best buy cutting an additional 2,400 jobs, with about 600 of them being geek squad

[Mr. Lennon]

I worked as an Intel rep through college. My job was to train managers and employees on the latest tech at various BB locations. It was pretty pathetic how little they knew about their own products.

Management ran the store like a fucking concentration camp. I wasn't an employee, but they would still try to tell me how to do my job. That never ended well for them.

I've known for awhile now that they are dying a slow, painful death. The only foot traffic they have is from clueless idiots and people who are still afraid to make purchases online.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Can we start an official BestBuy death watch thread?

I don't know that they will follow CC just yet. But they will at least be moving from big box to small box, if they want to maintain a b&m presence. I read almost 1/3 of their profit comes from products that occupy less than 10 percent of their floor space. If someone does not lead them well soon though, they will likely be culled from the herd.

Wal-Mart is trying to put a boot on their neck in some of the markets where they are planning the biggest reductions in retail space. I thought this was interesting.

Also, it looks like the resident BB fans have finally given up. Not a single pro BB response yet.

 

[HeXen]

BB in my town is always pretty busy. dunno if their buying, just to say plenty of foot traffic. There has to be some value in having that somewhere...maybe they could put up lots of Ads everywhere and make money doing that.

 

[fatpat268]

Imagine my amazement when I heard they're building a NEW STORE in the town next to me to replace the existing store. Struggling stores shouldn't be doing stuff like that.

That's what Circuit City did here. They built a new store in a new shopping center, and closed the old one in the next town over. 6 months later, they closed for good.

 

[jpiniero]

Funny, I was at a Best Buy yesterday. Did the order pickup thing, and there was no line so I wasn't in the store very long. Still, I was struck by how wide open the store was. Pretty obvious that this store is way too big.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Then in another 40 years, society's mostly forgotten about the concept of buying things in stores, the pendulum swings back to having B&M retail outlets.

It is strange how stuff works. More than century ago Sears did much of their biz through mail order catalogs, the closest analog to e-tailers of today.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

BB in my town is always pretty busy. dunno if their buying, just to say plenty of foot traffic. There has to be some value in having that somewhere...maybe they could put up lots of Ads everywhere and make money doing that.

When most of the body is being ravaged by cancer, the healthy parts are just as doomed.

 

[OutHouse]

I'll honestly be sad when BB is finally gone. I still enjoy walking the aisles and looking at stuff even though the chances of me buying from them is low. It's kind of like a video store to me. We still have a local one left and I'll go from time to time just to walk the aisles since I know the model is sure to be dead dead dead very soon.

i used to like doing that as well. but when i started getting asked "can i help you" every 5 steps i quit.

 

[Imp]

Funny, I was at a Best Buy yesterday. Did the order pickup thing, and there was no line so I wasn't in the store very long. Still, I was struck by how wide open the store was. Pretty obvious that this store is way too big.

Big-box era... I usually do the pick-up order thing if possible just to avoid having to ask for a rep to get a product from a locked cabinet/the back, and having to say "no" 50 times over to him peddling me an extended warranty.

 

[Jeff7]

I worked as an Intel rep through college. My job was to train managers and employees on the latest tech at various BB locations. It was pretty pathetic how little they knew about their own products.

Management ran the store like a fucking concentration camp. I wasn't an employee, but they would still try to tell me how to do my job. That never ended well for them.

I've known for awhile now that they are dying a slow, painful death. The only foot traffic they have is from clueless idiots and people who are still afraid to make purchases online.

Or from older people who want to handle everything before it's bought, or who don't want to hand over money unless they are being given a physical object in return.
Along that vein are those who don't want to read things on an electronic device because they enjoy the act of turning pages of paper, or who don't like electronic payments because they prefer cash or writing checks. Or the mentality that an e-mail isn't "real" unless it's printed.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally Posted by Mr. Lennon View Post
I worked as an Intel rep through college. My job was to train managers and employees on the latest tech at various BB locations. It was pretty pathetic how little they knew about their own products.

Management ran the store like a fucking concentration camp. I wasn't an employee, but they would still try to tell me how to do my job. That never ended well for them.

I've known for awhile now that they are dying a slow, painful death. The only foot traffic they have is from clueless idiots and people who are still afraid to make purchases online.

believe it or not there are people who prefer to pay with cash.

 

[dr150]

Most of the B&N customers treat it like a library and cafe.

Me, I only go there when I actually want to buy a book.

This has to change.

In Germany, for instance, you can't read mags/books without purchasing the item......and they DO enforce this by reminding you of store policy.

