iPod touch Beware Buying a Touch from BestBuy.com for Pickup!

[nick4597]

Just thought I would share my experience attempting to purchase the new 2nd gen 32gb touch from Best Buy. Saturday morning I checked BestBuy.com and they showed all 4 surrounding stores had the 32gigs in stock. So I purchase one from the Best Buy less than a mile away, waited for their "confirmation" email for over an hour and decided to just go.

I get there, they say they can't find them in the back. I wait 20 minutes and the guy brings up the OLD 32gb touch. I tell them that's not what I ordered, it should be the new model. They said they don't have any and did a "no pick." I told them they already charged my card (or at least held funds, I used a check card), they said "Sorry, must be an error, we did a no pick." OK.... so I told them the other 3 stores in the area showed it as well. They called the closest one, which is 25 minutes away, I wait another 20 minutes while the clerk confirmed it and they said they have 2 of them! I asked that they hold it and if I can just pick it up there with my online purchase receipt. They told me they couldn't hold it, and the purchase I made online for pickup online is negated since they do not have it. I would need to essentially re-purchase it at the other Best Buy. I argue with the manager that my check card already held the funds, so now I would have to re-purchase it again? He said yes. Unreal.

So.... I drive to the second nearest store, and they claim they never had any of the new ones, but still have the old models. I told them the other Best Buy called to verify they had the new ones. "Must have been a miscommunication" they said. Nice.

Needless to say, I finally found a Circuit City with one in stock online for pickup and after confirming that it is the NEW one (I told the girl on the phone to tell me what the case looked like) and picked it up down the road. But, for those looking and checking BestBuy.com and planning an in-store pickup..... BEWARE!

 

[kwatch]

I'm sorry to hear that. I picked up on line orderd 2G ipod Touch 32GB last Friday without an issue. Enjoy your new ipod Touch.

 

[mattwolfmatt]

The moral of the story...just go to an Apple Store. There they actually know what you mean by "2nd Generation" and "old one".

 

[bmr31]

This is nothing new for best buy. I've had it happen to me at 3 different stores when I was trying to buy a mini dvi to video adapter for my MacBook. I got sick of running around so I just bought their in house Dynex brand adapter and it didn't even work.

That is when I learned my lesson and now I only buy straight from apple.

 

[angels lust]

BestBuy is okay if you know exactly what you are looking for and drive to the store itself to buy the item for yourself.

Otherwise they are horrible. More often than not someone will have a horror story from BestBuy rather than a good one. They simply do not care.

 

[NY10940]

BestBuy.com and planning an in-store pickup..... BEWARE!

BEWARE! from Best Buy period!!! (I can't stress that enough)

Best Buy is seriously the absolute worst company you could ever buy an iPod from.

I've heard custumer service horror stories from Best Buy all the time; and unfortunately I've been a victim (but learned my lesson) as well.

Also, don't even bother purchasing a warranty from Best Buy because they never honor them.

I literally have never heard of a postive customer service experience from anyone who has dealt with that company.

If anybody reading this does decide to go ahead and purchase an iPod from Best Buy, you better pray that nothing ever happens to it... Because Best Buy won't help you out no matter what the situation.

And to the OP: That is horrible that Best Buy had the nerve to charge your card and not give you the product you paid for. (although I can't really say I'm too surprised)

I'd definitely sue the company if that charge is not disputed and cleared.

 

[-Dark Angel-]

Same thing happen to me yesterday. I was watching throughout the day to see when they get the ipods stocked and all four stores nearby came restocked at the same time. I found this fishy so I just went down to the store to see if they did have it in stock and they didn't. They guess the site probably came back up from maint. and had to adjust to reflect the store out of stock.

 

[Bobioden]

So I purchase one from the Best Buy less than a mile away, waited for their "confirmation" email for over an hour and decided to just go.

If you never received a confirmation why would you assume they would have it? They state, wait for the confirmation to assure it is in-stock and ready to pck-up.

I buy Pick-Up from Best Buy all the time and never have any problems.

 

[NY10940]

If you never received a confirmation why would you assume they would have it?

The situation was clearly not the customer's fault.

Clearly just a situation of bad customer service.

Bottom line: Best Buy.com states that item is in-stock and has no problem charging and taking the customer's money that day.

It's Best Buy's responibility to make sure that their site is accurate at all times.

But God forbid Best Buy actually admit to making a mistake.

 

[nick4597]

If you never received a confirmation why would you assume they would have it? They state, wait for the confirmation to assure it is in-stock and ready to pck-up.

