also from that fatwallet thread, mark posted this:
Two counts of fraud on Best Buy's part. They tried to impose a fake rule on me last year, and I ended up getting everything taken care of (not on the spot, though -- I didn't feel like arguing at the time). This year, I'm taking my $300 in Best Buy Bucks there on Black Friday, along with a copy of the official rules, and I won't leave until they honor what the rules clearly state. Of course, I'm hoping it won't even come to that.
And just for the record, it's very much "legal" to use a coupon, Reward Zone certificate, gift card, etc in a purchase with Best Buy Bucks. I've been through every word of the official rules multiple times (because, even though MillionaireNextDoor mentioned it in jest, I actually have seriously considered becoming a contract lawyer) and it doesn't say anywhere that BB Bucks are "not valid with any other offer". They're supposed to be treated like cash (or moreover a Best Buy gift card) for the most part.
I just hate when the employees don't know about promotions and try to pretend they do, and I'm disgusted when the management has actually told the cashiers to be purposefully deceitfull about it.
Anyone who goes through such an experience should write an e-mail or letter to Best Buy corporate right away (form/address at
www.bestbuy.com) and, if it's a serious enough matter, request information from the National Arbitration Forum (in charge of legal handlings of the Monopoly game) --
http://www.arb-forum.com.
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An extra note: For anyone who's worried about not being able to redeem their BB Bucks because of a rude cashier or even manager, here's some pertitent info for you:
Official Rules:
http://codeentry.promotions.com/monopoly/us/page.do?page=rules.html&l=e#misc
a) Make a note of the Best Buy store number you're going to (you can find this at BestBuy.com's store locator feature --
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=cat12090&type=page&isCarFi=null)
b) If you have a cell phone, make sure to take it with you.
1) If they try to tell you there's a $3 limit on anything (not just CD's and DVD's) or they mention some other fake limit, refer them to section 4.c.i.1 of the Official Rules:
Limit of $3 in Best Buy Bucks may be used toward the purchase of any single CD or DVD. Limit of $300 in Best Buy Bucks may be redeemed per customer per store visit.
The $3 limit is very clearly only for CD's and DVD's. Aside from them, virtually everything else is not limited until you reach $300.
1a) If you want to use a coupon, Reward Zone certificate, or gift card, in addition to Best Buy Bucks, and they won't let you, ask them to show you where in the Official Rules it states that you aren't allowed to use coupons or whatever with your Best Buy Bucks.
2) If they try to tell you they imposed extra rules because of increased fraud or some other bogus reason, refer them to section 10.f of the Official Rules:
These Official Rules cannot be modified or amended in any way except in a written document issued in accordance with law by a duly authorized representative of Sponsor. In particular, McDonald's restaurant employees or managers and Best Buy employees and managers are not authorized to modify or amend these Official Rules.
Ask them to provide you with proof of the written documentation of those amended rules. That last part about employees/managers not authorized to change rules should hopefully make an impact on the person you're talking to.
2a) In the very slim possibility that the employee/manager pulls out this quote from section 4.c.i.1:
Cannot be used toward purchase of certain products and services, including but not limited to, Best Buy Gift Cards, video game hardware, tax, Maytag® Neptune™ washers and dryers, and Gemini™ ranges.
If you're dealing with a devious Best Buy store and they say the "not limited to" clause allows them to put a cap on any item, you can shut them down by saying something like the following: "Would you be willing to have the National Arbitration Forum investigate every single receipt from every Best Buy store in the country and see that no one used their Best Buy Bucks toward [the item you're trying to buy], and then face a hefty fine if they find out otherwise?"
3) If they are persistent with not letting you use your BB Bucks, and you have a cell phone available, call the toll-free corporate number: 1-888-BEST-BUY -- go through the menu options to get to a real person. I believe the current set of numbers to press is 3, 4, 3. Tell them what store number you're at and that they won't let you use your Best Buy Bucks. From there, hopefully the situation will be solved.
4) If for some unforseen reason, they simply will not let you use them, leave the store and do as I suggested above and request information from the National Arbitration Forum. At this point, you are very much entitled to take legal action against your Best Buy store. While you most likely won't end up in court or anything like that, you'll most likely at least get a settlement in the amount of Best Buy Bucks that you weren't able to redeem.
So there's the step-by-step process for you . As I've said, hopefully no one here will even have to go through any of this. But it's better to be prepared if you're like me and are planning to do virtually all your Christmas shopping in one visit to Best Buy.
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On the plus side of things, it's good to see people getting their SASE-requested game pieces back. The rules say odds of winning a food prize are 1 in 8.6 (and that's 8.6 game pieces, not game stamps -- a "game piece" is actually two stamps (a.k.a. properties)). So far, it's been like 1 in 5 for me. I'm really hoping for any kind of big prize (last year I got a $50 cash prize and a $50 BB gift card).
