Worst Company In America "Sweet 16": Best Buy VS Diebold
Here's your third "Sweet 16" match-up: #5 Best Buy VS #12 Diebold.
Here's what some of you had to say about these two companies:
Best Buy:
"I haven't shopped at a Best Buy since 2002, and I won't ever shop at a Best Buy again. Period."
"Haven't been to a Best Buy since they sold me a defective LG cell phone that had been recalled prior to my purchase, then wouldn't refund my money because I tried to return it beyond the 14 day window and I hadn't purchased the protection plan.
Me: "Why did you sell me a phone that was recalled? Aren't you supposed to take them off the shelves when you get a recall notice?"
Manager: "That's why we offer everyone the protection plan."
Me: "???"
"If Best Buy doesn't win it all, the system needs to be reviewed."
"The only reason Best Buy is still in business is that people are born faster than the company can create disgruntled ex-customers."
Diebold:
"When the CEO says he is, "committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year" during the 2004 election and the senior executives Diebold were active fundraisers for Bush, that's a bad sign. I understand the executives as a person v. as representative of a company distinction. But at a certain point, it raises questions related to impartiality."
This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2008 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america.
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Comments:
Best Buy is getting more votes? Really?
That's all kinds of pathetic.
Diebold. Because they're actually a threat to Democracy.
Vote for Best Buy and the terrorists have won. ;-)
maybe diebold mate the voting form
@amyschiff: Good stuff!
Diebold is much more of a threat to America's freedom than Best Buy. Or Islamists for that matter.
Diebold FTW...
No matter how you cut it, you have a choice of where to shop, but we aren't given a choice other than to use defective voting machines that a 3rd grader could hack. And leave no paper trail.
Diebold = threat to the processes of freedom and democracy
Best Buy = annoying retailer
I cannot believe that BB is getting more votes. This is a sad day for anyone who believes in fair elections.
Yesterday I stopped by BB to get GTA4 for my dad for Father's Day. As I was checking out, the guy asked if I wanted to get a protection plan for the game to cover if someone borrows it and damages it or if it didn't work with my system. But then I could have sworn he said this cost $49.95 a year. I really hope I heard that wrong. It just baffles the mind.
Diebold's machines practically facilitate the rigging of elections. If you don't like BestBuy, go somewhere else. You can't avoid Diebold if your district is using their machines.
How can Diebold not be winning this?
Diebold v. an insurance company, OK. But against a retailer? Come on!
while i loathe and despise BB as much as any other electronics consumer, diebold's actions are far more vile - they have allowed for elections to be rigged to allow politicians to be voted in that protect the scummy actions of companies like BB.
Diebold is certainly far more sinister and poses a direct threat to the democracy that our country was founded upon. Why can't they just go back to making bank vaults, atm's and those airtubes that they use at the bank drive ups and leave our rights as citizens to choose our leaders alone?
The only that makes sense is that people are voting without realizing what Diebold is.
I am stunned that Best Buy has received more votes. STUNNED.
Maybe the poll system was written by Diebold.
Diebold should be a no-brainer. Ripping off people on tv purchases is small change compared to subverting democracy.
Just saying...
It's disfuckinggusting that Best Buy is winning here. While I understand the and often justifiable hate many have towards the company, when compared to Diebold, Best Buy is a basket full of kittens. Warm, fuzzy kittens.
The mind, it boggles.
Best Buy. Because this is a stupid internet poll and it really doesn't matter.
@amyschiff: that is too, too clever. good one.
People, PLEASE stop voting for Best Buy. For the love of democracy!!!
Here's some more incentive to vote for Best Buy. If Best Buy "wins" it all, there's a chance the negative attention might change some of their policies. Gawker Media has some influence, so being labeled as the Worst Company in America by one of their blogs might perk some ears at Best Buy. Maybe. It's a long shot.
But you think Diebold gives a flying fuck about consumerist?
Yes, Best Buy continues to peddle stupid services and ridiculously overpriced wares to unsuspecting people, but Diebold will completely fuck America if their company isn't put to task. They win contracts to build (among other things) voting machines that, in theory, should be SO simple, and they can't even fucking add 1 and 1. It's bad enough we have to vote some years for half-ass candidates, and they can't even count those votes correctly.
@mbprice: So if I understand you, you want us not only to vote for Best Buy over Diebold, but also ultimately over, say, Exxon and Wal-Mart or Bank of America?
No way, Jose. Getting ripped off for a DVD player or what have you just isn't that important.
Let's see A) Bad Customer Service, or B) jeopardizing our democratic process.
ummmm, yeah. 49% of you voters need some f'ing perspective.
@mbprice: Sure Best Buy will care about a website voting results. Just like politicians and the mainstream media care about Digg results.
Executives can barely turn on a computer.
Best Buy! If the terrorists win, it's all your fault for staying home when the polls are open. You should have voted, it's your duty, and your laziness allowed Diebold machines to churn out bad votes.
diebold should win because they didn't just screw one customer - they took down an entire country... now put diebold up against walmart - that's a contest
Best Buy isn't bad! I've found great deals at best buy, I've been able to return stuff there. Just don't trust their staff. don't ask advice. Know what you're buying before you go in there and know what price you can get elsewhere. sometimes you can get great open box deals. it's also a great place to try stuff out before buying it some where else. AND ALWAYS know the return policy before you buy something ANYWHERE
Subverting democracy vs. bad customer service.
