Best Buy uses internal web site to deny deals

Damian

Damian

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Found this in my local paper today, our state AG is going after them.
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-watchdog0302,0,5198012.column?coll=hc-utility-local

Apparently Best Buy has an internal website that looks identical to the public site, but with different pricing. If a customer comes in asking about a deal they saw on Best Buy's site, a BB employee can pull up the intranet site and deny it. BB claims that they're "reminding employees" to use bestbuy.com and not the intranet.

Edit: Here's a story from a few weeks ago reporting the investigation and here is the original watchdog column describing the first guy's experience.
 
That would explain why my friend raised hell when they told him he had to $50 more for the RAM card he wanted. It was $129 on their website and they said it was $179 when they brought the site up.
 
I noticed that a long time ago when the touch generation DS games were on sale for $24.99 and Tetris DS was $24.99 online, but at the store and on the store's internal website it was still $29.99
 
This is the principle behind the bestbuy anime clearance list. Their internal website shows the clearance prices while bestbuy.com often doesn't so it works oppositely this time.
 
I tell people at my store that the prices are different on our internal site than the one at home. I'm told I can't price match it some times, but I always try to just order the item for the customer for instore pick up. It takes about 20 minutes for the order to process, but it saves the customer money when my manager won't let me price match it.
 
[quote name='judyjudyjudy']I thought Best Buy doesn't price match their website anyway. That's what they've always told me.[/QUOTE]

It's clearly stated on their website that they will:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site//olspage.jsp?type=page&contentId=1043363603302&id=cat12098

Online Price Guarantee
We will refund 100% of the difference if a price on our Web site is reduced within 30 days* of the shipping, pickup or delivery date....

We will honor the lower price only if it is displayed on our Web site when you notify us.
 
[quote name='iamthekiller']It's clearly stated on their website that they will:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site//olspage.jsp?type=page&contentId=1043363603302&id=cat12098

Online Price Guarantee
We will refund 100% of the difference if a price on our Web site is reduced within 30 days* of the shipping, pickup or delivery date....

We will honor the lower price only if it is displayed on our Web site when you notify us.[/QUOTE]I think you're quoting the wrong section. That's for buying stuff online through their website. I think you mean this llink:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site//olspag...=cat10001&contentId=1118843518460&id=cat12098

What if I find a lower price at another Best Buy store or on BestBuy.com?
If an item you purchased at Best Buy is advertised at a lower price at another Best Buy store in your local area or on BestBuy.com within 30 days of your original receipt purchase (14 days for select categories*), we will refund you 100% of the price difference. Simply bring in your original Best Buy receipt to the customer service counter while that lower price is still in effect. Clearance items, open-box items or Web-exclusive offers advertised on BestBuy.com are not eligible for price matching.
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm going crazy, because I'm pretty sure they used to not pricematch their website... but since they do now, then yeah, using the internal website to prevent pricematching is bad.
 
My favorite line of the article:

Company spokesman Justin Barber, who in early February denied the existence of the internal website that could be accessed only by employees, says his company is "cooperating fully" with the state attorney general's investigation.
Click to expand...

All Best Buy has to do is switch their intranet server over to the real BestBuy.com site whenever they are being "investigated." Then afterwards its back to business as usual.

Online Price Guarantee
We will refund 100% of the difference if a price on our Web site is reduced within 30 days* of the shipping, pickup or delivery date....

We will honor the lower price only if it is displayed on our Web site when you notify us.
Click to expand...

That is why you bring a print out of the page with you. It gives a bit more leverage when you have a little evidence with you compared to just walking in and going "well I saw (item X) on your website for (price X)."

Maybe I'm going crazy, because I'm pretty sure they used to not pricematch their website... but since they do now, then yeah, using the internal website to prevent pricematching is bad.
Click to expand...

I think its pathetic when a company will go to extremes like that just to chicken out of following their own said publically stated policies. People wonder why I advoid Best Buy like the black plague. This is one of the reasons why.
 
