- Report: #407902
Complaint Review: Best Buy - Chesapeake Virginia
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Best Buy
Chesapeake Square (Store 766), 4107 Portsmouth Blvd. Chesapeake, 23321 Virginia, U.S.A.
Phone:
757-465-2306
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Best Buy Samsung HDTV Bait & Switch Chesapeake Virginia
In their Sunday advertisement (1/4/09) in the Virginian Pilot newspaper on page 3 of their ad circular, they are advertising the Samsung LN46A650 HDTV for a sale price of $1449. I went to the Chesapeake Square store (Chesapeake, VA - Store #766) with my only intent to buy that TV.
I spoke with a very helpful gentleman in that department. According to what he told me and showed me on their computer, there hasn't been one sold from that store, they have not had them in stock, not a single store in the whole region has them in stock, and neither does their warehouse! He also told me that they could order it via "green screen" or "green & blue" (or something like that) which he explained that they would be ordering it from an outside company but not available until February 6th (over one month from now). That also tells me that there were absolutely none available anywhere.
He even agreed that it is something that should never have been done and when I said that it is "playing dirty pool" he said "Yes it is, and I apologize for it." When their own employees agree on their corporate tactics, that doesn't say very much at all.
That ad should never have been run in the first place and is a blatant act of "bait & switch" - the worst that I have ever seen, since they never even had any in any of the stores or the warehouse.
I had stopped purchasing from Best Buy back in the early 90s because of similar incidents that I saw firsthand (I worked at a competitor), but have since gone back and have shopped there for the last 10 years or so because I was under the impression that upper management had eliminated such practices. I can see that is clearly not the case.
I also wonder if they'll hear from the other two customers (that were asking about the same model) who were also a bit more than just irritated at that stunt.
Unreal. Is it even legal to do something like that? I didn't think so, but...
Jeff
Virginia Beach, Virginia
U.S.A.
I spoke with a very helpful gentleman in that department. According to what he told me and showed me on their computer, there hasn't been one sold from that store, they have not had them in stock, not a single store in the whole region has them in stock, and neither does their warehouse! He also told me that they could order it via "green screen" or "green & blue" (or something like that) which he explained that they would be ordering it from an outside company but not available until February 6th (over one month from now). That also tells me that there were absolutely none available anywhere.
He even agreed that it is something that should never have been done and when I said that it is "playing dirty pool" he said "Yes it is, and I apologize for it." When their own employees agree on their corporate tactics, that doesn't say very much at all.
That ad should never have been run in the first place and is a blatant act of "bait & switch" - the worst that I have ever seen, since they never even had any in any of the stores or the warehouse.
I had stopped purchasing from Best Buy back in the early 90s because of similar incidents that I saw firsthand (I worked at a competitor), but have since gone back and have shopped there for the last 10 years or so because I was under the impression that upper management had eliminated such practices. I can see that is clearly not the case.
I also wonder if they'll hear from the other two customers (that were asking about the same model) who were also a bit more than just irritated at that stunt.
Unreal. Is it even legal to do something like that? I didn't think so, but...
Jeff
Virginia Beach, Virginia
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Captgeech
Winter Park,Florida,
U.S.A.
Just to clarify for Jeff
#2UPDATE Employee
Sat, January 31, 2009
Jeff, I am sorry to hear that you had this bad experience with Best Buy. I cannot speak for Best Buy in the 90's but I can tell you that you were affected by what I commonly call "Customer's don't read enough of the ad" syndrome. I'm not trying to be mean, but the ad that gets circulated via local papers is a NATIONAL Best Buy Ad. It has prices and sales for over 1000 best buy stores. The only time that TV HAD to be in the stores, is if it said Minimum Amount Per Store: Enter number here. Also, you probably spoke to an employee who was talking out of his rear due to a lack of knowledge. Green screen does not order from outside sellers directly, but even if it did, everything you buy ANYWHERE is from an outside seller somehow lol. Green screen simply orders it as a store order and tags it as a store transfer vs. a customer order. I have never seen a store order be more than 5-10 days out, if it is orderable, so i'm not sure what that was all about. You didn't get baited and switched, *whew*. Rest at ease. Regardless, even if the entire state you were in was out of stock of that TV, not all Best Buy stores were, and thats all that mattered. Ya should of ordered it, or spoken to a manager who actually knew what they were doing. (hard to find good help for our stores these days).
