Best buy lost a customer today. Went to the mall where there is a best buy and right across the hall an apple store. The line at the apple store was longer so I waited in the line at best buy. Wait for 3.25 hours until 4pm when they say they are going to give out tickets. They come out and put up a paper saying it's changed to 4:45...fine...4:45 rolls around and they come out and hand out 15 tickets. That's all they had was 15 iPads and not only did they let like 80 people sit there like idiots but they even made us wait until 45 minutes after they were originally supposed to give out the tickets when they knew they had not nearly enough. What a bunch of ****ers by that time I had to wait behind like 1000 other people at the apple store at 5pm and didn't get out of there until 9 even though I started waiting at 1:40
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$(@)@ you best buy!
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That sucks.. I went to a Best Buy mobile at my local mall and not a single person in line. Walked in and out in 5 minutes with my new iPad. They only had 5 in stock.
Sorry, but you never going to best buy again will not matter to them. You are just another dollar sign. Focus your energy on stores that have more respect for you. Breathe, relax, and move on.
Mine had over 50.
Got my ticket at 2:00 was able to go home, came back at 4:45 waited behind 12 people got the iPad and cover no sweat.
Got my ticket at 2:00 was able to go home, came back at 4:45 waited behind 12 people got the iPad and cover no sweat.
Actually, I'm surprised they had any iPads. Near me, there's a mall with an Apple store and a Best Buy right across from each other and that Best Buy didn't get any. I guess Apple didn't want any competition to one of their own stores so close to each other.
haha thanks thanks. besides that whole tsunami watch we had over here. they're lucky they didn't close roads near the apple store. that'd been a nightmare!
To the ppl that complain about retail service i wonder if uve ever worked retail b4, true bad customer service is bad customer service, however were the employees actually being rude to u or was it something that possibly was out of their control and ur just complaining cuz u didnt get ur way/didnt turn out how u had hoped.
When i used to work retail and there was a major product launch we were often told explicitly by managers not to mention store stock/give exact numbers or estimates as to how many we got in. It was almost always first come first serve back then without any type of ticketing system, while i understand ur frustration u cant just blame the employee without considering mitigating circumstances that may have come into play. Such as not even being able to touch the packages till 5 pm like many employees at several locations i called claimed, or being told by the store manager not to give out store stock numbers.
Here's somethin u probably coulda done to prevent what happened to u, CALL earlier in the day ahead of time b4 u head to the stores/malls, I did it called all morning every possible retailer that would be carrying it within a 20 mile radius of me, guess what i got mine without issue. All i did was kindly over the phone ask how much stock do u have and how many ppl are currently in line. Some would not mention how much store stock they had so i pretty much knew to avoid those, and others i figured out by common sense would be high volume locations in my area. With that knowledge I was able to find a Best Buy that had reasonable stock and little line.
Basically its not Best Buy's fault u missed gettin an iPad had u taken the time to do a bit of research b4 hand u prolly would have gotten one no problem like many did. If u did do research then all i can say is tough luck.
When i used to work retail and there was a major product launch we were often told explicitly by managers not to mention store stock/give exact numbers or estimates as to how many we got in. It was almost always first come first serve back then without any type of ticketing system, while i understand ur frustration u cant just blame the employee without considering mitigating circumstances that may have come into play. Such as not even being able to touch the packages till 5 pm like many employees at several locations i called claimed, or being told by the store manager not to give out store stock numbers.
Here's somethin u probably coulda done to prevent what happened to u, CALL earlier in the day ahead of time b4 u head to the stores/malls, I did it called all morning every possible retailer that would be carrying it within a 20 mile radius of me, guess what i got mine without issue. All i did was kindly over the phone ask how much stock do u have and how many ppl are currently in line. Some would not mention how much store stock they had so i pretty much knew to avoid those, and others i figured out by common sense would be high volume locations in my area. With that knowledge I was able to find a Best Buy that had reasonable stock and little line.
