Just Venting

[Mr Peabody]

I don't hide the fact I have a strong dislike for Best Buy. I want to upgrade my factory system in our minivan. In Dec. they were running some great sales and free installation on some things. Car audio stores must be hiding under a rock in my area, I did get one bid but BB could save be about 1K. The other place I did pick out more expensive speakers. So to save $1k I held my nose and went in

So around Black Friday weekend I go to BB and a guy is working that was quite helful although the headunit I wanted wasn't in stock. So I go home and order the system online, 12/1. I thought it odd out of a head unit, 2 sets of speakers and an assortment of accessories one set of speakers gets shipped to my house the rest of the stuff to the store. When inputting the order you click install and it charges for the installation for that item, the stereo was free. I also set up the install which the soonest was today.

I go in today, first off the guy at the counter was having trouble with the ticket, some stuff showed twice or something. Although it looked fine on my email and when I placed the order. Eventually two other guys are there. So they proceed to tell me I wasn't charged installation for one pair of speakers, that will be $100.00 and I need another harness and with install another $230.00. Then come to find out there's no harness that will allow me to retain use of steering wheel controls anyway. So I am frustrated to say the least over all the crap. I was willing to pay the $100.00 and just put my stereo in. Well...... not enough install time was scheduled for the set of speakers, he could do it all but one set of speakers and I'd have to schedule to have them put in. In addition, when I came in I was talking about buying a remote start to have installed later.

So they have a paid for sale, a possible future sale and they can't reach a resolution for me. Some guy brings a jeep in that wasn't supposed to be there until 3/14, I'm standing there when one of the guys tells the jeep owner on the phone if you can leave it here we'll see what we might be able to do. But they can't make time to do my complete install.

So my resolution was to tell them to keep their stuff and give me my money back. I just don't see how this place stays in business. They didn't even seem to care one bit they lost the sale or any importance of pleasing a customer.

I'm in customer service, I'm expected to apologize for our agency, even in times it's not really our fault. I cannot express to you the lack of concern this company showed.

[joeinid]

Sorry you had such a frustrating experience.

[Randy Myers]

One time I purchased a surface tablet from them (years ago). It had a problem a couple months later so of course I went back to them. The store manager final told me because I did not purchase their extended warranty they could not help me. I said it is under warranty so your extended is not involved. He said I would have to deal with the manufacture.

So I asked him why would I buy from him again. Everyone sells it at the same price and even though I purchased it from them I had to deal with service on my own.

He actually said "because of our service".

I looked him straight in the eye and said, "did you really just say that?" Wow...

[mep]

I don't hide the fact I have a strong dislike for Best Buy. I want to upgrade my factory system in our minivan. In Dec. they were running some great sales and free installation on some things. Car audio stores must be hiding under a rock in my area, I did get one bid but BB could save be about 1K. The other place I did pick out more expensive speakers. So to save $1k I held my nose and went in

So around Black Friday weekend I go to BB and a guy is working that was quite helful although the headunit I wanted wasn't in stock. So I go home and order the system online, 12/1. I thought it odd out of a head unit, 2 sets of speakers and an assortment of accessories one set of speakers gets shipped to my house the rest of the stuff to the store. When inputting the order you click install and it charges for the installation for that item, the stereo was free. I also set up the install which the soonest was today.

I go in today, first off the guy at the counter was having trouble with the ticket, some stuff showed twice or something. Although it looked fine on my email and when I placed the order. Eventually two other guys are there. So they proceed to tell me I wasn't charged installation for one pair of speakers, that will be $100.00 and I need another harness and with install another $230.00. Then come to find out there's no harness that will allow me to retain use of steering wheel controls anyway. So I am frustrated to say the least over all the crap. I was willing to pay the $100.00 and just put my stereo in. Well...... not enough install time was scheduled for the set of speakers, he could do it all but one set of speakers and I'd have to schedule to have them put in. In addition, when I came in I was talking about buying a remote start to have installed later.

So they have a paid for sale, a possible future sale and they can't reach a resolution for me. Some guy brings a jeep in that wasn't supposed to be there until 3/14, I'm standing there when one of the guys tells the jeep owner on the phone if you can leave it here we'll see what we might be able to do. But they can't make time to do my complete install.

So my resolution was to tell them to keep their stuff and give me my money back. I just don't see how this place stays in business. They didn't even seem to care one bit they lost the sale or any importance of pleasing a customer.

I'm in customer service, I'm expected to apologize for our agency, even in times it's not really our fault. I cannot express to you the lack of concern this company showed.

The problem started with you taking matters into your own hands and placing the order online without knowing all of the wiring harnesses that were needed or the knowledge that the head unit you bought would not interface with your steering wheel controls. If Best Buy would have told you everything you needed and priced all of their labor upfront and scheduled your installation, this problem probably would not have occurred.

[bluegrassphile]

I used to enjoy going to BB.....many decades ago. Sorry about your experience, Randy. The kind of attitude that was shown you starts from the top, and goes right down through management to the sales floor. Even conscientious BB employees fight an uphill battle against their own employer.

Companies like BB think good customer service is a thing of the past and is irrelevant. You just got a big dose of that mentality. BB makes big money but I think of the prophets they could be making if they truly promoted good, solid, customer service. But it starts with an attitude change from the top. And until that takes place, you can expect "business as usual". And lest anyone at BB think it can't be done, look at how a company like Sweetwater Sound does customer service. They're outstanding and they make companies like BB look like complete amateurs. My 2 cents.

