READ How to get BestBuy discount for new RETINA MBP

[jimmyz80]

I just thought I would add my $0.02 to the discount story here. I basically ended up getting yelled at by a BestBuy manager tonight for following the actions that BestBuy corporate told me to take. I will never do business with them again, and the laptop is going back.

More details here if you want to read the whole long, drawn out story:

http://forums.bestbuy.com/t5/Best-Buy-Geek-Squad-Policies/Apple-Education-Price-Match/td-p/531710

Message #27 is where it gets really interesting. I suggest everyone who's NOT getting the price match or has been lied to, should add their voice to this thread as well.

 

[mohsy90]

I just thought I would add my $0.02 to the discount story here. I basically ended up getting yelled at by a BestBuy manager tonight for following the actions that BestBuy corporate told me to take. I will never do business with them again, and the laptop is going back.

More details here if you want to read the whole long, drawn out story:

http://forums.bestbuy.com/t5/Best-Buy-Geek-Squad-Policies/Apple-Education-Price-Match/td-p/531710

Message #27 is where it gets really interesting. I suggest everyone who's NOT getting the price match or has been lied to, should add their voice to this thread as well.

Just read that post. Wow, that manager was a complete ******. Just hold onto it until Apple gets some in stock. You have 30 days, then just return it and go to Apple and buy one. Don't get why they aren't price matching, its their POLICY!!!

 

[Dammit Cubs]

OMG!!! I got one!!!!

I called the citrus heights best buy. I talk to the lady and made her over the phone go to the apple website and see. I have to show her a student card to get the discounted price. But she said when I come in later, she will do a price adjust. Hopefully she will accept my friend's student card and say that I"m buying it for this person.

But I had to purchase it over the phone. so it's on hold for me
FOREVER.

 

[minnus]

While I congratulate everyone who has been successful, I don't think we're entitled to both the discount and the gift card from Best Buy. Some managers are just being nice (or they haven't been yelled at for price matching too much yet). People are double dipping into Best Buy's promotion, which I am sure is grounds enough to deny the promotion by their terms of price matching. We're very clearly taking advantage of it.

If you get it, cool. If not, making a giant stink - as if it is your right to save $50 more than from purchasing direct from Apple - as well as getting a less restrictive gift card - makes you seem a tad spoiled.

I've played these games before (trying to stack discounts), and if I get burnt, I get burnt. It sucks to have wasted all the time - but it is only my fault for trying to game the system.

 

[jimmyz80]

While I congratulate everyone who has been successful, I don't think we're entitled to both the discount and the gift card from Best Buy. Some managers are just being nice (or they haven't been yelled at for price matching too much yet). People are double dipping into Best Buy's promotion, which I am sure is grounds enough to deny the promotion by their terms of price matching. We're very clearly taking advantage of it.

If you get it, cool. If not, making a giant stink - as if it is your right to save $50 more than from purchasing direct from Apple - as well as getting a less restrictive gift card - makes you seem a tad spoiled.

I've played these games before (trying to stack discounts), and if I get burnt, I get burnt. It sucks to have wasted all the time - but it is only my fault for trying to game the system.

I'm 100% fine with them taking back the gift card and just price matching. I'm not expecting them to give me both, just using it as an example of inconsistencies with their "policy".

 

[XFactorer]

While I congratulate everyone who has been successful, I don't think we're entitled to both the discount and the gift card from Best Buy. Some managers are just being nice (or they haven't been yelled at for price matching too much yet). People are double dipping into Best Buy's promotion, which I am sure is grounds enough to deny the promotion by their terms of price matching. We're very clearly taking advantage of it.

If you get it, cool. If not, making a giant stink - as if it is your right to save $50 more than from purchasing direct from Apple - as well as getting a less restrictive gift card - makes you seem a tad spoiled.

I've played these games before (trying to stack discounts), and if I get burnt, I get burnt. It sucks to have wasted all the time - but it is only my fault for trying to game the system.

Ummmmm. No.

