The best way to understand Geek Squad is to realize that they will help you with anything if it means they can charge you a fee. Want batteries in your remote control? Having trouble putting a USB plug into its port? Need to know the time? OPTIMIZE IT WITH GEEK SQUAD. Those are just solid business ideas and not (yet) actual services, but Geek Squad’s real offerings are almost as absurd. For example, Nate from the-digital-reader.com snapped this photo of their newish “eBook Device Setup” service for your Nook or Sony Reader, which promises to turn it on (“provide a functionality check”) and show you how to read (“what to expect when you take the device home”). [More]
7 Things Ex-Geek Squad Employee Wishes Every Computer Novice Knew
By July 2, 2010
Not all Geek Squad technicians are ex-Domino’s delivery guys trying to siphon porn from your computer, some of them actually have a heart. This guy gal does, and it keeps breaking over and over again as he she sees clueless consumers queuing up to pay for service for mundane computer issues they could have prevented with just a teensy bit of know-how. Perhaps that is why she no longer works there. In any event, he she sent us a list of 7 different money-saving tips he she wished every computer owner knew. Most Consumerist readers probably know them, and most Best Buy customers don’t, so send this on to your Aunt Gretchen and lose Geek Squad some business: [More]
This May Be The World's Least Competent Geek Squad Outpost
By June 24, 2010
Cyndi writes that she has had her HP computer for just about 20 months, and a two-year extended warranty with Geek Squad along with it. From the very first months that she owned the computer, things have gone wrong with the computer, but things have gone even more terribly wrong with Geek Squad’s repairs. Raise your hand if you’re surprised. [More]
Best Buy: Let Us Install The PS3 Version Of Red Dead Redemption
By May 19, 2010
Reader IfThenElvis has submitted, for your approval, this photo of Best Buy asking you to let them install a PS3 game. [More]
Now Geek Squad Is Optimizing Girl Scouts
By May 10, 2010
We applaud the idea of teaching kids how to use technology more effectively, so we’ll assume that Geek Squad Summer Academy, which teaches Girl Scouts and other youngsters “the basic components of technology through fun, engaging, and informative activities not likely found in a traditional school setting,” is a great program, and not an insidious plot to get them to go home and start optimizing their parents’ computers at the end of the summer. Then again, we bet the margin on those $39.99 tune-ups are better than what the girls make hawking cookies. [More]
Best Buy Salesguy Won't Let You Buy An iPad Without $129 Warranty
By April 25, 2010
Reader Ed says he tried to buy an iPad from Best Buy, only to be told that someone was on the phone buying all of them, and that he could only get one if he bought the “black tie protection
plan” for $129. Ed told them to get lost and instead reported them to Consumerist and Best Buy. [More]
Best Buy Charging For PC Checkups They Already Give For Free
By April 19, 2010
Anon says Best Buy’s $40 a year program going called Ask An Agent is a raw deal. The program lets customers bring in PCs for an annual checkup, and also gives takers 10 percent off of Geek Squad services. Anon says Best Buy checks out all computers for free, no doubt to offer them some spectacular optimization services. [More]
No, Geek Squad, You're Not Allowed To Park In Tow Zone
By April 8, 2010
Blake shot this horribly fuzzy picture of a Geek Squad car getting towed. Try to accept is as an object of art and mythology rather than photojournalism, reminiscent of the barely intelligible shots of Sasquatch and Nessie. Like those pictures, this one represents a sense that ours is a world of wonder and fancy. [More]
Consumerist Shames Best Buy Into Rebranding Optimization?
By April 7, 2010
If you’re even a semi-regular reader of Consumerist, you probably remember back in January when we blew the lid off Best Buy’s overpriced and unnecessary computer “optimization” deal. Well, that report has caused Best Buy to make changes to their optimization offering — problem is, all they’ve changed is the name. [More]
Emailing Acer Results In Glorious Out-Of-Warranty Laptop Repair
By April 6, 2010
Reader Dan writes in with the tale of his friend Jack, who he helped with an Acer laptop that broke only two days after its warranty expired. Geek Squad was no help, but launching an email carpet bomb on Acer did the trick. [More]
Best Buy Clarifies Its Policy On Imaginary Sync Service For 3D Glasses
By March 23, 2010
Last week, HD Guru pointed out that Best Buy was advertising 3D glasses syncing as part of a $150 installation service for people buying 3D TVs. The problem with the offer is it’s not necessary (or even possible) to manually “sync” your 3D glasses with a 3D TV. Now Best Buy has responded to the post, partly by explaining that some customers might not know that the glasses sync up automatically and that they can depend on Geek Squad to educate them. [More]
Geek Squad Member: Optimization Helps People
By March 23, 2010
An anonymous Best Buy employee wrote in to clarify and dispute Monday’s post that accused the company of shifting to a de facto commission-based model by rewarding upsell-happy workers with more hours. [More]
Geek Squad To Provide Yet Another Useless Service For 3D Televisions
By March 20, 2010
HDGuru reports that Best Buy is at it again, charging innocent customers for truly unnecessary services. This time, they’re offering to sync your 3D glasses as part of a Geek Squad package to hook up your new 3D TV and Blu-Ray player. Sure, the connection services are logical enough, but the glasses sync thing makes no sense. Why? Because 3D glasses don’t need to be synced. [More]
Hey, Best Buy, Way To Drive Another Customer Away With "Optimization" Nonsense
By February 27, 2010
J. in California tells Consumerist that he liked Best Buy. He was a loyal customer until he attempted to buy a laptop there for a friend, and ran up against a brick wall of strangeness and dysfunction, all in the name of… Geek Squad optimization. [More]
Some Best Buys Still Forcing Computer Optimization, Being Jerks
By February 14, 2010
Michael just fired this EECB off to Best Buy. Apparently, not all stores have received the metaphorical (and literal) memo that they shouldn’t (1) Geek Squad optimize every computer in the store, and (2) be total dicks about it. [More]
Best Buy Sent My Computer Away For Repair Without My Approval
By February 10, 2010
Edward says Best Buy shipped off his busted work computer without letting him know, leaving him computerless for up to two weeks. While Edward admits he signed off on the possibility that his computer would be sent away, he wouldn’t have agreed to the service had he known parting with his machine was a likely prospect. [More]
Customer Escapes Best Buy Laptop Purchase Without Optimization Fees
By January 31, 2010
During a recent trip to Best Buy to purchase a new laptop, Kristene was pleasantly surprised. She discovered that what our anonymous employee tipster told us in the post “Employee: Best Buy Scrambling To Clean Up Optimization Mess” is true, and customers at at least one Best Buy aren’t being forced to buy optimized computers. [More]
Don't Ask Geek Squad To Reset Your Password
By January 25, 2010
Two not-very-sharp thieves walked into a Chattanooga Best Buy toting three PCs, and asked one of the resident Geeks to help override the passwords on the boxes. Instead, the Geek, who had heard that a local school had been robbed the previous night, tried logging in, and saw that the username on the PCs was the name of the school. The store confiscated the computers, and the the alleged perps were arrested. The lesson here: reset the password yourself at home, using open-source cracking tools, instead of paying Best Buy to do it for you. Just kidding! We salute this agent for his vigilance, and hope he gets snapped up for a career in forensic PC security. [More]
