# Best Buy In Store Pickup Experiences?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 19, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403 "2013-06-19T22:37:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@pauly1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pauly1)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/1 "2013-06-19T22:37:46Z")
Has anyone here purchased from best buy online and then go and pick it up at the store? Do you have to select which store you will be picking it up from?
I keep reading ppl say they have so many bad experiencing picking it up at best buy b/c the item isn’t there or the process is really bad.
I see they mention you need your id, credit card, order number etc. But what if you purchased it with an online best buy gift card? i assume your id and order number is enough? The thing is the online best buy gift card isn’t a real card but an electronic card.
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### Author:  [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/2 "2013-06-19T22:43:23Z")
you specify the store. print out the order and take it with you. it is either there instantly because it’s in stock or within the time they say (day(s)).
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### Author:  [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/3 "2013-06-19T22:48:33Z")
I’ve done it a couple of times and never had a problem.
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/4 "2013-06-19T22:55:42Z")
Their store pick-up problems are dwarfed by their delivery problems. I bought a TV there, and they postponed the delivery date three times. I cancelled the order and bought a better set from Sears, that was delivered the following day.
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### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/5 "2013-06-19T23:27:15Z")
When you go to pick up the order, they will try hard to sell you an extended warranty on the item. As well as pushing accessories, cables, etc. Be prepared to say “no” if you don’t want those extras.
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### Author:  [@pauly1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pauly1)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/6 "2013-06-19T23:46:12Z")
thanks for that info.
One more question. I looked at a product that is 170 dollars online. The sales tax is only around $6.80.
Is there a reason why its so cheap?
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/7 "2013-06-20T00:23:03Z")
Well, what’s your sales tax rate? A four-percent rate on a $170 item would get you $6.80 in sales tax.
I’ve used the in-store pickup. It worked fine, especially since I didn’t need to hunt for the items. And for a Christmas present, I requested in-store pickup near the recipient’s house and then asked someone else to pick it up for me.
BTW, I reported the thread for move to IMHO.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/8 "2013-06-20T00:25:02Z")
And isn’t the OP asking the same question as [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=694251) of yours from earlier today?
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### Author:  [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/9 "2013-06-20T00:29:01Z")
[moderating]
Moved thread from “General Questions” to “In My Humble Opinion.”
Please remember that any thread seeking advice, anecdotes, or opinions belongs in the IMHO forum, not GQ.
Thanks!
[/moderating]
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/10 "2013-06-20T00:35:34Z")
Best Buy was caught out a few months back after it was revealed that [bestbuy.com](http://bestbuy.com) and the best buy stores are two separate entities, with different prices. It got worse when it was revealed they had an internal web site so when a customer complained in the store about the public web prices, they were shown what looked liked the external site but was really an internal site with (higher) in-store prices. Their external purchase, pick up in-store process continues to have issues.
The Consumer Reports blog site, [consumerist.com](http://consumerist.com/?s=best+buy), has a long list of articles on how Best Buy is a store to be avoided, no matter what. Unless, of course, they are again screwing up Apple orders. In this case, people are buying Apple iPad accessories and when they go to pick them up in the store the order is screwed up and they find a complete iPad in their bag. In several well known cases, a single purchase of an iPad has resulted in a delivery of a case of iPads, or a brick.
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### Author:  [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/11 "2013-06-20T00:36:51Z")
I have bought my a couple laptops through the BB with in store pickup. Very easy and items were ready for pickup when arrived at the store.
Once was for my mother who had no idea what she really needed. I live in another country from her and was able to do all the shopping as if I was her, enter her cc details, and then tell her to print out the order confirmation and just go pick up what I selected for her. It was much easier than trying to get her to go to the store herself and figure out which machine met the criteria I told her.
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### Author:  [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/12 "2013-06-20T01:02:24Z")
> [@Duckster](#):
>
> Best Buy was caught out a few months back after it was revealed that [bestbuy.com](http://bestbuy.com) and the best buy stores are two separate entities, with different prices.
That was a _secret?_
I noticed last year that Mass Effect 3 was $20 cheaper on the website than it was in the physical store. So I stepped out of the store, had a seat in the mall food court, used my smartphone to order the game with in-store pickup, got some food, and waited a half hour until I got an email saying my order was ready so I could walk back in and get the game at the lower price.
