Best Buy experience drives home why I buy online
Just when I thought that buying a new PC was no longer as daunting of a task for noobies as it used to be, I find out I'm wrong once again. I discovered this when I went to Best Buy recently to purchase a new PC for my dad.
Before I tell you my story, let me set the record straight. I'm not a walk in to Best Buy and pick a computer off the shelf kind of guy. I prefer to custom order all of my PCs and usually order them online. But like I said, this computer was for my dad, I was in Wisconsin, it was Saturday and I was leaving the next day. I'm fairly certain no online store could have met my needs of delivering the computer that day.
Back to my story. When I walked in to Best Buy that day I already knew what computer and monitor I wanted. That's because I had already done all of the price and feature comparisons online. Unfortunately for me, knowing exactly what I wanted didn't give me a free pass from escaping a Best Buys sales representative.
A conversation I didn't need to have
Here's a bit of how our conversation went. If you are a noobie, read these carefully and see how many of these questions you would have answered the same. Or just for fun, count how many times I had to say "no".
Best Buy Sales Rep: "Can I help you find a computer?"
Me: "No, I'm already set on this one, thanks."
Best Buy Sales Rep: (pointing towards a more expensive computer) "Will you be watching a lot of DVDs on your PC?"
Me: "No, and besides this computer is for my dad and he won't watch even a single DVD on his PC."
Best Buy Sales Rep: (now walking towards the largest monitor) "Do you want a bigger monitor?"
Me: "No, I've already picked out the 22" one that fit best in my budget."
Best Buy Sales Rep: (admitting defeat on trying to upsell me) "Alright, let me help you with that and I'll check you out up front."
Me: "OK, thank you."
Best Buy Sales Rep: (now at the checkout counter) "Do you want me to add the protection plan on the computer?"
Me: "No."
Best Buy Sales Rep: "OK, do you just want it on the monitor then? It's only $40/year."
Me: "No."
Best Buy Sales Rep: "How 'bout virus protection?"
Me: "I already have it."
Best Buy Sales Rep: "Is it up to date?"
Me: (now rolling my eyes) "Yes."
Best Buy Sales Rep: "Is it compatible?"
Me: "Yes."
Best Buy Sales Rep: "Do you want me to get a surge protector?"
Me: "No, I'm good there too."
Best Buy Sales Rep: "How long have you had it? You know they should be replaced every 1-2 years."
Me: (now shaking my head) "I'm fine, thank you."
Best Buy Sales Rep: "Will you be wanting our black tie service plan on this computer?"
Me: "No, what I really want is for you to ring up the computer and monitor that I pre-selected before I ever walked in this store when I still hoped that I wouldn't have to deal with you, let me pay for it without any other questions and then let me leave."
OK, I really didn't say that last line. At least not out loud. But you get the idea.
10 comments for this blog post so far...
November 14, 2008 at 3:44 pm
asudduth
Let me preface this by saying short of Groceries I buy a lot of stuff online, however when I moved a few months ago I had a few items I wanted to purchase while I had the use of a truck. By the end of my experience I told myself I never wanted to step foot in any brick and mortar store again. Stores are frustrating if you know what you want. My biggest problem was that no store carried my items. (For the record the purchases were a 72” L-desk - which no office furniture stores keep in stock… that is not a specific model, but ANY L-desk it appears—and a large screen TV… which I actually negotiated down to the price I found somewhere online, then I find out its not in stock and I’d have to pay them a delivery fee. --- I have more stories too, but for humor stand point - Kroger Happened to be out of Brown Sugar & Cinnamon pop-tarts that weekend too)
Anyways, I agree… If I go into most stores I’m usually ducking in aisles to avoid sales people.
Anyone who asks me for a computer recommendation, I always just send them a PDF of an online configuration and say “here, buy this”
November 14, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Noah
Man, that is frustrating. It’s annoying how they ask certain questions designed to catch people off guard or confuse them.
November 15, 2008 at 1:49 am
Dave Anderson
I recently bought a laptop at BB. It was a bit of an impulse as I needed a cheap PC laptop for some programming my mac couldn’t perform. I was shocked to learn that I had to pay $40 to have all the bloat-ware removed and the registry cleaned. While I’m glad they did (my Vista machine seems to work much better than others I’ve talked to) I think it is a total crock that we’re forced to purchase machines that have been silently sabotaged. Just another way the mass merchants prey on us their customers.
November 18, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Patric Welch
@asudduth And here I thought I was the only one that liked Brown Sugar & Cinnamon pop-tarts!
November 18, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Patric Welch
@Noah That’s just what I thought the entire time. These questions are designed to confuse people and trick them into buying something they don’t necessarily need.
November 18, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Patric Welch
@Dave That is a crock. But who do you blame? The laptop manufacturer for letting so many vendors install their crap-ware on the laptop or Best Buy for charging people for getting rid of it?
November 25, 2008 at 9:14 am
Trish Brown
I so agree with Dave… if you are just gonna get rid of it.. why put it there in the first place… HELLO… oh that is right.. in this day and age of the recession, you have to steal a buck where you can get it.. and there are many people out there that should have just let them keep the junk on the computer cuz you never know if they took something off you may have wanted to try out… ach…
I agree though.. I would rather shop online anytime… I am going to do all my christmas shopping online.. just wish i could have started earlier this year.. but oh well… no more sales people trying to steal a buck on me..
November 25, 2008 at 9:29 am
Patric Welch
@Trish Stay tuned to Noobie for an upcoming announcement regarding Noobie’s noo shopping concierge service.
December 16, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Concierge
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December 16, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Patric Welch
@Concierge Thank you for your nice comments. Glad you enjoy the blog!
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