Saw this on CNET yesterday. Can't knock the sales people for earning a living, but when it comes to outright screwing people then something must be done.

I wholly agree with item one. They're just told to sell stuff, and that's about it. It's not like the old hardware stores where people actually knew the products they were selling, and appropriate usage for what they were selling. I don't know how many times my dad bought crap from these guys based on their recommendation. He still doesn't listen and ask me about this "crazy technology stuff" before he buys... Oh well.

newegg doesn't have these problems

Ah, that made me flash back to my early twenties, where I spent my days in a blue shirt and khakis...

*shiver*

Never again... :P

Everything in that article is spot on. I worked in the Wireless/PDA department, and I was asked to cover Audio once. Part of why I sold well in Wireless was because I knew every detail about every product I sold (I'm obsessive about that sort of thing), but I knew almost nothing about audio equipment. I was told to "just read the cards, and you'll be fine"

Needless to say that particular night was an unprecidented disaster, and I never did it again.

As for #1 (no training in the field), I find that's pretty common in retail department stores (Walmart, Kmart, Target). As someone who could barely drive a car, being assigned to work in the Auto department from time to time was not amusing. Or pets or hardware or sporting stuff. Customers expect you to know everything about every single product in the store.

I never pulled the "I don't work over here," and walk away stuff, but I would try to be rational. "Um, I don't know what kind of primer is best. I don't work over here so I don't know the products. Let me find someone else for you." It was always amazing the people who would insist on me helping them after I'd say I didn't know what they were talking about.

well, that certainly explains a lot of salespeople regardless of what they sell.

of course, then there's actually people that enjoy their work & become valuable assets to both the company & the customers. yes, even salespeople.

does selling electronics require any particular expertise? not at all. but if you have a general interest in CE & supplement your work with knowledge about the advantages/disadvantages of your products & visit review sites for opinions, you can help a consumer make a more informed choice.

that said, i've never met an actual salesperson at best buy. they seem to have a lot of people that walk around, but i've never actually met one that could answer a question other than "can you point me in the direction of _______?"

Sorry, I don't agree with # 7. I work in customer service and when a customer is demanding me to do something for them with a "because I deserve it" type of attitude, I probably won't do it. If your nice to me and show me respect I'll typically go out of my way to make sure your happy.

They're salespeople. They're supposed to sell. They may not be the most knowledgeable, but anyone who goes into a retail store NOT having done their own research in the day of instant answers via the Interwebs, really shouldn't complain.

#6 is so true. Had someone once say they "only" paid $350 to have a hard drive replaced. WTF? $350 for 5-15 minutes' work on a case that has thumbscrews and a cage that actually flips out.

@pakman3000: Former Best Buy Salesperson Says: Electronics Salespeople Are Useless. In other news, water found to be wet, sky blue.

I think number one is especially true. I worked at the electronics department of Target for a few years and I always found it odd that we never went through any kind of product training. You really don't need to know much to sell sheets or underwear, but when it comes to things like cameras and DVD players, there is a ton of useful, very important information.

I hardly doubt training a whole department once a month for an hour would cost that much, but I think it would pay dividends in customer satisfactions.

So the one day I was went to Best Buy looking for a micro-usb cable for my phone. I couldn't find any (near the electronics not the phones) so I asked a guy to help me. He went and checked in the back... for 20 minutes and came back saying the only one they had was $50 and had several different adapters. I said forget it and wandered over to the cell phone area and found a cable which has only 1 adapter (mini to micro which rocks cause I need both), was an 'open box' discount product, and ended up being around $6. Needless to say, the 'product specialist' didn't even suggest to check the phone department for random usb cables as phones have been moving toward mini/micro usb

@meltingcube: If those idiots only knew! When someone is pushy and rude, I give the bare minimum of service required, if they are polite, I will do everything I can to make them happy.

I don't just shop at newegg for the low prices.

Service is part of the value of an item, and I'm willing to pay for it. If Best Buy had better service than newegg (hang on, just laughed coffee out my nose...) I'd shop there for electronics. As it is, I just do my own homework before buying something (including the interwebs AND conversations with a software engineer or IT friend) and just snag it at newegg. With confidence.

