The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

[The Rube]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

I like hard copies too. This doesn't make me want to go to Best Buy, or any other huge, awful store.

The thing is, big box stores crippled (if not killed) the indie stores. Now the net stores are killing the big box stores. Evolution, my friends...

 

[duper]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

The thing is, big box stores crippled (if not killed) the indie stores. Now the net stores are killing the big box stores. Evolution, my friends...

Which is exactly why I make a point of still shopping at the indie stores. Edit: well that and the fact that any indie store probably has a better selection of music, movies, etc. than any big box store.

 

[The Rube]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

Which is exactly why I make a point of still shopping at the indie stores. Edit: well that and the fact that any indie store probably has a better selection of music, movies, etc. than any big box store.

Truth.

Not that I really buy any music anymore, but it was usually indie stores, if I could help it. Down In The Valley (a known new/used store that had lots of vinyl and oddities for EPs/imports in the Twin Cities) was a favorite. I was there weekly, sometimes more often. Best Buy was simply for convenience, hence my statement about how the net is killing them now. It's convenience. Same price (or gasp, cheaper?!) than BB? And I don't have to leave my home to make a purchase? Sold.

 

[duper]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

Truth.

Not that I really buy any music anymore, but it was usually indie stores, if I could help it. Down In The Valley (a known new/used store that had lots of vinyl and oddities for EPs/imports in the Twin Cities) was a favorite. I was there weekly, sometimes more often. Best Buy was simply for convenience, hence my statement about how the net is killing them now. It's convenience. Same price (or gasp, cheaper?!) than BB? And I don't have to leave my home to make a purchase? Sold.

It's a lot like supermarkets. Most people do the vast majority of their grocery shopping at supermarkets, but we still know that if we want REALLY good food, we go to a butcher, bakery, produce market or farmer's market, etc. The little stores will always exist, because there will always be a few people who insist on them. I wonder, are there enough people who refuse to shop online to ensure that one or two big box stores stay in business? I suspect so, but who knows?

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

I like hard copies too. This doesn't make me want to go to Best Buy, or any other huge, awful store.

I used to. I finally broke down and bought an ipod last year and now can't imagine ever buying another CD.

The bigger question is what to do with the 3500 cds that I have and are now on a hard drive for my iTunes.


On the subject of Best Buy rewards... I also decline them each time. When they ask, and they ALWAYS ask, I tell them that it's a waste of time and my time is worth more than the value of the crappy points. They haven't been trained yet as to how to overcome that objection.

Used to be a decent program. Now a waste and a hassle.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Truth.

Not that I really buy any music anymore, but it was usually indie stores, if I could help it. Down In The Valley (a known new/used store that had lots of vinyl and oddities for EPs/imports in the Twin Cities) was a favorite. I was there weekly, sometimes more often. Best Buy was simply for convenience, hence my statement about how the net is killing them now. It's convenience. Same price (or gasp, cheaper?!) than BB? And I don't have to leave my home to make a purchase? Sold.

I know I have a unique situation living in Alaska but, online almost always ends up either more expensive or the same and then I have to wait 7-10 days and hope it doesn't get damaged. It's a hassle.

I guess the customer service at BB wasn't a problem because I never used it. When I bought my TV I did my research (helps when your Dad is broadcast engineer), walked in , pointed , no I don't need cables, no I don't need a warranty, done.

Granted, I never really buy outside of a TV or specific electronic thing.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

No, it isn't. It's still through service first. They push the cards, yes, but good service will outweigh how many cards they get all day, everyday.

Don't get me wrong, the card thing is tracked like you wouldn't believe (too much, IMHO). At my old company, rumors were going around that raises next year were going to be based on the card score...for the entire store. Meaning someone who worked in the stockroom, whose job had nothing to do with getting the cards, would have their raise determined by another area.

One of my friends works for Sears, and told us that their store-enforced turnover of cashiers is ENTIRELY based upon credit card sales. Of course, he still has a job because his work hours are completely flexible (it pays to be single and lonely nowadays).

