best buy reward zone card changes

I have several questions. I currently have a card I bought around last august. I tried to see if i could get it renewed but the best buy people said it wasn't possible until it expired.

1)Is there anyway to, other than the listed way..or find out when it expires?

2)I've heard a rumor and I'm trying to find out if it is legitmate. ..the rumor is that after august 31, ie sept the reward zone cards are changing and instead of being like $150 for $5 it going to be more like $250 for $5?

Is this true or something to this extent?

If so is there anyway I can renew my card ahead of expiration or should I just pick up another new one? As from what I understand the reward exchange price doesn't happen until sept.

Anyone heard of what I'm talking about perhaps?

reward zone is now free, so you dont have to worry

Yes, the rewardzone is now free as long as you make one purchase a year. And to answer your question, yes it now takes 250 to get $5 dollar certificates. It kinda sucks, but oh well, free money is free mony.

Kinda sucks? I'd say it really sucks. A lousy 2% discount on each $250 is meaningless when you take in to account BB's prices are already higher than they should be. Add that to their legendary Customer Disservice, restocking fees, and general ickyness, and you should avoid them like the bird flu. I haven't bought anything there in at least a year, and I have no reason to ever go back. They were fairly decent a few years ago, but those days are gone.

That blows.. I just bought a RZ membership about 2 weeks ago.

I better get my HDTV points (they rejected it the first time)..

Guess I'd better hurry and redeem those points before the change.

Personally, I'd say that the changes to the reward zone program mean that the main reason to have one is to get the "member-only" coupons. (similar to Borders' free reward program)

No wonder I haven't been receiving coupons as fast anymore

If its free now, I might as well sign up. Was at one yesterday to get a GGC. Something that an idiot at my closest BB told was "discontinued"

It won't help to renew early, as at the change over they're going to convert all your points anyway.

It does kinda suck that it will go up $100 to get a $5 certificate but like someone else said, free money is free money. The fact that they always price match CC or Fry's makes it just fine for me. My BB is just as close as Target, CC, TRU, WM for me so I try to do most of my entertainment and electronics purchases there. Out of all those stores they're the only one who offers a program like this so I'll stick with them as much as I can.

And to the poster above who said they suck...well their prices are usually right in there with CC and Fry's plus they PM anyway so how can you complain about their pricing? As for their customer service, I'll take BB over the customer service at Fry's or CC anyday. At least you can find someone to help you in BB.

my BB and CC are right accross from eachother. i have a CC rewards credit card, which i use mainly at CC. but, if i can get the better deal at BB, then i use it there to...i get reward zone points and points on my CC reward card. the thing i like about the CC reward system is that you can let it accumulate until you are ready to buy something. i have around $250 worth of CC rewards just waiting to help me buy the PS3.

I believe their strategy is to 'offset' the increased points requirement for the $5/$10 certificates by having more specific promotions and deals exclusive to Rewards Zone members. Like the game companies want to manage the 'message' more these days, Best Buy wants to manage your purchasing practices. Ma. Nip. U. La. Tion. Still, no reason to not have an RZ card if you're not boycotting them, but I'm finding myself going there less and less these days as is.

They've still usually got good deals on 'new release' DVDs, to be fair.

I go to Best Buy just often enough to make it worth the trouble of having the RZ card in my wallet. Of course, I'm using a Toys R Us VISA to make the purchase, so the points are racking up in two different venues. The TRU points come faster. It's a straight 1% of all purchases and 4% within TRU and affiliated stores.

[quote name='dark-star']Kinda sucks? I'd say it really sucks. A lousy 2% discount on each $250 is meaningless when you take in to account BB's prices are already higher than they should be. Add that to their legendary Customer Disservice, restocking fees, and general ickyness, and you should avoid them like the bird flu. I haven't bought anything there in at least a year, and I have no reason to ever go back. They were fairly decent a few years ago, but those days are gone.[/QUOTE]

No reason to go back? They have great deals on DVD's in their ad almost weekly. Last month I picked up seasons 2-4 of Futurama for $20 each. Two weeks before that I picked up Season 1 of Futurama and Season 1 of American Dad for $15 each. This week, I'll be getting Season 1 of Venture Brothers for $20. Futurama and American Dad were priced far below BBY's cost, and I'm pretty sure Venture Brothers is right at (if not slightly below) their cost.