@ScarletsWalk: Probably because they spent a half an hour just looking for a store employee. If you walk away, the chances of them seeing another employee, much less one who is informed, is zero to nil.

A few months ago my wife saw a computer in a Best Buy ad that she liked. The price seemed good. I generally build all my computers but if a system is reasonably priced I'll go along with it.

Anyway, we went in the store knowing exactly what we wanted. We found a salesman and told him what he wanted. I said no to everything he offered. He grills me asking why I won't get a extended warranty. I explain I can repair the system on my own I don't need a warrenty.

At this point he seemed annoyed then said loudly, "then why aren't you building your own system why are you buying this??" I was taken aback by his attitude. His job is to just sell me the system, not talk down to me. I honestly wanted to walk out, but my wife wanted it, so, we got it.

That's probably the last time I'll buy a system at Best Buy.

She's right about the no training. I worked at a Best Buy in my teens and knew nothing about what I was selling.

I was NOT pushy, however.

@Optimistic Prime: It isn't like they even pay enough to be able to require that the teenagers taking the job know everything there is to know about every item being sold.

@ScarletsWalk: Did you at least somewhat know what products were sold in the department you were assigned to? That's all I really expect from big box employees and I hardly ever even get that. I went to Wal-Mart last week for groceries and while I was there I decided to pick up some basic supplies for a project I've got going on in my garage. When I asked the guy in hardware/automotive where the wire brushes were he looked at me like I was insane! Apparently he didn't know what a wire brush was even after my describing it as "like a big toothbrush with metal bristles used for cleaning metal objects". I didn't want any advice on them, I just wanted to know where they were. When I told him that I was restoring an old motorcycle and needed something to refinish the metal engine casing it clicked with him for some odd reason. I didn't even bother asking him for a specific brand of auto parts cleaner I wanted; I wandered around and found it on my own.

I last worked retail 3 years ago and I never acted that stupid with a customer, even if I wasn't sure where the item was at. I'd think on my feet instead of looking at the customer like he had a problem. That's what bugs me about big box retail service; the associates sometimes lack any critical thinking skills whatsoever.

I worked at BBY for 5ish years part time... although most of it is true, the Geek Squad comment was way off... The optimization does removed some preinstalled apps, but it runs a list of tweaks that you can basically download off of downloadsquad.com... Most consumers dont know how to tweak out their PCs or get windows updates...

Oh, and she failed to mention, it was free when you buy the PC... What they sell you is an Antivirus package where they do all the installs and added tweaks... THAT one a 15 yr old can do... But again... Not everyone wants to do it... Most of that stuff is sold to people who's time is worth more than their money...

And how can a company survive without making profit?? If best buy made only $1 on each product, then whats the purpose of running a company? Hence the marked up accessories...

And yes... Bitching and complaining the proper way will ALWAYS get you what you want with a manager... ALWAYS...

Hi, Former Best Buy employee here.

1. True, to a point. They have trainings on the computers, however, they cover very little, and most people breeze through them and forget everything. Every once in a while, you may actually find someone who knows what they are talking about, there were a few people I worked with who did.

2. Absolutely. Accessories make money. Best Buy loses money on computers for the most part. That's why a USB cable costs 35.00.

3. Definitely. Some items break down more than others these days, and an extended warranty certainly is cost effective on those items. For the most part, buy the extended warranty if it is under 10% of the total cost of the item. Anything over probably isn't worth it.

4. Not true. I was never pushy. Many people I worked with weren't pushy either. That point mostly depends on the management, as well as the M.O. of the employee. If it is a part-time job, as it was with me, I could care less if the customer bought anything. Full-time, looking to move up in the company? Different story.

5. Not true. You may get the return, but you end up waiting 15-20 minutes while they try looking up receipts, getting managers, and overall just dragging the process out.

