First, a note: I’m no doubt showing my ignorance here, but I’ve done so many times on this board prior to now, and I’ll surely do so many times again.
I ask this as the only computers I’ve ever purchased were purchased online, via Dell’s website. Anyway. My wife is in dire need of a new laptop, and we’ve narrowed it down to two or three brands/models. So, this evening we went up to our nearest Best Buy to purchase said new laptop. We found one that would be perfect for her needs shortly after arriving, and called the sales rep over to tell him which one we wanted. He then pulls out a form for us to fill out with all of our personal information whilst he started to go back to get the computer. I stopped him and asked him why we had to fill out the paperwork, as we were a) paying with cash, and b) not interested in any sort of extended repair warranty. His reply? “Oh, yeah, we just keep it on file for 30 days and then we throw it out.” It being late and me not being in the mood to pursue it any further, I just said, thanks, but no thanks, and said we’ll look elsewhere.
So, is this just a Best Buy thing, or can I expect this to happen pretty much anywhere (say, Wal-Mart, etc.)? If it’s just a Best Buy quirk, well, I won’t ever buy a computer there, as I don’t want any unnecessary spam or other junk mail. But if I can expect this anywhere, I guess I’m gonna have to just bite the bullet and fill out the damned paperwork. Damn it.
I’ve bought a computer at Best Buy and didn’t go through all of that. Pretty sure you’ve run into a quirky store, not chain.
Question: if you’re paying cash and not buying an extended warranty, why do you feel the need to fill it out with real information? It’s not like they’d keep you there while they tried the phone number and e-mail address to make sure they were valid.
I’ve never heard of it, Best Buy, or wherever. The only legitimate reason I can come up with is giving you a way to return it. But that would make more sense to just ask for your ID. I suspect, however, that it’s to put you on some mailing list for future products.
When my wife and I stopped to get her laptop at Best Buy a few months back, they didn’t seem to want a lot of information. The biggest thing we ran into was that every computer they had out on the shelf came packaged with a year of Geek Squad support, or was a higher end model. She didn’t need a ridiculously high-end laptop, but doesn’t need the support either. It took a while to convince them of this. After that, they signed us up for some rewards thing (like a Kroger plus card of sorts) but it wasn’t so bad…
I agree, seems to be a quirky store more than an everywhere thing…
Yeah, the Geek Squad thing is something we’re pointedly avoiding, considering all the friends I know who have not one single good word to say about it, plus all the vitriol I’ve seen aimed at it online. Basically, I want the computer, possibly a new wireless card, if the one I have currently won’t fit in the new laptop, and then I want to pay and leave.
I run into similar stuff occasionally, and I politely refuse to show them ID or give other information if I’m paying cash. Never had anyone refuse to take my money.
You’re going to pay more at best buy, then you are on Amazon anyway.
But, ignoring that, it’s not uncommon for them to lie to you in order to get your information, they often get bonuses based on penetration of certain products, warranty, mailing lists, etc.
Oh, yeah. It’s been years since I’ve done business with RS, but I certainly remember them just barely stopping short of asking for your blood type and a sperm sample for every little thing you purchased there.
And as far as Amazon goes, it would be nice to be able to just order one from there and be done with it, but the wife and I gave up all our credit cards a couple years ago so we could become 100% debt free (we’re almost there, thank the maker), so right now that’s not an option.
I might seriously end up getting this thing from Wal-Mart. Who knew?
I would be very wary of getting any electronics at Wal-Mart. Things don’t usually work out so well, from what I’ve seen.
As far as paying online, you can get a credit/debit card at your local convenience store or WalMart-- you’ll have to pay a small fee, like $5 or $10 for initial setup and a dollar or two to actually use it—and you put however much money you need to put on to make your purchase, use the card online and then toss it. I did this to get airline tickets for my daughter and to pay for a couple of other online purchases. There’s no link to any bank account and you can just run it down to zero and either toss it or put money on it the next time you want to purchase something online.
I was asked for my phone number when I bought a soda at a Petsmart.
123-4567
And Salem, I disagree about buying things at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has one of the most lenient return policies on the planet. I’ve returned things that I bought at other stores at Wal-Mart.
Well, shit. To buy at Wal Mart, or not to buy at Wal Mart?
Opinions? (Of course, it’s definitely cheaper there. But I want cheap as in “not expensive”, versus cheap as in “will break within hours of removing from box”. Obviously.)
And Salem, that credit/debit card thing I had no idea about. Thanks for the info!
I don’t know why an electronic device purchased at Wal-Mart would break any faster than the same pre-packaged electronic device purchased at Best Buy, Amazon, or any other retailer. It’s not as if the chuckleheads at Wal-Mart assembled the thing.
I agree they’re good about returns, but do you want to go through the hassle - especially with a computer where you can lose the data you’ve put on it? It’s one thing to take back a TV- yah just get another one and have the hassle of transporting. With a computer, you can lose a lot of info/data if it breaks down and you can’t get it to function, plus you’re then potentially returning it with your personal info on it.
When my kids were little, I took time off from my professional career and took a part-time job at the WallyWorld at night when Dad was home to watch them and I could then be home during the day with them. The back room where the returns were kept was FILLED with electronics. I saw more electronics returns than anything. And there have been articles all over the place about the big name brands making cheaper versions to sell at places like WalMart. Do an online search and you can easily find them.
Wal-Mart’s model 5689whatever computer is not going to be of any lower quality than Best Buy’s model 5689whatever computer.
And as for being worried about personal info, it’s Best Buy’s Geek Squad that’s had the explosion of scandals concerning nude pictures taken from customers’ computers and spread amongst the employees and on the internet, not Wal-Mart.