my Best Buy - former BB Reward Zone Program

Dranakin

Dranakin

Member since Oct. 2003
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http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Global-Promotions/null/pcmcat309300050007.c?id=pcmcat309300050007

3 tiers, up from 2. Spend thresholds are $1500 and $3500 respectively, from $2500.

How do I qualify for My Best Buy Elite or Elite Plus?

Elite status is automatically awarded when you spend $1500 or more on qualifying purchases at Best Buy and BestBuy.com in a calendar year, or $1,500 or more in total anywhere on the My Best Buy MasterCard.

Elite Plus status is automatically awarded when you spend $3500 or more on qualifying purchases at Best Buy and BestBuy.com in a calendar year, $3,500 or more in total anywhere on the My Best Buy MasterCard
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Reward Zone Gamers Club appears to now be my Best Buy Gamers Club, program benefits seem to be the same.

What are the benefits of the My Best Buy Gamers Club?

Benefits include:

Get 2X points on new game software, digital content and game accessories

Get 2X points when you trade in games
Special money-saving exclusive offers
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Also:

Does it cost anything to be a My Best Buy Gamers Club member?

Gamers Club membership is free. You must be a U.S. or Puerto Rico resident at least 13 years of age with a valid e-mail address.
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EDIT: Thanks to person123, who noted that there's still a Gamers Club Unlocked tier, in which benefits include the same 10% bonus trade-in credit, 10% discount off Pre-Owned Games, 10 issues of @Gamer magazine, and exclusive Paid Subscription offers.

person123 said:
According to this there is still a "paid" option, which is what GCU is.

https://static.bestbuy.com/myrz/web/Content/Offers/Images/MyBestBuy_RegistrationTandC_9.13.13.pdf
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I imagine we'll get some answers about current statuses in the next few days if you're a Silver member and/or a paid GCU member, since all the programs have changed.

Just to share, I was a Silver member and my status is now Elite Plus through the current status year.

 
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From br.com via member GNM

Got a few more movies tonight and ended up talking with my manager friend again for a bit. His girlfriend works in corporate and was the previous CSM of the same store. So thats where the information is from per his lips not mine.

The new smaller planogram is a test from the blackshirt team and Anderson. They will be replacing the long aisle format with more of the new release section media holders. They hold 2 movies on the side and 10 space or so across. Those are what are to be used in this store for media and games.

GCU is going to switch to a elite like membership where you must purchase so much to unlock it. The caveat being that you must purchase a certain amount of games before you unlock the deals and benefits of GCU. The same may be happening for movies/tv as well if what I was previously told stays true. Subscriptions may or may not continue he didn't seem to know anything concrete.

Trade in's are effectively going to only happen via the website in the future. They are being told that they will be sending customers to CS and then the CSR is to help customers with submitting trades during the switch over. They will then be taken and shipped out by the store. This is essentially how it is done now but one small change. You will get a e-giftcard in an email after the games have been received by the trade in company.

I don't know about you but this sounds like a stop gap while the stores undergo whatever changes internally during the transition to the new GCU program whatever that ends up being. They might be switching to new a company for trades.

Express lanes for Elite members are going to be in place for all of the holiday season. Giving those that have it priority to gs/cs and checkout lanes. If it's successful they will stay after the holidays.

You might also be able to pay a yearly subscription to get the Elite benefits as well in the future. It would be included in some warranty services as well as well as cinema now in some form or fashion. The idea is to compete with Amazon prime's offerings.

When I have more info I'll let you guys know.
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I probably will earn the new elite tier so it may work out for me but it seems like the general gamer is going to be cut out of exclusive deals .... =/
 
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It's just dumb that they are making you earn to get GCU status now. I mean it's pretty much baiting you in. Why not keep it the way it is because I'm sure more people are willing to pay up front then have to pay say $500 in game sales.