6. Absolutely true. Geek squad, Magnolia Home Theater, etc. I wouldn't trust any of them. I liked most of the people who worked up there, but the services were definitely not in-line with their costs.

7. Depends. Do you have a good attitude? Do you have a valid complaint? Are you a repeat customer who spends a lot at the store (Best Buy can check)? If so, and the manager is in a good mood, and you are buying a big ticket item with good margins, you may be in luck. Other times, not so much. It's always case-by-case. But come in with a good attitude, ask for something reasonable, be polite, and your chances of getting what you want will be much better.

@extremenachos: Best Buy does do monthly mandatory trainings... But its not on the products... Its sales techniques on how to 'woo' you into purchasing more lol... oh, and to bitch about how your dept isnt making numbers and someone is stealing stuff from the back... lol

if you walk away from this article remembering only one thing, let it be this:

make sure you buy monster cable for all of your audio/video/power connections. Otherwise, you will void your warranty (as well as the super-duper everything covered extended service plan you also purchased)

@discounteggroll: And don't forget to pick up a DVD rewinder...

@sanjsrik: I'm sure they massaged the cables to work out any "plaque" that had accumulated and restored better data flow. When they did my HD installation, the tech said he plugged the cable into a special machine which sends data and power the opposite way it normally does, which acts like an enema for cables, and clears out any data that got stuck in bends of the cable, just like your intestines. He said it was the computer equivalent of a colon cleansing and detox, which he also gave me a flyer for some pills he was selling that would do it for me!. It must have worked, b/c after they did that to the cables, did a fresh OS install, and added 2gb of RAM, it ran faster than it did when I brought it in! :P

Well, maybe that's the case at Best Buy -- or at the very least, the location she worked at -- but that doesn't apply across the board.

How would I know? Because I had been paid to attend two seminars a year for consumer electronics, "urged" to participate in several training websites that rewards salespeople with points towards prizes and have a bible-sized stack of material from numerous company reps that contain more product knowledge than you can shake a stick at.

But hey, at least Sharon did a good job of painting and even better picture of Best Buy for everyone.

@discounteggroll: I'm using two monster cables right now. Should I be using more?

Disclosure: The two Monster cables I am using came from woot! during a woot!-off, and I only bought them b/c they have a blue LED that blinks to let you know it's plugged in. I like blinky things. It appeals to the ADHD in me, which is like a kid and also likes shredded wheat which is an awesome ceral, even thought it doesn't have toys. I used to have these cool StarCom toys which had magnets in their feet so they could stick to metal pads on the ships, and they were cool.

@par20pinspot:I needed a micro for my phone (EnV2) back in March. My computer retailer (Microcenter) was out of them entirely, so I stopped at a BestBuy on the way home (the one by StoneCrest Mall, right on I20 east of Atlanta).

Checked the cables section, didn't see it. Asked a salesdrone, they said 'check at the back where the computer accessories are' - they had minis only. Asked a person there, they said 'dunno, maybe phones'. Went to the phones section, asked the person in charge there, they'd NEVER HEARD of microUSB, neither had the salesperson next to him.

Wouldn't have been so bad, except it was 2 days after it had been announced as the new standard for phones, an announcement that had been in any and all tech news sites.

That's pretty funny. Just yesterday I was in Best Buy fondling the new Macbook Pros when I saw a guy using the iMac who, with the assistance of 3 blueshirts, couldn't figure out how to right click. I suggested he hold control, and the next thing I know I'm giving the guy a tutorial on how to use the iMac! The employees had no clue how to use the Macs and eventually left.

@sanjsrik:
more like $200 for the HD at the over priced best buy price and $150 to install it.

@cunninglinguine: hilarious thanks for starting my day with a laugh

@Optimistic Prime:
Before CC went into their terminal spiral, their associates were trained pretty well. I was one for a Christmas season. There was a long series of training modules I had to go through and pass the test for before I was allowed on the floor. I learned a lot about TV technology, and could speak intelligently about it.

But then they decided that was too expensive, and paying the good salesmen good money was stupid.

