I would do all that online. In fact, I know of a couple non-technical people that hate using a traditional PC but do love their iPads that have bought new HDTVs that way in the last year. I think Amazon's free shipping and consumer reviews make for a very compelling case. That's certainly where I would look first.
If Apple were to ever come out with TV of some kind, the possible demise of BB would play well for Apple's Stores as well as on line sales. It would basically end up with Apple and Amazon as the best choices and only Apple would have Apple's products in that case.
This all makes me wonder if Google are not thinking about going into online sales to compete with Amazon and Apple ... They copy every other successful model of Apple's.
Best Buy was always where I turned to for things I don't want to wait on for delivery. But I've had many occasions where they are simply out of stock of what I want now. Now, I tend to go to Target first for things like games and movies and if they don't have it head to BB. But if BB is out of stock, there's no way I'm going to wait for them to get it in. They've lost my business to Amazon on many occasions, not due to price (I'm willing to pay a bit extra to have it now in some circumstances), but because they can't seem to keep their inventory stocked properly.
I have found the same as you. This last year every time I've given BB a try they have not had what I want with the exception of the music department where they have always had what i want. I recently wanted a 256 GIG SSD and Best Buy didn't have any and the sales guy said 'well you can always get it online'. I said 'yep, Amazon have it' before I'd thought and said 'oops .' . ... he said with a resigned expression , 'no worries that is what everyone does.'
This all makes me wonder if Google are not thinking about going into online sales to compete with Amazon and Apple ... They copy every other successful model of Apple's.
The only thing about Google Shopping that isn't there already is that they don't get a cut.
Best Buy needs to do what Fry's does: hang a sign near the front door that says " We match all Internet prices!" Almost every time I go into a Best Buy my Red Laser app shows me that the prices in the store are 50% - 100% higher than elsewhere, so I leave.
As with Blockbuster's CEO, Best Buy is in denial about why they suck.
Perhaps Best Buy needs to partner with Amazon and eBay to provide the same day shipping, or pick up option these e-tailers have been pushing for recently.
It's a paradox for the brick-and-mortar stores. Out of all the products one could buy on-line, a local Best Buy will probably carry 1% of those...and then only the most expensive ones which people don't necessarily want. Go onto BestBuy.com and you will see dozens of products you could get in a particular category--say external hard drives. Sort that selection by those available in-store and you magically only see 2 or 3 options...always the most expensive ones. The stores HAVE to sell the pricier ones because they have 'bricks and mortar' they need to pay for. And unless you want one of those 2 to 3 options, you'll stay home and buy on-line.
It seems to be a circular vortex that brick-and-mortar stores are in, with no way (aside from closing that side of the business like Circuit City did) to extricate themselves from.
Matching or selling at a "slight discount" will not cut it after you factor in sales tax which is quite significant on big ticket items.
Disagree. Tax doesn't matter really. If I were buying a $2K television, and the price was the same as Amazon with $65 additional in taxes, I'd still buy at Best Buy. $65 is a drop in the bucket if something is wrong with the set. Having to box it back up, arrange to send it back to Amazon, prove that I was not the one who did the damage, and not having a replacement for two weeks, is FAR more annoying than simply taking it back up the street in 10 minutes and having a replacement the same night. With respect to TV's, unless I can save over $200 or more, I buy locally.
Best Buy simply needs to focus on turns and not margin dollars per unit. The US is the country of NOW. If they can get instant gratification with next to little effort they will do it. Taxes on a $500-$800 computer are negligible.
Disagree. Tax doesn't matter really. If I were buying a $2K television, and the price was the same as Amazon with $65 additional in taxes, I'd still buy at Best Buy. $65 is a drop in the bucket if something is wrong with the set.
Where do you live where the sales tax is 3.25%? In CT, it's over 6%. In your example, that's over $100 price difference between a local store that collects sales tax and an online store that doesn't.
I don't understand the complaint about returns... they seem to be at least as good, if not better than any other retailer in that regard. I returned like 3 TVs in a span of two months when I was shopping around. (At which point I did get blacklisted from returning anything else for 3 months, but I don't really blame them, since they eat at least 10% selling those returns as open box.)
Target, on the other hand, really did not want to take back a TV I had opened. Never even occurred to me that they might not take it back when I bought it.
Maybe they could buy Dell and RiM and make their store into an exclusive company like Apple. "We carry all the shit you don't give a **** about."
Lots of people buy DELLs, actually. Most of my colleagues in my previous three companies bought exclusively Latitude and other DELLs, so I guess I wouldn't disregard them. RiM, now, is pretty much another level entirely.
Anyway, given how unhappy I am with Lion and Mountain Lion, I'd say that Apple's on the fast track to becoming RiM if they don't remember that greatness comes from attention to details, not from trying to force some great idea (screams RiM... ) that people don't actually want. Of course, I do think Apple's going to realize that they have some corrections to make and realign their strategy before they go RiM, but I might be wrong.
