p.1 #1 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
I went to a local BestBuy today to buy a laptop. I needed a faster computer for use with Photoshop and for editing videos. I saw one I liked that was on sale, so I went on with the intent of buying it.
I went to the computer section and niticed there were 2 employees; each one was speaking to a customer. So, I patiently waited my turn.
30 minutes went by and these 2 sales associates were still speaking with these customers. When they were done, the employees walked away.
So, I tried speaking with sales associates in nearby sections, but they advised the couldn't help.
I walked back to the main entrance of the store and asked the "greeter" if he could find someone to assist me. He asked me if I was in the queue. I gave him my name and he placed me in the queue.
I waited another 15 miunted and gave up. I walked back to the greeter and asked to speak with anyone who would be willing to sell me the computer I came in to buy. He said that their new system required customers to sign in to a queue. I walked away without purchasing the computer.
Electronics sales is a very competitive market. Online retailers have the major advantage of offering lower prices. Brick and morter stores have been struggling to stay afloat because of the online competition offering better prices. While sitting in the parking lot of BestBuy I ordered that computer online. That brick and morter store lost my sale thank to their unwillingness to assist me.
I forgot to mention that there weren't many customers at that BestBuy while I was there. There were several sales associates standing around, chatting amongst themselves. It reminded me of the DMV; a lengthy wait process for sub-par to no non-existent service.
If this is their new business model, I can guarantee customers will be frustrated and purchase online instead. There is ABSOLUTELY no way BestBuy can blame low sales figures on online competitors. The fault lies 100% with their substandard customer service.
p.1 #5 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
I end up buying stuff from Best Buy essentially only when I'm purchasing for work and expensing the items.
For computers - unless it's something I order from Costco it's straight to Apple.com and will usually pick up the item at the Apple Store with an appointment.
p.1 #6 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
This is incorrect, a minority of Bestbuy's domestic sales is from online. Per Bestbuy's most recent Q4FY23 financial report "Domestic online revenue of $5.14 billion decreased 13.0% on a comparable basis, and as a percentage of total Domestic revenue, online revenue was 38.0% versus 39.4% last year.
Yes, many retailers have both a physical and online store. B&H has one physical store. Bestbuy has ~1000 physical stores. From this, I'm going to speculate that physical stores are a key component of Bestbuy's business strategy. If the OP's in store experience is typical (I have no idea if it is or isn't, I haven't been in a Bestbuy store for a couple of years), I could see it as being problematic for the company.
p.1 #7 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
In our area they cut the number of stores and then cut the number of people that are available to help in the stores. Items are often no longer on the shelf where labeled and even the employees do not know where they are- even when their machines tell them there are 20 or so of them. You can search, they can search shleves around the store and in the warehouse area in the back and thirty minutes later you can leave the store empty handed because no one knows where their own product is. Just a few years ago it was never this way in their stores here.
p.1 #9 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
Virtually all photographic and computer equipment these days are price fixed by the manufacturer, which unfortunately is legal again, so unless you're buying a discontinued item or an open box return, the price is going to be the same, pretty much too the penny everywhere you go. All brick and mortar stores suffered during the brunt of the pandemic, so it's pretty easy to deduce that a company with a thousand stores might suffer more than one with only one store, and even though we're *mostly* over the pandemic, just like long Covid, the economic implications linger on much longer.
That being said, Best Buy is a horrible company in how they do business and after my experience there a couple of years ago where the sales person promised be that I had fourteen days to return with no strings attached or restocking fees, imagine my surprise to find nearly a thousand dollar deficit after I did return the item. Nowhere on any of the paperwork was their policy of a 15% restocking fee on all electronics and televisions.
A very strongly (and well) worded letter directly to the CEO that also played on her Minnesota roots and sense of fair play, and I had that restocking fee reversed but I will never ever do business with them again.
And when I went back and confronted the salesman who immediately recognized me despite me being fully masked, he out and out lied about what he had told me when he sold me the camera.
p.1 #10 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
I've also had a couple of bad experiences at Best Buy. The first was ages ago, and the experience was so bad that I swore BB off. However, I'm now an intermittent customer of theirs. Reason: I learned how to shop at BB. Personally, I like to support local retailers who have items in stock that I can touch and people to talk (although their actual knowledge is quite variable).
