Best Buy calls cops on customer who gave advice

[wilebill]

Best Buy Calls Cops On You For Telling Fellow Customer Jawbone Headset Is Overpriced (http://consumerist.com/372959/best-buy-calls-cops-on-you-for-telling-fellow-customer-jawbone-headset-is-overpriced-sucks)

Best Buy called the cops on Alex because he told another shopper that the Jawbone headset he was considering was poor quality and marked up $30 from the manufacturer's price. Alex went to Best Buy to purchase a new Bluetooth headset because the Jawbone he recently purchased from Verizon wasn't cutting it. While browsing the headsets, he struck up a conversation with another customer who was checking out the Jawbone. Alex told his fellow customer that he had been disappointed in the quality of the Jawbone, and that Best Buy was charging $30 more than the manufacturer or Verizon. A sales associate overheard this and told the manager, who asked Alex to leave the store, then threatened to call the police, then did.

[mac]

That's crap. You can't call the cops on someone for having a conversation. I've done that in stores; it's none of their business. If they don't want people to SAY they're overcharging, they shouldn't overcharge in the first place.

I bought my laptop and several other devices from Best Buy, but have heard lots of stories about what Nazis they are, esp. to their employees.

[ComputerDude]

That's crap. You can't call the cops on someone for having a conversation. I've done that in stores; it's none of their business. If they don't want people to SAY they're overcharging, they shouldn't overcharge in the first place.

I bought my laptop and several other devices from Best Buy, but have heard lots of stories about what Nazis they are, esp. to their employees.
Something's fishy with that story. The letter written to the website, the person mentions telling the store manager his rule was "pulled out of his a$$". At that point the manager probably believed he had a problem customer on his hands and was within his rights to toss him out. (the store reserves the right to refuse service to anybody)
Now, common sense would say he could have simply asked a couple of the bigger employees to escort the guy to the front door instead of calling police. Obviously the manager is lacking in the common sense department.

[jojobeans1120]

Best Buy is crap!!! I purchased a laptop from there. I had to have it repaired 7 times in a little over a year. The last time I took it in, I told them if it caught my house on fire, I would own them! You could actually smell the wires melting inside the damn thing. They FINALLY replaced it, but I'll NEVER buy anything else from them.

[dollfus46]

Best Buy is crap!!! I purchased a laptop from there. I had to have it repaired 7 times in a little over a year. The last time I took it in, I told them if it caught my house on fire, I would own them! You could actually smell the wires melting inside the damn thing. They FINALLY replaced it, but I'll NEVER buy anything else from them.
I won't even walk into a Best Buy store anymore.:smt009 So far Circuit City hasn't screw me.

[jojobeans1120]

me either. their sales people are great and when i needed someone to come out and fix my Sony, they had someone out the next day. there was nothing wrong with the TV, I was having a blond moment and hadn't pushed the HD wires in all the way after re-arranging my living room. no charge, and they didn't make fun of me either...LOL

[ComputerDude]

Best Buy is crap!!! I purchased a laptop from there. I had to have it repaired 7 times in a little over a year. The last time I took it in, I told them if it caught my house on fire, I would own them! You could actually smell the wires melting inside the damn thing. They FINALLY replaced it, but I'll NEVER buy anything else from them.I fail to see how a faulty laptop is Best Buy's fault. They didn't make it and chances are slim they're the ones that repaired it. They probably sent it back to the manufacturer.

[dollfus46]

me either. their sales people are great and when i needed someone to come out and fix my Sony, they had someone out the next day. there was nothing wrong with the TV, I was having a blond moment and hadn't pushed the HD wires in all the way after re-arranging my living room. no charge, and they didn't make fun of me either...LOL
I'd have made fun of you at least.:kekeke:

[dollfus46]

I fail to see how a faulty laptop is Best Buy's fault. They didn't make it and chances are slim they're the ones that repaired it. They probably sent it back to the manufacturer.
It's called "Piss Poor Customer Service".They should have replaced the thing after the first repair failed and dealt with the mfg themselves. They'd still have a customer, wouldn't they?

[jojobeans1120]

They should have replaced the thing after the first repair failed and dealt with the mfg themselves. They'd still have a customer, wouldn't they?


