LightSpeed1
Apr 14, 01:52 AM
So, on the left side of the above linked page it says they're $120 and on the right side of the same page it says they're $140! So, which is it?Shipping is $20 on the right side they have all ready added it in. on the white set it says $120 on left and right, but if you notice it also says for local pick up. It's only when you hit the shipping tab that you can set it from local pick up to UPS ground. After that, both the white set and the black set are $140 after shipping. No Tax.
fivepoint
May 4, 03:34 PM
Because being a homosexual is just like owning a gun. They're both choices. :rolleyes:
Being a choice has nothing to do with it. Having African American genes in your bloodline isn't a 'choice' but it does make you at higher risk for certain diseases. Maybe the NAACP wants to sue and prevent doctors from asking if people have black heritage?
How about we just let the doctors do their freaking job and let the customers choose doctors that they feel do the job right? What a crazy notion. Let the free market figure it all out instead of the sickening bureaucratic mess displayed in the quoted article and many others we could dig up if we tried. We should just realize that government isn't the solution, it's the problem.
Being a choice has nothing to do with it. Having African American genes in your bloodline isn't a 'choice' but it does make you at higher risk for certain diseases. Maybe the NAACP wants to sue and prevent doctors from asking if people have black heritage?
How about we just let the doctors do their freaking job and let the customers choose doctors that they feel do the job right? What a crazy notion. Let the free market figure it all out instead of the sickening bureaucratic mess displayed in the quoted article and many others we could dig up if we tried. We should just realize that government isn't the solution, it's the problem.
dunk321
Mar 17, 02:44 AM
Really VictoriaStudent, lol I agree with BForstal on what people would do in the same situation 100 percent, and I'm not trying to brag about anything, and I cant even believe this thread has reached 3 pages. Sec I have no reason to troll!!! I have been a member of this forum since and even though I have never really posted anything I have found wealth of knowledge over the years from people in these forums. Wow and you cannot judge a person's character by a mistake a cashier made in a store!!! Like I said everybody is entitled to there own opinion, If you were to make note of the mistake to the store if it happened to you and it makes you feel so highly above any one else, more power to you. As far as I'm concerned this is one time I actually got a break on a apple product.
gootz
Aug 7, 07:50 PM
Yeah, I'm paying cash so I'm calling my local Apple store tonight (Stoneridge Pleasanton) to see if they have the newer ones? I doubt it, they always lag on the new stuff. I've been holding off on buying now for a few weeks... Thank god!
So I talk to the Apple store dude who knows nothing about any updates except price. Whay are the chances the ACD I buy tonight is a newer model? How long do I wait?:rolleyes:
So I talk to the Apple store dude who knows nothing about any updates except price. Whay are the chances the ACD I buy tonight is a newer model? How long do I wait?:rolleyes:
more...
danielbrowning
Jul 21, 09:27 AM
At 0:42 he changes his grip to hold the phone to holding it with just his fingers and the signal rises again. It looks like his fingertips are touching the lower left of the phone. If you do this on the iPhone 4 and bridge the antenna gap, you don't regain signal.
Looks to me like they're trying to pass off the problem of bridging the antenna gap on the iPhone as the same as blocking the antenna with your whole hand on all phones. All phones have the latter problem... But that's not the issue here.
Looks to me like they're trying to pass off the problem of bridging the antenna gap on the iPhone as the same as blocking the antenna with your whole hand on all phones. All phones have the latter problem... But that's not the issue here.
twoodcc
Aug 11, 09:59 PM
fair call, added power, costs, fuss etcetc. not worth it i guess
i think it might be worth it on some systems, but not this one. this one has had a rough life
i think it might be worth it on some systems, but not this one. this one has had a rough life
more...
citizenzen
May 4, 09:02 PM
Sure, and I could easily find stats for deaths caused by automobiles and speeding.
While I'm with you on the speeding, let's take a look at deaths caused by automobiles.
44,128 [2007 WISQARS (http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html)]
So for every 4 people that die due to motor vehicles, 3 die due to firearms.
Did you know that?