Oh, and just one minor point: if anyone even wants to try to convince me that because ML is still a better OS than Windows I should STFU and ignore the fact that SL was overall much higher quality, it's not worth his/her time. I want the next Apple OS to be SL-quality, that's all ^^
Comments
If Apple were to ever come out with TV of some kind, the possible demise of BB would play well for Apple's Stores as well as on line sales. It would basically end up with Apple and Amazon as the best choices and only Apple would have Apple's products in that case.
This all makes me wonder if Google are not thinking about going into online sales to compete with Amazon and Apple ... They copy every other successful model of Apple's.
I have found the same as you. This last year every time I've given BB a try they have not had what I want with the exception of the music department where they have always had what i want. I recently wanted a 256 GIG SSD and Best Buy didn't have any and the sales guy said 'well you can always get it online'. I said 'yep, Amazon have it' before I'd thought and said 'oops .' . ... he said with a resigned expression , 'no worries that is what everyone does.'
Originally Posted by digitalclips
This all makes me wonder if Google are not thinking about going into online sales to compete with Amazon and Apple ... They copy every other successful model of Apple's.
The only thing about Google Shopping that isn't there already is that they don't get a cut.
I'll bet they're not that happy about that.
Originally Posted by jd_in_sb
Almost every time I go into a Best Buy my Red Laser app shows me that the prices in the store are 50% - 100% higher than elsewhere, so I leave.
I know it's not the same product from the same company. Still. And the second one even has Ethernet!
As with Blockbuster's CEO, Best Buy is in denial about why they suck.
.
Perhaps Best Buy needs to partner with Amazon and eBay to provide the same day shipping, or pick up option these e-tailers have been pushing for recently.
It's a paradox for the brick-and-mortar stores. Out of all the products one could buy on-line, a local Best Buy will probably carry 1% of those...and then only the most expensive ones which people don't necessarily want. Go onto BestBuy.com and you will see dozens of products you could get in a particular category--say external hard drives. Sort that selection by those available in-store and you magically only see 2 or 3 options...always the most expensive ones. The stores HAVE to sell the pricier ones because they have 'bricks and mortar' they need to pay for. And unless you want one of those 2 to 3 options, you'll stay home and buy on-line.
It seems to be a circular vortex that brick-and-mortar stores are in, with no way (aside from closing that side of the business like Circuit City did) to extricate themselves from.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lekhtuz
Matching or selling at a "slight discount" will not cut it after you factor in sales tax which is quite significant on big ticket items.
Disagree. Tax doesn't matter really. If I were buying a $2K television, and the price was the same as Amazon with $65 additional in taxes, I'd still buy at Best Buy. $65 is a drop in the bucket if something is wrong with the set. Having to box it back up, arrange to send it back to Amazon, prove that I was not the one who did the damage, and not having a replacement for two weeks, is FAR more annoying than simply taking it back up the street in 10 minutes and having a replacement the same night. With respect to TV's, unless I can save over $200 or more, I buy locally.
Best Buy simply needs to focus on turns and not margin dollars per unit. The US is the country of NOW. If they can get instant gratification with next to little effort they will do it. Taxes on a $500-$800 computer are negligible.
The laptop I wanted on another occasion? All six in stock were open-box, all with missing parts or manuals.
I see no reason to return.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmvsm
Disagree. Tax doesn't matter really. If I were buying a $2K television, and the price was the same as Amazon with $65 additional in taxes, I'd still buy at Best Buy. $65 is a drop in the bucket if something is wrong with the set.
Where do you live where the sales tax is 3.25%? In CT, it's over 6%. In your example, that's over $100 price difference between a local store that collects sales tax and an online store that doesn't.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonymouse
...onerous return policies (and return lines)
I don't understand the complaint about returns... they seem to be at least as good, if not better than any other retailer in that regard. I returned like 3 TVs in a span of two months when I was shopping around. (At which point I did get blacklisted from returning anything else for 3 months, but I don't really blame them, since they eat at least 10% selling those returns as open box.)
Target, on the other hand, really did not want to take back a TV I had opened. Never even occurred to me that they might not take it back when I bought it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
Maybe they could buy Dell and RiM and make their store into an exclusive company like Apple. "We carry all the shit you don't give a **** about."
Lots of people buy DELLs, actually. Most of my colleagues in my previous three companies bought exclusively Latitude and other DELLs, so I guess I wouldn't disregard them. RiM, now, is pretty much another level entirely.
Anyway, given how unhappy I am with Lion and Mountain Lion, I'd say that Apple's on the fast track to becoming RiM if they don't remember that greatness comes from attention to details, not from trying to force some great idea (screams RiM... ) that people don't actually want. Of course, I do think Apple's going to realize that they have some corrections to make and realign their strategy before they go RiM, but I might be wrong.
Oh, and just one minor point: if anyone even wants to try to convince me that because ML is still a better OS than Windows I should STFU and ignore the fact that SL was overall much higher quality, it's not worth his/her time. I want the next Apple OS to be SL-quality, that's all ^^
That wasn't the biggest problem. It was firing the knowledgable staff, who were more expensive, and hiring wet-behind-the-ears newbies.
Note to Apple: your staff is excellent and a big part of the success of the Apple Stores. You should pay them more - the Store can afford it.