You couldn't be more right! They sent the thing back to me time after time, knowing it was messed up! They could have easily replaced it with a new one, or store credit, like they eventually did any way. Of course, that didn't come until AFTER I had my attorney call the manager. ;)

[aaron]

Something's fishy with that story. The letter written to the website, the person mentions telling the store manager his rule was "pulled out of his a$$". At that point the manager probably believed he had a problem customer on his hands and was within his rights to toss him out. (the store reserves the right to refuse service to anybody)
Now, common sense would say he could have simply asked a couple of the bigger employees to escort the guy to the front door instead of calling police. Obviously the manager is lacking in the common sense department.

You could, but that'd be dangerous. If your bigger employees happen to hurt this guy while they are carrying him out, then he gets paid. Calling the police rids them of the liability. Calling the police on someone that is in your store recommending that customers not buy a product and not leaving is completely within their rights. It sounds like they asked him to leave and he wouldn't.

[jojobeans1120]

I fail to see how a faulty laptop is Best Buy's fault. They didn't make it and chances are slim they're the ones that repaired it. They probably sent it back to the manufacturer.

It is their responsibility!! They sold me the laptop, they sold me the warranty, they sold me the accident insurance, etc.., they're responsible for ensuring I get what I pay for. If they can't do that, they shouldn't be in business.In this case, the laptop had MAJOR problems. If it was a defective product, do the right thing and replace it. Don't keep putting band aids on it.
I mean, c'mon! Even Walmart will exchange something if it is broken or has something wrong with it! WALMART!

[ComputerDude]

You could, but that'd be dangerous. If your bigger employees happen to hurt this guy while they are carrying him out, then he gets paid. Calling the police rids them of the liability. Calling the police on someone that is in your store recommending that customers not buy a product and not leaving is completely within their rights. It sounds like they asked him to leave and he wouldn't.If the guy was getting physical, than yeah, you're right. But from what I read in the story no real confrontation occurred so the manager could have simply escorted the guy off the property before relying on the cops to do it.

It's called "Piss Poor Customer Service".They should have replaced the thing after the first repair failed and dealt with the mfg themselves. They'd still have a customer, wouldn't they?Sure, they could have done that. Or JoJo could have called the manufacturers 1-800 number and dealt with them herself (her?? him?? sorry don't know JoJo that well) and eliminated Best Buy from the equation all together.

[ComputerDude]

It is their responsibility!! They sold me the laptop, they sold me the warranty, they sold me the accident insurance, etc.., they're responsible for ensuring I get what I pay for. If they can't do that, they shouldn't be in business.In this case, the laptop had MAJOR problems. If it was a defective product, do the right thing and replace it. Don't keep putting band aids on it.
I mean, c'mon! Even Walmart will exchange something if it is broken or has something wrong with it! WALMART!Did you demand your money back after the first failed repair??

[aaron]

If the guy was getting physical, than yeah, you're right. But from what I read in the story no real confrontation occurred so the manager could have simply escorted the guy off the property before relying on the cops to do it.


I don't understand what you mean. If you ask someone to leave and they don't, then you either get physical or they don't move. The getting physical part is what would get Best Buy in trouble.

[jojobeans1120]

Jojo (she) did call and was told to take it to BEST BUY because it was under warranty and they could fix it there. Come to find out, they do nothing more than reformat it! The geek squad doesn't know their @$$ from a hole in the ground. I can reformat a laptop/computer myself! It doesn't take a rocket scientist.

[ComputerDude]

Jojo (she) did call and was told to take it to BEST BUY because it was under warranty and they could fix it there. Come to find out, they do nothing more than reformat it! The geek squad doesn't know their @$$ from a hole in the ground. I can reformat a laptop/computer myself! It doesn't take a rocket scientist.Are you talking about Hattiesburg Best Buy??

[jojobeans1120]

Yep, in the same shopping center as Toys-R-Us

[wilebill]

I think the store manager way over-reacted. The guy was having a personal conversation with another customer, and a salesman just happened to overhear it. I'm sure this happens on a regular basis, and it more than likely has no effect on their bottom line. Now if the guy had marched in with a big sign saying that headset sucks, or announced it with a bullhorn, then that's a different situation.

