Best Buy — Local services in New York

I bought a $1300 LG monitor (C3) on Nov11 and returned it on Nov13, as it was too big. Immediately after the return, I asked to purchase an $1800 Samsung OLED monitor (G95SC). It took almost 30minutes for them to bring up the Samsung monitor from their storage area. It was close to closing time, and there were almost. No customers in the store but there were plenty of staff just roaming around doing absolutely nothing. I should've walked out right there. What could have taken so long?

Well when I opened the box at home, i noticed it had been taped up with different tape than the original manufacturer packing tape on the outside of the box. Instant alarms were going off in my head. As I sorted through the various parts I noticed the insulated bags were ripped then taped over with masking tape, there were scratches on the back of the monitor, scratches and discoloration on the stand, and it was missing one of the cables it was supposed to come with. Clearly this was a used monitor. Perhaps the lengthy wait was due to them repackaging a used monitor as new while I waited.

I brought the monitor back the next day and asked for a manager. The miserable girl at the customer service counter (no badge and didn't bother to introduce herself) was very unpleasant. Dead eyes, dead voice, absolutely no people skills, and the attitude of a scorned toddler. She begrudgingly called a manager, who came over and introduced himself as Levon. I calmly explained the situation and he said he would have to check the contents of the box and make sure the screen wasn't cracked. Upon verifying all was in order he was ready to accept the return, until the giant miserable dead-eyed toddler spoke up and said she wanted to plug in the screen to make sure it worked. As I watched her lift up the massive super-ultra wide monitor up by the corner (a serious risk for torsion damage), I objected as they'd sold me a used monitor and I was not going to be responsible for someone else's actions. Dead Eyes just smiled, and Levon said that he was sure it would be fine but if it was damaged, then it would be a different story.

Amazingly, Levon let Dead-Eyes carry the monitor back into their secret customer service area all by herself. After a minute or two I heard a big crash and then another. I walked back there and saw Dead-Eyes huffing and puffing, clearly clueless and struggling with the monitor. I asked her if she was OK and needed help, and she snapped back that I was not allowed back there. I told her I heard a crash and wanted to make sure she didn't drop the monitor. Dead-Eyes said if I didn't exit her secret clubhouse area she would call security, so obviously I walked back to the counter. Then I heard another crash. At this point I was pretty nervous. Was Dead Eyes about to pin damage she'd just inflicted on me. And send me home packing with a used, and now broken monitor? Luckily Dead Eyes came back out and murmured that the monitor was fine.

At this point I asked Dead Eyes for the manager again, and she called him over but only after having a private word with him. Levin asked me if I wanted another monitor and I said I just wanted the same monitor, except brand new, and not a used one that was disguised as new. He said they could do that, or they could give me the used one at a lower open box price. I told him no, that Dead Eyes had abused the used monitor even more when she was in the back alone. Furthermore I asked what he could do in way of compensation as they'd exhibited extremely poor business practice in trying to pawn off a used monitor as new, while also wasting my time making trips back and forth. He very bluntly said no. No gift card, no reduction in price, nothing.

So I took my full refund, wished Levon and Dead Eyes a Happy Thanksgiving, and will never buy anything from any Best Buy again. They're absolute thieves, incompetent when it comes to handling their tech, and lack basic people skills.

I went and bought the same monitor from MicroCenter immediately afterwards. If you need anything electronic,stay away...

Read to the end!

Arrived with about 15 minutes left till close and service was faster than usual/expected ... After a quick 5 min browsing sesh I joined the short line that was formed by the register in the laptop/computing/monitor section and was attended to in less than 5 minutes. There was a manager there who may have provided "inspiration" to the associates working that section which brings me to my 4/5 star rating instead of 5/5 star.

At first it was the manager and one associate, both assisting customers. The associate finished checking out her customer and began to leave the register area at which point the manager reminded her of the two customers standing in line (myself and the gentleman in front of me). The associate seemingly did not hear the request and continued her egress out of the area. Meanwhile, I, despite my significantly farther distance from the manager, very clearly heard his request. Upon a second request, the associate begrudgingly looked at her watch, mentioned something about the time, and sauntered over to summon the "next customer in line". It was clear that if the manager didnt insist she do her job myself and the customer in front of me would have been S.O.L.

Tonight, this unnamed manager, became the unsung hero, not only for the before mentioned anecdote, but for additionally (mid-assist of his own customer mind you) commandeering a darting blue shirt to assist me. Whether it was due to the timing of my visit or just proper/good customer service, his management provided for an expedited pleasant experience that isn't always provided at Best Buy (any location I have found). It's usually a "Hunger Games" type environment to grab the attention of a Best Buy employee to assist you. Sparing the employee any embarrassment, his management style was firm, yet respectful, unassuming and without fanfare or spectacle.

Takeaway:

Stand in line at a register whether or not you're actually ready to complete a transaction as associates should and will assist the "next customer in line" rather than leaving the line of customers to engage the confused roving best buy customer in their natural environment

Good managers lead by example. I'm sure this manager, just like his employees, had tasks to complete to ready the store for closing, yet he continued to take customers right up until 8pm (closing time on a Saturday).

Young employees will continue to be ornery even when instructed to do something by their manager who is doing the exact same task at the exact same time.

Arrive early or at least prepared... I did not begin my research of a computer monitor 15 minutes before the close of Best Buy. More like an hour before when my work computer crapped out at 7pm and I had a 50 minute walk to the store. As I power walked the 50 minutes (in just 40 I might add) I simultaneously researched, priced, and selected my monitor. This made for a seamless transaction with minutes to spare. It's 2023 ... Put that amazing little computer in your pocket to use and download the app for the store your visiting it is sure to have awesome tools that make the in-store experience that much better.

and finally... I have regrettably become one of those obnoxious Google Map contributors who believes they are writing a review for the New York Times or Engadget complete with anecdotes, words like "ornery" , and a Takeaway section... To all my loved ones,...

I bought a 65 inch flat screen TV and a TV stand at this best buy. The day I bought the tv, and loaded it into my car, I needed to temporarily remove a hatchback panel to fit it all in, and was going to put the panel in the back seat. I loaded everything but forgot the car panel (the piece that covers the trunk in a hatchback) on the road behind the car. When I got back to my house I realised what I had done, and immediately called the best buy to ask them if they could see the panel, and if so, please just hold on to it for me while I made my way back. The first person I spoke with said she could see the panel and would get it but just wanted to check with the manager. The manager of the best buy told her not to. I asked to speak with the manager to explain what I needed and that I would be right back . I spoke with her and pleaded my case: That I would be back in 30 min, that I had just spend over $1000 dollars at the best buy, and if she could just put it to the side for me I would very grateful . She proceeded to tell me that she could see the panel, but that it was"not her job" to do that, and that she would not step out of the front door of the store to do this. I asked her, as a person, that I understood it wasn't her job, but just as a favor to me, if she could just pick it out of the street so it didn't get damaged, and she could leave it on the sidewalk if she wanted to. She absolutely refused and repeated it wasn't her job. I have to say this was horrible service, especially considering I had just spent over a thousand dollars at the store. I didn't feel like it was asking much to walk out the doors right in front of the store and just pick up a panel and out it aside so it wouldn't get damaged. For context, the panel was about 10 feet from the front of the store. I was not asking them to cross any streets, go down the street or anything, but to literally open their front door, and pick it up from right in front of them. I included a photo of...