This elusive Back to School promotion sounds like (and I can't confirmed) it's for everyone - with some exceptions to price of your computer. For a MacBook Pro w/ Retina, everyone should be getting this promotional gift card. The educational pricing isn't a discount/promotion/limited-time thing. It's something we ARE entitled to (we being students, educators, parents of students).

That's the difference - Educational Pricing isn't a discount and it's not stacking one discount on top of another. Everyone buying a computer is entitled to the gift card - and those qualified should get educational pricing. That's the way I see it.

 

[JesseW6889]

Has everyone been able to get one from BB? I haven't yet :/ Can't say I'm trying all that hard though. I'm kind of hoping my impulsivity will pass before I can find one!

 

[mohsy90]

Ummmmm. No.

This elusive Back to School promotion sounds like (and I can't confirmed) it's for everyone - with some exceptions to price of your computer. For a MacBook Pro w/ Retina, everyone should be getting this promotional gift card. The educational pricing isn't a discount/promotion/limited-time thing. It's something we ARE entitled to (we being students, educators, parents of students).

That's the difference - Educational Pricing isn't a discount and it's not stacking one discount on top of another. Everyone buying a computer is entitled to the gift card - and those qualified should get educational pricing. That's the way I see it.

Precisely, I keep hearing that managers won't apply "two" discounts. The Apple price matching isn't a discount. That is considered a price match and based on BB's own promo, every student is entitled to a gift card.

I don't think we are taking advantage of it. I could care less for the extra $50. If anything, they should at least match $150 and give their promo $150 gift card to match up with Apple's overall $300 discount/gift card.

 

[XFactorer]

Precisely, I keep hearing that managers won't apply "two" discounts. The Apple price matching isn't a discount. That is considered a price match and based on BB's own promo, every student is entitled to a gift card.

I don't think we are taking advantage of it. I could care less for the extra $50. If anything, they should at least match $150 and give their promo $150 gift card to match up with Apple's overall $300 discount/gift card.

No, they shouldn't "at least" do anything - they should do it to the fullest. I got "at least" a discount (ed. pricing w/ $50)... but that's not with the Price Match policy. And I don't even think Education Pricing is part of this price match. It has to be an agreement w/ Apple and isn't in the realm of the Price Matching guarantee.

 

[XFactorer]

I'm also curious to what exactly this $150 gift card promotion is... there was no signage of it anywhere in the store. The sales associate told me about it w/o any prompts from me other that I was interested in buying a Mac.

I tried to call the corporate hotline and I asked the person who answered my call. I asked, "What's the current promotion going on with computers?" And he immediately freaked out, "Oh, some blogger said something and it's not true and I've been getting calls all day about this. It was something about a percentage off and we don't have anything announced officially."

And then after he calmed down, I told him about the $150 gift card that the sales associate told me about. Anyway, he was clueless about what the promotion was. The website has nothing. Current ads have nothing, either. It's not a "Dads/Grads" thing, that's all I know for sure.

 

[Trey M]

Precisely, I keep hearing that managers won't apply "two" discounts. The Apple price matching isn't a discount. That is considered a price match and based on BB's own promo, every student is entitled to a gift card.

I don't think we are taking advantage of it. I could care less for the extra $50. If anything, they should at least match $150 and give their promo $150 gift card to match up with Apple's overall $300 discount/gift card.

I agree, them actually giving you $50 more than Apple is unfair, but I think it's fair they give the same amount of total free stuff ($300) as Apple. So they should take of $150 for education pricing and $150 for the gift card.

As far as people saying that the gift card is more "flexible", in all reality Best Buy makes a lot of money off of everything they sell, and these gift cards are usually tickets to more expensive items. Most of the time they're still making money even with a $150 gift card discount.

 

[JesseW6889]

I just thought I would add my $0.02 to the discount story here. I basically ended up getting yelled at by a BestBuy manager tonight for following the actions that BestBuy corporate told me to take. I will never do business with them again, and the laptop is going back.

