I have not had any of the problems folks are talking about regarding Best Buy. Then again I don't buy things like power strips and extended warranty plans etc. And also I generally know what I want and how much it is and how whether they have it in stock or not.
When I bought my 2011 MacBook Pro - I asked for what I wanted - he looked it up - found it in the cage - and I bought it and left - can't even recall if he offered the extended warranty - if so I refused and the transaction proceeded.
The best part - no interest for 18 months - and $50 back in rewards dollars towards a future purchase.
Sounds like you did pretty well. I usually did well with Best Buy, though I don't like being pestered or the occasional guilt trip to convince people to buy warranty plans. I don't buy from them much anymore though.
I'm pretty sure that is a different scope. I mean down 1-2% from Friday, which I think is much closer to the time frame of the person I was replying to. Apple is down less than 1% from opening this morning.
... on the other hand... Best Buy (BBY) has been on a slow and steady decline for the last 5 years... but they do give a dividend...
The whole iPad2 supply issue stinks, and it's not really Best Buys fault!!
It's totally Apple's fault!!
Did you forget about the tsunami and earthquake in Japan? Maybe that had something to do with it?
It's a strange world this forum lives in that hates Best Buy but craves the iPad. I for one have never had a bad experience at Best Buy.
I will always remember how they took back my Toshiba Hi Def player and all the movies I bought for Christmas when that format went belly up in favor of Sony's Blu Ray. They stood up and took the hit financially to keep me and everyone else who got boned by Toshiba a satisfied customer.
If this is some bait and switch conspiracy then may I suggest the next time you visit the store and they are out of glossy flash-less iPads, pick up a iMac or a MacBook Pro. You will be much better off.
Yep.. I dont know why Apple, with it's AWESOME image for customer satisfaction would even CONSIDER going to BestBuy as an outlet for their products..
Between their ploys for forcing magazine subscriptions on to you, having different prices on the "inside the store version" of the website, to various other forms of advertisement trickery, or their ridiculous restocking fees, I stay away from all things related to Best Buy at all costs. NO WAY would I buy the iPad there..
Try shopping there this decade, please.
1) The magazine stuff has been gone for a long, long time.
2)The in-store web site is exactly the same as the one on your computer at home.
3)Restocking fees do not exist for ANYTHING anymore. They were removed before this past Christmas season.
and 4) stop spreading fud, try shopping there this decade, and don't expect Best Buy to have tons of iPad 2's when Apple's own stores don't have any in. Just because they advertise it and sell out does not make it trickery, it simply means it's a hot item. Apple advertises the iPad 2 at their retail stores, and tv, in print ads, on web sites... and they are sold out too. Is that Apple being tricky too?
2)The in-store web site is exactly the same as the one on your computer at home.
Only after a class action suit against them when there was SOLID proof that the two used to differ, with higher prices on the in-store version of the website. And this was absolutely NOT a decade ago.
I happened to go into Best Buy for something else and as I approach the front door they had big signs taped to the doors "We do not have any iPad 2's in stock. We would be happy to take a reserve order though.". I had to chuckle.
Look if you're going to wait this long for the "instant gratification " of getting one the day you plunk down your cash, you've already waited 4-5 weeks.
I was first in line at Bowie, MD store and after waiting in cold and wind, was told when we got in that they had NO iPads, but we could reserve. I was told by their help line the day before that this SPECIFIC STORE would have them in Sunday. I believe they were holding them back. Note, that the leaked memo said EMPLOYEES could buy them. Screw Best Buy. I went home and bought mine directly through Apple.
Best Buy strategy: use an iPad ad to get people in the door, and then maybe they will buy other stuff after they figure out we were yanking their chain.
Internal memo basically says they knew they wouldn't have enough stock, yet they ran the ad anyway. Misleading, but typical of Best Buy. And I bet their sales for that day spiked regardless of not having any iPads.
Wow! They murdered that typeface. That is one ugly ad. Had to be done on Windows. Mac designers don't use Lucida Grande.
OS X should put up a warning if you try to install Lucida Grande on the Mac: "Warning this font sucks, do you really want to proceed?" with the buttons "No" and "Cancel"
I used to be in retail, and we had to be very careful about bait-and-switch laws. If a customer asked about something that was in a current advertisement, we were supposed to ask if they had seen something in the current ad, take the customer to the products and let them know it was for sale. Only at that point could we discuss anything else.
If we happened to be out of stock because of incredible demand or a delay in shipping (sometimes happens due to weather or other unforeseeable issues), we were required to offer a rain check and reserve stock for rain check holders as soon as it came in. We were also authorized to provide a suitable alternative of equal or greater value (if the customer is interested) at the same price or less.
