# A tale of Best Buy... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 1, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361 "2005-10-01T18:39:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/21 "2005-10-04T00:10:15Z")
A while back _The Indianapolis Star_ had a column where a writer would try to solve customer service problems for readers. He had a string of Best Buy complaints, and not even the specter of having the store manager’s name in the paper as a jerk was enough to get them to actually give customer service. The last column I saw him do said, “It’s the usual thing at this store; you’d Best Buy somewhere else.” A few days later, the Star announced he had accepted a position at another paper. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/22 "2005-10-04T01:08:28Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > I was trying to buy Grand Theft Auto 3, but what I _really_ wanted was Grand Theft Auto Vice City. Stupid :smack: stupid :smack: stupid :smack: ! Which one cost more (as if I need to ask)? ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/23 "2005-10-04T18:04:30Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Which one cost more (as if I need to ask)? Interesting point. Vice City cost more, but only by a couple of dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/24 "2005-10-04T18:40:34Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > Ah, if only that were it. I explained I knew it was the older edition, and that I did indeed want it. But he persisted and was genuinely inisistent that I couldn’t possibly mean to buy GTA3. He kept showing me the cover of the game and saying “But this isn’t the one you want” with a puzzled expression on his face. He was reasonably nice about it, so I smilingly insisted I wanted to buy GTA3 and then rolled my eyes a little as I was walking away. > > It was just odd. He wasn’t making a recommendation of Vice City as newer or better - just seemed sincerely confused that I’d actually want to buy GTA3 when Vice City existed. No biggie. I’ve certainly had worse experiences in stores. I just found it funny that **Absolute** was talking about the same Best Buy where I had my odd customer service moment. Hey - maybe he was stoned. He must have been one of those people who is only interested in the latest and greatest, and cannot comprehend it when others are not. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/25 "2005-10-04T18:45:43Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > He must have been one of those people who is only interested in the latest and greatest, and cannot comprehend it when others are not. If that were the case, he would’ve told her to buy GTA: San Andreas. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/26 "2005-10-04T18:57:41Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > If that were the case, he would’ve told her to buy GTA: San Andreas. I assume the incident happened before GTA:SA had been released. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/27 "2005-10-04T19:08:47Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I assume the incident happened before GTA:SA had been released. It’s true, it was not too long after Vice City came out. Think how confused he’d have been if I were buying GTA3 right after GTA:SA came out. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/28 "2005-10-04T19:11:44Z")
Wild-ass guess: He figured you were like the however many other clueless customers he’s dealt with who saw the Latest Hot Video Game advertised but didn’t remember the name of it right, insisted that Prequel to Latest Hot Video Game was what they wanted, took it home, opened it, played it, brought it back incensed that this was not what they’d seen in the commercials and that idiot salesperson didn’t help them get what they wanted, and raised a fit with the manager over wanting to exchange an opened game for another title. Either that, or he thought he knew the voices in your head better than you do. _shrug_ ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/29 "2005-10-04T19:16:27Z")
> [@Ferret Herder](#): > > Either that, or he thought he knew the voices in your head better than you do. _shrug_ I’m not really sure who the voices in my head are. Maybe they’re him. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/30 "2005-10-04T19:20:01Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > I’m not really sure who the voices in my head are. Maybe they’re him. If that’s so, he’s being a real bastard by jerking you around over which title you want to buy! ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/31 "2005-10-04T19:42:46Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > But yeah, I can be a serious misanthrope, especially at grocery stores. Every other person on the face of the Earth is a moron, and they all want deli items at the same time I do. Me and you both there chief. My primary rule when grocery shopping is to never let the wheels of the cart come to a complete stop. “Just keep Moving” is my motto. So it never fails, no matter how late or odd the hour, some morons will be in the aisle, two abreast, reading the labels or otherwise engaging in some other sub-moronic or otherwise none-moving, lolly-gagging activity. I hate all of humanity at these moments. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/32 "2005-10-04T21:23:14Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > My primary rule when grocery shopping is to never let the wheels of the cart come to a complete stop. It has been years since I’ve used a cart. I must have ADD when it comes to groceries. I use the little plastic basket. Sure, I shop every couple days, but I’m always in and out quickly. ---
**Author:** ![xcheopis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/33 "2005-10-04T23:07:31Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > I’m not really sure who the voices in my head are. Maybe they’re him. Or he immediately assumed you were buying it for The Man Of The House, instead of for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/34 "2005-10-05T06:15:02Z")
Just get the Linksys router. IIRC, they’re the same price as the access points (or cheaper), and with the right settings and/or firmware, you can turn them into access points or bridges. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361/35 "2005-10-05T07:48:00Z")
I’ve only been in a Best Buy once, and had an incredibly positive experience. I was looking for the DVD of “Miracle” and after looking in every section I thought it could be in, I asked a salesguy for help. He said “I’m pretty sure we have it, but let me check the computer - yep, we have it.” So we walk over to the section where the computer said 3 copies of the movie were supposed to be - no “Miracle”. This kid looks all over the DVD section until he finds the movie where it had been put in the wrong section - and when I left he was moving the 2 remaining copies to where they were supposed to be. I got his name and wrote an “attaboy” card - it was so nice to find someone in that type of job who was actually helpful! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-best-buy/324361.md?page=1)