It's especially frightening when you consider the utility motor vehicles bring to our lives. They not only get us to work, they deliver our goods across the country. Motor vehicles are an integral part of our everyday lives. They get us to the grocery store, the soccer field and haul massive amounts of material across the nation.
Guns, if stored properly, sit locked away in a cabinet, rarely seeing the light of day.
Yet they kill nearly as many people as all motor vehicles.
Is that insane?
Yeah. That's what I've been trying to tell you.
While I'm with you on the speeding, let's take a look at deaths caused by automobiles.
44,128 [2007 WISQARS (http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html)]
So for every 4 people that die due to motor vehicles, 3 die due to firearms.
Did you know that?
It's especially frightening when you consider the utility motor vehicles bring to our lives. They not only get us to work, they deliver our goods across the country. Motor vehicles are an integral part of our everyday lives. They get us to the grocery store, the soccer field and haul massive amounts of material across the nation.
Guns, if stored properly, sit locked away in a cabinet, rarely seeing the light of day.
Yet they kill nearly as many people as all motor vehicles.
Is that insane?
Yeah. That's what I've been trying to tell you.
Nekbeth
Apr 26, 06:06 PM
I got it wlh99, thanks. I have two timer working fine (finally :) , I was told that you can't reuse the same timer, hence the 2nd timer. There is one Start button and one Cancel button
Now I'm trying to find a logic to turn the 1st timer ON while the 2nd is OFF, then if you press Cancel you invalidate that 1st timer.
I have both timers starting at the same time. So, i'm sure I could work it out using an if /condition statement.. something like :
// *myTimer is the 1st timer
// *newTimer is the 2nd timer
if (myTimer != newTimer) {
more...
taylor swift hairstyles in
Taylor Swift Love Story Hairstyle. guys hairstyle in 40s; guys hairstyle in 40s. drexl5. Apr 27, 10:33 AM. Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U;
more...
taylor swift love story
Taylor+swift+love+story+
more...
taylor swift love story
Taylor Swift Curly Hairstyle
more...
Taylor Swift Love Story
Taylor+swift+love+story+
more...
taylor swift love story
Taylor Swift Songs Love Story.
Now I'm trying to find a logic to turn the 1st timer ON while the 2nd is OFF, then if you press Cancel you invalidate that 1st timer.
I have both timers starting at the same time. So, i'm sure I could work it out using an if /condition statement.. something like :
// *myTimer is the 1st timer
// *newTimer is the 2nd timer
if (myTimer != newTimer) {
more...
Transporteur
Apr 11, 08:54 AM
Meet my new desk mascot.
http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/4hmpd9.jpg
It even makes Angry Bird sounds!!!
Nice! Meet mine; :D
http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/4hmpd9.jpg
It even makes Angry Bird sounds!!!
Nice! Meet mine; :D
balamw
Apr 16, 01:58 PM
Indeed, not bashing MS, but they completely over promised "longhorn" and under-delivered when Vista was released.
But that's nothing new, to either Microsoft or Apple.
I can't imagine how different things would be today if "Cairo" and "Copland" had materialized with all the technologies they promised over 15 years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copland_(operating_system)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo_(operating_system)
Since then, I just wait to see what sticks, and even then, features can get deprecated in subsequent releases. I think Windows Home Server 1's Drive Extender technology was awesome, but they've pulled it from the next major release.
B
But that's nothing new, to either Microsoft or Apple.
I can't imagine how different things would be today if "Cairo" and "Copland" had materialized with all the technologies they promised over 15 years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copland_(operating_system)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo_(operating_system)
Since then, I just wait to see what sticks, and even then, features can get deprecated in subsequent releases. I think Windows Home Server 1's Drive Extender technology was awesome, but they've pulled it from the next major release.
B
more...
Banyan Bruce
Apr 29, 04:03 PM
What is this hideous faux leather iCal format ????? It's just like the truly awful wooden background that somehow crawled in to the iPad. Please think again on this. It will look abysmal on a large iMac or MBP screen. It looks like a child's toy. :o
bigmc6000
Oct 6, 10:21 AM
Except Verizon does that too!!!!
