Just shut up and sell us the computer. Bad time at Best Buy

[Crosshair]

So, since this is in "Sightings"...was this an example of a sucky customer or a sucky employee?

It was my intent for it to be a sucky employee story.

[LostMyMind]

6 bucks for a 10 footer A-B (most/all? peripherals use A-B)

I've use those super cheap USB 2 cables before, the problem with those is their shielding isn't all that great. Which makes them worthless for me, I got way too much electronic interference around my computer.

But I'm sure you knew why those were super cheap and the "better" ones still cost around $20

[Ree]

So, since this is in "Sightings"...was this an example of a sucky customer or a sucky employee?

I saw both in the story.

[protege]

Yea, my family doesn't want me to build their computers because my computers look like crap (No covers on the cases, cables hanging out, etc.) I can and do build nice looking computers, I just don't care what MY computers look like. (Function over Form.) Guess my family doesn't trust me.

Hehe that sounds like some of the things I've built. I have an old server that currently is running without the side panels installed. For some reason, even with the fans going full blast, the damn thing overheats....unless I remove the case side panels. If I do that, it works fine

My feeling is, that as long as it works, I don't care what it looks like. Provided, however, that it's *my* equipment. Whenever I work on stuff for others, I make sure that it not only works like it's supposed to, but has the looks to match.

[crabbycabbie]

I actually like the people at my BB...then again when I shop by the time I go into a store I know EXACTLY what I want and how much it ought to cost

I do all my window shopping online then head to BB...my only gripe with them is the store's policies not the salepeople

I bought the tower part of my latest computer there and was looking at flat monitors...I asked them how many pixels can be bad before they'll take it back without charging me something(at that store it was FIVE!)...I told them if I was gonna spend over $800 for a monitor I want it to be perfect...they said so sorry and so did I(I got mine elsewhere and it has zero bad pixels(even years later) thank you very much)

I needed a simple 6 foot ethernet cable and can you believe it they had NO regular ethernet cables? They showed me a new fangled superduper ethernet cable(with some extra shielding) and wanted over $23 for a 10 foot length piece of cable...sheesh

I ended up going to my cable TV company and giving them my old cable and they gave me a new one for free..no questions asked

On the other hand when I was having trouble connecting to the net(which was why I needed that cable but I didn't know it then) they told me to bring my tower in and they'd check it for me right away..they did and didn't charge me anything for doing so either

BTW I've purchased countless printers over the years and as far as I know...printers and their cables are ALWAYS sold separately(it's a rip off no doubt...not unlike paying more for replacement ink than the printer cost)

I buy those ink refill kits(I've refilled my black ink five times from a $15 kit and still have enough ink left over for another two refills)

[Crosshair]

My mom did return the cable last week, but at that point she had had enough of BB and just wanted to get home.

If I were you, I would have just bought parts off Newegg, and built the system for about ~200. Then again, you stated that your family likes to buy from a store, which is usually no problem.

Yea, my family doesn't want me to build their computers because my computers look like crap (No covers on the cases, cables hanging out, etc.) I can and do build nice looking computers, I just don't care what MY computers look like. (Function over Form.) Guess my family doesn't trust me.

[Lehk]

You can get USB 1 cables almost dirt cheap but USB 2 cables cost around $30.

Do you really need that "paper" to print 3 secs faster?

you must be shopping at the wrong places http://sewelldirect.com/USB2DeviceCable10Foot.asp

6 bucks for a 10 footer A-B (most/all? peripherals use A-B)

about the only cables that are legitimately expensive are HDMI cables and even those you can get for around $60 if you look for 'em.

[repsac]

http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20021202

[Rapscallion]

I can see where you're coming from, but that's not the point I was making. If goods are sold under a certain return policy, they should not be able to change the return policy for that item.

Rapscallion

[repsac]

Not sure how it works in the US, but over here that would be a breach of contract.
Rapscallion

Raps, the problem is in many states, the DVD burning software is coming under fire because people are using it to rent movies and then copy them. There's a ton of legislation int he works, but it basically works out like this:

Stores are getting more and more afraid that a person will buy such software to burn some discs. Then, once they've gotten all the movies they want, they'll return the software to get something else. The problem for the store rests in the way some district attorneys have taken this. I remember one case out of texas where not only was a young man arrested for copyright infringement, but the store (I think an On Cue or something similar) that had sold him the software, was severely fined and the manager faced charges.

[Rapscallion]

Best Buy quoted me a return policy on my DVD burning software when I went to return it they told me the policy had since become shorter and could no longer accept the software back. I was so frieking mad.

Not sure how it works in the US, but over here that would be a breach of contract.

The contract is set at the time of sale. If the policy changes after the event, they are bound to accept the conditions of sale at the time it was sold. For example, if you bought a car on the grounds it was safe with a warranty, found that it randomly filled the driver's seat with fuel every so often and took it back, but the dealer had added in a clause to say that the warranty no longer covered that, you'd be able to sue their bum to the moon and back.

Rapscallion

[repsac]

Recently, I've been updating an old computer I have. It's not much, but through several upgrades and updates, I've got it almost top of the line. All that remains is me putting a new MB in and then it's good for a few more years.

While monkeying around, I came to need some RAM. Wanting to upgrade from the one hundred something I had to at least a gig. Well, due to several missed updates, I needed 168 pin SDRAM, as opposed to the more common DDR2 SDRAM. I thought, if anyone would have it. BB would.

Walking into the store, I'm presented with a moron that has a few customers in front of me. I spy a TV playing the new wallace and grommit movie, so I opt to camp out a while.

Twenty minutes later, I'm next. Walking up to the quy I say quote "I need DDR SDRAM for an older PC, preferably one gig, but 512 will work." The guy gives me a funny look, turns around, picks up a DDR2 stick set and hands it over. Looking at it I shook my head. "No. That's not what I need." Again he looks at me odd and says. "Yeah, that's it. That's all computers use anymore." Pausing a moment, I stare at him in wonder before saying. "Maybe, but this is an OLDER computer. I need the DDR ram with 168 pins. Not that." He's persistant, I'll give him that. "Yeah, but this is what computers use." Giving up I finally say. "Look. Do you carry DDR ram? And don't hand me that. It's not what I need. I need something else. See, even the notches are different." Wonderboy gives me a funky look and says cheerily. "Well, whatever it is. This is what you need. That's unless you're using an out of date piece of crap."

I just walked away after that. I know for a fact, when I get the new MB, I'm going to circuit city.

[hawkchick11]

Unfortunately, I use to work at Best Buy... I lasted 7 months... which is about 6 months longer than most people. After working there, and seeing all of the lies and stuff that management was ok with, I refuse to shop there. I won't let anyone in my family shop there either.

Theres an interesting site that I like to read, bestbuysux.org. It has stories from employees and customers. At first I thought it was just management at my store that was corrupt/sucky, but no, its pretty much in the entire corporation.

[LostMyMind]

Best Buy quoted me a return policy on my DVD burning software when I went to return it they told me the policy had since become shorter and could no longer accept the software back.

Their return policy (at least the one here) usually gets printed on the receipt. If your receipt shows the return policy that was told to you, all you had to do was point to the receipt. But for a very long time now, software return has been "unopen" or damage only. Must have been a while back.

[Boulder_Bear]

Best Buy quoted me a return policy on my DVD burning software when I went to return it they told me the policy had since become shorter and could no longer accept the software back. I was so frieking mad.