Captgeech
Winter Park,Florida,
U.S.A.
Just to clarify for Jeff
#3UPDATE Employee
Sat, January 31, 2009
Jeff, I am sorry to hear that you had this bad experience with Best Buy. I cannot speak for Best Buy in the 90's but I can tell you that you were affected by what I commonly call "Customer's don't read enough of the ad" syndrome. I'm not trying to be mean, but the ad that gets circulated via local papers is a NATIONAL Best Buy Ad. It has prices and sales for over 1000 best buy stores. The only time that TV HAD to be in the stores, is if it said Minimum Amount Per Store: Enter number here. Also, you probably spoke to an employee who was talking out of his rear due to a lack of knowledge. Green screen does not order from outside sellers directly, but even if it did, everything you buy ANYWHERE is from an outside seller somehow lol. Green screen simply orders it as a store order and tags it as a store transfer vs. a customer order. I have never seen a store order be more than 5-10 days out, if it is orderable, so i'm not sure what that was all about. You didn't get baited and switched, *whew*. Rest at ease. Regardless, even if the entire state you were in was out of stock of that TV, not all Best Buy stores were, and thats all that mattered. Ya should of ordered it, or spoken to a manager who actually knew what they were doing. (hard to find good help for our stores these days).
Captgeech
Winter Park,Florida,
U.S.A.
Just to clarify for Jeff
#4UPDATE Employee
Sat, January 31, 2009
Jeff, I am sorry to hear that you had this bad experience with Best Buy. I cannot speak for Best Buy in the 90's but I can tell you that you were affected by what I commonly call "Customer's don't read enough of the ad" syndrome. I'm not trying to be mean, but the ad that gets circulated via local papers is a NATIONAL Best Buy Ad. It has prices and sales for over 1000 best buy stores. The only time that TV HAD to be in the stores, is if it said Minimum Amount Per Store: Enter number here. Also, you probably spoke to an employee who was talking out of his rear due to a lack of knowledge. Green screen does not order from outside sellers directly, but even if it did, everything you buy ANYWHERE is from an outside seller somehow lol. Green screen simply orders it as a store order and tags it as a store transfer vs. a customer order. I have never seen a store order be more than 5-10 days out, if it is orderable, so i'm not sure what that was all about. You didn't get baited and switched, *whew*. Rest at ease. Regardless, even if the entire state you were in was out of stock of that TV, not all Best Buy stores were, and thats all that mattered. Ya should of ordered it, or spoken to a manager who actually knew what they were doing. (hard to find good help for our stores these days).
Carl
Denton,Texas,
U.S.A.
Set is available - not bait and switch
#5Consumer Comment
Mon, January 05, 2009
I saw the same advertisement in North Texas and visited the store in Lewisville, TX. where the set is available. After reading your complaint, I have checked the availability of this HDTV in stores in several Zip codes. Many have the set availible. You can also order the TV through www.bestbuy.com for delivery on or about Jan 11, 2009 in your area. Not bait and switch, simply high demand for a very popular product. BTW, I own the Samsung 52" version of the model 650. Great product. Carl
Ryan
Nope,District of Columbia,
U.S.A.
No ripoff
#6UPDATE Employee
Mon, January 05, 2009
Yet another person who uses the phrase "bait and switch" incorrectly. Bait and switch means they "baited" you to the store with one advertised price on a product and "switched" the advertised product with a higher priced product once you got to the store. According to you, you were offered the product AT THE SALES PRICE but they had to order it because it was out of stock. So there is no bait and switch. What did you expect the salesperson to say when you accused them of playing "dirty pool"? He agreed with you probably so you'd stop being a jerk, but there is no fault on Best Buy's part at all.
Dane
Anchorage,Alaska,
U.S.A.
no
#7UPDATE Employee
Mon, January 05, 2009
that is a lie, Best Buy would not advertise a product and then not actually carry it. i know for a fact that that is a TV that Best Buy currently sells. It might however been out of stock(RAINCHECK!) or it sold out before you got there, and us selling it through a 3rd party company HA! that is BS. that is blatant bait and switch, which is why it is NOT true.
