Best Buy really, really, really loves money

By +Audioboxer
in Gamers' Hangout

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Best Buy  

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  1. 1. Your thoughts?

    • Money Pinching
      123
    • Worthwhile
      13

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Grand Master

Fred Derf Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

The key to those shops is to never purchase the service plans. Anything that they try so hard to sell has to be better for them than for us.

As for charging $30 to do something that is outlined in the manual... meh. It may only take them 15 minutes to do all of that but service technician's bill their time for a significant amount per hour (not unlike car mechanics or any other professional). If the customer doesn't want to spend the $30 then they could always RTFM and do it themselves.

Edit: I still voted "Money pinching" because I'd never pay for it even though it may be worthwhile for some (slightly brain damaged) people.

Grand Master

Matrix XII

Posted
Posted

They wont give you a new one right then and there though. They'll ship it out and if it takes longer than 60 days then you get one immediately.

They probably told you'd get one right away, which is false.

Grand Master

Veedems Veteran

Posted
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The key to those shops is to never purchase the service plans. Anything that they try so hard to sell has to be better for them than for us.

I have to disagree with this. I'm on my 4th Xbox 360 and 3rd MP3 player (iriver to iriver to ipod) and the warranties have saved me A LOT of money in replacing the defective units.

Grand Master

Fred Derf Veteran

Posted
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I have to disagree with this. I'm on my 4th Xbox 360 and 3rd MP3 player (iriver to iriver to ipod) and the warranties have saved me A LOT of money in replacing the defective units.

They wanted C$70 to cover a Nintendo Wii. I'll take my chances.

Grand Master

shockz

Posted
Posted

BBY does stuff like this all the time... they charge 150 for a component video setup. And people actually take it.

Management is so pushy with employees when it comes to this... its one of the only reasons that made it suck to work there. Forcing us to sell lame ass installs that cost way too much than their worth.

Grand Master

SMELTN

Posted
Posted

I love Bestbuy as far as finding things, because we do not have anything like a CompUSA or MicroCenter or any other alternative here. (Stupid Redneck City) lmao.

But yeah what a rip off.

Grand Master

Shadrack

Posted
Posted

I think that they are offering to pull the device out and help someone set it up before they leave the store. That takes a lot of time to do, and is probably worth the $30 to people who want that kind of service.

As long as they don't bug me about it every time I'm at the check-out with a game, then I don't see a problem.

I like Best Buy more than I like Gamestop, and those are really the only two choices in my town for video games.

Grand Master

Shadrack

Posted
Posted
this reminds me of when Best Buy wass offering a $9.99 service to pair up your blue-tooth headset with your phone.

it's all in an attempt to squeeze the mos amount of money from your pockets.

The forum users are relatively tech savvy and think such things are absurd. However, you underestimate the less tech savvy people that are constantly having to be brought into our world. Just imagine how many people were asking Best Buy employees to do this for them. If anything is dissuades people for expecting something for nothing and they might be incline to actually pick the manual up and read it. If they are really that lazy, then let them pay the $10 for bluetooth pairing, and the $30 for XBox 360 parental control setup.

Grand Master

+Audioboxer Subscriber²

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Posted (edited)
The forum users are relatively tech savvy and think such things are absurd. However, you underestimate the less tech savvy people that are constantly having to be brought into our world. Just imagine how many people were asking Best Buy employees to do this for them. If anything is dissuades people for expecting something for nothing and they might be incline to actually pick the manual up and read it. If they are really that lazy, then let them pay the $10 for bluetooth pairing, and the $30 for XBox 360 parental control setup.

There is no need for this service.

Sufficient help is already in place (manual/Xbox Support), Best Buy are creating a solution for a problem that doesn't exist, and putting one hell of a price tag on it - Games can be bought for $30.

Basically all they are doing is turning your console on for you and following the on screen prompts.

With that aside, the real "issue" is probably how it's going to be sold to unsuspecting buyers as a service of need to them. It wouldn't suprise me if the service will be sold in the spotlight of how "complicated" it is to setup the 360, how much quicker it will be for BB to do it for you, and no emphasise placed on how everything you need to know is already in the box.

Edited by Audioboxer
Community Regular

Master Ryu

Posted
Posted

Whatever guys. This is to be expected. A retailer will try to find other avenues to make money. If you don't want it, don't take it. Just because you're smart enough to do all this yourself (and everybody with half a brain should) doesn't make it a ripoff. A service is all about the value. How much value does the customer place on the extra assistance in setting up the product? If you the customer sees it's worth the value, then there is no losers in this situation. The funny thing with value is it differs from people to people. Who are you to say that this setup assitance is not worth the $30 to someone who is lazy to read manuals and just want to get in the thick of gaming right away.

