I will start off by saying that for the most part I like Best Buy, they have good prices, good selection and usually ok customer service. They now have a program called Ask a BlueShirt, admittedly it is about HDTV but I figured it was a good way to pick on them a bit. Today I went in to buy some gifts, since the people they are for might read this I will not mention the exact item. I headed to the section for the item I wanted. I began looking for the two items. As I started to look a gentleman in civilian clothes asked me if I needed help. I noticed he was holding price tags so I guess he was an employee. The first item was found in the time it took to look in the right place alphabetically. The second item was far more um entertaining.
Me to first employee: "I am also looking for item 2."
Civilian dressed employee: "Hmm, not sure if we have that?"
He proceeds to walk around the section for 5 minutes while I also look and then gives up. I continued to look around more and eventually found an end cap advertising what I want.
Me to second employee: "I am looking for item 2?"
Blue Shirt 2 : "I have never heard of it."
I show her the end cap.
Blue Shirt 2: "I don't think it is out yet."
Neither employee offers to look in inventory system for me. I decided to do it for myself. I walk over to computer section and find a computer with active Internet connection. I ended up using a MacBook since it was the first I found with live connection. I went to Best Buy website and look up item 2, shows as in stock at the store I am standing in. I then go back to Blue Shirt 2.
Me to second employee: "BestBuy.com says you have it in stock."
Blue Shirt 2: "Oh?"
She finally goes and looks at inventory kiosk. While she does this she uses headset to call the back and asks if they have it. Response of yes they do. Magically Blue Shirt 3 appears holding the item 2 which 5 minutes ago hadn't been released yet. Since it wasn't in theft prevention package they had to carry it to front. Once I got through the line it took a few minutes to figure out where it was left at front.
In the end I got what I wanted, but only because I had more persistence and better skill at inventory searching then the employees did. It shouldn't be this hard to buy something, and like I said at the beginning Best Buy is a lot better than other stores. Good luck to all ye Christmas shoppers.
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