More details here if you want to read the whole long, drawn out story:

http://forums.bestbuy.com/t5/Best-Buy-Geek-Squad-Policies/Apple-Education-Price-Match/td-p/531710

Message #27 is where it gets really interesting. I suggest everyone who's NOT getting the price match or has been lied to, should add their voice to this thread as well.

That is just HORRIBLE customer service resulting from arrogance and pride.

I've had similar issues with Wal-Mart... they wouldn't let me return a flash drive because they have a 14 day return policy on electronics... the only issue with that is that it didn't state that ANYWHERE in the store. It did, however, say satisfaction guaranteed on the return policy. That didn't seem to matter to the manager, he eventually told me (because it wasn't on the returns policy board, like he thought it was) that it was 'in the book.' Long story short, he wouldn't show me the book

Corporate is ALWAYS the answer when you get a manager like that. Start a new thread on MacRumors and get some support going. If you're anything like me, you will do whatever you have to show them they can't treat people like that and get away with it!

Bottom line is, at Best Buy (like at Wal-Mart) rumors or hearsay spreads and people (managers) take something they've heard a few times as fact. Once it's in their minds that it is a fact, they will NOT check to see if that's actually the case or not!

Good luck, and If you do reserve www.ScrewBB.com, let me know. I'll sign the petition, or picket or whatever!

 

[mohsy90]

No, they shouldn't "at least" do anything - they should do it to the fullest. I got "at least" a discount (ed. pricing w/ $50)... but that's not with the Price Match policy. And I don't even think Education Pricing is part of this price match. It has to be an agreement w/ Apple and isn't in the realm of the Price Matching guarantee.

Speak to the apple rep that works at a best buy, I've spoke to several and they all said that they price match Apple's education discount at $100. Which is usually the standard, but they aren't aware that it's tiered by pricing and Apple gives $200 for a $2200 notebook. It's part of their reseller agreement with Apple. Unfortunately there is no outlines laid out for the consumers, so it's a hit or a miss. But education pricing is definitely part of their price match.

BB sucks, stop defending them. I think many here, like myself, would prefer to get it from Apple but are finding it easier to get the new RMBP in stock at a BB.

 

[Trey M]

Speak to the apple rep that works at a best buy, I've spoke to several and they all said that they price match Apple's education discount at $100. Which is usually the standard, but they aren't aware that it's tiered by pricing and Apple gives $200 for a $2200 notebook. It's part of their reseller agreement with Apple. Unfortunately there is no outlines laid out for the consumers, so it's a hit or a miss. But education pricing is definitely part of their price match.

BB sucks, stop defending them. I think many here, like myself, would prefer to get it from Apple but are finding it easier to get the new RMBP in stock at a BB.

I would so much rather just buy it from Apple. Don't understand why in cities with Apple stores the stock seems to be going to Best Buys not Apple Stores...

 

[minnus]

Ummmmm. No.

This elusive Back to School promotion sounds like (and I can't confirmed) it's for everyone - with some exceptions to price of your computer. For a MacBook Pro w/ Retina, everyone should be getting this promotional gift card. The educational pricing isn't a discount/promotion/limited-time thing. It's something we ARE entitled to (we being students, educators, parents of students).

That's the difference - Educational Pricing isn't a discount and it's not stacking one discount on top of another. Everyone buying a computer is entitled to the gift card - and those qualified should get educational pricing. That's the way I see it.

We all decide how we wish to see something. I would only agree with your statement if Best Buy explicitly had a student discount. Your statement is equivalent to saying something along the lines of, I have a coupon (aka, instead of students, educators, parents of students - we have a group of people who possess a coupon) that works on Item A in store X - Why doesn't my coupon work for item A in store Y? People with coupons are entitled to the stated discount.

...Why doesn't Costco take my $1.50 off Cheerios manufactures coupon?

--Edit - I am not defending Best Buy, or Apple, or anyone.