Since there is no alternative here, they should simply pull customers on a list and perhaps provide some compensation (a small % discount or a $5-10 gift card?) for their trouble.
It makes no sense for them to do a promotion for a produce in short supply unless they are simply trying to trick people to come to the store. That's bad business. Unless they offer their customers something for their trouble (a gift card or discount), they are undermining the goodwill of their customers. That's one of the reasons behind the failure of Circuit City and CompUSA.
I had the same experience at the Columbia Heights store. First in a line of about 50, waited for a few hours, gates opened to a manager who said they had no iPad 2s (despite being the front page of flyer the store had distributed). When I expressed frustration I was told that I "could buy a $100 gift card from him and get on the waiting list for when they did have stock."
Plain and simple, they advertised sale of the iPad 2... not the chance to get on a waitlist for one.
That's what I get for ever shopping at a Best Buy...
I had a terrible experience with Best Buy where I was on the phone with their customer support for over 500 minutes over the course of two months. I vented about my experience on Best Buy's Facebook page. One of their reps contacted me and offered a free $50 gift card. I held out for $100 and surprisingly they gave it to me.
I'm already here and was willing to spend $499, so let's see if I can walk out with a consolation prize... Maybe that Taylor Swift CD or a Nintendo 3DS. This is how "Black Friday" works, in principle.
Well I bought a good amount at 320 this morning which is pretty good since the stock gets lots of resistance to go lower at those prices point. If you take Apple cash pile into account P/E is getting very very low.
Apple now has the same P/E of companies that dont growth. It already rebound from this morning low so I dont think you are going to see it go under 320 anytime soon, unless its hit by major news like production problems or the death of SJ.
The whole iPad2 supply issue stinks, and it's not really Best Buys fault!!
It's totally Apple's fault!!
Its Apple fault yes and no, if you implied they are doing this on purpose, I don?t think so. Keep in mind we are taking producing millions of unit per month here. Ipads are not tomato soup cans, they are computers. Do you have any idea how complicated managing production can be with all the components AND the finish product assembly line?
The whole iPad2 supply issue stinks, and it's not really Best Buys fault!!
It's totally Apple's fault!!
I really want a new iPad but I am not willing to play Apple's games!!
If more folks would feel the same way and refuse to buy them until they are really available!! Maybe Apple would take the hint and make sure that they have enough inventory before they make any product available!!
I am not forking over $100 on the off chance they will call me when it comes in!! Or stand in line at Apple store for hours on end! It is just WRONG!!!!
order online from apple and be patient. what's your hurry? only fools wait in line or get sucked in by BB trying to generate foot traffic.
Comments
I have not had any of the problems folks are talking about regarding Best Buy. Then again I don't buy things like power strips and extended warranty plans etc. And also I generally know what I want and how much it is and how whether they have it in stock or not.
When I bought my 2011 MacBook Pro - I asked for what I wanted - he looked it up - found it in the cage - and I bought it and left - can't even recall if he offered the extended warranty - if so I refused and the transaction proceeded.
The best part - no interest for 18 months - and $50 back in rewards dollars towards a future purchase.
Sounds like you did pretty well. I usually did well with Best Buy, though I don't like being pestered or the occasional guilt trip to convince people to buy warranty plans. I don't buy from them much anymore though.
I'm pretty sure that is a different scope. I mean down 1-2% from Friday, which I think is much closer to the time frame of the person I was replying to. Apple is down less than 1% from opening this morning.
... on the other hand... Best Buy (BBY) has been on a slow and steady decline for the last 5 years... but they do give a dividend...
The whole iPad2 supply issue stinks, and it's not really Best Buys fault!!
It's totally Apple's fault!!
Did you forget about the tsunami and earthquake in Japan? Maybe that had something to do with it?
It's a strange world this forum lives in that hates Best Buy but craves the iPad. I for one have never had a bad experience at Best Buy.
I will always remember how they took back my Toshiba Hi Def player and all the movies I bought for Christmas when that format went belly up in favor of Sony's Blu Ray. They stood up and took the hit financially to keep me and everyone else who got boned by Toshiba a satisfied customer.
If this is some bait and switch conspiracy then may I suggest the next time you visit the store and they are out of glossy flash-less iPads, pick up a iMac or a MacBook Pro. You will be much better off.
Yep.. I dont know why Apple, with it's AWESOME image for customer satisfaction would even CONSIDER going to BestBuy as an outlet for their products..
Between their ploys for forcing magazine subscriptions on to you, having different prices on the "inside the store version" of the website, to various other forms of advertisement trickery, or their ridiculous restocking fees, I stay away from all things related to Best Buy at all costs. NO WAY would I buy the iPad there..
