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macboy06si

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 4, 2009
2
0
Hey guys, not sure where to put this thread so let me know if it needs to be moved to a different sub-forum.

I was looking around to get a Space Gray ipad mini retina display 32gb (Verizon model) today rather than wait for one to ship to me but none of the Best Buy's in a 100 mile radius of me had one. They had a 2-3 White/silver one but I rather have the space gray.

I called around asking and it seems as if they can't even order one for me without me having to do it myself from bestbuy.com.. One guy even said they're getting rid of it, asked for a reason why and he couldn't give me one.

What gives? rMini is still in somewhat of a demand last i checked...
 

carjakester

macrumors 68020
Oct 21, 2013
2,228
55
Midwest
best buy isn't doing too well these days, maybe the store is closing? just yesterday in the news they cut 2000 managers...
 

HarryWarden

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2012
607
120
best buy isn't doing too well these days, maybe the store is closing? just yesterday in the news they cut 2000 managers...

They're also having a sale on iPad Airs. you can save lots. I'm going to price match at the local Apple store.
 

ScottNWDW

macrumors 65816
Jul 10, 2008
1,231
315
Orlando, Florida
Did you try an Apple Store, or better yet a Verizon store. I had no problem, within the last month, getting a space grey iPad rMini with 128GB WiFi cellular at AT&T. The Apple Stores in my area seem to have lots of iPad Mini with Retina display in stock.
 

Rodster

macrumors 68040
May 15, 2007
3,177
6
best buy isn't doing too well these days, maybe the store is closing? just yesterday in the news they cut 2000 managers...

It certainly doesn't look good for Best Buy. They replaced the Circuit City in my area a few years ago and I wonder now if they'll suffer the same fate.
 

Kangda

macrumors member
Feb 27, 2014
87
0
Best Buy doesn't stock all items (from Bestbuy.com) in their stores. Like many other items, you have to order and it's shipped to the store.

This sounds right. I highly doubt it is being discontinued. Perhaps not a big seller at BB bc of the higher price tag for a mini, resulting in "ship to store" instead of keeping it on hand.
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,018
8,378
New Hampshire, USA
Hey guys, not sure where to put this thread so let me know if it needs to be moved to a different sub-forum.

I was looking around to get a Space Gray ipad mini retina display 32gb (Verizon model) today rather than wait for one to ship to me but none of the Best Buy's in a 100 mile radius of me had one. They had a 2-3 White/silver one but I rather have the space gray.

I called around asking and it seems as if they can't even order one for me without me having to do it myself from bestbuy.com.. One guy even said they're getting rid of it, asked for a reason why and he couldn't give me one.

What gives? rMini is still in somewhat of a demand last i checked...

Take a look now at the cellular iPad Air being sold at best buy.com. Most of the cellular iPad Air are now being sold in store only and none of the stores seem to have stock. It's a good bet that BB will not have any cellular iPad Air in stock in a few weeks when inventory is exhausted (i.e. BB is discontinuing the sales of the cellular iPad Air until the next refresh). The same will probably be true for the rMini.
 

iamMacPerson

macrumors 68040
Jun 12, 2011
3,488
1,927
AZ/10.0.1.1
Oh I don't know. Maybe it's because they'll price match any legitimate competitor such as Amazon, yet you don't have to wait for the item to ship to you? :rolleyes:

That is pretty much the only reason I still shop at Best Buy, otherwise I'd stick to online sellers. That and Reward Zone, or "My Best Buy". :rolleyes:
 

RetiredInFl

macrumors 68020
Jul 7, 2008
2,420
237
FORMERLY NJ now FL
Oh I don't know. Maybe it's because they'll price match any legitimate competitor such as Amazon, yet you don't have to wait for the item to ship to you? :rolleyes:

Other than Amazon saving tax (in many cases) BB makes you feel like a criminal when you return something requiring a scan of your drivers license and then sending the information to a central national database shared by hundreds of stores.

I'd rather buy from Amazon and wait the 1 extra day because they treat their customers like customers should be treated. The only thing BB is good for (for me) is using it as a place to check things out before ordering from Amazon which is the only reason they match prices because they know everyone is doing just that. The vast majority of their employees know zilch. Well, they all know how to sell you overpriced extended service contracts. Of course there are a couple employee exceptions to that in each store but they disappear faster than the snow when temps go above 60. They will soon follow the same path as Circuity City, CompUSA and (very soon) Radio Shack. RIP Worst Buy. You won't be missed (except as a display center).
 

Spectrum Abuser

macrumors 65816
Aug 27, 2011
1,377
48
Other than Amazon saving tax (in many cases) BB makes you feel like a criminal when you return something requiring a scan of your drivers license and then sending the information to a central national database shared by hundreds of stores.