Now I do my research up-front, narrow my field of items, then check BB's website to see if they stock the item(s) I'm looking for, and finally go into the store to look at it if needed. If everything works, I'll buy from them and decide whether to drive to the store or order from their website (their home delivery tends to be 1-2 days in my area). If not, I'll go online through someone else (generally not Amazon for anything tech).
p.1 #11 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
Yeah, I agree shopping at Best Buy is not an enjoyable experience. Can't find people for help. And a lot of the time they don't even have the prices for the goods. Most of the time I just google the price on Amazon.com and they will price match if it's sold by Amazon. ('.')/
p.1 #13 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
snegron7 wrote:
I went to a local BestBuy today to buy a laptop. I needed a faster computer for use with Photoshop and for editing videos. I saw one I liked that was on sale, so I went on with the intent of buying it.
I went to the computer section and niticed there were 2 employees; each one was speaking to a customer. So, I patiently waited my turn.
30 minutes went by and these 2 sales associates were still speaking with these customers. When they were done, the employees walked away.
So, I tried speaking with sales associates in nearby sections, but they advised the couldn't help.
I walked back to the main entrance of the store and asked the "greeter" if he could find someone to assist me. He asked me if I was in the queue. I gave him my name and he placed me in the queue.
I waited another 15 miunted and gave up. I walked back to the greeter and asked to speak with anyone who would be willing to sell me the computer I came in to buy. He said that their new system required customers to sign in to a queue. I walked away without purchasing the computer.
Electronics sales is a very competitive market. Online retailers have the major advantage of offering lower prices. Brick and morter stores have been struggling to stay afloat because of the online competition offering better prices. While sitting in the parking lot of BestBuy I ordered that computer online. That brick and morter store lost my sale thank to their unwillingness to assist me.
I forgot to mention that there weren't many customers at that BestBuy while I was there. There were several sales associates standing around, chatting amongst themselves. It reminded me of the DMV; a lengthy wait process for sub-par to no non-existent service.
If this is their new business model, I can guarantee customers will be frustrated and purchase online instead. There is ABSOLUTELY no way BestBuy can blame low sales figures on online competitors. The fault lies 100% with their substandard customer service.
This basically describes my last visit to a Bestbuy retail store ~10 years ago. Clearly nothing has changed. I don't understand how that company continues to exist.
p.1 #14 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
i purchased a storage freezer for my basement and a 27" monitor for my wife with little to no problem at the store nearest me in the past 2 years. i managed to survive the experience. i don't go there for the highest tech stuff to start. their products have never been the most cutting edge.
p.1 #15 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
Recently, when dealing with Best Buy, I usually buy on-line, what is in stock at a local Best Buy location, and pick-up at the store, in person. If there is a problem, cancellations and returns seem to be painless. ‘Way back in 2010, I could expect to find a knowledgeable photographer working in the photo area at the local Best Buy. That soon ended.
Generally, I have bought cameras, lenses, and photography accessories from a local independent camera store, or B&H, and tech items at a local Micro Center.
p.1 #16 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
They probably did you a favor - floor staff in a big box store is one of the worst places to get information on whatever you're shopping for - especially computers where there are many important nuances that are constantly changing. I've never talked to one in my entire life that had knowledge beyond the few bullet points included on the price tag that anyone can read. This is not limited to Best Buy, and includes virtually every electronics store I have ever been in including most staff at camera stores. Even some very high end Home Theater shops I've been in (where you expect a very high level of service given the dollar amounts involved), I've found it almost shocking how little the staff often know, or what myths they believe regarding certain products.
In my opinion anyway, stores like that only have value when you already have done your research and know exactly what you want. At that point you might as well just order online anyway unless you want to see it in person first and they have it on display (which is one of the few benefits).
I am not sure if it's different for other stores, but Best Buy employees in my area are not commissioned, so they are paid the same whether they help you or not, and like most places, generally want to do as little work as possible since it doesn't affect their pay and they aren't making a career ouit of it
p.1 #19 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
Bought my washing machine from them a few years back, just bought my new TV from them...all delivered with more care than most by a dedicated delivery guy. You should see how they have redone some of their Dallas stores...turned them into Covid-era warehouses with very efficient same day delivery options. They did a nice job pivoting when the market turned.
p.1 #20 · Why BestBuy Will Be Filing For Bankruptcy
Big box stores are located on very cheap land, typically former industrial lands, so the cost of operating them is very low, and they are probably not the main source of Best Buy's revenue to begin with. The physical stores likely function mostly as advertising. I never found them to be a good place to buy computers, and they have since de-emphasized computers in their stores judging from my recent visit.
