Macs at BestBuy

[mnkeybsness]

Originally posted by kingjr3
Doesn't Best Buy extend the manufacturers warranty? I know if I buy a PC with a one year limited warranty and get the BB 3yr extended, I have 4 years of coverage.

you've been mis-informed. the best buy service starts at the date of purchase, or arrival if it had to be shipped. when they say "it extends off of the manufacturer warranty", they mean that it covers some things that the manufacturer won't cover during that 1-year coverage.

so basically, manufacturer warranties and best buy service plans overlap.

 

[mnkeybsness]

Originally posted by kingjr3

Now apply that to apple care. If I buy apple care, then buy a BB extended warranty, do I get 6 years of coverage?

so, NO, they will just overlap for a 3 year time period

 

[jeremy.king]

I stand corrected

Then that would be interesting to see how/if Best Buy handles Apple Care.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

Perhaps Apple will give a kick back to BB for selling Apple Care warranties?

There is always some incentive. Why would BB bother if there wasn't?

 

[IJ Reilly]

Placement in Best Buy should be at least partly about exposure, the kind of exposure Apple doesn't get from the Apple stores or CompUSA. So far so good, but the history is all against this working very well -- Apple has been in and out of Best Buy, Sears and Circuit City more then once in each instance over the last ten years or so. It's nice that they are trying a mass-market retailer again, but I refuse to be very optimistic about it making much difference in the long run, unless Apple has really learned the hard lessons of their previous experiences. Mass-market retailing is a rough-and-tumble business, and frankly Apple has never had much stomach for it.

 

[question fear]

Best Buy workers

Look, I understand that many people here are frustrated by retail workers and all, but think about it in perspective...mnkeybsness (i think i have that right, sorry if i dont) has a point...I work at Best Buy now, and its not the worst place ive worked nor is it the best.
Maybe because I'm part time i dont feel the number crunch or teamwork pressures, but regardless one thing to keep in mind when complaining about the service you get at a retail store is that most of the people working there ARE just high school/college kids. I'm a senior in college, and in order to save money for my plunge into reality I work at Best Buy. There are days when I get there at 6am and by 10 when it opens I want to be in bed/writing my thesis/doing anything but working. So I'm not superduper friendly that day. Everyone has days like that, but we expect the workforce with the least amount of credentials needed to be the most helpful. And that's not fair. Yes, you expect a Best Buy employee to be able to tell you where to find a certain dvd, where to find the headphones you want. But if you don't have a good experience one day, think about the last time you went to work in a bad mood, and whether anyone judged you for it.
Sorry for the rant-y quality of this post, especially because I'm new here, but having worked in food service and retail all through college I get frustrated sometimes when people don't consider that retail workers are people who have lives, and just need to pay the bills, just like everyone else.
--Carly

 

[Atradies]

Allright, lets see what kind of light I can shed upon this. I currently do work at Best Buy in Marin City, CA just on the north side of the Golden Gate.

As for iPods, they are constantly being sold and we are constantly getting more in. I'd say at least 10 a week. And that includes the 10GB Mac, 10GB PC and 20GB PC. Not too bad if you ask me.

When the original fruit flavored iMacs were being sold at BB, they were being sold with the BB Service Plan. AppleCare was never mentioned in the salespersons speach. Ask any of the techs that worked at the store during that time and they loved the macs as they hardly ever had to be repaired, but if you do want to either get the Service Plan or Apple Care, I would get the Service Plan as it covers everything that Apple Care does, but depending on your location, is quite a bit easier to bring it there to get repaired. And if you can't get Microsoft Word to work, Best Buy and Apple aren't gonna help you with that one. Don't know if Microsoft would either.