 
Those new changes sound horrible. Also, how are the express lanes going to work? I've been Sliver since 2012, and am Elite Plus until next February, but they haven't sent me a new card since I first qualified for it, so the Silver expiration date on my card has passed. Would I be able to bring up the website on my phone to show I'm Elite Plus?

 
danh35 said:
Those new changes sound horrible. Also, how are the express lanes going to work? I've been Sliver since 2012, and am Elite Plus until next February, but they haven't sent me a new card since I first qualified for it, so the Silver expiration date on my card has passed. Would I be able to bring up the website on my phone to show I'm Elite Plus?
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There are times of the day when my Best Buy only has one register open and now they are going to create some separate check out for Elite Plus? I'm sorry, but what a stupid use of resources. They'd be better off improving store pickup so it doesn't take 15+ minutes and properly staffing their regular registers so there is no waiting during peak hours.

 
bojay1997 said:
There are times of the day when my Best Buy only has one register open and now they are going to create some separate check out for Elite Plus? I'm sorry, but what a stupid use of resources. They'd be better off improving store pickup so it doesn't take 15+ minutes and properly staffing their regular registers so there is no waiting during peak hours.
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My Best Buy just finished its remodel and it went from 10 cash registers with a lot of space for line to 4 registers where only a handful of people can wait now before backing up into another display
 
Best Buy apparently has different partnerships now. Some stores have phone representatives and one store I saw has appliances like six times the size of the video game section.
 
Best Buy apparently has different partnerships now. Some stores have phone representatives and one store I saw has appliances like six times the size of the video game section.



This ^ at my local Best Buy. The appliance section now runs more than half the length of the store.
 
I'm to lazy to read through all 36 pages but if no one posted it yet. Officially gamers club unlocked is no more.

Supposedly, and I quote from several BB CS reps both on phone, in fourms, and my local stores manager all said

"Greetings everyone!

The Games Club Unlocked membership that we have come to know and love is about to get boost, as we are working to enhance the membership.  In the mean time, we will not be able to renew current or create new Unlocked memberships.  Please check back with us in the next couple of weeks as the enhancement are made available.

Thank you kindly! 
16x16_man-very-happy.gif
"

Mind you each rep said something differently but all basically the same thing. 

 
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damn...you guys have convinced me to calibrate my TVs. I have a 3yr old Panasonic 50-inch in bedroom and recently purchased a Samsung 60-inch for living room. Hopefully i can find settings for them online. 

 
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Japakneez said:
damn...you guys have convinced me to calibrate my TVs. I have a 3yr old Panasonic 50-inch in bedroom and recently purchased a Samsung 60-inch for living room. Hopefully i can find settings for them online.
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Folks at AVS post the settings they end up with after professional calibrations. Every display is a bit different, but aping those will be a good place to start. I don't know if teh GeekSquad guys will be any better than copying AVS settings. I listen to the computer repair guys while waiting for CS to trade in games and it's clear they're totally inept. Are the AV techs equally bad or reasonably well paid and properly trained?

 
Folks at AVS post the settings they end up with after professional calibrations. Every display is a bit different, but aping those will be a good place to start. I don't know if teh GeekSquad guys will be any better than copying AVS settings. I listen to the computer repair guys while waiting for CS to trade in games and it's clear they're totally inept. Are the AV techs equally bad or reasonably well paid and properly trained?



I think it is totally a YMMV, depending on the tech that you get. My results with the calibration were amazing, even after using Tweak, AVS and CNET settings. Each display is slightly different, output sources can vary greatly and room lighting can vary a ton - so someone else's settings could be way off for you. Even firmware version can have an impact sometimes.

If you get a good tech, the results will show it. He calibrated each source and clearly knew what he was doing. You get a calibration report showing pre and post. My pre was way out, and that was using AVS.
 
FloriDUH JBot said:
"Enhancements" to any reward program usually means you can expect to get less in the way of benefits, and rewards will be harder to earn

Doubtful it will be rebooted to the benefit of the consumer.
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Come back on 11/10 and post what you think about the enhancements. Think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Those who have been members and supporters of the current program will be taken care of in an extremely fair manner.

And software trade-in at the stores is NOT going away. Complete misconception by whomever was spreading that rumor.

 
dc delta90 said:
Come back on 11/10 and post what you think about the enhancements. Think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Those who have been members and supporters of the current program will be taken care of in an extremely fair manner.