Try shopping there this decade, please.
1) The magazine stuff has been gone for a long, long time.
2)The in-store web site is exactly the same as the one on your computer at home.
3)Restocking fees do not exist for ANYTHING anymore. They were removed before this past Christmas season.
and 4) stop spreading fud, try shopping there this decade, and don't expect Best Buy to have tons of iPad 2's when Apple's own stores don't have any in. Just because they advertise it and sell out does not make it trickery, it simply means it's a hot item. Apple advertises the iPad 2 at their retail stores, and tv, in print ads, on web sites... and they are sold out too. Is that Apple being tricky too?
they were trying to bait-and-switch to sell off their Xooms,
As stupid as this sounds, I honestly would not put it past Worst Buy to have had this as one of their motives.
2)The in-store web site is exactly the same as the one on your computer at home.
Only after a class action suit against them when there was SOLID proof that the two used to differ, with higher prices on the in-store version of the website. And this was absolutely NOT a decade ago.
Look if you're going to wait this long for the "instant gratification " of getting one the day you plunk down your cash, you've already waited 4-5 weeks.
So what the **** was the promotion all about?
It's called "Bait and Switch" my friend.
Internal memo basically says they knew they wouldn't have enough stock, yet they ran the ad anyway. Misleading, but typical of Best Buy. And I bet their sales for that day spiked regardless of not having any iPads.
Wow! They murdered that typeface. That is one ugly ad. Had to be done on Windows. Mac designers don't use Lucida Grande.
OS X should put up a warning if you try to install Lucida Grande on the Mac: "Warning this font sucks, do you really want to proceed?" with the buttons "No" and "Cancel"
I believe this is patently illegal.
I used to be in retail, and we had to be very careful about bait-and-switch laws. If a customer asked about something that was in a current advertisement, we were supposed to ask if they had seen something in the current ad, take the customer to the products and let them know it was for sale. Only at that point could we discuss anything else.
If we happened to be out of stock because of incredible demand or a delay in shipping (sometimes happens due to weather or other unforeseeable issues), we were required to offer a rain check and reserve stock for rain check holders as soon as it came in. We were also authorized to provide a suitable alternative of equal or greater value (if the customer is interested) at the same price or less.
Since there is no alternative here, they should simply pull customers on a list and perhaps provide some compensation (a small % discount or a $5-10 gift card?) for their trouble.
It makes no sense for them to do a promotion for a produce in short supply unless they are simply trying to trick people to come to the store. That's bad business. Unless they offer their customers something for their trouble (a gift card or discount), they are undermining the goodwill of their customers. That's one of the reasons behind the failure of Circuit City and CompUSA.
I had the same experience at the Columbia Heights store. First in a line of about 50, waited for a few hours, gates opened to a manager who said they had no iPad 2s (despite being the front page of flyer the store had distributed). When I expressed frustration I was told that I "could buy a $100 gift card from him and get on the waiting list for when they did have stock."
Plain and simple, they advertised sale of the iPad 2... not the chance to get on a waitlist for one.
That's what I get for ever shopping at a Best Buy...
Sometimes it pays to complain.
It's called "Bait and Switch" my friend.
I'm already here and was willing to spend $499, so let's see if I can walk out with a consolation prize... Maybe that Taylor Swift CD or a Nintendo 3DS. This is how "Black Friday" works, in principle.
... on the other hand... Best Buy (BBY) has been on a slow and steady decline for the last 5 years... but they do give a dividend...
Yeah, I don't think the long term outlook for Best Buy is good.
Apple now has the same P/E of companies that dont growth. It already rebound from this morning low so I dont think you are going to see it go under 320 anytime soon, unless its hit by major news like production problems or the death of SJ.
The whole iPad2 supply issue stinks, and it's not really Best Buys fault!!
It's totally Apple's fault!!
Its Apple fault yes and no, if you implied they are doing this on purpose, I don?t think so. Keep in mind we are taking producing millions of unit per month here. Ipads are not tomato soup cans, they are computers. Do you have any idea how complicated managing production can be with all the components AND the finish product assembly line?
The whole iPad2 supply issue stinks, and it's not really Best Buys fault!!
It's totally Apple's fault!!
I really want a new iPad but I am not willing to play Apple's games!!
If more folks would feel the same way and refuse to buy them until they are really available!! Maybe Apple would take the hint and make sure that they have enough inventory before they make any product available!!
I am not forking over $100 on the off chance they will call me when it comes in!! Or stand in line at Apple store for hours on end! It is just WRONG!!!!
order online from apple and be patient. what's your hurry? only fools wait in line or get sucked in by BB trying to generate foot traffic.