Best Buy — Local services in Salinas

I had an appointment for a Double-Din radio install with video at the Salinas, CA Best Buy location on July 10th. The auto tech, Jim, did not hook up my backup camera with the new radio install and I have been without it since. He neglected to call me to inform me that the backup camera could/would not be connected and just gave me my car back with that missing AND the USB port in the car that connects to the radio no longer working. This port is needed for Android Auto, which is the entire reason I bought the head unit in the first place. So I came out of the install with 2 things not working in my car that were working prior to the appointment. I have struggled to get a redo appointment since. I am very unhappy that I have a safety feature now missing from my car and I don't even have the feature I wanted out of my head unit due to a failed install.

This installation was for a 2017 Toyota 86 Special Edition. I went through the Geek Squad Vehicle Fit Guide and purchased every part that it recommended for the install of the particular head unit I bought. This included a USB harness that the installer simply did not use and probably was necessary for the USB port he left not working. A few days after the install, the store's ASM, Mike, callled to explain to me that the backup camera was not connected due to the car's camera being digital and the head unit's video signal input being analog. He said this could be fixed with another product they sell and some custom work from the installer which would involve splicing a cable. I had specifically mentioned in the comments section of my appointment entry that I would be happy to pay for any missing accessories or services neccessary for the install, which Mike acknowledged when he called me after the failed install. Despite this, Jim failed to call me to inform me that there were any issues and decided to go forward with an incomplete installation when he should have simply consulted me. I would have been fine with either not going forward with the install, or paying for the additional required product and custom work. This product, by the way, does not appear on the vehicle fit guide. (SKU 4630722) I have since purchased this product at the store but I cannot get another appointment to redo the install. Jim should have just added this product to my bill and gotten it done.

Since this event, I was instructed to wait until today, Thursday, July 16th to call the store to see if new appointments have opened up, because this is the day the new installer is supposed to be posted. I called the store at 10:00 AM Pacific when they opened, waited on hold for 25 minutes, and was told the scheduler has not been updated and to call again later. The employee could not give me an estimate for when the schedule would be up. I had tried to create a new appointment on the website today prior to calling. I reluctantly created an appointment at the Mountain View store which is over an hour away from me, and the earliest I could get is August 2nd. I did this because I won't be surprised if the Salinas store continues to let me down. Although I'd much rather go to the Salinas store 10 minutes from my house than the Mountain View store over an hour away, at the beginning of next month.

I have been without a key safety feature, my backup camera, for six days and counting due to a botched installation. This is unacceptable. Best Buy has repeatedly failed to accommodate a redo appointment to fix this error, even after instructing me to wait nearly a week only to, so far today, hear nothing about when I might be able to get this fixed.

Update: Jim was able to fix the backup camera but left my dash cam no longer working in parking mode. Took my car to Mobile Audio and Electronics in Salinas. They fixed it quickly and explained that Jim had mismatched 2 color-coded wires which was why parking mode no longer worked. He put red to yellow and yellow to red instead of matching and ran the USB power incorrectly. Mobile Audio and Electronics explained everything and everything in my car...

I today had the worst experience I have ever had at Best Buy. I came to purchase a pair of ear buds with my family, that's it. I was ready to make my purchase but my family was not so I decided to go look around. Either this Best Buy designates certain employees to serve you throughout your time at the store or they don't know the difference between a thief and a customer holding merchandise in their hand. While I was looking around the game section I noticed the manager which I've had unpleasant encounters with before, assisting to a customer in the same isle as me. Right then and there I decided to browse and walk in the opposite direction as her, as I did not want to be confronted by this lady. As I walked away some other co-worker of hers asked me how I was doing today and I answered with "great. . ." I then headed over to the CDs just to get away and prevent an unpleasant day at Best Buy for myself. After scanning through the CDs I walked towards the samsung phones as that was where I last saw my family. As I walked to the phones I noticed my family wasn't there and I also noticed the shrimpy manager and her co-worker walking my way. I just thought "oh great" to myself. To my inconvenience, the co-worker stood right across from me as if he was. . . I absolutely do not know what he thought he was doing standing there. I decided to call my family on my phone and ask what part of the store they were and turned the other way. I did not want to look at his or the manager's annoying face. I noticed my family were up front near the desk at the exit/entrance doors and walked over to them to let them know I was going to buy my ear buds so we could leave. Once I was in line at the cash registers I noticed a huddle of workers at the front desk, manager and same co-worker I spoke of, included. I don't know if it was all me misunderstanding but if you ask me, I felt as if I was being followed. I don't think they know what good customer service is. As a "dedicated" returning customer to many Best Buy stores, as many others are, I just want to say that this isn't the first time that this has happened. I've just have had it with this Best Buy in Salinas. Every other Best Buy I have been to has given me good customer service. I know good customer service. The cashiers and few other employees are always very nice and deliver every time, with smiles. The few others that I won't mention and I already have are always uptight and seem to not enjoy talking to others but their own "clan". I don't care to leave any kind of ratings and I'm all too bored writing this one but I am so annoyed of these people with their cheap service. I would stop coming to this Best Buy but because there is only one in this city, I have to deal with this. I don't want to go to the next city just to buy. . . (ear buds). I'm so tempted to do so but to much hassle just for ear...

You should walk right out as soon as you come in.

From the get-go, I'm rarely greeted by the receptionist/receipt-checker whenever I walk in and it takes forever to get someone to help you out. Last year, I went in to check out smartwatches, as I was seriously considering buying one, and after a quick browse, I had my eyes set on the new Moto 360 Watch. I did some comparrisons online and found that they were cheaper but I didn't have the patience to wait for it (it was my only day off and I really wanted to treat myself). So a minute went by, and it quickly turned to five to ten to twenty-five and I was still standing there just looking at the damn thing. Funny thing that it's right next to customer service and in direct view of the associates!!! I looked around the desks and aisles to ask for help but they were too busy chatting or laughing it up with coworkers. I ended up leaving but somehow kept waltzing back in and out in hope of catching their attention. They still didn't get the hint even after I returned about 5 or 6 times. I finally saw one that wasn't busy so I asked him if I could get help but he just ended up telling me that it wasn't his zone. Words can't describe the anger they put me through so I just walked out. Probably the best decision I made because I ended up buying it on Amazon for $100 cheaper later that week.

Seems they don't learn either. Once in a while I go in to keep myself updated and kill some time while I'm at it. Just a few days ago I was walking around the appliances and overheard a couple bickering whether or not to buy a set of washers; after a while they got fed up of waiting at the register and stormed out. By the sound of it, they most likely headed over to Sears (excellent choice lol).

I feel bad for the residents of the valley because it's been this horrible since Circuit City closed. It's almost as if they stopped caring because they've realized that they're the only store on the block that specializes in tech. For me, it all goes back to 2012, where I had an abysmal experience with their car audio installation department (something to do with racial profiling). Do yourself a favor; spend an extra 10 minutes and drive out to the Best Buy in Marina, where they actually talk and care for you, because if you shop here, you'll definitely be getting...