Best Buy Price Match program

[AcuDefTechGuy]

From Best Buy:

"Best Buy is dedicated to always offering the best value to our customers. We will match the price, at the time of purchase, on a Low Price Guarantee product if you find the same item at a lower price at a Designated Major Online Retailer. We will also match prices post purchase if we lower our price within 15 days of your purchase. "

Designated major online retailers: Amazon.com, Apple.com, Bhphotovideo.com, Crutchfield.com, Dell.com, Frys.com, hhgregg.com, HP.com, HomeDepot.com, Lowes.com, Newegg.com, OfficeDepot.com, OfficeMax.com, Rakuten.com Shopping, Sears.com, Staples.com, Target.com, TigerDirect.com and Walmart.com

So if your local Best Buy store can price match Amazon, Newegg, TigerDirect, Rakuten (former Buy.com/ Japanese version of Amazon/ pronounced "Rackten"), why would anyone want to buy online?

If your Denon has a 3-yr warranty and anything happens within the period, all you have to do is take it to your local Best Buy for free service.

If you don't like your purchase, it is so much easier to return it to your local store.

 

[Adam]

I wish that they would have done that four years ago when I bought my TV, but the sales guy just chuckled when I asked if they would match Amazon. It's nice to know that they'll do it now, though.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I wish that they would have done that four years ago when I bought my TV, but the sales guy just chuckled when I asked if they would match Amazon. It's nice to know that they'll do it now, though.

Yeah, it's about time. After guys like us complain enough about it and it took the nasty economy reality to wake them up!

I bought my 73" TV from my local Ultimate Electronics store because they price-matched Amazon. I bought my Denon AVP-A1HD from them too because they price-matched Onecall.

I cried when Ultimate Electronics went out of business a couple of years ago and left me with only Best Buy.

 

[jcl]

It looks like they have done away with the restocking fee on returns. I had stopped going there because of that. Well, that and not being able to find a store employee to get something and when you could find someone they would be completely unknowledgeable.

 

[its phillip]

Well, best buy sucks and amazon doesn't, so I'd rather buy from amazon. Also, newegg doesn't charge tax for online purchases, so that can save a decent amount of money as well.

 

[Irvrobinson]

So if your local Best Buy store can price match Amazon, Newegg, TigerDirect, Rakuten (former Buy.com/ Japanese version of Amazon/ pronounced "Rackten"), why would anyone want to buy online?

Because the B&M "price matchers" are a PITA to get them to apply their policies. I've tried it, and I wasted the better part of an hour to save $54. There's something inherently dishonest in their strategy too; it reminds me of "Catch me if you can!", and if you do catch them, then they drown you in information checking, approvals, and process.

 

[Irishman]

Well, best buy sucks and amazon doesn't, so I'd rather buy from amazon. Also, newegg doesn't charge tax for online purchases, so that can save a decent amount of money as well.

That tax-free advantage looks like it might be ending soon, given legislation passing through Congress. It's already been removed in states were Amazon has warehouses (like CA).

 

[Irishman]

Because the B&M "price matchers" are a PITA to get them to apply their policies. I've tried it, and I wasted the better part of an hour to save $54. There's something inherently dishonest in their strategy too; it reminds me of "Catch me if you can!", and if you do catch them, then they drown you in information checking, approvals, and process.

When was the last time you had BBY do one for you?

 

[Irvrobinson]

When was the last time you had BBY do one for you?

Three weeks ago. Fry's also has a similar policy, and they were even worse when I tried it there. It is just too much hassle.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

That tax-free advantage looks like it might be ending soon, given legislation passing through Congress. It's already been removed in states were Amazon has warehouses (like CA).

Yup, I noticed Amazon charged tax when I shipped to TX.

 

[Adam]

Back in 2005, Best Buy matched an online price for a Pioneer receiver for me. I called ahead to ask, the guy who answered was a manager and said they'd do it, I drove down there, and it was no hassle at all. He just had an associate walk up to the register with me, and they rung it up and adjusted the price right there. Just wanted to add my experience to the list. I suspect that I could have gotten them to match the TV price in 2009, but I didn't even remotely push it.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I can't speak for everyone, but my experience at my local BB stores have usually been superb, except for the online price-matching, which wasn't the store's fault since they were not allowed before.

About 4 months ago I bought a demo Sony BD player from Best Buy.

3 months later, the player died. So I took it to BB. No problem. They sent it in for repair. But then they couldn't fix it. So the BB store just gave me a brand new one. If I had bought the same from Amazon, I would have had to spend my money to ship it back to Sony and had to deal with Sony's headache.

So it's in my interest to support my local BB stores.

And the price-match is a very welcomed change.

I will be shopping at BB a lot more frequently now instead of Amazon when I can.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Back in 2005, Best Buy matched an online price for a Pioneer receiver for me. I called ahead to ask, the guy who answered was a manager and said they'd do it, I drove down there, and it was no hassle at all. He just had an associate walk up to the register with me, and they rung it up and adjusted the price right there. Just wanted to add my experience to the list. I suspect that I could have gotten them to match the TV price in 2009, but I didn't even remotely push it.

Yeah, I've had similar experience with their price-match. After all, they are just regular people like many of us. One time they price-matched a Denon AVR for me, including tax, which they didn't have to.

So if I can get the same price as Amazon or Newegg or Buy.com, and I can just walk into the local store for easy return/credit, or bring it to the store for factory warranty service instead of having to ship it myself, it's a win-win in my book.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Because the B&M "price matchers" are a PITA to get them to apply their policies. I've tried it, and I wasted the better part of an hour to save $54. There's something inherently dishonest in their strategy too; it reminds me of "Catch me if you can!", and if you do catch them, then they drown you in information checking, approvals, and process.

When it is clearly stated in their policies, I've never ever had a bad experience with price-matching from any local stores, including Best Buy.

It's one thing if it is AGAINST their policies. But when it is their policy, Best Buy has never given grief to me or anyone I know.

 

[darien87]

Because the B&M "price matchers" are a PITA to get them to apply their policies. I've tried it, and I wasted the better part of an hour to save $54. There's something inherently dishonest in their strategy too; it reminds me of "Catch me if you can!", and if you do catch them, then they drown you in information checking, approvals, and process.

That's not the experience I've had at all. I've done it in the stores and even over the phone with BestBuy.com. I just call them up, give them the item number of what I'm looking at on Amazon, they verify the price and then they match it. Takes 5-10 minutes tops.

 

[its phillip]

That tax-free advantage looks like it might be ending soon, given legislation passing through Congress. It's already been removed in states were Amazon has warehouses (like CA).

I know. Amazon started charging tax here last July

 

[j_garcia]

I've had no problem getting price match at BB and this policy has been in effect for nearly a year already.

 

[its phillip]

I just hate going to the store. I like ordering from my computer and just having it delivered in 2 days

 

[j_garcia]

That's kind of the way I look at it: if all they are giving me is the exact same price, why not just have it show up at my house?

 

[jinjuku]

I cried when Ultimate Electronics went out of business a couple of years ago and left me with only Best Buy.

What are you going to do when BB goes under. It's coming.