Best Buy's secret intranet site to get a disclaimer; customers to get shaft

So after all the uproar and lawsuits over Best Buy's secret in-store intranet, which looked exactly like the external bestbuy.com site but lacked sale prices and other discounts, the company has responded in the lamest way possible: by putting a warning label on the in-store kiosks. The warning will say something like "THIS KIOSK DISPLAYS IN-STORE PRICES - WHICH MAY DIFFER FROM NATIONAL INTERNET PRICES," and advise customers to see a sales associate if they have any questions. It's still unclear why the company won't just do the right thing and match its own listed prices, but we're willing to bet the suits are patting themselves on the back for their innovative, out-of-the-box solution. Martinis for all!

[MARKTW @ Sep 27th 2007 9:28AM]

You guys are right, the suits are definitely patting themselves on the back for their innovative, out-of-the-box solution.
Funny stuff!

[ben graham @ Sep 27th 2007 11:56AM]

look, i work there!

the reason the internet prices are lower is becaues they do not include shipping or tax.

when we add tax in the store it becomes about 10 percent more.

[tcc3 @ Sep 27th 2007 12:17PM]

I call shenanigans.

None of the shelf prices reflect sales tax.

Try another lie. Keep practicing, you'll go far at BB management.

[nikola @ Sep 27th 2007 12:26PM]

"the reason the internet prices are lower is becaues they do not include shipping or tax."

Are you saying they include a tax on shelf prices AND THEN TAX YOU AGAIN at the register?? and I've never heard of stores including SHIPPING in their shelf prices.

This is why I avoid bestbuy like the plague.

[jason @ Sep 27th 2007 12:26PM]

I was at Walmart yesterday picking up a game they had on sale according to their website. Turns out the game was not on sale in the store, web only, and as such they refused to price match their own website. I actually explained to the clerk that I could have just buy it in store and online,then when the internet copy came in return it using the store receipt and get the deal. He actually laughed and suggested I try it.

Best Buy is at least being honest about price matching and will honor any price on their own website. Walmart's policy sucks.

[nikola @ Sep 27th 2007 12:34PM]

jason, do you have any made-up stories about Circuit City while your at it?

Yeah..Busted Buy will match any price on their website alright...their IN STORE website unless you call them on it.

[John @ Sep 27th 2007 12:52PM]

does anybody drink the newegg kool-aid? I've yet to meet anybody who showed a rabid attachment newegg and would defend it to the death

[L.M.L.Y.P @ Sep 27th 2007 1:01PM]

i work at circuit city.. and thats stupid balls. we price match all the time , its never the same.. infact theyll be paying LESS tax. I even tel them the online price in case they didnt know.

[Matt @ Sep 27th 2007 1:10PM]

Maybe I just have nicer people at the Best Buy by me, they always match internet prices. It really makes no sense for them not to, I could just order it online for in store pickup.

[uagent @ Sep 27th 2007 1:36PM]

@nikola:
Actually, I wouldn't be so quick to call bs @ jason. I did buy an antenna from Circuit City that I just happened to talk to a cool rep to get it price-matched to their website (a $20 difference) after explaining what someone else said (you could always have just ordered online and did an in-store pickup). Fry's Electronics, the shining example of customer service they are, adamantly refuses to match their own online pricing.

Coincidentally, check and see if what you're looking to buy cheaper online from a local store is available at Sears. They have this policy where they'll price match+10% the difference between their price and the online (after s&h & tax) price of the competitor. Obviously this probably won't help you unless you're like buying a TV or fridge, but I personally managed to save $33 on a shaver since the difference between their price and target.com's price was $30, and didn't have to wait "4-6 weeks for arrival".

[dv8reality @ Sep 27th 2007 5:56PM]

"...they do not include shipping or tax."

Hmm, I think bestbuy does charge tax on their website, so where are you getting that the site doesn't include tax?

[dave @ Sep 28th 2007 5:38PM]

This guy ben graham just left the stupidest comment ive ever read in my life. I cant believe he even has a job

[kyle @ Sep 27th 2007 9:29AM]

Newegg, ftw.

[Dave Skaggs @ Sep 27th 2007 10:40AM]

I am officially boycotting Best Buy forever! Join the cause!

[shelterpaw @ Sep 27th 2007 11:06AM]

I'm right there with you. Since this story originally came out, I have stepped inside a Best Buy and it's the closest electronics store to my house. I'll never shop at Best Buy again unless they do the right thing.

[Andir3.0 @ Sep 27th 2007 11:05AM]

Your boycotting Best Buy because they offer items on the Internet cheaper than online? Ever heard of shipping? Cost to pay employees to point you to the right part of the store? Employees to make sure someone doesn't walk out of the store with a "free" item?

