It is your problem as well. CC fraud causes changes in policies and even prices. It affects you even if it’s not an immediate problem. Being in retail I’ve talked to quite a few customers who have dealt with CC fraud. It can be a major headache. Once again that’s not your problem but it might be some day. I wonder how you’ll feel when someone responds with “Not my problem”
Then what are you doing shopping at Best Buy? 
For some unknown reason, I kept reading polish kit as Polish kit, like the country. I couldn’t figure out what you were going to do with a big ole tub of Polish. :smack:
Okay, I’ll try not to blame the messenger of corporate asshattedness, but if any of my “smart friends” start chasing me around the parking lot with a pink umbrella, it won’t be some abstract corporate balls I’ll be tempted to kick.
I think my last BB experience must have been on the leading edge of this customer segmenting trend. It was also in the early days of iPods. I went in to buy a Phillips MP3 jukebox that I had researched and knew would exactly, cheaply serve my needs. It was listed as on sale at BB in some ad I had seen. I got to BB and the only one they had left was the demo in the display case. I was willing to take that one, especially because of the demo discount I knew my husband had been able to negotiate on previous purchases at BB. It took me 40 minutes to persuade the clerk that I didn’t want to buy an iPod, instead. He mentioned about twenty-eight times that they were available with pearlized pink accessories. I didn’t mention it, but the only other time, aside from reading 1950s women’s magazines, that I had ever heard of pearlized pink plastic as somethingI ought to consider beautiful and covet, was in tampon ads. It would be a shame to lose a perfectly good MP3 player through some tragically stupid and female-specific error (and we all know how ditzy women can be about electronics – especially when it’s our “time”), so I stayed with my intention to buy the large, rectangular, chrome Phillips jukebox. I apparently had to have this resolve approved by two other staff dorkwads, both of whom suggested that I call my husband just to be sure I was doing the right thing. But, after only one hour of pointing through the glass and saying “That one,” one guy finally acquiesced and even said I could have the 10% (or 15%. Can’t remember now. I know I paid less than $90) discount for buying the display item. It took him another twenty-five minutes and a nasty cut to one of his fingers (but none of the item’s wires) to free the player from all the plastic zip-strips that someone had used to bundle all the wires of the display items in the case together. I did not buy the service and replacement plan.
I don’t see it as such. If I know that you have kids, and what kind of time you have, I’m better able to sell you the proper model washer/dryer. If I know how often you entertain, how many kids you have, and what kind of grocery shopping you do, and what color the handles of the other appliances in the kitchen are I’ll better be able to sell you a fridge. By identifying a person in a particular segment, I’m able to know how to approach the individual better (again, without having to be condescending, which might be something my other associates haven’t yet learned) and, for the most part, get them out of there with everything they need.
Put it this way: if a very affluent man comes in wanting the best washer/dryer combo, I’m going to identify him as a Barry. Then, I’m not going to try and sell him the $700 top loader combo, if I have the $2500 front loaders available. By the same token, if a Ray comes in wanting the $700 top loaders, why would I even bother showing him the $2500 front loaders?
Then take it up with Visa and MasterCard, NOT the customer, if a store wants to ask for ID to run a credit card. THEY are the ones who made the regulations.
I get sick of being asked for my ID to make a $22 DVD purchase at Best Buy when they are more than welcome to check the signature, and I get sick of it because THEY are the ones violating MC and Visa regulations, not me.
I shop at Best Buy only because they have the geeky DVDs that my husband and I like, and sometimes, I’m too impatient to wait for them to come in the mail. But I’m starting to rethink that simply because I’m getting tired of being asked four different things that have absolutely nothing to do with my purchase.
(And I do spend a good deal at BB - more than just a DVD every once in awhile.)
E.
The problem is they only recognize one kind of woman, but several distinct kinds of guys.
Sorry, the above was supposed to be in response to Fish Cheer.
Happy Wanderer I’m actually not a Buzz, as I couldn’t give a damn about the latest electronics. I meant to say that Buzz is supposed to be me. I didn’t even catch that till right now. My apologies.
They’re working on a woman’s segment…Helen I think. The problem is that most people that shop at BB are, in fact, guys.
Working on another woman’s segmentation, even.
Incredible. Just incredible. :eek: That would have made me go to another store. Around here there are about 10 you can pick from.
They don’t want to sell the demo becuase they have to lose 15%, and go to all the bother of replacing the unit with a perfectly good new one when it is back in stock. And cut their finger.
There are some real horror stories on that link someone else posted. They did do a good job on my car radio, but I wouldn’t buy any serious stuff there. DVD’s or a CD. Maybe a boom box or something. I try not to talk to the sales staff. I know more than they do about the stuff.
The thing that I hate is that 75% of the time I have to leave without what I need. They are very poor for accessories, but so is everybody 
You are lucky if they have the right charger for your phone or whatever. If someone could really nail that market they could make a killing. Are you listening RADIO SHACK? You are halfway there already. Chuck the radio controlled cars and stock every charger, battery and connector known to mankind!
Oddly enough, you know the best place I’ve found for generic phone accessories a lot cheaper than I can buy at Sprint? (I’ve lost my phone charger twice…because I’m an idiot sometimes… ). Our local discount food/drug store (called Discount Drug Mart). They have a whole rack of stuff for cell phones, generic brands, and cheap - I’ve had a random cell phone charger for my car for about seven months now and it works perfectly - I picked it up for about $7. I wouldn’t even go near BestBuy for that kind of stuff.
E.
Don’t tell me, let me guess. Single working woman. She’s Buzz’s sister, but not technicaly savvy. She has disposable income, but is more likely to buy a smaller TV, maybe Bose type system for audio. Everything must fit in her apartment.
I actually think she an older woman.
sigh What’s wrong with me today?
I actually think that she’s an older woman. Over 65 maybe.
No shit!
I went to Radio Shack to see if they had a suitable antenna for a… radio. I tripped over God knows how many boxes of toys and stuff to get to the counter so I could ask for help, only to find they don’t stock radio parts.
Fuckers. (Yes, I really was annoyed.)
Robin
Great. So, once again, Thirtysomething Career Girl gets ignored.
That’s okay, I guess it beats being slimed by a new salesperson every ten seconds asking whether I need help with anything. Although it would be nice to have someone waiting with a red umbrella to walk me to my car. 
Oh boy :rolleyes: So the associate with the short straw gets to help her out?
Yeah, with a name like Helen. She’s in there buying somthing for the kids or grandkids or the nephew or whatever. She wants to know what’s kewl with the kids these days. Yes maam, little Bart will just love Metalstorm VI…
I think my idea is a bigger segment though, but she needs a different name. What I want to know is how does all this labeling help you any better than just asking a few questions and handling each person as a unique individual. Is that so hard?
If you have kids, you’re a Jill, whether or not you have a career, and no matter how old you are.
Hey, c’mon that’s not even fair! I have no problem helping anyone as long as they want to be helped.
I already do this. Read my above post about how the segments are only a means to an end. Generally speaking, it doesn’t matter to me what kind of person it is, but it is my job to identify the Jills and Barrys because of what our store specifically offers to them. It’s my job to let them know about those products and services, if I identify them as such. Again, this is because my store is Barry and Jill centric.
So, are you supposed to be looking for broad hips or practical hairdos or peanut butter 'n snot-marked jeans or the desperate and pre-occupied stare?