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

Which is exactly why I make a point of still shopping at the indie stores. Edit: well that and the fact that any indie store probably has a better selection of music, movies, etc. than any big box store.

Sadly I can't find the music I like in even an indie store, unless maybe it was in Seattle or LA...

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

I know I have a unique situation living in Alaska but, online almost always ends up either more expensive or the same and then I have to wait 7-10 days and hope it doesn't get damaged. It's a hassle.

I guess the customer service at BB wasn't a problem because I never used it. When I bought my TV I did my research (helps when your Dad is broadcast engineer), walked in , pointed , no I don't need cables, no I don't need a warranty, done.

Granted, I never really buy outside of a TV or specific electronic thing.

Is Amazon Prime offered in AK? Seems like it could be a wise investment if it is. Free or discounted access is one of the true perks of having a stable .edu account.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

I like hard copies too. This doesn't make me want to go to Best Buy, or any other huge, awful store.

The thing is, big box stores crippled (if not killed) the indie stores. Now the net stores are killing the big box stores. Evolution, my friends...

Which is exactly why I make a point of still shopping at the indie stores. Edit: well that and the fact that any indie store probably has a better selection of music, movies, etc. than any big box store.

All of this is true, and I do prefer the "indie" store. But the indie store is a lot harder to come by these days. The Exclusive Company is cool, but it's not like there's anything as nice as the Electric Fetus in Green Bay.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

All of this is true, and I do prefer the "indie" store. But the indie store is a lot harder to come by these days. The Exclusive Company is cool, but it's not like there's anything as nice as the Electric Fetus in Green Bay.

Electric Fetus was great back in the day. Maybe it still is, but I don't get to Green Bay much anymore. Wasn't there one in Appleton too?

The Exclusive Company closed their west side store here in Madison a few years ago and now only have a downtown location which I never get to.

My music collection is saturated to the point that there aren't brick and mortar stores that can really help me anymore and I need to go online to find things that I don't already have. Same with live dvds. Used to go to Exclusive, Best Buy, Circuit City for music, but now it's so much easier to do it online.

I can even do it from work (as well as this ) and can read online reviews and recommendations. I can listen to samples and buy the music immediately. If I only want a song or two from an album, I can do that too.

Why in the world would I ever buy music in a store again?

Audiophiles will say that mp3s are inferior, and I'm sure there are people with nuanced ears that can tell the difference. I really can't other than sometimes on hip-hop and rap where the low end fragments a bit. Truth be told, my iPod sounds better through the car stereo than a CD does.

Suck it Best Buy!

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

Electric Fetus was great back in the day. Maybe it still is, but I don't get to Green Bay much anymore.

The Exclusive Company closed their west side store here in Madison a few years ago and now only have a downtown location which I never get to.

My music collection is saturated to the point that there aren't brick and mortar stores that can really help me anymore and I need to go online to find things that I don't already have. Same with live dvds. Used to go to Exclusive, Best Buy, Circuit City for music, but now it's so much easier to do it online.

I can even do it from work (as well as this ) and can read online reviews and recommendations. I can listen to samples and buy the music immediately. If I only want a song or two from an album, I can do that too.

Why in the world would I ever buy music in a store again?

Audiophiles will say that mp3s are inferior, and I'm sure there are people with nuanced ears that can tell the difference. I really can't other than sometimes on hip-hop and rap where the low end fragments a bit. Truth be told, my iPod sounds better through the car stereo than a CD does.

Suck it Best Buy!

If you put it that way, the "audiophiles" probably only go to concerts. That's the best way to support the artist, anyway, since they don't see much (if anything) from CD/iPod sales; the record industry gets most of that. I'm not completely good on telling quality, but I can tell pitch frequency like a champ (I'm one of THOSE weirdos). My music of preference I can only easily get in this country from "shoddy means", so online is a dependency, and concerts are few and far to come by.

 

[rufus]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

Which is exactly why I make a point of still shopping at the indie stores. Edit: well that and the fact that any indie store probably has a better selection of music, movies, etc. than any big box store.

