Best Buy — Local services in Fayetteville

Historically, Best Buy has been good to me. Today I went to this store to spend $570 on a new desktop for my dad. Online inventory said there was only 1 left, but you can never trust that, and I was hoping to check one thing on the computer first. Well, I showed up and it was pretty clear this store was under-staffed (isn't everywhere these days...). There was one person working in the computer area, Jorge. Poor Jorge was stuck with the neediest ritzy people asking 1,000 questions and wanting to look at the entire computer section. He did stop to ask if I needed something, but I told him I was willing to wait for him to finish with his current customers; it would be rude of me to try and jump in while they were still being served, since it was their turn. That's the norm, people wait their turn, right? I guess the customers he had expected the VIP tour (Jorge later confirmed with me that he tried to call someone over to help). I was already about 15 minutes into waiting at that point. 10 minutes later Will arrives to the computer area, but he asked the same couple Jorge was helping if THEY needed help (Jorge was off checking on anti-virus software or something real quick). I was standing near the counter where their signage says to wait, where most people would wait when next in line. Will decides to circle all the way around the computer area to ask some lady who just arrived 90 seconds earlier if she needed help. She did, and he helped her for a little while. I later learned from Jorge that Best Buy, whether it is just this store or all of Best Buy, uses a "queue" system, where a customer must approach a worked for help, which puts them in the "queue" (more on that policy later). But why have a queue system if your employees (e.g., Will) are going to disregard it? I was there to buy a computer, so I was there to spend some money. I decided I would have to purchase the computer using my phone, then hope I could do the pickup option soon after. I ordered it, walked over to the pickup counter, and Isaac was very friendly and helpful, letting me know he'd ask someone to go grab the computer from their stock. Jorge seemed to be doing his best. I can't fault him for snobby customers that want to take 45 minutes to decide on a computer (I waited around until Jorge got free to chat with him, so I could offer an accurate account in my review). Maybe the snobby customers were just too ignorant about computers, maybe they had no conscience or consideration for others, idk. I did my research at home and arrived ready to buy. Why screw everyone else over in a selfish manner when I can research current specs and be efficient instead.

This queue system is an extremely bad policy, as demonstrated by my visit today. It's a poorly thought out "method" that doesn't really qualify as a method; it's lazy business, or maybe a poor compensation for being under-staffed. You're basically passing the burden to the customer for work that the store should be doing FOR the customer who shows up to spend good money at the business. Someone like myself who patiently and calmly waited my turn gets screwed over. Next thing you know people will be rudely jumping in on business being properly conducted just to get themselves in the queue; that's such a bad look. Of course, if someone were to make a stink in the store over being passed over, even if just to sternly but with civility state facts, they'd be called rude. I chose the civilized approach and got penalized for it. Customers pay for service, the cost of doing business is built into the prices we pay for goods and services, and this policy seeks to abuse that paradigm by making the customer do the job of the employees for them. Keep it up Best Buy and you'll start losing customers left and right for extremely poor customer service policies. The store manager or whoever can reply to my comment, but there is no justification for this weak, lazy, and impotent policy. There wasn't a manager to be found anyway, so I sure didn't see any leadership presence in all the time I was...

Extremely disappointed in my experience today. Went in to purchase a dual monitor and case for my laptop. Had to wait a decent amount of time which I was ok with as the associates I could see were assisting other customers. I was eventually assisted by a gentleman who was able to quickly direct me to the monitor I was in search of. He quickly went off and did not offer to check me out at the available register nearby as many locations that I’ve visited in the past have offered before. Wasn’t a huge deal as the main checkout was close to the exit. Went to checkout and was assisted by a lady with a face mask who quickly rang me up. After totaling my items I noticed that the case I selected rang up $40 more than the listed price which I then brought up to her. She immediately seemed irritated and said “well that’s what it rings up as so that’s the price” I reiterated to her that the tag listed for the item reflected $99 instead of $139. She informed me to go back over to where I got the item and see if someone was free to help validate the price. Took a minute to find someone to assist which they informed me they were tied up and would call someone over. Shortly after a gentleman comes over who i presume was the manager on duty. He walks up and clearly has an expression on his face which let me know he was clearly inconvenienced or having a bad day. I quickly explain to him the situation and he pops the tag off the fixture and tells me to “Just take the tag up front” in a tone as if it was common sense and I should have already known what to do. He then walks off. I go to the front and hand the cashier the tag and she seemed confused at first and eventually responds that the tag doesn’t match the product I selected. At this point I understood that a mistake had obviously occurred and that the wrong product had been stocked in that spot but as a retail manager myself I understand that most companies will match the listed price. I expressed to her that I would like to match the price which seemed to irritate her further. She radios up for a manager and of course it’s the same man from earlier who quickly dismissed me. He slowly strolls up and clearly seemed irritated about the whole situation. The whole times she keeps repeating over and over that it’s the wrong product. He seemed to dismiss her as well and kept responding with “ ya I know” with a smirk on his face. He never acknowledges me or the inconvenience of the situation but surprisingly overrides price and walks off. I thank him which he never responds too. I thank her for the assistance which she never acknowledges or responds either. All and all I got the product I was looking for at the price listed but the entire interaction and experience left a bad taste in my mouth. In a day and age where most people shop online and lean more towards vendors like Amazon for equivalent products it’s essential for businesses like Best Buy to separate themselves from these other options and highlight themselves as a preferred option because they can offer that human connection. The fast, friendly and knowledgeable experts and this location failed horribly. Please do better. I’m sure they couldn’t care less but I will never shop this...

I have had multiple issues at this store. My wife and I purchased iPhone screen protectors with life time warranties about 16 months ago. Every time we have them replaced, there have been problems. The first time they could not find the purchases on my account and I had to present my receipts. Not a huge deal, they said they would fix it. Then next time, same issue, but they assured me they fixed it and told me to just give them my phone number next time and my account was updated.

A couple months ago, while they had the store locked down we warrantied the screen protectors. We called ahead to make sure they were open and would install screen protectors. They said yes, but said we could not enter the store. We said no problem and went to the store.

Again, They could not find the purchase on my account and I was ready with the receipt saved in my emails, Again they assured me they fixed it in my account. Then they took our phones, removed the cracked screen protectors off and gave us the phones and new protectors. We asked if they could install them; no it’s against our policy. We told them that we called before coming and were told they were installing them. Assistant Manger Sandy, seemed annoyed that we dare to point out the miss information, was not helpful and said it was store policy during COVID that they could not touch our phones. I pointed out that the employee took both our phones into the store to remove the old protectors and she again said it was against store policy to touch our phones. I was annoyed, but I just let it go.

Today we go to get them warrantied. Of course we have to present the receipt because they can’t find the purchase on my Best Buy Account under the same phone number I have had been using for 15 years.

They are out of stock on that screen protector. So they refund our money and we buy 2 “better” ones that cost us $10 extra per phone and then they refuse to install them unless we pay an $8 install fee. The same Assistant Manager, Sandy, tells me that since I didn’t pay $8 to have them installed when I initially purchased the screen protectors over a year ago, they will not install them. Of course I bring up the fact that they had installed them when we purchased them and at least 4 times when we have warrantied them, but she insists that those employees were violating store policy and should not have done that.

I understand mistakes can be made, but this is a pretty simple transaction. Most importantly when I expressed my frustration with the repeated account issues and contradictions, the Asst. Manger Sandy was not helpful and did not leave me feeling like my next visit will...