Best Buy — Attraction in Town of Grand Chute

I’m SUPER frustrated and actually VERY angry about my most recent Best Buy experience.

I went into the (severely under staffed) Car Audio/Installation department with questions about a stereo for my wife's car. There was a single tech in the install bay and he had his hands full….you know…installing. NO ONE was manning the Car Stereo display area.

After an unsuccessful attempt to get answers from another associate who came over (I had to flag down someone in the neighboring computer department to find out if there was anyone who could help me with car stereos since there was NO ONE manning that display area), the store GM (Brian N) came to help me and after he answered most of my questions, I made my decision.

The folks in the installation department were nice but this is where the ball got dropped. Big time.

The lone technician looked up the year, make and model of my wife's vehicle and told me about all the wiring harnesses and trim kits that would be needed to install so I purchased everything that was available in stock, as well as placing an order for an item that wasn't. Because we had to wait for the ordered item to come in, I set an appointment for after the item was scheduled for delivery.

When I go there for the appointment, the tech (still very nice) attempted to verify that we had everything we needed and informed me that if there was a manufacturer’s subwoofer in the car, it would require additional equipment and labor….and yes, there IS a subwoofer in the car.

WHAT?!?!?

This was never mentioned when I was ordering everything I “needed” to complete the install and as it turns out it would add nearly an additional $300 to my $292 initial purchase. Before I left the install bay I was informed that the install could be done without the additional equipment but that I would “lose a lot of sound” if they bypassed the subwoofer. Needless to say, I canceled the job and returned all the equipment on the spot. I assume this was an honest mistake but it was BEST BUY’S mistake and I’m the one paying the price.

SMH.

The entire situation left me with a bitter taste in my mouth that won't likely go away any time soon. Aside of the wasted time (two hours of my own and 45 minutes of my wife’s time), I had to juggle my schedule to make the installation work. We had to take two vehicles to the appointment so I wouldn't have to sit around for a couple of hours at Best Buy. My wife had to juggle her schedule to make it all work and in the end, we did all of this for absolutely nothing.

The take away from all of this is that Best Buy completely screwed up.

The new information that surfaced when I was there for the scheduled installation SHOULD have been provided to me before I had even chosen a stereo. Had it been provided, I'd have gone no further. Nearly $600 for everything needed to install $120 car stereo was never going to happen. $292 was bad enough and that was after their "Free installation" of the head unit. All of the additional costs were in wiring harnesses, trim plates and additional labor, above and beyond the supposed "free installation".

In the time since this unfolded, I have reached out to the store manager and have not heard back from him. Until reading some of the online reviews, I assumed that Best Buy might do something for me to remedy this situation that they created but based on all of the online reviews, it seems that people are just being left hanging and I'm not holding my breath that I’ll be handled any differently.

If I am wrong, I'll happily adjust my review. Things happen. It's how a company chooses to handle these things that makes all the difference.

Let’s see if/how Best Buy chooses to...

This store has given me issues for the past 3 visits ( which are out of the four times I went to this location) I have in fact reviewed the Kensington store and feel that store is top notch customer service and care! The Wisconsin location could take some lessons from the Kensington store with their workers and especially management team! The first visit the manager Caitlyn was rude and argumentative about a process that I was given at the Kensington store . When I was explaining what took place she kept cutting me off. The second visit I interacted with manager Elisha with which I was suppose to be given a sale price on a washer and dryer set that I just purchased . I have no idea why the employee in appliances told me to go to the Kensington store to get the price adjusted because I found out later he could have done the adjustment there when I brought it to his attention. However, when I went back into the store with receipts in hand I was told “no” on top of the manager Elisha was not listening to my explanation of what took place. He kept twisting what I was saying and did not listen to what took place and kept telling me to go to theKensington store to do it if they had said they would give me the adjustment... I kept telling him his employee is the one that said it not the Kensington store . As he kept repeating this I just took my paperwork and said management needs retraining and he was not listening to a word I said. I walked out frustrated for the second time! The third time (give people second chances theory) I was going to purchase a Lebo set for my son. I asked John why the set said 39.00 at this location and not the other. He said I don’t know but you will get that price. When it was time to check out he changed his mind. He went to Che k the display (and was very confused as well until he check the small print number on the sale tag versus the lebo set which is usually 69.99. I followed him to check out and he started telling me it was for a different set. I asked him how Irs possible that he isn’t going to honor it when he himself couldn’t figure out why it was there and how I could get that it was on sale PLUS HE ALREADY SAID I WOULD GET THAT PRICE! He told me he wouldn’t do it And I told him this is the third time this store has put me in a frame of mind where my confidence in Best Buy has diminished with each visit!!! I had even called corporate on these matters because the treatment was beyond stressful! The Kensington store would have honored that price! They would have been thorough and understanding and they would have kept bringing me back (like they have and I spent thousands in the last couple of months)! Not because I really have to HAVE or NEED ITEMS BUT BECAUSE OF THE AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE I RECEIVE! Do yourselves a favor and stick with the Kensington store ! This store compared to the Greenbay location and Wisconsin st location is by far better and great at what they do! They are a team and everyone of them work for the customer including doing price matches without being asked! They care about the money you spend and being satisfied with...

I remember the days where I could go into Best Buy to relax, casually peruse the items, get some direct and knowledgeable answers to questions, and occasionally make some purchases. I feel like those days might be gone. This review represents multiple visits attempting to make a few big purchases.

Starting with the store, it is currently organized in what has to be the most confusing and inconvenient way possible. For questions on a product or product line, good luck finding an employee to help or, if you do, find the correct employee working the correct department. On one of my visits. I actually took time to assist an older lady who I noticed roaming around and we finally tracked down an employee, once that person was done with a personal conversation, and they finally assisted her before I resumed my search for myself.

There is a QR code you can use to join a queue. It is possible this actually works for some people but for me, after scanning the code and waiting for 10-20 min I had to just go ask someone.

Regarding the assistance you will receive it is a mixed bag. There are a number of items available in store, but fewer that the store is pushing. If you want one of those items, 4 people are available to check you out and upsell you on add ons. For most of my items, getting employee assistance was kind of painful. One assisted me with an audible sigh, simply stating I could buy anything they had in stock, what else did I need? Another was more helpful but upon returning home I did some research and found most of the answers I had been given were wrong.

At Best Buy I am usually making bigger purchases and looking to order the version or options I want, and ask the questions that help me make those choices. Most conversations I was able to have however had a lot to do with what their store got credit for, often stating that I could go to a different store or order online if I wanted the item in a different color or option - or anything other than what the had in store. I asked if I could buy something from Best Buy and pick it up at my local store; I was told I could not. When discussing availability or future availability of items that Best Buy carries but were not available in store now, one employee simply told me to buy somewhere else. Okay, I will.

It is with no anger or animosity that I leave my comment, but more so apathy. The communication from the store lately is clear, 'these are the items we are interested in selling you; buy them or get out.' With the fact that there are plenty of other small retailers who are struggling and therefore really interested in helping you and earning your business, or online retailers where I have to do all my own research but can also make my own purchase customizations, I am not sure what the reason is for Best Buy to...