My Recent Best Buy experience:

I am a 22 year old computer engineer. I am also a garage drummer. In my garage I have my kit a 4.1 surround sound and a laptop. <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.tinypic.com/1zdi5l.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> The laptops built in sound card was terrible so I wanted to upgrade. I head over to my local best buy and look for the Creative USB 5.1 surround sound (http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=206&product=10702).

Now some background I worked at a best buy for a year, and im well aware that the staff is generally untrained and incompetent. But this leads into something I didn't expect; blunt lying.

On my search around the computer dept I could not find the sound card, In the past I had seen it there and so I figured maybe they placed it somewhere else. So I looked for a sales associate. I find one and he points to the spot that I had just been searching and walks away from me. Ok I am fine with that. I find the dept lead and tell him the product I am trying to locate. He heads over to there computer system and types in “creative USB” it comes up with multiple internal sound cards but no external. Now I expect him to just say “Sorry we no longer carry that item” and I would be on my way, This did not occur. The dept lead turns to me and says “ theres no item like that you cant upgrade a laptops sound card” I politely responded “well there is a usb sound card out there ill just check another store” he responds “ excuse me but obviously I am not making my point, your just going to waste your time going to another store, it doesn't exist.” Now I am a generally mild tempered person but this bothered me. Because had I known any less I may have taken this persons advice and go home unsatisfied, I could just see that he had the mentality to often lie to customers. I finally responded and said “ok, you obviously dont know what you are talking about I am just going to leave.” he then again says louder “you are just wasting your time, just buy a better laptop” Thats it I had enough. I approach the store manager thats walking around w/ a balloon attached to his clipboard and explain the situation. The store managers response was “ our computer sales associates are well trained and if they say it does not exist, it must be true and you are wasting your time.” Appalled I shake my head leave the store and head to our local “micro-center”

At micro center I pick up my creative usb 5.1 as well as a information card on the product. I head home and log onto the creative website as well as new-egg and print out the detailed specs on the product.

I head back to the best buy, with my information in hand on this product, I approach the store manager who was quite surprised to see me again. I show him the product and information that I had collected. He then pages over the dept lead that I spoke to, and I requested an apology for his actions, “obviously the product exists I just want to know why you were so insistent on why I should give up my search for this product” with a stunned look on his face, he says “this is ridiculous I don't have time to deal with this Bullsh&*” Says this in front of his store manager, The dept lead just walks away and the store manager requests me to leave the store. Again appalled I said im sick of this service I want the number to cooperate I am going to file a formal complaint. The store manager responds in saying you cannot do this cooperate does not take complaints. I said ill find out for myself. Again he refuses to give me the number, At this point im getting heated and making a bit of a scene. Security comes over and is now “escorting me” out of the building. I later called the cooperate office and told them of my experience they apologized and said action would be taken, which It probably wont but, for anyone that goes into theses stores expecting a knowledge base, do your research first.

Thank you,

ACR.