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| - In a modern world of online retailing, Big Box brick and mortar retailers such as Best Buy are being forced to adapt to the online juggernaut. Since there is truly no conceivable way to offer the merchandise selection of these competitors such as Amazon or even the prices, the physical stores must provide an experience that warrants the drive. Whether it be catering to the impulse buy for those individuals that don't want to wait, or simply a friendly face to advise and purchase from instead of the rather dry and cold online experience.
Recently, we visited a Fry's Electronics by Town Square. Fry's has decided to tackle online shopping head on, openly advertising that they match online prices. They are also amply staffed and empower associates to verify the price online and provide the customers with the adjustment immediately. The associates there personify what it takes for a brick and mortar electronics retailer needs to do to survive.
Best Buy on North Decatur, on the other hand, is so hilariously inept when it comes to customer service that the experience I had there can only make me laugh.
So here goes:
My daughter and I stopped by Best Buy because we were on our way to Costco and had such a good experience at Fry's, we wanted to see how they would measure up.
After spending some time in the store, my daughter picked out something she wanted. Shelf sticker said $39.99 and the sticker was printed the day prior (this will be key later). It was a collectible figurine from a video game she likes.
We took the item to the checkout and the clerk (who was very friendly and smiled warmly) said she was having problems scanning and needed to call a manager. She called the Manager on Duty (and highest ranking associate in the building at the time). His name is Luis.
Luis came over, said hello, and attempted to scan it. Didn't work. He then took out a phone of sorts and relayed to me that he could not sell it to me. He did not apologize at this point. When I pressed as to why, he said that the item was a "Send Back" and that he needed to send it out of the store and that I couldn't purchase it. I asked if there was any way he could override that since I was there right now and was ready to pay and he said no.
I said okay and walked away. He said an abrupt "sorry" and walked away too. The item was left next to the cashier. This was at 1130am.
After stepping outside, I thought of something. I located the item at BestBuy.com, price was the same, and saw that it was available in the store I was standing in for same day pickup.
I walked back into the store and asked the associate to call Luis. She did and he did not look happy to be coming back to me. I let him know about the online option and how that would be handled. He said that I could do that but that I would need to wait until the item was "available for pickup". I reiterated that the item was right in front of us. He said he knows but that I would need to wait if I bought it online and requested store pickup.
So I did. I bought it online and requested in store pickup. Email said it should be available in 45 minutes.
This was the last I saw of Luis. From this point on, he chose to stay in what I believe is the employee breakroom at the front of the store.
As 1230 rolled around, I decided to call Best Buy's customer service line just to let them know that this rather ridiculous situation was actually happening. By 1245, after I had explained the entire situation to the Call Center employee, she let me know that my item was ready for pickup. I noticed the item was still next to the register, had not moved, and when I went to store pickup, the associate checked my ID and said the item wasn't ready yet.
At this point I asked a rather sarcastic but relevant question: since I have the receipt, and the online inventory confirmed that there was only one in stock at this Best Buy, would it be considered shoplifting if I just picked it up and walked out?
That was when another employee interjected "you have to sign for pickup". I said, ah. Ok.
So at this point, it's 130. Two hours after we approached the register with the item we wanted to buy.
The item was no longer next to the register. Good sign I think. I approach the online pickup and show her my email and she confirms it's ready for pickup. She goes to scan the item and BAM......it doesn't scan.
I BEG her to call the Manager on Duty, Luis. She gets on the phone and gets no answer. Someone else goes into the employee break room and then comes out (obviously after speaking to Luis) and she miraculously is able to scan it for pickup. NO SIGNATURE REQUIRED.
Icing on the cake, they slapped a large Online Pickup sticker right on the front plastic window of the figurine, so if you wanted to keep it New in Box, oh well.
I walked out of that Best Buy at 145pm. It was a hilarious experience on many levels.
But in all seriousness, I will NEVER set foot in that Best Buy again.
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