I'd rather buy from Amazon and wait the 1 extra day because they treat their customers like customers should be treated. The only thing BB is good for (for me) is using it as a place to check things out before ordering from Amazon which is the only reason they match prices because they know everyone is doing just that. The vast majority of their employees know zilch. Well, they all know how to sell you overpriced extended service contracts. Of course there are a couple employee exceptions to that in each store but they disappear faster than the snow when temps go above 60. They will soon follow the same path as Circuity City, CompUSA and (very soon) Radio Shack. RIP Worst Buy. You won't be missed (except as a display center).

Ah yes, because you'll choose one day shipping on every purchase. /s

Best Buy didn't make me feel like a criminal when I returned my keyboard case. The associate at the front desk just put a little red tape on the box and said that customer service would gladly help me on my return. It was a simple process and within minutes I had a deposit pending notification. It would of taken a week to get a return with Amazon due to the shipping time. And if they ask to sell you an extended warranty just kindly decline the offer. It's part of their job to up sell, and coming from a public relations employee, I understand. Your last point about the employees not knowing much is just petty argument. I've run into a fair amount of "customer service" agents through Amazon merchants who sounded dumber than a sack of rocks. That's just how life goes.
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,018
8,378
New Hampshire, USA
Other than Amazon saving tax (in many cases) BB makes you feel like a criminal when you return something requiring a scan of your drivers license and then sending the information to a central national database shared by hundreds of stores.

I'd rather buy from Amazon and wait the 1 extra day because they treat their customers like customers should be treated. The only thing BB is good for (for me) is using it as a place to check things out before ordering from Amazon which is the only reason they match prices because they know everyone is doing just that. The vast majority of their employees know zilch. Well, they all know how to sell you overpriced extended service contracts. Of course there are a couple employee exceptions to that in each store but they disappear faster than the snow when temps go above 60. They will soon follow the same path as Circuity City, CompUSA and (very soon) Radio Shack. RIP Worst Buy. You won't be missed (except as a display center).

How knowledgable are the Amazon employees ? I forgot, you don't talk to Amazon employees :D. I would rate the few Best Buy employees that you can get information out of over an on-line store where you have no contact. In any case, they both are business that most likely don't pay a lot so what can you expect.

As far as returns, have you read the numerous post in the last 6 months about people being banned for life from Amazon due to what Amazon considered were too many returns (Amazon also uses the database). Both Amazon and Best Buy keep track of your returns and if you are concerned about returns, just buy all your Apple items at an Apple store.

I use both Best Buy and Amazon all the time. I can buy something right away in Best Buy and it cost the same as Amazon. Likewise, if I don't need it immediately, Amazon has a lot more to choose from.
 

Rodster

macrumors 68040
May 15, 2007
3,177
6
Ah yes, because you'll choose one day shipping on every purchase. /s

Best Buy didn't make me feel like a criminal when I returned my keyboard case. The associate at the front desk just put a little red tape on the box and said that customer service would gladly help me on my return. It was a simple process and within minutes I had a deposit pending notification. It would of taken a week to get a return with Amazon due to the shipping time. And if they ask to sell you an extended warranty just kindly decline the offer. It's part of their job to up sell, and coming from a public relations employee, I understand. Your last point about the employees not knowing much is just petty argument. I've run into a fair amount of "customer service" agents through Amazon merchants who sounded dumber than a sack of rocks. That's just how life goes.

They didn't make me feel like a criminal either when I returned a rMini. All they did was check the contents and test the device. That was it.
 

RetiredInFl

macrumors 68020
Jul 7, 2008
2,420
237
FORMERLY NJ now FL
How knowledgable are the Amazon employees ? I forgot, you don't talk to Amazon employees :D. I would rate the few Best Buy employees that you can get information out of over an on-line store where you have no contact. In any case, they both are business that most likely don't pay a lot so what can you expect.

As far as returns, have you read the numerous post in the last 6 months about people being banned for life from Amazon due to what Amazon considered were too many returns (Amazon also uses the database). Both Amazon and Best Buy keep track of your returns and if you are concerned about returns, just buy all your Apple items at an Apple store.

I use both Best Buy and Amazon all the time. I can buy something right away in Best Buy and it cost the same as Amazon. Likewise, if I don't need it immediately, Amazon has a lot more to choose from.


Exacltly my point. If I'm going to deal with the idiots at BB I may as well deal with Amazon for better customer service along with the same lack of knowledge. Neither give any help so I may as well go with the company who treats me with respect when it comes to customer service.