And software trade-in at the stores is NOT going away. Complete misconception by whomever was spreading that rumor.
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What about members and supporters that had there GCU expire and become unable to renew? We will not be part of the "current program" and I don't suppose will be taken care of in any manner.
 
dc delta90 said:
Come back on 11/10 and post what you think about the enhancements. Think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Those who have been members and supporters of the current program will be taken care of in an extremely fair manner.

And software trade-in at the stores is NOT going away. Complete misconception by whomever was spreading that rumor.
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I will be super pissed if people that are current members get some sort of bonus over people that have to (re-)join. My membership ended during this last couple of weeks of "in-flux" period when you couldn't renew and I would have renewed if given the chance...

 
Okay, scheduled a TV calibration session. I never got around to using that benefit, but looking forward to it. Sad that it can't be both TV and home theater configuration, since I moved my living room couches around.

 
How long does it for trade in point to clear. I trade-in GTA V, says until 11/24 for points to clear. That sucks, those point make me eligible for any 5 cert.

 
MetalSlugger said:
I have a Sony XBR960 tube that I calibrated myself with an online guide and the picture is SO much better than when I got it. It was a total pain though since tubes have geometry issues not present in digital displays.
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This was the only downside of the XBR960, which is still going strong in my house. Everything about the picture is perfect to me after I used a calibration disc years ago to mess with the settings, except for the geometry. It's only really noticeable on sidescrollers and topdown games, though. I don't notice it when it comes to third-person or first-person games.

I never bought into professional calibration either on my CRT or on my plasma. I imagine there are diminishing returns above and beyond what you can do yourself. Just turn down the contrast, use pro mode and use a calibration disc if you have $10 to burn. I would never, ever get this service done by Best Buy. I'd go with a local dude recommended by a home theater forum.

 
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So I had always used my dad's RZ information for all purchases at BBY.

At some point it seems as if my mom signed up for an account and put all the exact same info on there with the exception of the first name.

I only just realized this tonight when looking at my receipt.

Is there anyway possible to get those points off of her account and onto his account?  Do I need to take the item/receipt back in store and do a return/rebuy under correct ID?

And I created my own account tonight so this will no longer be an issue going forward.

 
[quote name="dc delta90" post="11169769" timestamp="1382982975"]
Come back on 11/10 and post what you think about the enhancements. Think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Those who have been members and supporters of the current program will be taken care of in an extremely fair manner.

And software trade-in at the stores is NOT going away. Complete misconception by whomever was spreading that rumor.[/quote]
Fair enough. I will review and post after 11/10. I have loved GCU Unlocked during its current run. But it began to hit choppy waters once the game counters started getting pulled from stores.

The folks that manned those game counters were quick and efficient and were always very informed on what offers and bonuses were out there. Things always processed through without an issue.
 
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jetsaredim said:
I will be super pissed if people that are current members get some sort of bonus over people that have to (re-)join. My membership ended during this last couple of weeks of "in-flux" period when you couldn't renew and I would have renewed if given the chance...
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Believe you'll be ok. Hang tight until 11/10.

 
Stimes said:
What about members and supporters that had there GCU expire and become unable to renew? We will not be part of the "current program" and I don't suppose will be taken care of in any manner.
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All the detail will come out on 11/10. This is being thought through to make sure people in your situation are going to be taken care of.

 
i'm elite plus but i don't know how to send invites...

since i haven't used any, i have 3. just pm me w/ a request and instructions how to send and invite and i'll be more than happy to hook up my fellow cags.

 
As a reminder, I think today is the last day elite plus members can schedule a TV calibration with Geek Squad. You can always reschedule it later. You can schedule 3 months out at least and you don't even need to have the TV model yet.
 
Donut2922 said:
As a reminder, I think today is the last day elite plus members can schedule a TV calibration with Geek Squad. You can always reschedule it later. You can schedule 3 months out at least and you don't even need to have the TV model yet.
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Thanks for the heads up.

How do we schedule this?

 
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