B&N and any bookstore has to unfortunately change to a similar culture, b/c otherwise, everyone just goes there to read book on their sofas and then leave.

B&N's are libraries. Nothing more. This company can't survive with such consumer entitled mentality.

 

[OutHouse]

lder people who want to handle everything before it's bought, or who don't want to hand over money unless they are being given a physical object in return.

dude that older generation invented online shopping with dept store catalogs. I have a 1972 Montgomery wards catalog and a 1974 sears catalog. its fun to thumb through them and compare prices for couches, and other things to modern prices.

 

[OutHouse]

Most of the B&N customers treat it like a library and cafe.

Me, I only go there when I actually want to buy a book.

yea i dont know how barns and noble stores can allow that. the only time i go to the B&N store is at xmas and i see people sitting in a lounge chair reading big tome like Homer with a double shot venti non fat cappuccino thinking they are a genius, the only thing they are missing is the smoking jacket and a pipe...

reading a few pages in a book to see if it interest you is one thing. but to sit down with a a book or magazine with a snack is down right shoplifting.

 

[Zedtom]

Best Buy has made marketing mistakes but their biggest fail is overlooking the feeling the consumer has while shopping. It can referred to as "atmosphere" or "vibe".

When you are shopping at any store the feeling should be that you are welcome and invited to take your time, peruse the merchandise, and yes, pick the items up and examine them at your leisure. The assumption by management that they need to prod you into buying something turns off the modern consumer. Big box retailers are not car dealers.

 

[OutHouse]

Best Buy has made marketing mistakes but their biggest fail is overlooking the feeling the consumer has while shopping. It can referred to as "atmosphere" or "vibe".

When you are shopping at any store the feeling should be that you are welcome and invited to take your time, peruse the merchandise, and yes, pick the items up and examine them at your leisure. The assumption by management that they need to prod you into buying something turns off the modern consumer. Big box retailers are not car dealers.

all big stores does this. our friends son works at khols and if he does not get x number of people signed up for the stupid khols credit card in a week they get written up. he hates asking people if they have the stupid credit card then ask if they would like to apply for one. but he needs a job so just does what he is told to do.

 

[Sinsear]

believe it or not there are people who prefer to pay with cash.

What planet are they from?

 

[Fingolfin269]

i used to like doing that as well. but when i started getting asked "can i help you" every 5 steps i quit.

That really doesn't bother me. I just let them know that I'm looking around and get left alone.

 

[shortylickens]

all big stores does this. our friends son works at khols and if he does not get x number of people signed up for the stupid khols credit card in a week they get written up. he hates asking people if they have the stupid credit card then ask if they would like to apply for one. but he needs a job so just does what he is told to do.

Asking if you want a credit card AT THE CHECKOUT is not even close to the same thing as being harassed while walking around the store.

 

[wirednuts]

Or: Amazon Prime: Showroom, for $50/year, or something like that.
Amazon then buys out the existing Best Buy stores, renovates the warehouse portion of the store into more customer floorspace. Amazon Prime: Showroom gets you access to the building, so you can go in and look for stuff you want. The only stock in the store is limited to the floor models. Removing or selling the floor models to customers is subject to public beatings for those who violate the policy, primarily to serve as a deterrent. :awe: Then you buy the item at Amazon's website.

i like the idea. i wouldnt want to pay to get into the showroom though. you cant buy anything so youre just looking. and amazons stock changes so rapidly im not sure how easy it would be anyway. the way amazon is, i think its optimal on the internet.

 

[shortylickens]

i like the idea. i wouldnt want to pay to get into the showroom though. you cant buy anything so youre just looking. and amazons stock changes so rapidly im not sure how easy it would be anyway. the way amazon is, i think its optimal on the internet.

Again, theres certain things I'd wanna touch, like keyboards, mice and laptops before buying online. Maybe some phones. Definitely a lot of knives and camping gear.

 

[Sonikku]

What planet are they from?

The one where you don't want the government to know you're making money under the table by paying with cash and not making deposits to your bank account.

 

[AlienCraft]

Hahaha, qft.

I'll still be pretty sad though, I can wander around a BB for an hour or two killing time while the lady is off at more boring stores.

Maybe they should start selling groceries on the side?

:whiste: heyyyyy wait a minute!!!!

 

[IGBT]

What's this? No mention of "eco-KOOKs®"? My head suddenly hurts.

mission accomplished cup cake..I live rent free in yo head!!

 

[thegimp03]

Circuit City 2