Wait, you mean that grass on the other side isn't actually greener it's just painted green?!?!?! ;)
Wait, you mean that grass on the other side isn't actually greener it's just painted green?!?!?! ;)
more...
JAT
Apr 8, 01:20 PM
I bet it is simply..."We have the iPad 2 in stock and no one else does. Come get one."
Maybe they'll hire some drunk to stand on the corner in an iPad costume like all the tax preparation places do for March-April 15.
Maybe they'll hire some drunk to stand on the corner in an iPad costume like all the tax preparation places do for March-April 15.
marktwain
Nov 24, 07:15 PM
The Apple store onine and the retail stores are not offering double dicounts...you will have to choose the sale price OR your education / corporate discount. If you found a location that gives both, they aren't following the published guidelines. Good for you, but it doesn't mean the other locations will follow suite.
more...
Matthew Yohe
Mar 28, 03:23 PM
The Mac App store updating mechanism is flawed, at least in my experience. For example, a few days ago the Mac App Store did not detect that I had the app Awaken 4 on my mac, even thought they host Awaken 5 on the store. I had to go to the developers website and download Awaken 5 and then update it the old fashioned way.
Basically the problem here is that Apple adds the "Installed" tag inside the App Store to apps that you have in your Applications directory of which is also on the store. They shouldn't do this, because as you discovered, the Mac App Store will not update anything that it didn't install itself. That hasn't gotten across to customers, and really it shouldn't have to, it should just do the right thing. (ie. Not tell users it is installed when the Mac App Store can't do any updating to it.)
I'll bet it will work a bit better by the time Lion roars.
Basically the problem here is that Apple adds the "Installed" tag inside the App Store to apps that you have in your Applications directory of which is also on the store. They shouldn't do this, because as you discovered, the Mac App Store will not update anything that it didn't install itself. That hasn't gotten across to customers, and really it shouldn't have to, it should just do the right thing. (ie. Not tell users it is installed when the Mac App Store can't do any updating to it.)
I'll bet it will work a bit better by the time Lion roars.
arn
Jan 6, 08:51 PM
Could the Arn make sure we don't see advertisements for the new iPhone/iTV/MacWhatever/iStuff thingies when we reach this page?
done.
just some generic apple ads there now.
arn
done.
just some generic apple ads there now.
arn
more...
zombitronic
Oct 6, 04:47 PM
I think your arugument would be valid if phones were not subsudized and you have to buy them at full price. Because AT&T in this case is paying Apple $400 per phone you should choose a network first.
If ISP were footing the bill for desktop then Verizon add still would work but for cell phones most of the cost of the phone is paid by the networks. Not the other way around.
My original iPhone was not subsidized and I had to buy it at full price. I chose the device with no qualms about what network I was required to use.
While the iPhone is now subsidized, so are many other phones on many other networks. If only certain networks were doing this to add value to choosing their contracts, I could understand your point of choosing the network before the device. Maybe I'm missing something but I don't understand how this changes my argument that the service is just a commodity while the device is the consumer's primary choice.
If ISP were footing the bill for desktop then Verizon add still would work but for cell phones most of the cost of the phone is paid by the networks. Not the other way around.
My original iPhone was not subsidized and I had to buy it at full price. I chose the device with no qualms about what network I was required to use.
While the iPhone is now subsidized, so are many other phones on many other networks. If only certain networks were doing this to add value to choosing their contracts, I could understand your point of choosing the network before the device. Maybe I'm missing something but I don't understand how this changes my argument that the service is just a commodity while the device is the consumer's primary choice.
rhett7660
Jul 27, 04:01 PM
Well,
Taylor Swift Love Story taylor
Reacent Post
Lacero
Sep 8, 08:22 AM
It was funny to see Kanye dropping F-bombs and seeing self-righteous journalists and media types sitting there soaking it up. Hilarious. I don't think Kanye gave a f#@$.
thegman1234
Jan 2, 08:59 PM
Because they refuse to read analysts predictions or run statistics of their own? Yeah, not buying it.
FYI, there were already reports that Verizon is testing their network and preparing it for an onslaught of iPhone users.
