"Best Buy" not really best buy!

Packerjohn

Packerjohn
Location
Canada
I needed a cable TV connector. I paid $19.03 CND for a 6 foot one. I cut the cable 21 years ago but I just moved to a new apartment and I am setting up, by myself, an internet modem. Later I stopped at the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Thrift Store. I found one, the same length, for $1 and no tax.

Went back to Best Buy. It took 15 minutes to get my money back and by that time I was in a swearing mood. The "mistake" I made was to pay cash for my cable. The little "girlies" there has no idea how to return $19.03 in cash. The manager was there too and she had no idea how to return my money. If it is not on some smartphone they seem lost!

They told me they were looking for my nickel. I told them to shove that nickel. All the stores are screaming for us to get their bloody "apps". I just would like some good ole fashioned customer service that I'm finding very hard to get these days. Almost makes me want to turn to "drink."
 

"Best Buy" not really best buy!
@Packerjohn , you're right about that, Best Buy stinks! Customer service is NOT their strong suit. And yes, modern retail employees don't know what to do with cash transactions, and are thoroughly lost if they don't have a smartphone app to interface with.
I recently visited a different dental office, they want me to install an app to do pre-visit check-in and answer their silly ass questions. I left their office muttering(not so softly) about apps being yet another security hole for my phone.
 

In this vein, have you ever walked into a Big Box store and need to pick-up a part for something in your house?

When stores like Home Depot and Lowes started, it was all about who they hired.
Older, former trades people who could answer your questions.

If you visit now, you find a very young person, who might be in their first job, running the Electrical or Plumbing section to help you.

Asked a friend who is a manager of one of these and he told me that the company has statistics that shows most customers 'Do Not Need Help, they look it up on their phones'.

I'm pretty good at finding what I need but wonder what the normal homeowner goes through to just find something they are looking for.
 
Technology, and peoples reliance on it, changes with every generation. 100 years ago, horse and buggy drivers probably thought that cars were a major nuisance. Today, is seems increasingly rare to find people who aren't walking around with a cell phone in their hand. I can just imagine how society would "collapse" if suddenly all cell phone service went down.

With all the increases in technology, I sometimes wonder what life will be like in another 100 years....when AI and robotics perform nearly all common activities....what will people do to earn a living?
 
Unfortunately, as far as I know, cell phones are NOT secure, so ordering over them (logging into your account, using your credit card) isn't the best way to go.
I got Norton 360 for my computer, it has Virus protection & a firewall. Stops me from going to many sites that have malware or viruses.

Anyway, I can put that on 5 different devices, so I installed it on my Cell Phone. So it is very secure just like my computer.
 
With all the increases in technology, I sometimes wonder what life will be like in another 100 years....when AI and robotics perform nearly all common activities....what will people do to earn a living?
We will be like the Jetsons. as far as robots. We have a SIA plant that makes Subaru cars & trucks not far from me. When our plat closed down a lot went to work there. It was mostly all-person labor back in the 80s & 90s. Then they started installing robots, so people lost their jobs on the assembly lines. What did they do, SIA sent them to robot school so they could repair & work on the robots.

I have several friends that went through this & when I talk with them they say you know Tom they put in Robots to work on the lines with no potty breaks or anything. Now we have 2 or 3 people working on the robots to keep them running. ??
 
Technology, and peoples reliance on it, changes with every generation. 100 years ago, horse and buggy drivers probably thought that cars were a major nuisance. Today, is seems increasingly rare to find people who aren't walking around with a cell phone in their hand. I can just imagine how society would "collapse" if suddenly all cell phone service went down.

With all the increases in technology, I sometimes wonder what life will be like in another 100 years....when AI and robotics perform nearly all common activities....what will people do to earn a living?
With a projected 8 billion plus world population, resources depleting or already depleted earning a living might give way to finding a way to staying alive.
 
Packer John, thanks for the feedback about Best Buy. I saw their ad about cutting the cable and was thinking of getting in touch with them. I feel like my cable company is cheating me already & Im already throwing money away and they are about to raise the rates to do it more. I could get internet through the phone co.
Nathan, “security hole”, great term!
I find so many barriers to getting info and service. Usually they barely speak English, or all they want to do is upsell and not give info, mistake an inquiry for an order,
 
I needed a cable TV connector. I paid $19.03 CND for a 6 foot one. I cut the cable 21 years ago but I just moved to a new apartment and I am setting up, by myself, an internet modem. Later I stopped at the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Thrift Store. I found one, the same length, for $1 and no tax.