[itguy07 @ Sep 27th 2007 11:30AM]

Sorry, I'll skip Newegg:

1) Prices aren't all that great when you factor in shipping and other bogus charges (process my order today, etc).

2) Reliance on Microsoft technology. Sorry, my personal information is too valuable to trust to the most insecure platform ever created. I will not shop at sites that use IIS/SQL/.NET. I just look for .asp/.aspx/ash at the ends of the pages or imbeded in there and shop elsewhere. I usually tell them why they just lost a sale.

3) Return policy/fees suck.

Sorry, I don't drink the NewEgg Kool-Aid.

[Luke @ Oct 3rd 2007 12:29AM]

haha that's stupid. I work at Circuit City and change prices all the time for online differences. Then some people think that best buy is cheaper but ccity is on a internet based operating system so we go over every sunday and get prices from BB and update ours to a lower price. since i live in the south i get a lot of people asking for lsd hi-density plasma hdtvs.

[lettcco @ Sep 28th 2007 5:12AM]

yeah newegg can suck it. Amazon ftw! (no tax and free shipping)

[jason @ Sep 27th 2007 9:31AM]

If you still shop at Best Buy, you should be ashamed of yourself. They also do not stand by things listed on their website for preorders and they have also complained publicly about how they despise people just browsing in their stores. They are being led by horrible management. Stay away.

[NHAnimator @ Sep 27th 2007 9:35AM]

"they have also complained publicly about how they despise people just browsing in their stores"

Link? Thanks.

[Brooks @ Sep 27th 2007 9:48AM]

I don't know about publicly, but it's a very obvious mindset of most managers. They hound on close rate and apparently think that every person who walks through the door wants to spend $2000-10000 on either a whole computer + geek squad or a new High Def setup with install.
CDs and DVDs maybe. But guess what the employee cost is for that $30 USB cable....about $1.75. Enjoy =D

[Tom @ Sep 27th 2007 10:25AM]

Here's a brief article that Ars Technica did on what you are talking about.

It is smart business practice....for investors, not customers

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20041108-4382.html

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Sep 27th 2007 12:31PM]

I still shop at BestBuy because it's a cool place to look around and get the newest stuff. Over here in Texas though, they charge like 10 bucks for tax. But still, it's the people's choice to shop where they want to. Not everyone likes to do it online.

[John B @ Sep 27th 2007 2:53PM]

Oh, please. Get off your damned, anti-BB horse. Depending on what you're looking for they can have some really good stuff. Similarly, for some things they're overpriced. Some of their deals on CD/DVD media are phenomenal. But unless I absolutely need a hard drive immediately I'll buy from NewEgg.

Software? CDs? DVDs? There is no reason to not get from Best Buy. And depending on the peripherals that I'm buying I might prefer to pay the extra from BB so that I have a local place of return/replacement rather than have to deal with the wait that is automatically added on when dealing with an on-line company.

And so far the few returns that I've had to do went without a hitch in two different stores.

If you don't like Best Buy, fine. But don't you tell me that *I* should be ashamed of shopping at a place that *YOU* don't like. Best Buy (so far) has treated me well. And if you don't like that, well, tough sh*t for you that I still shop there.

[japanesegorilla @ Sep 27th 2007 9:32AM]

I'm surprised that they didn't do this a long time ago. I used to work for BB and I know that whenever an employee logs in he or she has the option of viewing store or internet prices and it gives you a nice warning about how one or the other reflect store or national prices.

[Allan @ Sep 27th 2007 9:31AM]

Good thing a Circuit City just opened up down the road from our new Best Buy. Not that CC doesn't have their own shady business deals to some degree (most places do)... but no more BB.

[LJKelley @ Sep 27th 2007 9:46AM]

I totally agree. After getting treated horribly on several instance (all starting with them not honoring a $20 reward certificate because their system automatically expires them before the expiration date listed on the certificate) and my Insignia TV (a BestBuy brand) breaking and being expected to wait 2months + for repairs (since parts were hard to find for this obvious Lemon) I just don't every buy at BestBuy any longer. I wouldn't walk into a BB if it was the last Electronic store on the planet and I'm a computer geek.

[Brian @ Sep 27th 2007 10:53AM]

This just confirms my long-standing opinion that Best Buy are a pack of jackholes whose sole purpose in my own personal universe is to function as a price comparator. As in "Well, Best Buy is offering it for $XXX, will you beat that?" They will never see another damn dime of my money.

[Jugomugo @ Sep 27th 2007 10:57AM]

I love the fact that with Circuit City, I can go inside and look at a product. Then look at their website to get a better price. Purchase it, pick it up, and never have to deal with sales people.

I saved $40 on an MP3 player by going outside on WiFi, ordering online, then picking it up. I'm sure I could have found a manager to price match, but why bother?

