Best Buy puts "Hot Items" Behind $200 Membership Fee

[Ravendarat]

31 minutes ago, Blademaster91 said:

 

No one criticizes Newegg for their ridiculous shuffle system for hard to find electronics, so only scalpers and miners can buy items as everything is overpriced to scalper levels and you have to check the site everyday to see if you have a chance at "winning" the privilege of buying something.

They CONTINUALLY get criticized for their shuffle program as well as many other business practices. Not sure how you've missed it, it comes up seemingly daily.

[Ravendarat]

34 minutes ago, Blademaster91 said:

 

EDIT, Damn double post

[poochyena]

1 hour ago, mr moose said:

Consumer negligence?  on a GPU?  what sort of negligence do you expect would hurt a GPU that insurance is warranted?

idk? The best buy program isn't limited to GPUs, so I don't understand the relevance of your question.

44 minutes ago, SansVarnic said:

it will only validate the move

how, exactly, does not buying into the program validate the program? When I sell products, I don't increase my inventory of X because Y is seeing an increase in sales.

[Beerzerker]

Best Buy - Bringing scalping combined with data collection to a new low.

Even if you cancel the membership they'll still have the info they got on you.

I can promise they at least want your phone number and e-mail addy to setup the "Account".
You can use a disposable E-Mail account (Gmail) but your phone number is a little closer to home. I can also promise you they already knew alot of folks would be doing as they are now - Setting up these accounts and dropping them after they get what they want.

 

[mr moose]

12 minutes ago, poochyena said:

idk? The best buy program isn't limited to GPUs, so I don't understand the relevance of your question.

The whole thread is about only being able to buy GPU's if you are member of the program,  did you just ignore that or something?  The argument of warranty/support being longer than 90days or 1 year was used as justification for the program when people realized it was a dumb price to pay for the ability to buy a product.

12 minutes ago, poochyena said:

how, exactly, does not buying into the program validate the program? When I sell products, I don't increase my inventory of X because Y is seeing an increase in sales.

That's not what he said nor does it make any sense.

 

He said buying into the program only validates it, meaning if you buy the program then other resellers will realize they can do it too,  then all of sudden everyone is has to pay $200 in order to even buy something let alone have access to what should be free and easy product support.

 

[Kisai]

6 hours ago, SansVarnic said:

Absolutley.

I see this backfiring though, give it time. Or, people will accept it as another new norm for the times and that is not right, dont let yourself be run over folks, ever heard of the man who became a rug? Got walked all over. 

 

BestBuy just lost this customer. 

I'm sure you heard of "DirectBuy", the company that only lets you buy from it if you pay for an inflated membership cost? Even then they were selling things at higher markup than Home Depot and such.

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/furniture/directbuy.html

 

I don't see BestBuy succeeding with this, considering the company is, and always has been oblivious to customer needs, with management of stores being so firmly detached from the customer experience, that sales staff have no idea what they are selling, and anyone who does is smart enough to find a better job.

[Blademaster91]

6 hours ago, mr moose said:

You shouldn't have to pay to avoid bad product support.

I agree there shouldn't be premium on being able to buy a PS5, Nintendo Switch, or a graphics card, but a lot of companies only provide 90 days to 1 year of warranty,  or often don't want to honor their warranty policies.

6 hours ago, mr moose said:

I would consider it an insane premium to pay in order to buy a product.   Bloody hell, we are already being gouged with the prices as they are without paying a premium on top of that just for the ability to buy. 

Everyone is charging a premium for high demand items,  i'm just hoping it doesn't become a normal thing.

6 hours ago, mr moose said:

I'll criticize them if it's anti consumer behavior.   But the issue is not them in this thread it's BB. 

I point them out because they're another company charging a premium while putting things behind a wall to make it look like they care.

6 hours ago, SansVarnic said:

Poor business ethics = poor business practice, why should I support this? it will only validate the move and show other companies it is ok to do the same, increasing prices for no logical reason. Think about it a bit and you will understand.

I do criticize Newegg, haven't used them in years now because of what they started doing. 

I vote with my wallet; I will support businesses that will conduct themselves appropriately. This has worked out well for me thus far.

 

What Isaid in my last comment stands.

Ever heard of the man who became a rug? Got walked all over. <--- was not meant as a joke.

You don't have to buy the membership, although everyone has increased prices for no logical reason on things like the PS5 while doing nothing about scalpers. I don't exactly like what Bestbuy is doing either, I said it seems like scalping, however it might prevent some scalping, although maybe not as scalpers could just add another $200 to what they sell on ebay.

I haven't used newegg either, had an issue with them on an order due to their packing being insufficient, not sure if it still is.  Although I could avoid Bestbuy too, I don't have a Microcenter, so all I would have left is Amazon, and they're not exactly an ethical business either.