In my experience:

1: True (now)
2: True

3: Leaning towards no. Chances that a big ticket item dies between the normal warranty and the extended is slim. It's either a lemon or it's not. Plus getting warranty work done can be a hassle, even if the company is still in business.

4: False. Except in the case of needing to get a percentage of extended warranties to keep your job.

5: Dunno. I didn't do returns

6: True. But a 12 year old can understand technology a lot better than many 50 year olds. Some people are functionally illiterate, and can't follow instructions. So buy it if you want it, so you don't have to bug your grandson to do it for you.

7: True and False. Depending on the manager you are speaking to. If you bitch at me, I'm following policy to the letter. If you are considerate and friendly, I'll bend the rules where I can.

@Murph1908:
BTW, I worked there 9 years ago, and have a great deal more of customer-centered experience that I am basing my comments on. I am not making these claims based on a Christmas season's worth of experience.

1. completely untrue. every associate in the store now has to be certified in their department. if you cover multiple departments you have to be certified in all of them. The final exams are 100 questions, pretty dang difficult, and you don't get the right answers, you have to go back and study. If you don't pass by the deadline, you do not work in that department. I also attend yearly conventions spent with our vendors. Spent two entire weeks in Atlanta learning about appliances, then another week a year later. Spent 3 days in Dallas learning about cameras. We have access to thousands of courses that we can take to learn about specific products and how they work.

2. obviously this employee never bothered to look up margin. While computers and game consoles carry zero margin, home theater and appliances carry fat margins, the more expensive, the bigger the margin, duh.

3. definitely. Laptops and cameras, you gotta have accidental damage protection. I drop everything, and my Macbook Pro screen was replaced when I cracked it.

4. pushy, i don't know. Passionate about closing a sale, sure. it's what salespeople get paid to do. no closing sales=no point to keeping a store open.

5. No receipt, we can look it up, unless you paid in cash and didn't use your Reward Zone card in which case you are probably up the creek unless it's obviously a store-brand product.

6. services are expensive, absolutely, but that it relative to your comfort level with technology and what your time is worth. Can I install a dishwasher? Yes. Do I want to crawl behind my current one, touch grimy stuff, and mess with it for an hour? Nope. I would gladly pay $124 for someone else to do this.

Three days ago I helped a lady in her 40s look for a mouse. She did not know where it plugged in, if it was a USB or PS2, or how to "install" the new one. Yes, really. I told her it was very simple and there is one one "rectangle" shape it could go into. She asked about a wireless mouse and I thought, if she can't figure this out, the wireless mouse is going to blow her mind. So I drew her a diagram of the back of her PC and told her where to "install" the mouse. Do not ever assume that all people have even a modicum of tech knowledge, because it's not the case.

7. Yep. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. The higher up the food chain, the faster you get what you want. Although we hope you don't have to go that route.

i did sales for Dell and loved being up to date on the latest offerings. I was a bit of a tech nerd anyhow, so much of it came naturally. Did that for 3 years and I loved it, and that was a sales job where I could sleep at night as I didn't feel I was bilking people out of their money, and I was good at it, which is always a nice feeling.

When I moved out of the state and was job hunting, I went and worked for a car dealership in Temple TX(Mac Haik Dodge), and I couldn't do it after the 2 weeks I spent there. They were literally ripping people off left and right. One salesman made a pure $8k profit on a $40k minivan. They were flipping older sales into newer trucks and burying people in debt...they owed more on the old car and then just rolled it into the cost of a new car because they depreciated so fast. This one poor guy now owes $30k to the dealership for his new $17k POS truck.

@Optimistic Prime: i'm just happy that the ace hardware near me still has people who have some idea of what they sell and what the uses are for.

@mac-phisto:
Pretty much. I can find salesmen who know their products at my local P.C. Richard and Sons or Electronics Expo. But I prefer to do my research myself rather than rely on a salesman to know what he's talking about. Problem is, many will answer your questions even if they don't know the right answer.

@JeanStork: And the special DVD Player disks that "clean" the optics by gently scrubbing the optic surface that never touches the DVD.