Yes, there is quite a bit of pointless competition between the BB stores, but believe me, most of us really don't care. We make sure and ask the manager what the current numbers are just to seem concerned, but we all know that we're not gonna get any bonus or on the other hand fired for not out doing a neighboring store day in and day out. And you don't have to be a lifer to be a good salesman. I'm a great salesman, don't push the plan if it is something that doesn't need it. I never sold a single MSN. 😀 And never will. and I'm definitely not a lifer. I got the job there while I was in college, and now I'm just trying to figure out what to do.

I will say this, if Apple wants me to work for them in the current store I'm in as their rep. I'd consider postponing my future career. I'm not in any hurry. And I guarantee that as long as I'm there that the computers will be running perfectly along with sample DVD's I've made and FCP edits, etc., etc.

 

[JJTiger1]

Best Buy

Good Morning;
Here is Elvis's Memphis, we have "all of the above" stores.
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Best Buy is 7 minutes from my home, depending on traffic. Driving 30 minutes, or so, to MacMall's Creative Computers warehouse store, I also pass Apple's Saddle Creek store, and a CompUSA.
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All of these stores have friendly knowledgeable sales people. It must be the Southern hospitality and proper old-fashioned upbringing.
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I've bought two new Mac's from MacMall's warehouse store, before Apple's Saddle Creek store opened. I bought my QS G4-733 last year from Apple's Saddle Creek store.
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With the variety of available stores, I can shop by price for hardware, peripherals, and software.
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It will be convenient to shop at Best Buy for a new Mac.
-
Thank you for your moment.
JJ 😎

 

[janey]

Originally posted by Shadowfax
MSN isn't mac compatible?

i saw this at macworld san francisco 2003

 

[IJ Reilly]

Originally posted by bergeek
i saw this at macworld san francisco 2003

I tried to stay as far away from this guy as possible. Anybody still want to talk about Microsoft's "great marketing?"

 

[janey]

Originally posted by IJ Reilly
I tried to stay as far away from this guy as possible. Anybody still want to talk about Microsoft's "great marketing?"

me too but it was irresistable i just had to get a picture of a guy who wanted to get paid to wear that msn butterfly thing in front of all those mac users...

 

[KREX725]

Be scared...be very scared

As an ex-employee of Best Buy during their early relationships with Apple, I am very wary of Macs in a Best Buy again. If Apple can pull it off, kudos to them. I just pray they never need any assistance from Best Buy employees to pull it off because it just won't happen. During my five year stint with them, there was never more than two Mac-using employees working at any given store. The rest of the employees take the attitude that since they don't use them, they can't be any good and therefore will not lift a finger to help a customer. Luckily, my experience was that Mac buyers rarely actually wanted a BB employee's help, since they came in specifically looking for the Mac.

 

[JJTiger1]

I could sell a Mac at Best Buy !!!

Originally posted by KREX725
...(snip) there was never more than two Mac-using employees working at any given store. (snip) ...

Since I am in retirement, and bored to tears, I ought to submit an application for part-time employment at my local Best Buy, and sell Macs "Live and In Person".
-
I've been using Mac's since 1989. I have upgraded my current PowerMac 6500 G3/400 and Quicksilver G4-733. I think that I can talk "geek" when with a geek, and talk regular American when with a regular American.

I will have to learn how to talk "airhead". When ya-no, a ya-no airhead ya-no opens mouth and ya-no, only "ya-no" comes out ya-no, or the ya-no "ya-no" is with each ya-no breath, ya-no without exception ya-no... 😀

That to me is either an "airhead", or someone who can only communicate with psychics who have precognition. 😀
-
JJ 😉

 

[iJon]

i highly doubt best buys warranties would cover apples products, you cant even use best buys coupons on apple products. i doubt apple wouldh ave a service staff at best buy either. you would have to take it to best buy and they would ship it off to the nearest repair facility. it would be way too much money to put sales and service staff in every best buy, probably more money than apple would want to spend because it just wouldnt be worth it.

iJon

 

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by iJon
i highly doubt best buys warranties would cover apples products, you cant even use best buys coupons on apple products. i doubt apple wouldh ave a service staff at best buy either. you would have to take it to best buy and they would ship it off to the nearest repair facility. it would be way too much money to put sales and service staff in every best buy, probably more money than apple would want to spend because it just wouldnt be worth it.

iJon

we'll see. it would be cheaper than putting up an apple store in the places that best buy has a presence, and apple does not have the apple store coverage they need, IMO.

i certainly don't think apple would let them sell macs without decent representatives, at least in the important stores. who knows, though.