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/13 "2013-06-20T01:06:24Z")
> [@Smapti](#):
>
> That was a _secret?_
Yes, because BB denied it. Even when people brought their own smartphones into stores and challenged the prices BB employees were showing them with in-store computers, BB continued to deny it.
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/14 "2013-06-20T01:59:50Z")
I have done this and won’t bother to do it again. There was really no advantage.
1. I ordered a video game. It had been pulled and set aside at the front of the store. I had to wait for someone to be available to pull it out for me. When she showed up she didn’t know where to look and had to poke around several places. The whole process took about 10 minutes longer than if I had just pulled it off the shelf myself.
2. I bought a TV set. I had to wait for someone to be available to pull it out for me (is there an echo in here?). When she showed up, she looked up my order and said it was in the back of the store because it was too big to hold up front. So I had wait at least 10 minutes for her to find it, and then get someone to bring it up front.
In both cases I had to produce the printed order and credit card I used to order and wait for them to verify everything. When you go straight to the register you just hand them your credit card.
The reason I ordered like this was to save time but in both cases it took at least as long if not longer. Why bother?
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> When you go to pick up the order, they will try hard to sell you an extended warranty on the item.
They do this for every item, even if you take it off the shelf and bring it to a register.
> [@Duckster](#):
>
> Best Buy was caught out a few months back after it was revealed that [bestbuy.com](http://bestbuy.com) and the best buy stores are two separate entities, with different prices.
I do not know the specifics of this issue with Best Buy but it is very common for brick-and-mortar and online parts of a business to be run as two separate profit centers with the ability to set their own prices. I believe that Staples is the same way.
> [@Duckster](#):
>
> The Consumer Reports blog site, [consumerist.com](http://consumerist.com/?s=best+buy)
The Consumerist (Consumer Media LLC) has no relation to [Consumer Reports](http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm) (Consumer Union).
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/15 "2013-06-20T02:05:13Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#):
>
> The Consumerist (Consumer Media LLC) has no relation to [Consumer Reports](http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm) (Consumer Union).
[Incorrect](http://consumerist.com/about-us/).
"About Consumer Media LLC
The Consumerist’s parent company, Consumer Media LLC, is a subsidiary of Consumer Reports, the nation’s leading not-for-profit consumer advocacy organization."
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### Author:  [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/16 "2013-06-20T02:08:48Z")
FYI: Best Buy will also price match with [local stores as well as online places like Amazon.](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Payment-Pricing/Best-Buy-Low-Price-Guarantee/pcmcat297300050000.c?id=pcmcat297300050000)
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/17 "2013-06-20T10:21:08Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> [Incorrect](http://consumerist.com/about-us/).
>
> "About Consumer Media LLC
>
> The Consumerist’s parent company, Consumer Media LLC, is a subsidiary of Consumer Reports, the nation’s leading not-for-profit consumer advocacy organization."
I stand corrected!
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### Author:  [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/18 "2013-06-20T14:57:03Z")
> [@Duckster](#):
>
> The Consumer Reports blog site, [consumerist.com](http://consumerist.com/?s=best+buy), has a long list of articles on how Best Buy is a store to be avoided, no matter what. Unless, of course, they are again screwing up Apple orders. In this case, people are buying Apple iPad accessories and when they go to pick them up in the store the order is screwed up and they find a complete iPad in their bag. In several well known cases, a single purchase of an iPad has resulted in a delivery of a case of iPads, or a brick.
That link pulls up 18 articles, of which only four are about Best Buy, and the only one that is negative at all is one about getting an iPad instead of a camera connection kit.
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/19 "2013-06-20T15:25:08Z")
I purchased something from them online with my employer’s tax-exempt credit card. Still got charged tax, but I figured I could correct it at time of pickup. When I got there, I told the cashier it was tax-exempt and she asked for my certificate, but later on when I looked at the receipt, there was still tax. I called them and was told I’d have to come back in there and get some special Best Buy card for tax exemption. That’s been two weeks ago and I still haven’t got around to it yet. You know, I buy shit everywhere on this card and it’s usually not such a pain in the ass.
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### Author:  [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-buy-in-store-pickup-experiences/661403/20 "2013-06-20T16:13:05Z")
I did this once and would never do it again. The problem with the store at the time was that they had one line for customer service and on line pick ups. That meant I had to wait for all the people with problems to resolve their issues before I was able to have my paid for item handed to me. I was so frustrated by the fact that I could have found the item in store five times over before I was helped.
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