Circuit City vs Best Buy

Mark A wrote:

"Dick Frederick" wrote in message
news:dYkUb.21655$tP1.16417@fed1read07...

Just a local opinion, but I found, in general here in Tucson, the sales
people at CC are superior, both in quantity and quality. I look at BB as
somehing like the Wal-Mart of electronics. Also, CC treated me very well

on

a major return. Obviously, this is hardly a national sampling, but CC has
my vote.


It is true that CC salespeople are probably more knowledgeable since they
are on commission (unlike BestBuy). But I don't rely on salesman very often
to help me decide what I want.

BestBuy has a very liberal return policy.


The only thing I have taken back to BB was a cordless phone. The person
at the service desk plugged it in, and it started right in doing weird
things. She just said it was 'haunted', and told me to select a new one.

Rick wrote:

"Mark A" wrote in message ...

"Ron Hunter" wrote in message
...

I don't patronize any business that uses rebates to compete
in the marketplace. In that regard CC is better than BB.

Rick

?? Both use rebates.

Yes they both use rebates. That was a ridiculous comment by the person
above. Not only do they both use rebates, but the use the same company to
process the rebates.


Hey dumbass, try reading for comprehension next time. I never
claimed BB or CC didn't use rebates, I said CC uses them less
than BB. Anyone who's ever done business with both stores
knows this is true.

Rick


NOt that I can tell. Have had rebate deals from both. Can't tell the
difference.

Mark A wrote:

I don't patronize any business that uses rebates to compete
in the marketplace. In that regard CC is better than BB.

Rick

?? Both use rebates.

Yes they both use rebates. That was a ridiculous comment by the person
above. Not only do they both use rebates, but the use the same company

to

process the rebates.

Hey dumbass, try reading for comprehension next time. I never
claimed BB or CC didn't use rebates, I said CC uses them less
than BB. Anyone who's ever done business with both stores
knows this is true.

Rick



So you would rather pay a price at CC without a rebate, than use a rebate at
CC? Suit yourself.

BTW, I recently bought a computer case at CC with a $40 rebate. BestBuy had
the same $40 rebate, but they also had the item on sale for $10 cheaper than
CC. Unfortunately BB was out of stock.

Obviously, I would prefer to purchase with an instant rebate or at a store
that offered discount prices without any rebate. But it is hard to beat the
BB net price when they offer rebates.


Ahhh, the old "We have the item $10 cheaper than the guy down the
street, but we are out of stock." story. I love that one. Grin.

Adam M wrote:

On Thu, 5 Feb 2004 02:25:27 -0700, "Mark A"
wrote:


"Dick Frederick" wrote in message
news:dYkUb.21655$tP1.16417@fed1read07...

Just a local opinion, but I found, in general here in Tucson, the sales
people at CC are superior, both in quantity and quality. I look at BB as
somehing like the Wal-Mart of electronics. Also, CC treated me very well

on

a major return. Obviously, this is hardly a national sampling, but CC has
my vote.


It is true that CC salespeople are probably more knowledgeable since they
are on commission (unlike BestBuy). But I don't rely on salesman very often
to help me decide what I want.

BestBuy has a very liberal return policy.


I have found Circuit City's Return Policy far better than Best Buy's.
I just depends on the problem I guess.

Here in MO I have a much more pleasant shopping experience at CC.
I've purchased a Laptop, a TV and a very nice home theater setup
(Onkyo - Polk Audio) at CC in the last 2 years. I tried to buy the TV
at BB but couldn't get any assistance. I knew exactly what I wanted,
I just needed someone to get it for me... 1 1/2 later I went to CC and
was out the door with a TV in under 1/2 an hour.

Now my Brother-in-Law in CA says he wouldn't shop at CC ever and BB is
his favorite...

Adam M

I suspect that in both cases it depends on the store manager, and how
well he runs the business.

Mark A wrote:

BestBuy has a very liberal return policy.


I have found Circuit City's Return Policy far better than Best Buy's.
I just depends on the problem I guess.

Here in MO I have a much more pleasant shopping experience at CC.
I've purchased a Laptop, a TV and a very nice home theater setup
(Onkyo - Polk Audio) at CC in the last 2 years. I tried to buy the TV
at BB but couldn't get any assistance. I knew exactly what I wanted,
I just needed someone to get it for me... 1 1/2 later I went to CC and
was out the door with a TV in under 1/2 an hour.

Now my Brother-in-Law in CA says he wouldn't shop at CC ever and BB is
his favorite...

Adam M


BestBuy staff are not on commission, so service can be slow. If you can get
past that, the prices and return policy are good.