Don't bring up the argument of how they're gonna shove it in your throat everytime you buy a console. Simply say no, and be done with it.

Grand Master

Shadrack

Posted
Posted
There is no need for this service.

Sufficient help is already in place (manual/Xbox Support), Best Buy are creating a solution for a problem that doesn't exist, and putting one hell of a price tag on it - Games can be bought for $30.

Basically all they are doing is turning your console on for you and following the on screen prompts.

With that aside, the real "issue" is probably how it's going to be sold to unsuspecting buyers as a service of need to them. It wouldn't suprise me if the service will be sold in the spotlight of how "complicated" it is to setup the 360, how much quicker it will be for BB to do it for you, and no emphasise placed on how everything you need to know is already in the box.

Certainly the way it is presented to the consumer should be done ethically and I can see how that will probably not be the case. I 100% agree with you that the user should know how to use the help that is already in place. But please try to understand how stupid some people are! :p. There are some people that are scared of technology, and want someone there to hold their hand through what we consider to be painfully obvious.

I guess this is a bit further than the whole Cell Phone/Bluetooth thing. I can imagine the conversation to the sales rep w/ the bluetooth thing: "So you say this thing will work with my phone and is easy to setup. Can you show me? Well if it is really that easy, then can you do it for me so I don't have to?" I can see charging just to putoff people from being so needy.

Grand Master

+Audioboxer Subscriber²

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Posted

Guys this is a games console, not a PC destined to do 1,000,000 things when turned on.

You turn it on, you follow on screen prompts. Microsoft purposely designed the OS so that when it's turned on it pretty much does everything for you with a walkthrough to get you playing and online.

And for the guy who said it "could be worth it to the consumer". How exactly do Best Buy land on $30? Riddle me that one. Seems like it's pulled out of thin air.

Next thing we'll have is packs of balloons being sold with a sticker saying "$5 to blow up your balloon for you, WE PROMISE IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO".

The market for this is non-existent. People buying into games consoles do not equate to the amount of people who choose to try out a PC, or are required to for work related tasks/necessity of getting on the internet, etc.

It's an absolute scam to make such a minimal task seem like it actually needs "professional" and paid help, of which it costs 30 frickin dollars!

Wish I got paid $30 every time the automated message came up on my 360 to say a firmware update is required, and all I need to do is push the big green A button.

Veteran

QuantumTrickery

Posted
Posted

Congratulations. The service isn't for you! :whistle:

I'm starting to think that many tech oriented people are absolutely ignorant of the world around them. Just because everything is a snap for you, or takes no time for you, doesn't mean it is that way for everyone. Like any service, it is targeted toward a certain group of people. I don't see what is so hard to swallow about that. I can think of any number of people that have no idea they can control and manage their kids time spent on a console, or a computer for that matter. Consoles are a grab and go market in most places anyways. I'm willing to bet the only people who are going to get "hassled" are the ones who are already confused and looking for answers.

Grand Master

+Audioboxer Subscriber²

Posted
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Posted
Congratulations. The service isn't for you! :whistle:

I'm starting to think that many tech oriented people are absolutely ignorant of the world around them. Just because everything is a snap for you, or takes no time for you, doesn't mean it is that way for everyone. Like any service, it is targeted toward a certain group of people. I don't see what is so hard to swallow about that. I can think of any number of people that have no idea they can control and manage their kids time spent on a console, or a computer for that matter. Consoles are a grab and go market in most places anyways. I'm willing to bet the only people who are going to get "hassled" are the ones who are already confused and looking for answers.

Again, this is not a "tech device" like a PC.

IT'S A GAMES CONSOLE.

You don't buy a PC and have an instruction manual telling you how to do everything, hence why SOME people need help. PC's don't come with help telling you about parental controls, telling you how to setup your internet, etc. Most computer setups come pre-built and setup, but not always for everything.

Everything you need to know how to work the games console comes in the box, if you can't figure it out, you aren't uneducated or in need of help, you're brain dead, at least to pay $30. Xbox support is always there for you if necessary. MS already have you covered, BB do not need to be charging you as well.

I swear to god like I said earlier we're going to have places charging you $20 to show you how a toaster works eventually.

Some things don't need stickers stuck to them advertising unnecessary help, and a games console is one of them. We've been selling them for god knows how many years, and this is the first time something like this has been introduced, does that not tell you something?

Anyway enough ranting from me, if anyone ever pays for this, might as well burn another $30 as well whilst your at it for kicks ;)

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