Box Wars Episode V: Best Buy Strikes Back?

[admin]

In what can be perceived as nothing less than a carnivorous AP media pummeling the likes of which remind me of a group of hyenas devouring a day-old carcass, Best Buy has been the beneficiary of a media blitz through an AP roll-out in local and national papers. The piece will result in Best Buy easily profiting off the latest PR snafu caused by Circuit City's recent decision to sack/replace/rehire 8% of its sales workforce.

Discuss "Box Wars Episode V: Best Buy Strikes Back?" here. Read the article.

 

[mtrycrafts]

In what can be perceived as nothing less than a carnivorous AP media pummeling the likes of which remind me of a group of hyenas devouring a day-old carcass, Best Buy has been the beneficiary of a media blitz through an AP roll-out in local and national papers. The piece will result in Best Buy easily profiting off the latest PR snafu caused by Circuit City's recent decision to sack/replace/rehire 8% of its sales workforce.

Discuss "Box Wars Episode V: Best Buy Strikes Back?" here. Read the article.

That means that 92% didn't get fired! That is tremendous news.

Nothing like competition to help the consumer.

 

[skizzerflake]

In what can be perceived as nothing less than a carnivorous AP media pummeling the likes of which remind me of a group of hyenas devouring a day-old carcass, Best Buy has been the beneficiary of a media blitz through an AP roll-out in local and national papers. The piece will result in Best Buy easily profiting off the latest PR snafu caused by Circuit City's recent decision to sack/replace/rehire 8% of its sales workforce.

...

I never like to see a decrease in the competitive retail force, but I have to admit that in my local case where the two chains are one block apart, I concluded years ago that they only keep Circuit City open to make Best Buy look good. My local Circuit City store remodeled recently and the main result seems to be that they have LESS stuff than before. This happened at the same time that the Best Buy remodeled and added a Magnolia HT area. I don't need a media blitz to convince me that Circuit City is pretty pathetic.

 

[solomr2]

While BB generally has better prices, and on some things they have more variety, the difference in customer services is pretty hard to overcome. At CC I can almost always find a sales person to help me, but at BB they just seem to scatter and run away from customers. I hate that.

 

[Geno]

Maybe Wal-Mart will buy them both

As far as I'm concerned, they're both irrelevant. On line A/V is now my preferred shopping method, along with the few independent stores still in existence.

 

[jimkiler]

I am hoping CircuitCity can stay in business despite the negatives, they are cheaper 90% of the time for new releases for movies, music, and games.

 

[skizzerflake]

While BB generally has better prices, and on some things they have more variety, the difference in customer services is pretty hard to overcome. At CC I can almost always find a sales person to help me, but at BB they just seem to scatter and run away from customers. I hate that.

My experience of sales people in Best Buy is that you ask them for advice and then do something different. They raise bad advice to the level of high art. You would do better if they did scatter.

 

[jake5717]

BB customer service is by far the worst. I have noticed recently though that they are trying to improve service at my local store, however now they are just an annoyance. Every 2 or 3 min someone is asking me if I need help then when I ask them about a product they simply pick it up and read the package to me. The only reason I go into a BB is to see products in person.

Sorry for the rant, i realize im prolly way off topic.

 

[mpompey]

I have no idea how CC stays open. In my local store which is about 1/2 mile from BB, they always seem to run out of new release DVDs. So much so that I've stopped going into it period. I agree that customer service is horrible at both stores. And I can't believe the horror stories that I've been told about the Geek Squad.

I use BB only for DVDs and computer games (<-- After they go under $20) other than that, I keep driving until I get home.

 

[GlocksRock]

I will shop at CC over BB anyday. I've always had great experiences at CC, I can't say the same for BB.

 

[davidtwotrees]

Box stores are what they are. Frankly, I don't expect high end service from minimum wage employees, who will never be able to make a decent living working there. I shop by necessity at Home Depot for work. Rarely do I see anyone who is motivated or on the ball. The box store was the death of service, imho.

 

[skizzerflake]

Box stores are what they are. Frankly, I don't expect high end service from minimum wage employees, who will never be able to make a decent living working there. I shop by necessity at Home Depot for work. Rarely do I see anyone who is motivated or on the ball. The box store was the death of service, imho.

My problem, especially with the Best Buy in Lutherville, MD is that I wish they would own up to being short term part timers and not pretend to be audio/HT engineers. I have heard sales people telling things to customers that seemed like they were made up and just made me cringe. I don't mind it when people are honestly uninformed. I do mind when they act like experts and tell customers things that are untrue.

 

[mpompey]

I think Davidtwotrees hit the nail on the head. Big box stores aren't really interested in an informed consumer. They are interested in maintaining as low of an overhead as possible, while trying to maximize profit. You see the same thing in men's clothing/ fashion departments. When is the last time you seen an on the ball person in the suit department? There are becoming fewer and fewer. As more and more of the staff are not making commissions on the sales you see less and less experienced sales staff remaining. Those that do have experience and an understanding of men's fashion are going to be snatched away by higher end stores. But in the end it is a zero sum game as people are not as fashion minded as they were in the past.

 

[Highbar]

At least now I can walk into a BB and not get hounded by someone every 30 seconds. I used to walk in and couldn't look at two things before they were all over me. Now they just sit there and watch, or as skizzerflake said just make stuff up to make the sale. People at CC on the other hand usually know a little more about what they are trying to sell you and don't tell you one thing when the tag right in front of you said differently. I always go to CC first but have started to buy more big ticket items on line since the lower price usually negates the price for shipping.

T

 

[mpompey]

If CC really wanted to stay in the game, they need to focus on customer service. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people complain about the service in Best Buy. Pay the people a little bit more, train them, and improve their product distribution chains, their online options, and they'd have the competition beat.

But that is too much like right for anyone to take it seriously.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

In what can be perceived as nothing less than a carnivorous AP media pummeling the likes of which remind me of a group of hyenas devouring a day-old carcass, Best Buy has been the beneficiary of a media blitz through an AP roll-out in local and national papers. The piece will result in Best Buy easily profiting off the latest PR snafu caused by Circuit City's recent decision to sack/replace/rehire 8% of its sales workforce.

Discuss "Box Wars Episode V: Best Buy Strikes Back?" here. Read the article.

The only way either of these chains hire any 'real' salespeople, is if they pay their sales teams based on commission. Otherwise, they'll endlessly be stuck with a sales force incapable of selling a bottle of water to a person dieing of thirst. That is also the same reason their sales people know very little about the products they try to sell. The only informed sales staff is a commissioned staff.

 

[skizzerflake]

At least now I can walk into a BB and not get hounded by someone every 30 seconds. I used to walk in and couldn't look at two things before they were all over me. Now they just sit there and watch, or as skizzerflake said just make stuff up to make the sale. People at CC on the other hand usually know a little more about what they are trying to sell you and don't tell you one thing when the tag right in front of you said differently. I always go to CC first but have started to buy more big ticket items on line since the lower price usually negates the price for shipping.

T

The problem I have had at CC (at least the one in Lutherville MD) is that they just don't have much in the store. I don't like big box stores very much but I do expect to see lots of stuff. Aside from lots of TVs most of the merchandise is pretty thin. I never really get to the sales staff because there just isn't enough in there to start my salivary glands running. The BB around the corner has inept help but lots of stuff. I'm OK there as long as I don't talk to anybody. Maybe a merger would help.