 

[shadowfax]

Re: I could sell a Mac at Best Buy !!!

Originally posted by JJTiger1
Since I am in retirement, and bored to tears, I ought to submit an application for part-time employment at my local Best Buy, and sell Macs "Live and In Person".
-
I've been using Mac's since 1989. I have upgraded my current PowerMac 6500 G3/400 and Quicksilver G4-733. I think that I can talk "geek" when with a geek, and talk regular American when with a regular American.

I will have to learn how to talk "airhead". When ya-no, a ya-no airhead ya-no opens mouth and ya-no, only "ya-no" comes out ya-no, or the ya-no "ya-no" is with each ya-no breath, ya-no without exception ya-no... 😀

That to me is either an "airhead", or someone who can only communicate with psychics who have precognition. 😀
-
JJ 😉

your airheadese reminds me strikingly of minnesota... coincidence?

 

[JJTiger1]

Re: Re: I could sell a Mac at Best Buy !!!

Originally posted by Shadowfax
your airheadese reminds me strikingly of minnesota... coincidence?

I think it's the current version of "Valley-Girl" that spread nationwide a few years ago. "Ya-no" is most commonly used by 13 year old girls trying to be cool, but it spreads to their siblings and parents like the flu. Adults come across as brainless dolts when they use the 13 year old girl's speech pattern.

Years ago, in Burbank CA: I had the happy encounter at a bar with two Mom's deliberately imitating their own 13 year old daughters' speech, but in a mocking fashion. It was hilarious to hear "Valley-Girl" that way. Gag it with a fork. 😀
-
I like "Valley-Girl" better than "ya-no" because "Valley-Girl" conveys an attitude. "Ya-no" conveys a lack of communicative skill. 😀

Maybe it's just me. I'm just a retired Tech Writer. "Speak the way you write, write the way you speak."
-
JJ 😉

 

[Kwyjibo]

I'd be very happy if tthey had Mac stuff at the Best Buy near me for a few reasons. The nearest CompUsa is half an hour or more depending on traffic. The nearst apple stores (illinois) are 45min-1hr(with no traffic) and best buy is ... 7 minutes or 15 minutes depending on which one I pick to goto .I have to love that apple stuff will be that close. plus i have freinds who work at both maybe they will be able to leak things to me who knows.

 

[shadowfax]

Re: Re: Re: I could sell a Mac at Best Buy !!!

Originally posted by JJTiger1
I think it's the current version of "Valley-Girl" that spread nationwide a few years ago. "Ya-no" is most commonly used by 13 year old girls trying to be cool, but it spreads to their siblings and parents like the flu. Adults come across as brainless dolts when they use the 13 year old girl's speech pattern.

Years ago, in Burbank CA: I had the happy encounter at a bar with two Mom's deliberately imitating their own 13 year old daughters' speech, but in a mocking fashion. It was hilarious to hear "Valley-Girl" that way. Gag it with a fork. 😀
-
I like "Valley-Girl" better than "ya-no" because "Valley-Girl" conveys an attitude. "Ya-no" conveys a lack of communicative skill. 😀

Maybe it's just me. I'm just a retired Tech Writer. "Speak the way you write, write the way you speak."
-
JJ 😉

ahhh, i think i misinterpreted you. i would say the valleygirlspeak is more "like, y'know" instead of "ya-no," which i had interpreted as putting an emphasis on the "ya"--which wouls sound like a minnesota accent. the valleygirlspeak "like" and "y'know" are indeed fillers for "umm" and do indeed strike me as pathetic. i know some girls who do this when they respond to my english teacher in class, and it just irks me to hear them, and moreover to hear the stupid teacher smile at them giddily like they are making an insightful comment... argh!

anyway, i suppose that was quite an OT...