@wellfleet: Meh, being another former/current employee, I think that it depends on the store. Every location seems to be different in mentality.

You must be a former ACE employee since you went to Atlanta. I heard horror stories from everyone that went down there. I loved selling Appliances though.

@Megan Squier:

I knew my stuff and if I didn't know something about another area, I would try to find out. I never made it the customer's problem.

But it still didn't mean that I personally could tell you the difference between dex cool and regular. And if you find me folding a towel and demand that I tell you and yell at me when I ask another employee for help, well, then, nothing's going to make you happy. :)

i thought the auto parts store "experts" (kids fresh outta high school who only tell you what the computer tells them about what your car doesn't need) were bad, but wow... this takes the cake. i've never had any issues with best buy, mostly because i know more about the product i'm "potentially" going to buy than the numbnuts who sells it. i just act ignorant and let them "expertly detail me in" with the facts about lets say.... a camcorder.

once i see they have no clue what they're talking about i pity them and end up buying online when an free shipping or discount offer is applied.

i do keep an eye out on the cash register people.... i've been over charged a few times so beware when checking out!

-dave

So in light of this and the fact that they make little commission on the small items, is it rude to walk by a Sales Person/uninformed consumer conversation when the customer says he wants a computer to do word processing, E-mail, and light internet surfing and the sales person is trying to sell them a $5000 gaming rig and say "Buy an iMac or a $1500 Windows machine bundle and you will be more than satisfied".

@SupremeCourtNominee_GitEmSteveDave:

are you referring to Monster 7ft USB Cable w/LED Powerflow Indicator - 2 Pack? I was in for 3 sets of those myself. $9.47 shipped for 6 Monster USB cables could not be passed up.

1.
Product knowledge will dramatically vary between employees. most stores should have a few people who actually are gadget junkies and know things, other people will be decent, and some people despite extensive training will be clueless.

2.
depends on the department, computers definitely true. cameras, some what true. TVs depends how old the model is and if its on sale or not.

3.
there are times you should and times you shouldn't. keep in mind they are SERVICE plans most of the time. the product will be GONE for TWO TO THREE WEEKS MINIMUM. Also, MOST computer service plans do NOT cover viruses (some do) but you have a motherboard go bad or a cracked screen, then plan will pay for itself.

4.
not true.

5.
partially not true. if you bought something 8 months ago with cash and no rewardzone and you want warranty coverage... you are probably out of luck. if you paid with credit card, you will fare better.

6.
you think? good work there. Of course you are partially right. depends on the 12 year old. literally yesterday i met a 12-14 year old who managed to format his C: disk... he didnt manage to restore the OS though. laptop is currently bricked.

7.
completely double edged sword. the more legitimate your complaint the better. be careful though, when ever i hear "i am not blaming you" or " i am not meaning to take it out on you" that means you are doing EXACTLY that. and you have just burned a possible bridge to getting your way. if i dont think you deserve special treatment, i will tell my manager that. and being a pretty good employee, i have some sway there.

@grapedog: I wonder if this is why that "King of Cars" show that was on Discovery or A&E (or one of those similar channels) went off the air...it seemed to air too much of the scammy side of auto sales when people are only concerned about the monthly payment.

@vgeroh: Really? It's not exactly original.

@pakman3000: Well best buy purposely overprices their crap cables. So as a best buy employee you are going to try to sell the best buy stuff. That is what you are paid to do. Technically the screwing comes from the higher ups that price 2 dollars cables for 100 bucks. A salesman can't sit there and tell you to go to monoprice, they won't be employed long. With the internet, the consumer really has no excuse when they are duped.

@sanjsrik:

Just to have the hard drive replaced, or to have a hard drive replaced, an OS installed, applications and software updates installed, and data moved from an old hard drive?

$350 is obviously way too much for just physically installing a hard drive, but if there was an OS reinstall, data transfer, ect involved it's not that far off base.

@meltingcube: I would say normally, yes. But if you can get a manager, there's a good chance they'll give in, unless the request is in left field.