[Paragraph @ Sep 27th 2007 9:32AM]

but bestbuy will pricematch+10, so in theory if they advertise a lower price online thats available for pick-up, and the store wants to charge you more, they should price-match for on-line price and then take 10% of the differnce off your order... so really it just means that that loophole is more evident.

Honestly, why not just *ding* use the god damned bestbuy.com website? and charge whatever bestbuy charges for crap in bestbuy? cause it makes sense? ehh, whatever

i really never liked them, but i go there more now that compUSA is pretty much dead.

[JayP @ Sep 27th 2007 9:44AM]

I had that happen- the 15% discount was online only but didn't realize until I was at the store. I was going to go home, order and pickup to save myself $30.

The BB employee said he'd do better and took 25% off.

[yacoub @ Sep 27th 2007 9:35AM]

I dunno, I shop there for DVDs sometimes because they're cheaper than Amazon or other sites and the cashiers have had no problem matching whatever I saw on the website, though often times the prices in the store are the same or better than what's on the actual Internet website (as opposed to the in-store version filled with lies and deception this article is talking about).

[Dan @ Sep 27th 2007 9:35AM]

Their system has had that disclaimer for months. Any customer can look at the BestBuy.com prices if they simply ask. They also have a price guarantee if they see a better price 14 up to 60 days after they make the purchase on BB.com or another local competitor. That's not a bad deal if you ask me.

[gabernyc @ Sep 27th 2007 10:30AM]

Best Buy doesnt honor prices from a lot of retailers for stupid excuses i.e. they dont have a return policy or theyre only online meanwhile they have a physical store. They dont even go by their own policies on returns especially if you bought an extended service plan cuz now they want you to have something you just bought new repaired when youve had it for 2 days. Best Buy is the worst if you have to deal with management theyll blow you off and not give you the correct info to complain.

[jason @ Sep 27th 2007 3:46PM]

why not just do things right in the first place???? best buy used to see around 5,000 dollars a year from me. in the last five years i bet i've spent less than 500. their service plans suck, their employees (most of them) don't give a crap about their job and/or know nothing about their job.

[Richard Berkin @ Sep 27th 2007 9:36AM]

"It's still unclear why the company won't just do the right thing and match its own listed prices..."

Why is it unclear? People never actually READ disclaimers. This is basically just BestBuy's way of continuing to do what they were doing before without crossing any legal boundaries.

[DickHardknocks @ Sep 27th 2007 9:37AM]

Its always been like this at BEST LIES. I worked there during the 2004 Christmas season before I got a REAL JOB.

There would be great deals online but if you were dumb enough to walk in the store looking for such deals, the hound-like salesmen/women would be quick to tell you "that doesn't exist offline" and try to get you to buy something else.

BBY ALWAYS charges more than Circuit City and I have known for a long time that CCity is the better place to shop though, they don't have the same level of training BBY can afford. BBY's DVD racks are a MESS when you come in looking for a Sunday-Tuesday DVD on sale and the place feels like a prison when you are forced to wait online and then endure security checks before leaving.

I perfer to spend my money in a store that respects me.

BBBY has come to signify what I hate abouut corporations

[Scott Stover @ Sep 27th 2007 10:50AM]

[ I have known for a long time that CCity is the better place to shop though, they don't have the same level of training BBY can afford. ]

It is not that they don't have the same level of training to afford, they don't have the common sense to do it right. CC is losing money big time (due to theft) and may soon be going out of business unless they change their dumb business skills.

I disagree that it is the better place to shop if you want help from an associate. They hire so few people (and lay off more than ever necessary) that invites shop-lifters like crazy. Several times, when I was their PC technician, I would be responsible for doing installs and diagnostics AND run the entire PC/Camera department for several hours all by myself. If you have more than one customer in the three departments who want to talk about a camera, computer, or anything technical your screwed if your the second or third customer (unless you came in to shop-lift). We would find discarded security boxes of video cards, memory, hard drives, etc. either opened by a key a customer stole from a poorly staffed department or out right break the security boxes because an associate wasn't there to keep an eye on the floor and the shop-lifter.

I was well trained b/c I made the effort to get the training done on my own.

[Mr Angry @ Sep 27th 2007 9:38AM]

Also just remember their 30 days return policy on some items, if you do find it cheaper on their website, order it from there, then return the other one. They get a little miffed when you tell them what you have done, but they only have themselves to blame.

I have been caught out twice now on internet deals not being honored in store when browsing their site. One employee told me the second time to pop home and print out the page, then that should work, so they are not all a bunch of douchebags, just the management.