And also, people that actually know something about the stuff they're selling.

 

[rufus]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

The bigger question is what to do with the 3500 cds that I have and are now on a hard drive for my iTunes.

Send them to me.

 

[DisplacedCornellian]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

I'm probably one of the few who preferred Circuit City to Best Buy. Had the WORST experience with a laptop I bought at Bestbuy. I opted for the 3 year extended warranty for it, which was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because the piece of crap died 4 times in 2.5 years. A curse, because getting them to repair and ultimately replace it under the lemon clause in the policy was like pulling teeth. Lemon clause said that if a laptop needed to be sent off for repairs 3 times, they would replace it. The dvd drive died first, needing repairs. After that, the hard drive fails. Third problem: motherboard died. I tell them to give me a new laptop, they say "no, under the policy, if it fails again AFTER we've repaired it 3 times, we replace it." I grumble but accept that. Computer dies again. I take it to Bestbuy, tell them to replace it. "We have to send it off to repairs to verify it has a problem." I more than grumble, but they send it off. Their distant lab of repair monkeys verifies that the hard drive died again. I demand a replacement. They say, "no, under our CURRENT warranty program it has to be sent off for repairs 3 times for the same problem." I less than calmly show them the policy I purchased, which has no such language. They argue that the new program rules apply. I even less calmly explain the idea of a contract to them. They agree to give me a new laptop. Policy says they have to provide a new laptop with comparable specs. Seeing as my laptop is 2.5 years old, they search out and find the oldest, most gigantic 8 lb brick of a laptop they've got. Mine was a thin and light . They tell me that weight isn't a spec they consider. I hit the roof. Manager tells me that is the only laptop they can give me. I suggest he removes his head from his posterior and call corporate. He does. Tells me that he can process it as a return, and I can get any laptop in the store up to the price I paid for mine originally. (Victory!)

Manager takes me to a cashier, tells them to process it as a return. Walks away. Cashier asks if I want cash or store credit. I took cash and bought my next laptop from Circuit City. Eff Best Buy.

 

[goldy_331]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

I'm probably one of the few who preferred Circuit City to Best Buy. Had the WORST experience with a laptop I bought at Bestbuy. . . . Eff Best Buy.

Sounds typical. There was poster on the original board years ago who waged a campaign against BB. I think he/she had bought a "new" laptop and found preloaded porn on the hard drive, or something similar. Had a huge battle to get the "new" computer replaced.

 

[Biddco]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

I was always told by my buddies that BB's stuff was over priced. I do almost all of my shopping at Target nowa days anyway. Whatever the BB rewards is, it's not as. Easy as the Target Red Card.

 

[The Rube]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

I used to. I finally broke down and bought an ipod last year and now can't imagine ever buying another CD.

The bigger question is what to do with the 3500 cds that I have and are now on a hard drive for my iTunes.


On the subject of Best Buy rewards... I also decline them each time. When they ask, and they ALWAYS ask, I tell them that it's a waste of time and my time is worth more than the value of the crappy points. They haven't been trained yet as to how to overcome that objection.

Used to be a decent program. Now a waste and a hassle.

If we ever have a chance to meet up at a hockey event, I'd probably be interested in some of your CDs. I like the artwork, the liner notes (sometimes), etc. I can't explain it any more than the album purists can explain why they prefer to have albums over Laserdiscs/CDs (besides the obvious quirks in sound quality).

 

[FreshFish]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

Audiophiles will say that mp3s are inferior, and I'm sure there are people with nuanced ears that can tell the difference.

At one time, one could tell the difference between analog and digital just by listening (we did one of those experiments by playing either vinyl or CD through the same system, and the group of listeners could tell pretty well which was which).

Weird to think that there are "holes" in digital music, yet somehow you can hear them. Where it's most noticeable is with a violin, where the violinist plays a warbling note (because a violin doesn't have frets).

 

[joecct]

Re: The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

But book stores have been blown away by Amazon. I don't see this as a bad thing as I have pretty much canned hard copy in favor of Kindle. But what to do with my 100's of books??