15y ago
  maybe, and maybe, because we bought a more expensive one, there was no call/pressure to upsell? they'd already hit a profit min for that sale? still, I'm not even sure we were offered an extended warranty. Well... maybe. been a few months now - can't remember.