More than likely BB lost 2 customers or more with that stupid stunt, instead of losing none by doing nothing.

[aaron]

The thing is, I'm pretty sure Best Buy is starting the really feel the pressure from online sales. They might be telling their managers this, and to discourage any talk about wholesale or retail prices. This manager may even be on the ropes from declining store sales. Whatever the case may be, this guy thinks he has First Amendment rights on someone else's property, so he's not that smart.

[ComputerDude]

The thing is, I'm pretty sure Best Buy is starting the really feel the pressure from online sales. I'm not sure I agree here. I think Best Buy is in a pretty good position right now. CompUSA is shutting down and Circuit City is struggling as well. There really are no other chains like them around.

[jojobeans1120]

I'll have someone build me one or buy from Walmart (last resort) before I buy anything from them......

[wilebill]

Whatever the case may be, this guy thinks he has First Amendment rights on someone else's property, so he's not that smart.

BB was definitely within their rights to tell the guy to leave, but sometimes the right thing is not always the smart thing.

[TheKing]

I'm not sure I agree here. I think Best Buy is in a pretty good position right now. CompUSA is shutting down and Circuit City is struggling as well. There really are no other chains like them around.

the entirety of the consumer electronics industry is hurting because of razor thin margins... and wal mart

best buy may be still standing...but i assure you theyre not exactly booming

[TheKing]

BB was definitely within their rights to tell the guy to leave, but sometimes the right thing is not always the smart thing.

youre right about that

and the guy was definitely within his rights to smear best buy all over the internet and media over it

i have to ask if the store manager thinks it was worth it at this point

[aaron]

BB was definitely within their rights to tell the guy to leave, but sometimes the right thing is not always the smart thing.

I'm sure they didn't think it'd get much press. This probably happened 20 times today, but you won't hear about it, because most people leave when asked, and they don't report it to anyone.

[Desert Donkey]

The thing is, I'm pretty sure Best Buy is starting the really feel the pressure from online sales. They might be telling their managers this, and to discourage any talk about wholesale or retail prices. This manager may even be on the ropes from declining store sales. Whatever the case may be, this guy thinks he has First Amendment rights on someone else's property, so he's not that smart.

Yipes. This conversation is a real eye-opener.

So, hypothetically, I'm not allowed to discuss prices or anything in the stores I frequent, and if I do, they can throw me out or call the cops on me. Yow. Police state marketing tactics.

That's quite alright, though, because I can always take my business somewhere else. Screw 'em. With an attitude like this, they'll be out of business before too long, anyway.

I would not recommend the abovementioned suggestion of directing large-sized employees to "escort" a customer out, though; that will get more expensive for those two boys than I think they're prepared to deal with. it is a VERY bad idea to hands on someone without due cause, and I don't think a simple discussion of a store's pricing is sufficient cause for a potential assault. Those large-sized employees could have a really bad day in a big hurry if they tangle with someone who doesn't play around, not to mention the legal aspects of this, which could be significant.

[Conveyor Belt]

If you want someone removed from your property, ask them to go, and if they refuse, let them know you're calling the police to have them escorted from the property. If they don't go after knowing that, make the call. #1, they may be really crazy and armed. You don't need that. #2, if they fall down while you're putting your hands on them, you're going to be sued. Even if you win, you're still going to be sued. And the press won't print that you won, only that you layed hands on a customer making them fall. It's not a bar, it's a retail business. Cops are there for that reason.

Over the years, I called the cops several times for problem customers. Easier to do it that way.

[Pirate_129]

If you want someone removed from your property, ask them to go, and if they refuse, let them know you're calling the police to have them escorted from the property. If they don't go after knowing that, make the call. #1, they may be really crazy and armed. You don't need that. #2, if they fall down while you're putting your hands on them, you're going to be sued. Even if you win, you're still going to be sued. And the press won't print that you won, only that you layed hands on a customer making them fall. It's not a bar, it's a retail business. Cops are there for that reason.

Over the years, I called the cops several times for problem customers. Easier to do it that way.

What he said.