 

[mnkeybsness]

Re: Re: Re: Re: I could sell a Mac at Best Buy !!!

Originally posted by Shadowfax
ahhh, i think i misinterpreted you. i would say the valleygirlspeak is more "like, y'know" instead of "ya-no," which i had interpreted as putting an emphasis on the "ya"--which wouls sound like a minnesota accent. the valleygirlspeak "like" and "y'know" are indeed fillers for "umm" and do indeed strike me as pathetic. i know some girls who do this when they respond to my english teacher in class, and it just irks me to hear them, and moreover to hear the stupid teacher smile at them giddily like they are making an insightful comment... argh!

anyway, i suppose that was quite an OT...

most minnesotans don't talk like freakin idiots...it's dem nord dakotans

 

[shadowfax]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I could sell a Mac at Best Buy !!!

Originally posted by mnkeybsness
most minnesotans don't talk like freakin idiots...it's dem nord dakotans

oh, i wasn't saying that it was idiotic, but i was thinking like... prairie home companion, you know... those funny accents they do? yeah, anywho..

 

[GeneR]

I would like to think this would be a good thing.

But we'll have to wait and see. The idea of putting Apple sales reps is SO necessary that I'm surprised it wasn't done sooner. Guess we'll have to wait and see... 😀

 

[JJTiger1]

Re: Re: Re: Re: I could sell a Mac at Best Buy !!!

Originally posted by Shadowfax
...more "like, y'know" instead of "ya-no," which i had interpreted as putting an emphasis on the "ya"...

Equal emphasis on the "ya" and "no".
-
I was in the grocery store just a few minutes ago. In the adjacent checkout lane, two well dressed 20-something business ladies conversing with a military barrage of "ya-no ya-no ya-no".

I struck up a conversation with my checkout clerk-dude. I was mockingly using the "ya-no" to an extreme, loud enough for the two women to hear. The clerk dude had joined in. He discretely motioned that I should look towards the women. Both of the women had their arms crossed across their chests, and were blasting me with "the evil eye". 😀

They looked like two Jeanies, as in "I Dream of Jeanie". 😀

Their evil spell turned me into ... a retiree.😛

JJ

 

[tazo]

Originally posted by JesseJames
I'm sorry but this is a bad idea. Most fools who shop at Worst Buy deserve to buy a crappy computer. Not a Mac.

what are u lol? this years iHitler? 😀 you want an aryan breed of mac users; only people who act, look, talk, and think like you do? 🙄

 

[mactastic]

macs at best buy

I'm skeptical of this. I see two possibilities here, either an apple "section" of the store, or macs mixed in with the general computer population. Either way, there are problems that others have pointed out. On the plus side, apple's laptops can compete directly on price with wintel, just not their desktops. Someone needs to be there to explain why a customer should spring for the mac. I sure hope it works, even though I can't stand BB and have had some terrible experiences with them.
Anyway, my $0.02
I mean spring for the desktop mac over a wintel one

 

[JJTiger1]

Re: macs at best buy

Originally posted by mactastic
(snip).. I sure hope it works, even though I can't stand BB and have had some terrible experiences with them....(snip)

I have had really good experiences shopping at Best Buy. My local store's sales staff seem to be well informed about the products' abilities. 😎

Sometimes, I might be lost and in the wrong aisle, and ask the wrong department clerk about something. At least that clerk can point me to the right department, and with a smile on her face. 🙂

A grumpy customer 😡 with an attitude problem can tax the patience of a saint.

I'm looking forward to seeing Mac's at Best Buy. BB can mix the Mac's in with the other computers.
To a "ya-no", the Mac is just another computer. 😛
-
JJ