[quote name='judyjudyjudy']I think you're quoting the wrong section. That's for buying stuff online through their website. I think you mean this llink:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site//olspage.jsp?type=page&entryURLType=&entryURLID=&categoryId=cat10001&contentId=1118843518460&id=cat12098

Maybe I'm going crazy, because I'm pretty sure they used to not pricematch their website... but since they do now, then yeah, using the internal website to prevent pricematching is bad.[/quote] They do PM their own website, though they loathe to do it.

And any PM to BB's pricing is only at 100%, not 110%. That's reserved for competitors.

[quote name='Demolition Man']All Best Buy has to do is switch their intranet server over to the real BestBuy.com site whenever they are being "investigated." Then afterwards its back to business as usual.

That is why you bring a print out of the page with you. It gives a bit more leverage when you have a little evidence with you compared to just walking in and going "well I saw (item X) on your website for (price X)."

I think its pathetic when a company will go to extremes like that just to chicken out of following their own said publically stated policies. People wonder why I advoid Best Buy like the black plaque. This is one of the reasons why.[/quote]
Always why I go in there with the intentions of using the in-store computers for that kind of crap. Which only works when the item isn't a deleted SKU. :whistle2:s

Also, you avoid BB like the black plaque? Tooth problems, anyone? :rofl:
 
They must have changed the price matching their website policy sometime within the last few years because around early 2004, I wanted an item that was $7.99 on BestBuy.com with a high shipping charge and $12.99 in store. They wouldn't match the web price saying it was online only. I ended up ordering it online while in the store and did some other shopping and picked it up at the $7.99 price, but it was a hassle and an extra step.

I'm also not surprised to hear this intranet site. In my opinion, BB is only second to EB/Gamestop for misleading/taking advantage of customers.
 
Sneaky... I can't be too angry with Best Buy though, as I have been getting some excellent deals on video games there for several months now.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']Also, you avoid BB like the black plaque? Tooth problems, anyone? :rofl:[/QUOTE]

:rofl:

Somehow I thought I typed "black plague" which is what I meant. :lol:
 
[quote name='Brian9824']This is the principle behind the bestbuy anime clearance list. Their internal website shows the clearance prices while bestbuy.com often doesn't so it works oppositely this time.[/quote]


Yup. My fav was Last Exile. Instore order from bestbuy.com = $32. BestBuy.com order from outside the store? $180 or so.
 
[quote name='Pookymeister']Yup. My fav was Last Exile. Instore order from bestbuy.com = $32. BestBuy.com order from outside the store? $180 or so.[/quote]

So does this mean the end for cheap in-store kiosk anime? Man, I've abused the heck out of that.

Can they wait on investigating Best Buy until after Farscape drops in price?
 
This is new? Ive known about this for years. The 'website' in the store reflects there own inventory and prices at THAT store.
 
my best buy will price match their online website if you print out the page and bring it in ^_^ so I benefit from this both ways

anime clearance yet still get the online deals in store
 
In all honesty this seems more like a few employee's and stores manipluating the system to take advantage of people then bestbuy as a whole.
 
best buy is ran wierd circuit city couldve took over if they pointed out all best buys weakspots in the public.
 
[quote name='Brian9824']This is the principle behind the bestbuy anime clearance list. Their internal website shows the clearance prices while bestbuy.com often doesn't so it works oppositely this time.[/QUOTE]

Which is why i'm surprised so many people didn't know about this, I just assumed it was common knowledge by now.
 
This story certainly makes me glad that I rarely shop at BB. Crap prices, no GGC where I live, pushy employees and now fraud facilitated in store. No thanks.

Although, the rare times I shop there I tend to get price mistakes, which is fun. Got a mislabeled Command and Conquer Tiberium Wars the day it came out for half price. A few months ago I got Heroes of Might and Magic V and the expansion at sale prices that had ended. On two consecutive weeks, even had the same cashier, that was fun. Workers forgot to take down the old price labels on the shelves so I reaped the benefit.
 
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