How is this vote even close?
Good news. Diebold is back on top.
@snowburnt, we get that you have some kind of long-term love affair thing going on with Best Buy and prefer to pretend that post after post about BB's craptitude never existed.
Perhaps the poll results are coming from some semantic confusion. Best Buy is certainly worse than Diebold in the sense of incompetence, pettiness, and rotten customer service. But Diebold is actual worse because it's an evil company that is whoring itself out to subvert democracy in favor of the CEO's pet political leanings.
Diebold of course. If you voted Best Buy then you obviously don't care about fair votes. To me a vote is worth more than gold.
Here is my pick for the Semi's and the Finals.
Semi's: Diebold and Exxon (that's tough), and Wal-Mart vs. Countrywide
And for the finals: Diebold will actually upset Exxon because it is an election year, and Countrywide will upset Wal-Mart because they are responsible for the mortgage crisis.
Countrywide for the VICTORY! (Or shame.)
Best Buy is evil, but if you keep up with Slashdot you would learn to fear the electronic voting machine.
Glad to see that Diebold is in the lead now. Looks like some people do have a sense of perspective.
I hate Best Buy but I can shop somewhere else. Messing with voting is some seriously evil shit.
Diebold is evil, because they are feeding off our ignorance and apathy. Not only because they are ruining democracy. If we cared about our rights as citizens to care about the issues rather than whether or not our next president can walk into an Applebee's salad bar, Diebold would probably have less power than all of you assume.
Best Buy. Now I hate them for price gouging. I mean $50 for a 1GB SD card?! WTF?! I only shop there when something good is on sale, but recently Target's even beaten them to the punch. $20 Monk DVDs ahoy!
Can't wait to see how many Conservatives (who love America™) think a repackaged Halo 3 DVD trumps fair and free US elections...
There will always be consumer horror stories at big retailers, just given the number of transactions that happen. But as a company, Best Buy generally shows well in social responsibility, diversity, environmental rankings and ratings. ( [vanno.com] ) Diebold, on the other hand, is essentially invisible.
I voted for Diebold, but it registered my vote for Pat Buchanan.
I put aside all the Consumerist horror stories about Best Buy and went to the store only to find that it was only open three days a week. I've never heard any major retailer with such wonky hours. Plus, I always find what I'm looking for much cheaper at the Target across the street.
@lalaland13: LOL, that wouldn't happen to be a reference to Bush/Gore in FL, would it?!
Any Best Buy voter (unless they're ignorant) must be a Republican - remember that Diebold was rigged in Bush's favor.
OR, as @amyschiff: and @tape: say, the poll was indeed made and/or rigged by Diebold.
Thankfully, Diebold is WINNING now.
@unravel: href="#c6162017">tape: your usernames together :)
@mbprice: Maybe Diebold won't care, but honestly, neither will Best Buy, even if they do win it all, over Wal-Mart, Exxon, and Countrywide.
Best Buy trailing by 400 votes? First Ticketmaster is within a few votes of besting Comcast, and then Exxon seems to have decisively beat DeBeers, and now this? I had BBY as a final four pick, even despite my avowed defense of the company.
I'm shocked. Best Buy has more negative stories here than any other company. As someone pointed out recently, everyone who hates Best Buy reads the consumerist. It seemed like such a sure thing. Oh man, why oh why isn't my bookie answering the phone...
@luckiedog: [I] went to the store only to find that it was only open three days a week.
Where is this Best Buy store? I refuse to believe it. I want to call the store, and hear audial confirmation of their three-day work week.
Does anyone here have any proof that Diebold has done anything wrong and has indeed rigged an election?
MOST OF YOU: I am so SHOCKED that BB is winning!!!
Seriously, BestBuy time and time again has proved itself to be a customer abusing retailer with its sale strategies, shitty warranties, b/s Customer Service and we're bashing Diebold for ummm having one of the biggest weights to shoulder in this entire country? That's like bashing ComEd or Boeing.
Well you'll all be singing a sweeter tune as soon as Obama wins, right?
MOST OF YOU AFTER OBAMA VICTORY: I can't believe Diebold is winning!! They're such a solid and respectable company!
I can't blame Diebold that much. Neither party delivers solutions and there is a slim chance we will ever see them adapt or see a viable third or fourth party.
@jennieblue22: After you heard the conspiracy theory of leftist saying Diebold rigged the election, did you immediately turn off your TV, put your hands over your eats and say "LALALALALLALALALALALAL"
Because pretty sure that was investigated, and found to not be the case. But you have fun wearing your tin foil hat.
leave it to the guy with the elephant icon to stir up some shit. Thank god best buy is losing because even though customer service foul-ups suck, voter fraud is way worse/evil.
@nerdherd628: If by stir up shit, you mean present an opposing argument. Then yes. That's what I do.
Diebold, because they still haven't fixed their voting software, and they hate the idea of paper trails on voting machines.