About 6 years ago, a friend of mine took a high end DVD player back to
BestBuy for refund. He had no receipt and actually did not even purchase the
item at any BestBuy (but he told them that he did). He convinced them refund
his money even though that product was not in their product inventory. He
told them it costs $1200 and they took his word for it. I am not saying that
their current return policy is that loose, but it is still probably the best
in the retail business.

I just shop at which ever has the lowest price on the item I want. Maybe
some of you might get better service if you shaved and took a shower once in
awhile. Since I am a bit more "mature" maybe the BB sales people pay more
attention to me.

Another thing I do is to purchase on-line for in-store pickup and the item
is ready and waiting for me at the customer pickup desk.


That's not a return policy, that is just plain STUPID.

If you want attention at a store, just yank out the old gold card and
wave it over your head....

"Ron Hunter" wrote in message
...
My only complaint at BB when we bought my wife's new computer was that
the guy tried to warn me about getting a worm before I installed my
firewall program. Not bad advice, but he took me for a clueless person,
even though I told him that I was very experienced in the field. I
suppose he meant well, though.
I did notice that MS had stopped shipping the SQL service IIS turned on
on WinXP Home, at least.

This is not just a BB phenomenon. Most large grocery stores in the US have
now instructed their employees to seek out everyone in the store and them if
they need help, as if customers can't find the food section, or as if they
can't read. I usually have about 5-6 employees hounding me every time I go
into a grocery store. Safeway is the worst.

Several people have complained about BB customer service, so the management
response when they hear these things (as I am sure they have heard before)
is to tell the sales people to offer more help, even if the employees don't
know what they are talking about, or if they treat customers like idiots.

Considering that one usually has a choice between low prices and
knowledgeable and considerate sales people, I usually go for the low price
and ignore the idiots in the store. One should do research on the internet
and on forums to figure out what you want before you enter the store.

Like I said before, use the by online for store pickup, and avoid the idiot
sales people.

"Ron Hunter" wrote in message
...

So you would rather pay a price at CC without a rebate, than use a
rebate at
CC? Suit yourself.

BTW, I recently bought a computer case at CC with a $40 rebate. BestBuy
had
the same $40 rebate, but they also had the item on sale for $10 cheaper
than
CC. Unfortunately BB was out of stock.

Obviously, I would prefer to purchase with an instant rebate or at a
store
that offered discount prices without any rebate. But it is hard to beat
the
BB net price when they offer rebates.


Ahhh, the old "We have the item $10 cheaper than the guy down the
street, but we are out of stock." story. I love that one. Grin.

I don't blame them for being out of stock. The reason they were out of stock
is that their price was much cheaper ($10 off list plus a $40 rebate). When
I checked for availability it was the last day of the sale/rebate. I know
that I could have gotten a rain check on the $10 sales price, but not sure
about a rain check on the rebate past the expiration date of the rebate
program.

"Ron Hunter" wrote in message
...
BestBuy staff are not on commission, so service can be slow. If you can
get
past that, the prices and return policy are good.

About 6 years ago, a friend of mine took a high end DVD player back to
BestBuy for refund. He had no receipt and actually did not even purchase
the
item at any BestBuy (but he told them that he did). He convinced them
refund
his money even though that product was not in their product inventory.
He
told them it costs $1200 and they took his word for it. I am not saying
that
their current return policy is that loose, but it is still probably the
best
in the retail business.

I just shop at which ever has the lowest price on the item I want. Maybe
some of you might get better service if you shaved and took a shower
once in
awhile. Since I am a bit more "mature" maybe the BB sales people pay
more
attention to me.

Another thing I do is to purchase on-line for in-store pickup and the
item
is ready and waiting for me at the customer pickup desk.


That's not a return policy, that is just plain STUPID.

If you want attention at a store, just yank out the old gold card and
wave it over your head....

I am not kidding that at one time BB had a completely insane return policy
(insane for them). I once returned a TV at BB for my boss with no box or
remote control and got a complete refund. They don't do that anymore.

Both are disappointing. If pushed I would say Best Buy has slightly more
knowledgable sales people (CC recently laid off their best), but that's
about it. Circuit City is horrific if you run into a serious problem
with a product (all they will do is take it back, will not help with
manufacturer or even provide reliable info on how to do so, as in the
case of a new receiver which did not have circuitry protection and blew
out two of my speakers when it malfunctioned in its first week!) and
Best Buy seems to repackage defective returns as new products (I caught
them redhanded at this twice). Frankly, if it is for general electronic
stuff I go to Staples first. My local stores always seem to go an extra
mile to help with problems; they actually seem to have unharried human
beings running things. I always buy main photo equipment from my local
white box store, and computers from a local shop that comes close to
on-line discounts as well. Only thing BB and CC are worth to me is a
chance to look at products, maybe pick up a deal on harmless things like
cdr's or dvd's.



wrote:
Which is better?

wrote:

Which is better?

best buy