Best Buy Xbox 360 Software update (only $30 more than stock price!))

richdmoore

richdmoore

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Yeah, it's pretty amazing that they can get away with this. I would hope that Microsoft would have an issue with them providing a free update for $30.

http://consumerist.com/5372757/best-buy-opens-360s-updates-firmware-slaps-30-more-onto-price-tag


Best Buy Opens 360s, Updates Firmware, Slaps $30 More Onto Price Tag
By Phil Villarreal, 10:33 AM on Fri Oct 2 2009, 7,428 views

Bryan sent us this photo he shot at a local Best Buy that shows a helpful employee named Kim has opened an Xbox 360, hooked it up to the internet and pressed the "X" button, downloading the latest system update. For all this hard, un-requested work, she also added $29.99 to the sticker price.

Bryan writes:

Just wanted to share what my local Best Buy here in [redacted] was doing to rip the unaware off. They are taking brand new Xbox 360 Elites and opening them and updating the system software, and as you can see in the photo, charging people 29.99 for a service that is available for free!!! Now do they discount these units after they have opened them, nope full price for all. Now I don't know if Microsoft is aware that Best Buy is tampering with the seal and replacing with a Best Buy branded "Inspected By". Sorry for the crappy pics but it's a cheap cell phone don't usually take pics, but readers beware of their new scheme. Thanks Best Buy — way to stick it to the uninformed.

I really should have slapped this with the "above and beyond" tag. Just look at that penmanship! And the exquisite rectangle! It adds the appropriate amount of class to the endeavor.
 
At Best Buy, I also saw Wii for an extra $80 (!) with all updates and parental controls set. This was not a bundle--no extra controllers or games at all. I thought that was ridiculous, too.
 
Businesses do this kind of thing all the time. 99% of the time if the service were to be offered beforehand and the customer is asked to wait for them to do it or come back later to pick it up the customer is going to say no. But if its done already and the customer is new to the technology then there's a chance to upsell. Obviously you and me would never buy it but if a mom were to be buying an xbox for little Jimmy then it might sound like a good idea. She doesn't know how to update it. Why not let someone else do it for her. It's similar to instore setups for computers. But the pricing is still out of whack for that kind of thing.

Keep in mind that Best Buy is a business and they're out there to make money. Shouldn't be a suprise.
 
That they do it is no surprise, and probably appreciated by some, but the price is ridiculous. I can't imagine it took them an hour to do that, so that is way beyond the price they charge for other computer checks and Geek Squad hourly service rates.

It smacks more of taking advantage of the ignorant rather than providing a "valuable" service.
 
I got no problem with stores offering services for folks who are not too technologically-inclined, but this is pretty nutty. $30 for something that took minutes? Not to mention that if someone is buying a 360, they either can handle that beyond simple task themselves, or the person they are giving it to can.
 
Well, most of you forget to realize. What if the person BUYING the 360 is not buying it for themselves, but for their chimpanzee or baby. Did you think of that?! Best Buy should be rewarded for being so courteous.
 
i will do it for $15 XD :D hahhahahaha...

i know, they also "optimize" laptop computers for 30 dlls, (they only put classic theme on the appearence)
 
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