After driving all over Chicagoland with his 7 month old son looking for a DirecTV receiver, reader Bobby was called an asshole for not stopping and showing his receipt to a Best Buy employee. He’s a little ticked off, and he CC’d us on his letter to Best Buy. Let’s listen in:

We join Bobby as he drives to his third Best Buy of the day (the first one supposedly had 5 receivers in stock but the employees couldn’t find any of them and told him to drive to the second one — where the same thing happened.)

Even though it’s a pretty short drive in terms of miles, it took almost an hour due to highway traffic. Finally I got to the Bucktown store, made my purchase, and started to leave.

The security person at the door asked to see my receipt, and I told him no. (My son desperately needed a nap, and I know that while you have the right to ask for my receipt, I have the right to say no.) I kept walking, and the security person followed me out of the store. He kept asking, in more and more urgent tones, to see my receipt. I answered no a couple of times and he asked again, and then I said “you may not” and he called me an asshole. I don’t begrudge you asking customers to see their receipts. As long as you recognize that I’m under no obligation to show it, and you take no for an answer when it’s given.

I called the store a little later, and spoke to a manager who apologized, agreed that was unacceptable behavior, and said she’d have a conversation with the security guard.

But I don’t think that was enough. Best Buy repeatedly failed to do the minimum you’d expect a professional corporation to do….

I unnecessarily wasted at least two hours of my time today, and was called profane names for my trouble.

Oh receipt checkers, when will you learn…?

We’re curious, what do you think is fair compensation for being called an asshole? Or is having profanities hurled at you and your child just the price you pay for not following Best Buy’s “rules.” Tell us in the comments.

(Photo: Ian Muttoo )

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