Went back to Best Buy. It took 15 minutes to get my money back and by that time I was in a swearing mood. The "mistake" I made was to pay cash for my cable. The little "girlies" there has no idea how to return $19.03 in cash. The manager was there too and she had no idea how to return my money. If it is not on some smartphone they seem lost!

They told me they were looking for my nickel. I told them to shove that nickel. All the stores are screaming for us to get their bloody "apps". I just would like some good ole fashioned customer service that I'm finding very hard to get these days. Almost makes me want to turn to "drink."
This time of year a return should've easier being it's holiday season they give a couple months to exhange rather than the usual 15 days. Worst case should've been an open package fee. They are more fussy on electronic related items. I've had some issues with BBY house brand ie insignia but other than that I've had(knock on wood) good luck buying 4 computers from them over the last decade or so.
 
I bought an item from the pet store and was told that it was 20% off. When the cashier gave me the receipt she had moved the decimal point so instead of taking $4 off she took off 40c. I did not want to make an issue of it as there was a line up so next time I am in there I will talk to the owner.
Our local HH is the best, I can go in there with any problem and they know the answer, both men and women young and old.
 
We had a "Best Buy", or a close relative of theirs, here where
I live, it was a trial to see if they should swamp the UK with
stores, it didn't work out and they disappeared before two
years of trading.

Mike.
 
Must be a local thing not getting good service at Best Buy. My experience is completely opposite of what other are experiencing. Wanted a large monitor for my wife's PC. The clerk checked pricing & found the same monitor on Amazon for less, he matched the lower price. Other times returns went very quick. Always pay all purchases no matter which merchant is bought from with a cash back credit card that way IF I have a problem I can dispute it.
 
I know nothing about electronics but I do see people buying cable and connectors at the thrift stores. I guess they know what they are looking for.

I had a problem once with a cash register down and the young woman literally could not figure out the change. I had to tell her.
 
@Packerjohn , you're right about that, Best Buy stinks! Customer service is NOT their strong suit. And yes, modern retail employees don't know what to do with cash transactions, and are thoroughly lost if they don't have a smartphone app to interface with.
I recently visited a different dental office, they want me to install an app to do pre-visit check-in and answer their silly ass questions. I left their office muttering(not so softly) about apps being yet another security hole for my phone.
You know Nathan the trouble starts with the fact that most businesses do not spend a penny training their new employees. It's "swim or sink" mentality.
 
In this vein, have you ever walked into a Big Box store and need to pick-up a part for something in your house?

When stores like Home Depot and Lowes started, it was all about who they hired.
Older, former trades people who could answer your questions.

If you visit now, you find a very young person, who might be in their first job, running the Electrical or Plumbing section to help you.

Asked a friend who is a manager of one of these and he told me that the company has statistics that shows most customers 'Do Not Need Help, they look it up on their phones'.

I'm pretty good at finding what I need but wonder what the normal homeowner goes through to just find something they are looking for.
You know I used to be a pretty good handyman. Actually built a house and finished several basements. I did electrical work and plumbing too. So, over the years I have spent hours and hours looking for parts in these stores. Ya, your right. The retired trades people who were so helpful are now gone. In their place we have "kids" or some city slicker on their first day on the job. Thanks goodness I am retired.
 
Technology, and peoples reliance on it, changes with every generation. 100 years ago, horse and buggy drivers probably thought that cars were a major nuisance. Today, is seems increasingly rare to find people who aren't walking around with a cell phone in their hand. I can just imagine how society would "collapse" if suddenly all cell phone service went down.

With all the increases in technology, I sometimes wonder what life will be like in another 100 years....when AI and robotics perform nearly all common activities....what will people do to earn a living?
I don't know Don, what folks will do for a living? Where I live they seem to be driving around and shopping all day/7 days/week. The only people working are new Canadians. At my credit union over 1/2 of the employees are Chinese. I had a guy come in from Geek Squat today (Best Buy) and he was East Indian. When I phone my internet or phone company it is almost always a Chinese voice. I think that Canada will be a totally alien country soon if it isn't already. I wouldn't say that the whites are doomed because saying this isn't allowed so I'm not say it!
 

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