Also, once again I need to point out that most of AT&Ts issues revolved around their own network deficiencies and a bad WCDMA migration. Verizon has neither of those 2 issues.
I'm not denying anything you're saying, because it's factual. I'm just saying that, in my honest opinion, I don't see Verizon faring much better than AT&T at the start. They can do all the preparing and testing that they want, but the only way they're really going to be able to know if they can handle it is when it happens. Seeing is believing is all I'm saying. And just to reiterate, I don't think Verizon knows just how many people will switch on or near the day of launch. AT&T's probably going to be dishing out a LOT of early termination fees.
Also, I'm banking on a lot of people leaving AT&T and getting off of their back because AT&T still really hasn't fully recovered since the iPhone's launch back in '07.
FYI, there were already reports that Verizon is testing their network and preparing it for an onslaught of iPhone users.
Also, once again I need to point out that most of AT&Ts issues revolved around their own network deficiencies and a bad WCDMA migration. Verizon has neither of those 2 issues.
I'm not denying anything you're saying, because it's factual. I'm just saying that, in my honest opinion, I don't see Verizon faring much better than AT&T at the start. They can do all the preparing and testing that they want, but the only way they're really going to be able to know if they can handle it is when it happens. Seeing is believing is all I'm saying. And just to reiterate, I don't think Verizon knows just how many people will switch on or near the day of launch. AT&T's probably going to be dishing out a LOT of early termination fees.
Also, I'm banking on a lot of people leaving AT&T and getting off of their back because AT&T still really hasn't fully recovered since the iPhone's launch back in '07.
BornAgainMac
Jul 21, 09:28 AM
Apple cracks me up. They say what they are thinking.
Mattie Num Nums
Apr 8, 02:49 PM
I'm a current employee at Best Buy and thought I'd offer my two cents on a few issues.
First, I don't really like Best Buy. I got a job there to work for around 4 hours a week to get the generous discount. It's particularly generous when dealing with open-box items. Even so, I am miserable leading up to heading in and I do not enjoy the time that I spend there. Thankfully, I have a good full-time job plus a lot of side work and I'm planning on quitting in the next month or so as the thrill of the discount has long worn off.
That said, I have no problem being very open and honest about Best Buy and my experiences there.
In regards to the iPad situation, I haven't been in since this issue came up and won't be in for awhile, so I don't really know what the buzz is on this matter exactly. I do know that they wouldn't put a freeze on selling new iPad 2 stock if they regularly had it for a random promotion, if only for the very reason that many think caused the initial problem: quota.
I'm betting 1 of 2 things happened:
1) They did indeed get in trouble with Apple for something. Sure, it's possible, and it's the easiest reasonable conclusion. I don't know why this would be though, and I'm skeptical about the whole hording thing. And again, this is coming from someone who has access to the inventory systems and all the places that would hide "horded" iPads. Plus, I have a good enough relationship with multiple managers (ones who know the score about Best Buy in an objective world...) who would be honest about this with me.
Generally speaking, when they say there are no iPads for sale, there are no iPads for sale. It's really that simple. Demand is real, and supply is lacking. When we have them for sale, they're in the cages, and this would occur after passing through the pre-order system. White Verizon iPads tend to be the ones most often available, usually just a couple, and they're gone almost immediately all the same.
Another factor in the equation though is processing shipments. I saw someone noted that after an open-box controversy between two customers, the manager was able to procure a new iPad 2 for a disappointed customer when apparently there were none for sale. Well, there probably weren't. He either bumped someone back on the pre-order list to be nice to the pissed off customer in the store or perhaps a shipment came in on the truck that had yet to be processed and he worked it out with the ops team to get them to process one so he could get it out. Oftentimes the managers do actually try to make the customer happy, even if it's somewhat unreasonable. The ops guys have their procedures, and it's rarely slimy in intent so much as rooted in overall efficiency, so sometimes a shipment won't go to the floor for sales until the next day because the processing takes time. If the manager pushes to work something out in that situation, the manager is doing you a favor and pissing off some ops guys to do so.
Anyways, on to the 2nd scenario...
