Target vs. Best Buy

[moonstarssun]

I’m doing an informal survey for a class project. We’re comparing Target’s brand to Best Buy’s, trying to determine why customers choose one over the other for buying electronics. I’ll be gathering info in other places too, but I thought the SDMB would be a good place to go for smart input.

So, please tell me:

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?
2. Why?
3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?
4. Why?
5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?
6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

Thanks everyone!

[MilTan]

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?

Best Buy

2. Why?

Much better selection. Their DVD section is at least 3 times larger than Target’s

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?

Best Buy

4. Why?

I love buying DVDs and CDs. Unless I’m getting household items (rarely), there’s not much else for me to buy at Target. I get my clothes and whatnot elsewhere.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?

Tar-zhay.

what?

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

Mecca

(again… what?)

[tremorviolet]

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?
Target
2. Why?
No sales pitch to buy some stupid ass extended warranty. I always feel ripped off there even if I don’t get the warranty.
3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?
Target
4. Why?
Best Buy is too noisy and chaotic.
5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?
Easy.
6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?
Hell.

Truthfully, tho’, if I want something, I research the heck out of it online and then usually get it from Amazon or a competitor. Alos, I wouldn’t be surprised if the preferences for Target over Best Buy tend to break down over gender lines. I have lots of guy friends that love Best Buy but very few femal freinds who do.

[Anaamika]

Well, here’s the first female already who adores Best Buy.

I’ve never been nagged about a warranty, btw. Sometimes they ask me for one, and when I say no, smile and move on.

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?

Best Buy.

2. Why?

Better selection.

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?

It depends on for what! I mean Best Buy only has electronics…Target has other things I need/like. I like electronics more, so I prefer Best Buy.

4. Why?

See above.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?

I’ll have to go with Tar-zhay also.

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

Cool!

[Antinor01]

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy? Best Buy
2. Why? Selection
3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy? For electronics, Best Buy. For other Target.
4. Why? See #2
5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target? Cheap
6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy? Fun!

[Eureka]

1. Best Buy
2. Just because. Percieved better selection, more hope that the employees know something about electronics, I don’t know.
3. Target
4. Browsable
5. Chaotic

[ZipperJJ]

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?
Best Buy

2. Why?
Better selection of discs and electronics, and I although I’ve heard horror stories about dumb BB employees, I’m inclined to think they know more about the Expensive Electronics Item I am about to buy than someone who might have been in the clothing department yesterday (Target).

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?
Target… but see #4.

4. Why?
In general because they have more selection (I can get shampoo, crackers and an alarm clock in the same place)…but I never really consider the two either/or stores. I go to Best Buy to get all the things you mention but go to Target more often because I rarely buy the things you mentioned. FWIW I have both stores in my town and neither is far away.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?
Retail

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?
Electronics

[gotpasswords]

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?
   Target

2. Why?
   I hate Best Buy. Their sales staff have the curious combination of being clueless and pushy at the same time. And their “open box” discounts are smarmy - rather than knock say, $50 off the price of an open box item, you have to pay FULL PRICE, then they give you a “gift card” with $50 on it, forcing you to buy something else.

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?
   Target.

4. Why?
   They operate on a “courteous, efficient self-serve” basis. The shelf-stockers don’t try to make you feel like the biggest fool on the North American landmass for not buying a $29.99 protection plan on a $34.99 CD player. And their stores are nowhere near as NOISY as Best Buy.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?
   Functional

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?
   Nauseating

[MovieMogul]

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy? Between, the two, Best Buy, though I’m more likely to go to Barnes & Noble or Amoeba
2. Why? Best Buy has a better selection. Target’s is pretty threadbare in those specific categories
3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy? Target
4. Why? My wife loves it, and it has a lot of household items we prefer.
5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target? Housewares
6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy? Overcrowded

[Tastes_of_Chocolate]

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?
   Electronics - Best Buy, DVD/CD - Target

2. Why?
   Electronics - better selection, DVD/CD - disagreement with some of BB’s past actions.

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?
   Target

4. Why?
   Best Buy is too pushy, way too loud, and in general the shopping experience has got to pot there

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?
   convenient

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?
   overrated

[dalej42]

[QUOTE=moonstarssun]

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?
2. Why?
3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?
4. Why?
5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?
6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

[QUOTE]

1. Best Buy. A better selection.

2. However, I’d order online and pick it up at the store.

3.Best Buy.

4. Not as many kids running around the store. Plus, I have in store pickup

5. Soccer Mom

6. LOUD

[mack]

@moonstarssun

So, please tell me:

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?

Best Buy

2. Why?

Bigger selection

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?

For consumer electronics, Best Buy. For general stuff, Target

4. Why?

Best Buy = pleasure
Target = stuff I actually need to get.

I always make a swing through Best Buy if I’m within walking distance of one. I never make a swing through Target.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?

red

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

Blue

[El_Kabong]

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?