[bnceo @ Sep 27th 2007 9:44AM]

In all honesty, I have no idea why people go nutty on the Best Buy thing. For us tech people, we do our research when shopping for TVs, and other electronic stuff. If you go there for computer parts (except blank media), then you sir/madam don't belong on this site. Newegg is your mecca. But if you find a TV that you really want based on your research, just go to wherever you get the lowest price. I don't trust associates or flyers to tell me what to buy.

Yes they stink, but we only know they stink by continuing to go there. Buy with price, not with convenience or store.

[tcc3 @ Sep 27th 2007 12:46PM]

I agree New Egg is the better store, but some times you need it now, not in 3-7 business days, not tomorrow at increased shipping rates.

[Syke @ Sep 27th 2007 9:48AM]

Uh... I don't get it either. It's noted very clearly and has been for as long as I can remember: INTERNET PRICE ONLY. It's not that difficult to go to the website, find what you want, get a discount and then have it delivered to the store. :D (The funny thing is, it's more work for them since they have to go GET the actual item.) Using the website's just getting a nice discount and knowing it's going to be there, held for you. I don't get the point of using the instore system anywa. @.@

[commensense @ Sep 27th 2007 9:54AM]

I have worked in the retail industry for many years. There are not too many retailers, if any, that have the same prices in brick and mortar stores as online. That's because they work to different financial models and overhead costs. For example, there is much less overhead to sell online. If you walk into a store, it costs more backend $$ to support sales. Isn't that one of the inherant benefits of online shopping for the last 10 years? You can get it cheaper, but you have to wait and don't get instant gratification. I challenge anyone to find a major retailer that has the EXACT same prices online as they do in their stores for all products.

I'm not defending any retailers' practices, just being logical. Don't complain just to complain if it doesn't make sense.

[Andy @ Sep 27th 2007 10:33AM]

Of course there are going to be deal that are online only, but most retailers put a disclaimer somewhere on the site that it is an online only deal. The problem here is when the retailers website indicate the deal is both online and in store and then the associates try to say it doesn't exist pointing at their internal website. When I bought My TV from Best Buy, I had a print out of the model I want from the internet and I told the sales associate, "I want that TV at that price". He pulled up the intranet site and I probably suprised him by asking to look at the actual website. In the end the guy actually sold me the tv and all the other equipment I wanted much cheaper than I would have expected. He acutally gave me a better deal than what I asked for in the beginning.

[Devon @ Sep 27th 2007 9:56AM]

I stopped shopping @ CC & BB years ago.
There is a Tigerdirect retail store in Orland Park, Il
So I have the choice of either going to the store and picking it up or ordering it online.
I ordered a video card Monday night and it was delivered by UPS on Tuesday afternoon.
(That was with UPS ground)

[TVGenius @ Sep 27th 2007 9:57AM]

That's been on there for at least a month already...

[DickHardknocks @ Sep 27th 2007 10:00AM]

I have plenty of stories I could tell about BEST LIES.

You mention their crappy management?

One time a hispanic couple came in (Sotre # 483 - Rego Park) and they wanted to return a SONY BOOMBOX system. Everything was going ok till one of the customer service employees noticed a dead roach husk in the box. She notified management who came to the counter. The manager basically made fun of them:

"I'm not going to take this back cause you'll INFECT my entire stockroom"

The couple began to arue with the Manager.

"You bring these cucharachas in here and my whole store will be filthy".


I also have seen the employees make fun of customers after purchases.

"These Mexican families always come as a whole family to buy a computer - and they always have a little ass car so the computer and them can't fit in there together".


Its really ridiculous how bad BBY actually is on the macro level. I've seen people who came in with reciepts and that BS BB Warranty paperwork get refused a new product.

YES there are success stories for customers who do get good service but for the most part, that only happens in rich, upper class White neighborhoods. In "lesser" neighborhoods, customers are treated like sh*t .

[Jack Storm @ Sep 27th 2007 10:28AM]

Al?
anyways, how does that make it bes lies?
just because one store has bad management doesnt make em all bad. if thats the case, every retail store is bad.

[tcritserjr @ Sep 27th 2007 10:05AM]

Personal I dont mind bestbuy. *Gasp*
Geeksquad on the other hand is awful
If you come in with the ad be it printed from there site or from another place they will 9 out of 10 times match it.
I buy gadgets there every now and then because of there awesome credit deals with there credit card. No where else have I found a place that extends credit promotions as well as they do after the first intial purchase. Bought my xbox 360 and games and extras and recieved 6 months no interest. Then after paying that off but my digital camera and a slew of extras with 18 months no interest. Will soon be buying my HD tv and other stuff with 3 years no interest. If you a smart consumer and no how to use the system then its not that bad of a place if your a dolt and dont have the balls to walk in tell them what you want and what they are going to do they are going to walk all over you.