 

[mohsy90]

I'm also curious to what exactly this $150 gift card promotion is... there was no signage of it anywhere in the store. The sales associate told me about it w/o any prompts from me other that I was interested in buying a Mac.

I tried to call the corporate hotline and I asked the person who answered my call. I asked, "What's the current promotion going on with computers?" And he immediately freaked out, "Oh, some blogger said something and it's not true and I've been getting calls all day about this. It was something about a percentage off and we don't have anything announced officially."

And then after he calmed down, I told him about the $150 gift card that the sales associate told me about. Anyway, he was clueless about what the promotion was. The website has nothing. Current ads have nothing, either. It's not a "Dads/Grads" thing, that's all I know for sure.

Don't know why there isn't any advertising for it, but it's in their system and if employees are aware and offering it to customers then every student should be entitled to it.

 

[Trey M]

its a steal because we are only suppose to get back the difference of around 200 but it turned out to be 237

Seven, on your new receipt from the return does it say price match? If so, did they mark is as

Return Items
2049.99

Sale Items
1849.99
____________
Total: 228.53?

I'm trying to figure out why it's $2049 and not $2200. Did you already spend your $150 BB Gift card before the return?

Sorry it's really complicated with my receipt cause I have 2 and it's all mixed up haha. But I'm worried than I won't get refunded the right amount when it's all set and done.

 

[JalenMc]

It worked for me. It took them around ~10 minutes, but they said they never heard of it, but I had the picture of the receipt on my iPhone, and they gave in, and let me get the $200. They were initially going to give me the $150 gift card with no $200 discount.

 

[Rizzm]

To any students that don't realize this, when you buy from Apple.com's online education store, all Macs come with a 3 year hardware warranty. An extra $50 in gift cards could never make up for this.

 

[mohsy90]

To any students that don't realize this, when you buy from Apple.com's online education store, all Macs come with a 3 year hardware warranty. An extra $50 in gift cards could never make up for this.

What are you talking about??? AppleCare is $249! Standard warranty is 1-year. Yes, you do get a $100 discount if you purchase Applecare with you macbook purchase.

 

[fadsy]

I spent 30 minutes on the phone with BB in Folsom, CA this morning, but ultimately got nowhere.

The first employee I spoke with told me they'd "absolutely price match Apple," which to him meant a $100 student discount, but no gift card. I asked to speak with his manager. The manager insisted that it was Apple-dictated policy not to give a student discount on new products, but she did know about the $150 giftcard, so she was going to give me that.

Two totally different stories from two employees at the same store. I gave up and didn't buy the computer. I really wanted it (it was the only one they had and they were going to let me buy it over the phone), but I decided it wasn't worth it. $150 is a lot to lose just because I'm impatient. I'm going to try again with the other BBs in my area tomorrow and see if I have better luck. This is so frustrating.

 

[galactic732]

anyone have luck at BB without showing student id?

lost my wallet that had my student id in it like an idiot...

 

[Dammit Cubs]

FALSE alarm. I had the Macbook Pro and then realized the lady sold me the Non-retina version.

The retina version was then sold out.


UGH!!!

 

[Ljohnson72]

anyone have luck at BB without showing student id?

lost my wallet that had my student id in it like an idiot...

My friend bought a MBP last year at BB and just logged into his university account on his iPhone and that was good enough for the employee. You can also try printing out your registration or class schedule.

-----

I've also been posting in the Best Buy forums along with a few other fellow MacRumors members and also suggest voicing your Best Buy shenanigans there. Here's the link to the general forum page and there are currently three threads about the topic (jimmyz80's being the longest).

 

[seventhreewun]

so trey m,

RETURN
it was 2049.99 because the 150 discount was from $150 gift card deducted from price since they couldnt refund a promotional gift card so they subtracted that from the full price (i dont know why the numbers seem strange)

SALE ITEMS
they rang me up for 1849.99 (subtracted the $200 discount and $150 gift card so -$350 from total) and then paid me a difference in cash of about $230.

hope that answers your question