2) This is what I'd really venture to bet is the problem: the pre-order system is a huge mess. It was a rush job authorized by corporate at the last minute and handled by less-than-informed employees who were also in a rush. From day 1 it was clear that problems were going to creep up, and they absolutely have. Nobody in store is happy about it. The employees don't like telling customers that they have to wait on a pre-order list, they don't like the 48 hour pickup window, they don't like having to deal with customers pissing and moaning and crying about conspiracy theories when only a 64 GB white Verizon iPad 2 is available once in a blue moon when a pre-order turns it down. It's not fun, for anyone, and unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.
So what I'm guessing is really happening is that Best Buy is just digging out of this pre-order mess as fast as possible and skipping anything else until they get past the ramifications of a stupid decision. Considering there's little to skip seeing as supply is so low and we rarely have the most in-demand models available anyways, it's easier for them to just bow out of this for a couple of weeks and in a sense re-launch the normal sales when supplies are less constrained and they don't have a stupid pre-order process hanging over their heads. It's a cut and dry move that will allow them to gear up again in a more normal, focused way. Considering how things have gone there in the last month in dealing with anything iPad related, this might be the best decision for them.
All in all, Best Buy is Best Buy: a brick and mortar retailer lost in an internet-connected world. Best Buy isn't nearly as evil as they are lost and longing for the 20th century. Sure, there's a lot of margin on accessories, but it's because there's more often than not no margin on anything else. They don't make much money at all on TV's and Computers anymore. If they're on sale, and at Best Buy, almost everything is always "On Sale," it's likely at cost or within a few dollars of cost. There's little margin in the shrinking physical media world either. The only departments with major products that have margin still are appliances and for certain stores, musical instruments. This is why Best Buy will likely be dead in 5 years if they don't drastically change their business model. They did a better job at adapting to the new world than other electronics chains, but they haven't done nearly enough. It's not an easy business at this point though as it has as much to do with dealing with suppliers suffering the same pinch and customers who want to have it all but don't want to pay for it.
Also, in regards to stupid employees and sleazy mangers, yeah, they do exist. But more employees know their stuff than you might think. And there are quite a few managers who actually do care about trying to do a good job and help the customer.
As far as the employees, the biggest shock to me after working at Best Buy was realizing that so much of the supposed employee ignorance has more to do with incessantly having to dumb things down to the most absurd of levels with customers. 90% of the people who come in are nice people who just don't know much of anything about what they're buying. You have to learn to communicate on their level and not over-complicate things for them. It's easy to get stuck in that default mode and you have to actively snap yourself out of it on the rare occasion when you get customers who can actually hold their own in a conversation about the technology. And make no mistake, it's a huge relief for most of us when that happens because most of us that work there actually are pretty excited about the technology.
Now on the other hand, sleazy managers and supervisors can screw so much of this up. While most of the employees aren't making a career out of working at Best Buy, the sups and managers typically are on some level at least, and it takes a certain, umm, level of person to get, err, stuck, yes, at that level if you know what I mean. There's a lot of inconsistency in these types of people. If you get good ones though, they tend to hire good employees and foster a good environment for customers. My store has good management. It's the only thing that makes it remotely tolerable to me. The employees actually know their stuff and are honest with the customers. They also work as a team because the management pushes it and thankfully we don't have commission to muck things up. And customers do love us for it. You'd be shocked by how often a selling relationship turns into a friendship practically at our particular store. We get invited out after work all the time. Honesty goes a long ways, and when you're helping people save money by making sure they make a smart decision for their needs, it goes a long ways. And our managers are objective enough (and not locked into Best Buy corporate brainwash mode) to know that the only thing Best Buy has to offer over Amazon is the possibility of a good customer service experience. They do all they reasonably can to ensure that it happens.
But again, this simply isn't the case everywhere at all, and it so often boils down to the luck of the draw on management. Good managers hire good people leading to good teams leading to generally happy customers and good sales. Bad managers hire their dumb friends, play games with customers, lie, cheat, and usually they don't put up good numbers.