[Randy Myers]

The only reason I go into Best Buy any more is if I want something in particular and I know they have it. I never expect to get any service what so ever there, and their experts are as big of a joke as I have seen in forever. You are right about that lack of care.

We do not have a Magnolia near us but when we visited our son a couple weeks ago I stopped in the Magnolia store while my wife was shopping next door .

At the entrance to the mag department they had a system setup with the new McIntosh C2700 pre, matching amps, turntable, spinner, etc. I swear it had an inch and a half of dust on the system. It look so unkempt and un-presentable. It honestly left such a bad taste in my mouth that I would have a hard time buying anything from this store. When I used to manage a stereo store back in the day I would have been all over the employees about keeping the gear clean and presentable.

I guess it is the whole attitude any more. But the stores has gone down the tubes in my view.

[UltraFast69]

Magnolia HIFi started here in Seattle, and sold out later to Best Buy.

Magnolia was a decent store providing decent products and service. Back in the day, I purchased Nakamichi, Vienna Acoustics, Pioneer Elite Plasmas and more. McIntosh was everywhere in the stores, and guessing Monster was the best cable choice.

I have yet to be in a Magnolia Best Buy, I don’t know how they decide which B/B gets a Magnolia.


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[steve59]

The bb near me has about 3 employees to a customer on the average day that swarm like seagulls on the beach, so the days of walking around the store to pass time while waiting on my wife are long gone.

[Mr Peabody]

First off no after market stereo interfaces with any factory controls without additional equipment. When you select your purchase online you have the option of clicking for BB to install and they list the accessories you would need. It automatically showed the wire harnesses and dash kit. The issue there isn't a harness for my controls in the steering wheel so nothing showed. The sales people do not know this unfortunately you don't find out until you talk with the installers. My issue was going to BB in the first place. Your issue is getting joy from being a royal PIA.

The problem started with you taking matters into your own hands and placing the order online without knowing all of the wiring harnesses that were needed or the knowledge that the head unit you bought would not interface with your steering wheel controls. If Best Buy would have told you everything you needed and priced all of their labor upfront and scheduled your installation, this problem probably would not have occurred.

[tino27]

I, too, had a terrible BB experience with an online purchase. Found a decently-priced, well-equipped Dell laptop on their website, purchased it online and had it shipped to my local store. After about a week of use, the hard drive died. Okay, these things happen. Took it back to my local store and they replaced the dead hard drive free of charge. About a week after that, the laptop started randomly locking up ... hard. Everything would freeze and I would have to reboot the computer. Tried to diagnose it on my own (I am a computer guy after all), but I was traveling for work at the time and didn't have a chance to get it back to my local BB until the following week. The good news is that the laptop locked hard while I was showing it to the guy (see, I'm NOT crazy), bad news is that their "diagnostics" turned up nothing. At that point, I was too through and just asked for my money back. But because it had been more than 21 days (I was past 21 days but under a month), they couldn't take it as a return. I could, however, "trade it in" at a reduced price. They also told me they couldn't spend any more time on solving the issue unless I opened a new incident ticket with them (at a $100 cost).

Having zero faith in their diagnostic skills, I decided to keep it and try and figure it out myself. About a month later (and after about a dozen operating system reinstalls/installs), I finally figured out it was the Intel SpeedStep hardware that was causing the issue. Disabled it in the BIOS settings and it finally settled down to become a productive computer. I left a pretty scathing review on the BB website, which stayed up until they discontinued that model of computer, so it eventually went away. I mean if as a computer guy I had this much trouble, imagine someone who purchased this laptop who just needed a computer that worked. So frustrating!!!

P.S. I still have this computer (came with Windows 10, but I ended up installing Ubuntu Linux on the thing) and it now works flawlessly. Much as I dislike Windows 10, turns out that Windows wasn't the problem this time around. In fact, I even use it when traveling with an Audioquest Cobalt DAC and I've had zero problems.

[Mr Peabody]

BB really is just a warehouse, there's no support after the sale and very little if you need it to make the sale. The extended warranty is a rip off, BB will find a way not to honor it.

I've had previous problems with BB, I should have known better but I thought to save a grand.......

The issue that made me vow never to go back was with a dishwasher. I took that to the BBB where at the time the store had an A rating, I personally think they pay for that, but BB wouldn't even address the complaint, told me to take a flying leap in so many words. Luckily, the manufacturer stepped up to the plate on that one for me.

[mep]

BB really is just a warehouse, there's no support after the sale and very little if you need it to make the sale. The extended warranty is a rip off, BB will find a way not to honor it.

I've had previous problems with BB, I should have known better but I thought to save a grand.......

The issue that made me vow never to go back was with a dishwasher. I took that to the BBB where at the time the store had an A rating, I personally think they pay for that, but BB wouldn't even address the complaint, told me to take a flying leap in so many words. Luckily, the manufacturer stepped up to the plate on that one for me.

The BBB is a fraud. You pay for their rating and put the sticker in your window.

[W9TR]

I've found the BB car stereo installation teams to be broadly incompetent. I purchased a new head unit, amplifier, and component speakers from them for my Jeep Grand Cherokee. They wired the tweeters directly to the amplifier output and not the crossover box, so of course the tweeters melted. You could see the deformation around the voice coil. Since the tweeters were still making sound they would not replace them. I fixed that problem by plugging them into the wall. So they replaced them but refused to re-wire. It was a long battle involving the speaker manufacturer to get them to complete the installation correctly. Never again. This was at their flagship Minneapolis location. It will probably be worse elsewhere.