Those who have been banned from Amazon are because they take advantage of their return service many times in ways close to fraudulent and not for too many returns. If they banned you for the number of refunds between my wife and me we'd have been gone years ago and my sister, she'd have been gone 10 times over already. There's more to what you read than what you see. BB has a finite number of returns allowed in a rolling period of time, Amazon has no such thing.

----------

Ah yes, because you'll choose one day shipping on every purchase. /s

Best Buy didn't make me feel like a criminal when I returned my keyboard case. The associate at the front desk just put a little red tape on the box and said that customer service would gladly help me on my return. It was a simple process and within minutes I had a deposit pending notification. It would of taken a week to get a return with Amazon due to the shipping time. And if they ask to sell you an extended warranty just kindly decline the offer. It's part of their job to up sell, and coming from a public relations employee, I understand. Your last point about the employees not knowing much is just petty argument. I've run into a fair amount of "customer service" agents through Amazon merchants who sounded dumber than a sack of rocks. That's just how life goes.

Did they ask for your driver's license? Out here they do on every return over $10. As for Amazon credit, when I drop a package off at UPS 7 out of 10 times I have a credit issued the same day I dropped it off EVEN BEFORE it leaves the UPS depot to go to Amazon. I get an email saying "we see your package has been dropped off at UPS and we are issuing a credit" and even waiting 4 or 5 or 10 days for a credit (on the times when that happens) is really no big deal because I don't have to pay for it from anywhere between 30-60 days depending on when my CC is billed so that makes absolutely no difference (unless one has a credit line of $20 which isn't a problem I have).

No, I rarely choose 1 day shipping even though it's only $3.99. I do have PRIME and about 90% of my "2 -day Prime" packages arrive in 1 day anyway.

Pretty soon it won't matter because BB is bleeding so much money they will be gone anyway (or severely alter their policies back to how they used to be). That's one of the things that killed Circuit City. Returns.
 

Rodster

macrumors 68040
May 15, 2007
3,177
6
Exacltly my point. If I'm going to deal with the idiots at BB I may as well deal with Amazon for better customer service along with the same lack of knowledge. Neither give any help so I may as well go with the company who treats me with respect when it comes to customer service.

Those who have been banned from Amazon are because they take advantage of their return service many times in ways close to fraudulent and not for too many returns. If they banned you for the number of refunds between my wife and me we'd have been gone years ago and my sister, she'd have been gone 10 times over already. There's more to what you read than what you see. BB has a finite number of returns allowed in a rolling period of time, Amazon has no such thing.

----------



Did they ask for your driver's license? Out here they do on every return over $10. As for Amazon credit, when I drop a package off at UPS 7 out of 10 times I have a credit issued the same day I dropped it off EVEN BEFORE it leaves the UPS depot to go to Amazon. I get an email saying "we see your package has been dropped off at UPS and we are issuing a credit" and even waiting 4 or 5 or 10 days for a credit (on the times when that happens) is really no big deal because I don't have to pay for it from anywhere between 30-60 days depending on when my CC is billed so that makes absolutely no difference (unless one has a credit line of $20 which isn't a problem I have).

No, I rarely choose 1 day shipping even though it's only $3.99. I do have PRIME and about 90% of my "2 -day Prime" packages arrive in 1 day anyway.

Pretty soon it won't matter because BB is bleeding so much money they will be gone anyway (or severely alter their policies back to how they used to be). That's one of the things that killed Circuit City. Returns.

I was almost banned from Amazon and I might get the ban hammer in the future. I can assure you it was not due to fraudulent returns but what they deem as excessive returns. I'm sure their computer system spits out a ratio of kept items versus returns.

I just returned a Dell android tablet from their used Amazon Warehouse deals. It was sold as like new and it looked like it was roughed up used. The screen was also crappy so I sent it back.

Amazon has been cracking down on returns but in fairness I have received one warning. Maybe there won't be a next time for me. But don't put yourself under the illusion that Amazon is nothing but sugar and spice. They are not. I have kept stuff I did not like or did not need after I ordered and that still did not stop them from issuing a warning. A lot of the returns issues falls on Amazon as they encourage returns if you don't like the item.

I've been told that Amazon is now even sending out items classified as new but in fact are open box items. I caught them once on that.

So for me Best Buy isn't perfect but neither is Amazon.
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,018
8,378
New Hampshire, USA
If they banned you for the number of refunds between my wife and me we'd have been gone years ago and my sister, she'd have been gone 10 times over already.

From what I have been seeing. it looks like Amazon has been started to ban people in the last 6 months. If you are still returning a lot of items, I think there is a fair chance of getting a warning and then a ban.
 
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