I buy Pick-Up from Best Buy all the time and never have any problems.

I've done in-store pickup from Best Buy before and sometimes they never send a confirmation until hours later.... which is why I just went to the store. It 's practically across the street from me. This was the second time they've said they had something in stock, charged me, and didn't actually have it.

Just want to warn anyone who has been trying to find a 2G Touch through their website showing stock at various stores. All the Apple stores in my area (NW Chicago suburbs) are out of stock, as are most retailers. I was stupid to trust their online stock status again and let them take my money until the bank decides to release that pending transaction.

I work in manufacturing and inventory. Inventory integrity is key to any company, especially retail. Best Buy has failed on this front several times.

 

[TEG]

The real problem is the gum chewers that they hire to work at the store. The real problem with the online orders, is that it basically sends an email to the store, then when someone checks the email, they have to go out and find the item, and they may not be aware of the differences between the new and old models, so just grabbed that which was "close". I rarely find anyone at Best Buy who knows what they are talking about, but when I do, make a note of it. I do the online pickups several times a year, as I live a few miles away and don't want to waste the fuel to go if they don't have the item. I think the manager at this store as put the fear of God into them, because if they can't find something or need clarification, they will actually call for clarification.

I would no longer trust that particular store and send feedback to the store/manager, because their attitude was complete crap.

TEG

 

[richpjr]

The moral of the story...just go to an Apple Store. There they actually know what you mean by "2nd Generation" and "old one".

Except, of course, when you do what I did - call the Apple store that is about a 45 minute drive away from my house to see if they have any 2G 32 gig Touches in stock, are told yes, drive the 45 minutes to the store and are told - oops, we only have the original 32 gig in stock. So I check online to see if any Best Buys near me have one in stock and a store in the other direction that is about another 45 minute drive did have them in stock. I went and picked it up. 3 hours of driving for this thing!

The real moral of the story - never trust anyone working at a retail store to give you accurate information.

 

[ZachsMacDaddy]

I'm sorry you had so much trouble with your purchase, but at the same time I am happy to see more bad publicity for Best Buy.

After 3 bad buying experiences with BB, 1 including a stretch of about 6 months without the use of my 56" TV because of their lousy service contracts (and their inability to honor them properly), I will not buy from BB. I tried to go into the local one after they opened and I ended up walking out furious after receiving more lousy service and hearing them sell their lies to other customers.

Circuit City may have some issues too, but they have always been good to me and will continue to get my business.

 

[rdowns]

I've done in-store pickup from Best Buy before and sometimes they never send a confirmation until hours later.... which is why I just went to the store. It 's practically across the street from me.

If you've had previous bad experiences with online purchase/in store pickup and the store is practically across the street, why didn't you just walk in and see if they had it?

I've purchased thousands of dollars of products at BB over the years and only had an issue once, with a cable.

 

[California King]

The moral of the story...just go to an Apple Store. There they actually know what you mean by "2nd Generation" and "old one".

True. But still, it was odd that the website said that it was in stock, but really wasn't in stock? They probably DID have them in stock, but just didn't know the difference...

 

[donga]

The moral of the story...just go to an Apple Store. There they actually know what you mean by "2nd Generation" and "old one".

not always. retail is retail for a reason...

 

[Elven]

I have to agree on using the Apple store, too many disasters with 3rd party retailers.

 

[zaraswan]

I'm sorry

I feel sorry for those who don't have an Apple Store nearby. I have TWO Apple Stores just 10 minutes away from my dorm. Gotta love Boston!

 

[NY10940]

If you've had previous bad experiences with online purchase/in store pickup and the store is practically across the street, why didn't you just walk in and see if they had it?

Blaming the costumer for a company's mistake...

 

[sushi]

I told the girl on the phone to tell me what the case looked like

This sounds like a good idea.

Many times store employees do not always know the differences between models. Of course Apple stores are the exception.

Anyhow, describing the product casing was a neat work around.

 

[goosnarrggh]

The moral of the story...just go to an Apple Store. There they actually know what you mean by "2nd Generation" and "old one".

I'd be on the road for about 10 hours one-way and I'd need a passport to reach my nearest Apple Store.

 

[hexonxonx]

CircuitCity does the same thing. I ordered a GPS online using my iPhone one night. Went to pick it up and they didn't have the GPS in stock. The funds on my card were already pre-authorized as is normal for any online order at such a store. I got a better GPS and left the store. The same thing happened with a 1TB WD drive back in June. Ordered and they ended up not having it in stock when I arrived. Drove to another store to pick it up 20 minutes away, my order was good there too.