At the end of the day though, the good stores and the bad stores are equally screwed because the industry is a mess, the world is changing, and Best Buy corporate utterly and completely lacks the talent and leadership to be innovative in the 21st century. They refuse to reasonably acknowledge change, they're too scared to piss off manufacturers who have lines all across the store that vary dramatically when it comes to success and quality, and they're wildly inconsistent and disorganized with their processes and as they put it, "solutions." As said, if things don't drastically change, and I don't believe they will without a major shift in leadership, they'll be dead in 5 years. It's a sinking ship. I'll be happy to be out of there.
Again, I don't think they're near as evil and corrupt as they are just lost. When you're lost, things can get confusing real fast. Bear in mind that oftentimes when employees appear aloof, they're probably confused because corporate changes things all the time and does little to help keep us informed of these changes. Also, don't mistake conspiracy theories for sheer stupidity. Like we saw in this whole conversation, people will say some wild things. It's easy to think it from the outside. I can assure you from the inside, that oftentimes what looks like scheming and maneuvering is really just disorganization, stupidity and/or confusion due to the muddled processes and the ever-foggy way in which corporate outlines these processes.
I don't blame people for not liking Best Buy. I don't like them either. Just go easy on the guys on the floor and in the back. Unless they're the total goof-off employees which do exist, what you're pissed about is probably not their fault at all.
As a former BBY employee I can tell you a few things that are flawed.
#1 no former or current Best Buy employee would call themselves BBemployee, BBYEmployee would seem more likely. I know its stupid but it is the culture of Best Buy to shorten it to BBY.
#2 You would have no clue if Best Buy was in trouble. As a simple Blue Shirt or even a Black Shirt you would not have this information passed down to you.
#3 Your rant show that you either hate Best Buy for personal reasons or possibly a former employee who has a huge vendetta against the company.
#4 Your rant does nothing to support this discussion.
First, I don't really like Best Buy. I got a job there to work for around 4 hours a week to get the generous discount. It's particularly generous when dealing with open-box items. Even so, I am miserable leading up to heading in and I do not enjoy the time that I spend there. Thankfully, I have a good full-time job plus a lot of side work and I'm planning on quitting in the next month or so as the thrill of the discount has long worn off.
That said, I have no problem being very open and honest about Best Buy and my experiences there.
In regards to the iPad situation, I haven't been in since this issue came up and won't be in for awhile, so I don't really know what the buzz is on this matter exactly. I do know that they wouldn't put a freeze on selling new iPad 2 stock if they regularly had it for a random promotion, if only for the very reason that many think caused the initial problem: quota.
I'm betting 1 of 2 things happened:
1) They did indeed get in trouble with Apple for something. Sure, it's possible, and it's the easiest reasonable conclusion. I don't know why this would be though, and I'm skeptical about the whole hording thing. And again, this is coming from someone who has access to the inventory systems and all the places that would hide "horded" iPads. Plus, I have a good enough relationship with multiple managers (ones who know the score about Best Buy in an objective world...) who would be honest about this with me.
Generally speaking, when they say there are no iPads for sale, there are no iPads for sale. It's really that simple. Demand is real, and supply is lacking. When we have them for sale, they're in the cages, and this would occur after passing through the pre-order system. White Verizon iPads tend to be the ones most often available, usually just a couple, and they're gone almost immediately all the same.
Another factor in the equation though is processing shipments. I saw someone noted that after an open-box controversy between two customers, the manager was able to procure a new iPad 2 for a disappointed customer when apparently there were none for sale. Well, there probably weren't. He either bumped someone back on the pre-order list to be nice to the pissed off customer in the store or perhaps a shipment came in on the truck that had yet to be processed and he worked it out with the ops team to get them to process one so he could get it out. Oftentimes the managers do actually try to make the customer happy, even if it's somewhat unreasonable. The ops guys have their procedures, and it's rarely slimy in intent so much as rooted in overall efficiency, so sometimes a shipment won't go to the floor for sales until the next day because the processing takes time. If the manager pushes to work something out in that situation, the manager is doing you a favor and pissing off some ops guys to do so.
Anyways, on to the 2nd scenario...