Best Buy.

2. Why?

Larger selection.

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?

Target.

4. Why?

Overall more pleasant shopping experience, no dunning for extended warranties. If they had a more complete selection, I’d be more inclined to buy there as well.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?

Commercial.

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

Commercial.

[It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery]

@moonstarssun

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?

Target.

2. Why?

I find Best Buy overbearing, while Target tends to be a more pleasant shopping experience. having said that, I should mention that for the type of CDs I usually buy (jazz), neither store is likely to have those. So Best Buys’ better selection doesn’t come into play for me.

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?

Target.

4. Why?

Same as #2, plus the popcorn at the Target snack bar is some of the best anywhere.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?

Cool.

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

Pushy.

[Only_Mostly_Dead]

So, please tell me:

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?
   Best Buy

2. Why?
   Better Selection, more frequent and worthwhile sales (especially the “buy for next to nothing DVDs” in every week’s circulars).

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?
   As a general store that happens to have an electronics section, Target.

4. Why?
   I choose Target as a first choice, despite liking Best Buy’s stock better, because I can shop for other, non-electronic items at Target.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?
   Diverse

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?
   Stocked

Thanks everyone!
You’re welcome.

[LSLGuy]

1. Target.
2. The universe will die its heat death before I set foot in a best buy again.
3. Target.
4. See 2 & 6
5. OK.
6. Pure*uckingEvil. (one word the way I say it)

[Only_Mostly_Dead]

@ZipperJJ

but I never really consider the two either/or stores.

This bears repeating.

Just because Target has an Electronics section, does not make it an electronics store. Unless the purpose of the survey is to draw some comparison between the ease of a retail store vs the more specialized stocking options of the electronics store, it’s a flawed survey.

If the purpose of the survey is to argue which better runs their electronics business, a more apt comparison would be Best Buy to Circuit City. Or even Best Buy to something like CompUSA or Frys (I think. There aren’t any Frys around here).

[Cyberhwk]

@moonstarssun

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?
2. Why?
3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?
4. Why?
5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?
6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

1.) Best Buy
2.) I’ve found Best Buy has a bit higher end equipment, though prices are often not right. DVDs, CDs and games I would only buy from either if they were on sale. Neither of these are really high on my list period when looking for electronics/DVDs/CDs/games.
3.) Prefer Target.
4.) I’ve found prices are a better. More one stop shopping (for those trips when you need The Big Lebowski, toilet paper, and a trampoline). Less harassment as you leave the store.
5.) Big
6.) Adequate

[Hunter_Hawk]

Answers to questions as written:

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?

Best Buy

2. Why?

Larger selection.

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?

Target.

4. Why?

Because if I’m in Best Buy, (a) it’s loud and annoying, and (b) I get harassed to buy extended warranties.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?

Tar-zhay.

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

Evil.

Real answers:

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?

Neither. I’ll buy either from specialty stores or over the Internet.

2. Why?

For electronics, I prefer the better service I’ll get from dedicated electronics stores.
For DVDs, I’ll generally buy from Scarecrow Video because (a) they have a great selection, (b) they’re the best video store on the planet and I want to support them, and © they’re good folk.
For CDs, neither Target nor Best Buy has a prayer of stocking what I’m buying these days, so I’ll purchase either from any of several independent stores, from publishers over the Internet, or directly from the bands. Again, I’ll want to support people who will provide stuff I’ll want.
For games, I’ll buy from any of several stores that are more conveniently located than either Target or Best Buy; those two stores can’t provide any added value that would make it worth my while to go out of my way.
3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?

Target.

4. Why?

It’s a reasonable low-to-medium-end department store. It’s where you go if you need Tupperware, an alarm clock, or a new dish rack. It’s good for the purpose it serves and it’s not annoying.

Best Buy is fucking annoying. I really hate being pressured to buy extended warranties, and I think the store design sucks. They’re trying to be stylish but are failing miserably.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?

Tar-zhay.

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

Evil.

[Rigamarole]

1. Would you be more inclined to buy electronics/dvds/cds/games from Target or Best Buy?

Best Buy

2. Why?

Best Buy specializes in electronics, Target just carries them as a side item.

3. Do you prefer shopping at Target or Best Buy?

Best Buy

4. Why?

One reason is because I used to work at Target so I automatically loathe the place due to traumatic memory associations. But Best Buy is just nicer. It is not as totally overrun by the hoards as Target, it is usually cleaner and more organized (the whirlwind of shit that gets tossed all over Target by thoughtless customers is displeasing to my eye), it’s got a lot of neat gizmos on display that I can’t afford, and the color scheme is better: Lots of blue and carpet floors = soothing. Tile floors and lots of red = menacing.

5. What’s one word you would use to describe Target?

Chaotic

6. What’s one word you would use to describe Best Buy?

Fun