Basically its not Best Buy's fault u missed gettin an iPad had u taken the time to do a bit of research b4 hand u prolly would have gotten one no problem like many did. If u did do research then all i can say is tough luck.
wow im surprised that people elsewhere had so many probs. got to best buy (the dadeland one in miami btw) around 7 and left around 9. in all honesty i didn't realize how long the line was when i got into it (it snaked around this whole other part i couldn't see when i walked in) or i would've bolted (or at least went back to my car for a magazine).
the way it worked:
after getting to a certain point (about 45 mins in for me), the customer reached an employee who would check off which model the customer wanted on a sheet of paper. the employee was also helpful in answering questions anyone had. although some models were sold out, i never saw anyone leave the line when they reached this point (i guess it could have been [or maybe in fact was???] a good social experiment to test at what length of waiting do people's preferences become that elastic). this was also the time to choose a smart cover (and they only had gray by then). the employee would relay the order to the backroom and the customer hung onto the sheet. the customer then had another batch of waiting, snaking through aisles of usb cables, and second-guessing her order before reaching the line god, who directed the customer to the appropriate register to end the journey.
other notes:
the way it worked:
after getting to a certain point (about 45 mins in for me), the customer reached an employee who would check off which model the customer wanted on a sheet of paper. the employee was also helpful in answering questions anyone had. although some models were sold out, i never saw anyone leave the line when they reached this point (i guess it could have been [or maybe in fact was???] a good social experiment to test at what length of waiting do people's preferences become that elastic). this was also the time to choose a smart cover (and they only had gray by then). the employee would relay the order to the backroom and the customer hung onto the sheet. the customer then had another batch of waiting, snaking through aisles of usb cables, and second-guessing her order before reaching the line god, who directed the customer to the appropriate register to end the journey.
other notes:
- the store-designed part of the process (placing an order halfway through the line, having a sheet with what you wanted and your number) seemed well thought out yet the line moved so erratically, especially the closer one got to the actual end, that it really defied explanation. and yes i know that the easiest thing for someone whose already tenuous grip on dignity has just been browbeaten by standing on the unpadded carpeting of a consumer electronics store for two hours to do is criticize the store and its staff to high Heaven, but i just couldn't for the life of me figure out what that particular holdup was all about. other than that all of the staff were top shelf and i salute them.
- i didn't even understand why we had to stay in line after doing that initial ordering part. couldn't they let people wander around the store and just announce the number over the loudspeaker when the order was ready for purchase (like when you wait for a table at a fancy restaurant)?
- the line god said that he expects a ton of buyer's remorse returns tomorrow because that is what happened with the first ipad. maybe this is a strategy for some of you desperate types: hang around outside a retail outlet tomorrow and try to nab someone before she returns hers!
- they were enforcing a one per customer policy.
- my order was #209. they stopped allowing people to enter the line after about 8:30, and employees commented that they were going to sell out tonight so their stock was likely in the 250 range.
- the line was full of all types of people not just the pale loners i had expected.
Yeah. Bb sucks. The one I went to knew exactly what they had but wouldn't tell anyone until 4:45. By that time people had been waiting for hours for models that weren't in stock. 3G and 64gb. In the end they only had 10 total. I got what I wanted and only waited 1 hour, but the gilroy bb employees are major a holes.
And get this. After hiding the 10 iPads all day and parading them around like gold bars when it was time to sell, the guy at the register didn't even check my ID when my credit card says ask for ID. Trained monkeys at their best!
And get this. After hiding the 10 iPads all day and parading them around like gold bars when it was time to sell, the guy at the register didn't even check my ID when my credit card says ask for ID. Trained monkeys at their best!
I went to bb today. Yes they weren't exactly doing it the best of ways but was good enough. They had a good amount in my store and wasn't much of a line. Did have to wait either way as only 2 registers were open for iPad people(at the geek squad) but with at least 50-100 people if not more there it went ok with almost everyone as far as I can tell walking away with one.
The apple store less then a block away I heard was packed and line around the corner. Good thingbthey both had as most people choose the apple store I didn't have to wait in a tremendous line
The apple store less then a block away I heard was packed and line around the corner. Good thingbthey both had as most people choose the apple store I didn't have to wait in a tremendous line