2) This is what I'd really venture to bet is the problem: the pre-order system is a huge mess. It was a rush job authorized by corporate at the last minute and handled by less-than-informed employees who were also in a rush. From day 1 it was clear that problems were going to creep up, and they absolutely have. Nobody in store is happy about it. The employees don't like telling customers that they have to wait on a pre-order list, they don't like the 48 hour pickup window, they don't like having to deal with customers pissing and moaning and crying about conspiracy theories when only a 64 GB white Verizon iPad 2 is available once in a blue moon when a pre-order turns it down. It's not fun, for anyone, and unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.
So what I'm guessing is really happening is that Best Buy is just digging out of this pre-order mess as fast as possible and skipping anything else until they get past the ramifications of a stupid decision. Considering there's little to skip seeing as supply is so low and we rarely have the most in-demand models available anyways, it's easier for them to just bow out of this for a couple of weeks and in a sense re-launch the normal sales when supplies are less constrained and they don't have a stupid pre-order process hanging over their heads. It's a cut and dry move that will allow them to gear up again in a more normal, focused way. Considering how things have gone there in the last month in dealing with anything iPad related, this might be the best decision for them.
All in all, Best Buy is Best Buy: a brick and mortar retailer lost in an internet-connected world. Best Buy isn't nearly as evil as they are lost and longing for the 20th century. Sure, there's a lot of margin on accessories, but it's because there's more often than not no margin on anything else. They don't make much money at all on TV's and Computers anymore. If they're on sale, and at Best Buy, almost everything is always "On Sale," it's likely at cost or within a few dollars of cost. There's little margin in the shrinking physical media world either. The only departments with major products that have margin still are appliances and for certain stores, musical instruments. This is why Best Buy will likely be dead in 5 years if they don't drastically change their business model. They did a better job at adapting to the new world than other electronics chains, but they haven't done nearly enough. It's not an easy business at this point though as it has as much to do with dealing with suppliers suffering the same pinch and customers who want to have it all but don't want to pay for it.
Also, in regards to stupid employees and sleazy mangers, yeah, they do exist. But more employees know their stuff than you might think. And there are quite a few managers who actually do care about trying to do a good job and help the customer.
As far as the employees, the biggest shock to me after working at Best Buy was realizing that so much of the supposed employee ignorance has more to do with incessantly having to dumb things down to the most absurd of levels with customers. 90% of the people who come in are nice people who just don't know much of anything about what they're buying. You have to learn to communicate on their level and not over-complicate things for them. It's easy to get stuck in that default mode and you have to actively snap yourself out of it on the rare occasion when you get customers who can actually hold their own in a conversation about the technology. And make no mistake, it's a huge relief for most of us when that happens because most of us that work there actually are pretty excited about the technology.
Now on the other hand, sleazy managers and supervisors can screw so much of this up. While most of the employees aren't making a career out of working at Best Buy, the sups and managers typically are on some level at least, and it takes a certain, umm, level of person to get, err, stuck, yes, at that level if you know what I mean. There's a lot of inconsistency in these types of people. If you get good ones though, they tend to hire good employees and foster a good environment for customers. My store has good management. It's the only thing that makes it remotely tolerable to me. The employees actually know their stuff and are honest with the customers. They also work as a team because the management pushes it and thankfully we don't have commission to muck things up. And customers do love us for it. You'd be shocked by how often a selling relationship turns into a friendship practically at our particular store. We get invited out after work all the time. Honesty goes a long ways, and when you're helping people save money by making sure they make a smart decision for their needs, it goes a long ways. And our managers are objective enough (and not locked into Best Buy corporate brainwash mode) to know that the only thing Best Buy has to offer over Amazon is the possibility of a good customer service experience. They do all they reasonably can to ensure that it happens.
But again, this simply isn't the case everywhere at all, and it so often boils down to the luck of the draw on management. Good managers hire good people leading to good teams leading to generally happy customers and good sales. Bad managers hire their dumb friends, play games with customers, lie, cheat, and usually they don't put up good numbers.
At the end of the day though, the good stores and the bad stores are equally screwed because the industry is a mess, the world is changing, and Best Buy corporate utterly and completely lacks the talent and leadership to be innovative in the 21st century. They refuse to reasonably acknowledge change, they're too scared to piss off manufacturers who have lines all across the store that vary dramatically when it comes to success and quality, and they're wildly inconsistent and disorganized with their processes and as they put it, "solutions." As said, if things don't drastically change, and I don't believe they will without a major shift in leadership, they'll be dead in 5 years. It's a sinking ship. I'll be happy to be out of there.
Again, I don't think they're near as evil and corrupt as they are just lost. When you're lost, things can get confusing real fast. Bear in mind that oftentimes when employees appear aloof, they're probably confused because corporate changes things all the time and does little to help keep us informed of these changes. Also, don't mistake conspiracy theories for sheer stupidity. Like we saw in this whole conversation, people will say some wild things. It's easy to think it from the outside. I can assure you from the inside, that oftentimes what looks like scheming and maneuvering is really just disorganization, stupidity and/or confusion due to the muddled processes and the ever-foggy way in which corporate outlines these processes.
I don't blame people for not liking Best Buy. I don't like them either. Just go easy on the guys on the floor and in the back. Unless they're the total goof-off employees which do exist, what you're pissed about is probably not their fault at all.
As a former BBY employee I can tell you a few things that are flawed.
#1 no former or current Best Buy employee would call themselves BBemployee, BBYEmployee would seem more likely. I know its stupid but it is the culture of Best Buy to shorten it to BBY.
#2 You would have no clue if Best Buy was in trouble. As a simple Blue Shirt or even a Black Shirt you would not have this information passed down to you.
#3 Your rant show that you either hate Best Buy for personal reasons or possibly a former employee who has a huge vendetta against the company.
#4 Your rant does nothing to support this discussion.
sheepopo39
Apr 29, 06:53 PM
I agree. I am using scroll reverser on Snow Leopard right now and enjoy it a lot. After about a day or two it becomes more natural.
I booted into snow leopard on another partition after using Lion for a while and I had trouble not scrolling inversely. I've gotten quite used to it.
I booted into snow leopard on another partition after using Lion for a while and I had trouble not scrolling inversely. I've gotten quite used to it.
Hephaestus
Mar 17, 07:35 PM
I get it a lot too but I just say "nah, this phone sucks it's the worst phone in the world" and they usually shut up.
They shut up because they have an insecurity about their phone and the iPhone 4 is the better phone. Shooting down a better phone makes their phone seem even worse. It's like a double headshot.
I hate to say it again but haters gon hate! It happens with ANYTHING. If you buy a BMW, Audi owners will waltz in saying "SEE MY CAR HAS THIS STANDARD IT'S WAY BETTER THAN BMW!!!!". If you buy a Rolex you get Omega and TAG Heuer owners going "MY WATCH IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN ROLEX BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER AND IT HAS MORE THINGS IN IT!!!".
It's a thing you have to live with if you buy the most popular, top-of-the-line luxury things. If you can afford it, why not buy it?
the whole thing makes my brain hurt because it's so stupid and I don't care if the guy next to me had an Evo or an iPhone 4. :rolleyes:
That was exactly my point. I don't see why people care so much about what phone someone else has. It's only the Android folks that engage in this, I have yet to see an iPhone owner behave so pathetically.
They shut up because they have an insecurity about their phone and the iPhone 4 is the better phone. Shooting down a better phone makes their phone seem even worse. It's like a double headshot.
I hate to say it again but haters gon hate! It happens with ANYTHING. If you buy a BMW, Audi owners will waltz in saying "SEE MY CAR HAS THIS STANDARD IT'S WAY BETTER THAN BMW!!!!". If you buy a Rolex you get Omega and TAG Heuer owners going "MY WATCH IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN ROLEX BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER AND IT HAS MORE THINGS IN IT!!!".
It's a thing you have to live with if you buy the most popular, top-of-the-line luxury things. If you can afford it, why not buy it?
the whole thing makes my brain hurt because it's so stupid and I don't care if the guy next to me had an Evo or an iPhone 4. :rolleyes:
That was exactly my point. I don't see why people care so much about what phone someone else has. It's only the Android folks that engage in this, I have yet to see an iPhone owner behave so pathetically.
0 comments:
Post a Comment