[Shreyas1]

7 hours ago, Ravendarat said:

I dont like this at all but its not that much different than paying for a Costco Membership every year for the "privilege" of shopping at their stores

To be fair you will probably buy stuff from costco a lot more often than expensive stuff at BB, they also carry a wider range of things. 

 

22 hours ago, Blademaster91 said:

Seems like scalping but i'd rather pay Bestbuy an extra $200 for a graphics card than an ebay scalper.

But why? You pay the same amount anyways, but this time to a corporation

[Ravendarat]

2 hours ago, Shreyas1 said:

To be fair you will probably buy stuff from costco a lot more often than expensive stuff at BB, they also carry a wider range of things. 

 

I actually dont shop at Costco because as a single guy I dont feel like buying in bulk makes sense often enough for it to make sense for me to have a membership, in the same way I dont buy enough in a year from Best Buy to make it sensible for me to buy their membership. From my standpoint all these memberships are going to do is ensure that the odd time I WOULD go to best buy to buy something I will now go elsewhere locally to buy some thing or I will buy online. Im not saying thats the same for everyone but for me they just cost themselves my business.

[mr fobs]

3 hours ago, Shreyas1 said:

But why? You pay the same amount anyways, but this time to a corporation

I'd rather not pay an extra $200, but at least with best buys you get insurance, warranty stuff, etc. Also because Fuck Scalpers.

[poochyena]

9 hours ago, mr moose said:

The whole thread is about only being able to buy GPU's if you are member of the program

huh? OP doesn't mention GPUs anywhere. You ok?

 

[Blademaster91]

3 hours ago, Shreyas1 said:

But why? You pay the same amount anyways, but this time to a corporation

I would rather buy it from Bestbuy then, same price and you get a warranty, with some items the warranty is only valid for the original purchase. And I don't want to buy anything from scalpers because they're a reason why some items are difficult to find, also a risk of getting scammed from a scalper.

[mr fobs]

9 hours ago, mr moose said:

The whole thread is about only being able to buy GPU's if you are member of the program

 

14 minutes ago, poochyena said:

huh? OP doesn't mention GPUs anywhere. You ok?

I don't think it has happened for anything but the PS5, however BestBuy states this will apply to their hot items for at least over the holidays. It is assumed this means consoles and GPUs, but isn't limited to either.

[Donut417]

On 10/12/2021 at 8:24 AM, mr fobs said:

a $200 per year subscription to their Totaltech membership.

Who do they think they are Sams Club/Costco? 

[SteveGrabowski0]

Can't imagine Sony is happy about Best Buy becoming the scalper for PS5s now. 

[SteveGrabowski0]

7 hours ago, mr fobs said:

 

I don't think it has happened for anything but the PS5, however BestBuy states this will apply to their hot items for at least over the holidays. It is assumed this means consoles and GPUs, but isn't limited to either.

There is going to be a ton of stuff in higher demand than supply for this holiday season given the way our supply chain is falling apart. Gonna be a lot of sad ass kids when the shit they want isn't under the tree this Christmas.

[mr moose]

8 hours ago, poochyena said:

huh? OP doesn't mention GPUs anywhere. You ok?

 

Your right it's doesn't say it specifically at BB,  yet. but the thread did discuss and is diiscussing it applying to GPU's. Also:

 

 

7 hours ago, mr fobs said:

 

I don't think it has happened for anything but the PS5, however BestBuy states this will apply to their hot items for at least over the holidays. It is assumed this means consoles and GPUs, but isn't limited to either.

 

If that doesn't mean it will apply to GPU's then the odds are against us.

[poochyena]

32 minutes ago, mr moose said:

Your right it's doesn't say it specifically at BB,  yet. but the thread did discuss and is diiscussing it applying to GPU's.

Right, in addition to, not "only being able to buy GPU's" as you said.

[spartaman64]

22 hours ago, Ravendarat said:

I dont like this at all but its not that much different than paying for a Costco Membership every year for the "privilege" of shopping at their stores

does bestbuy sell products at near production cost?

[Ravendarat]

2 hours ago, spartaman64 said:

does bestbuy sell products at near production cost?

It depends on the products, at times they are at or very close to dealer cost, at times even under dealer cost, and other times at big mark up. Costco doesnt sell everything at "production cost". In fact nothing is sold at production cost there. They sell near dealer cost for some items but never true cost, they do however sell in bulk which can make it seem like a way better deal at times, and sometimes is.

[mr moose]

3 hours ago, poochyena said:

Right, in addition to, not "only being able to buy GPU's" as you said.

If you thought my post meant that you could "only" buy GPU's and nothing else then you need to spend more timer considering the discussion as a whole and less time arguing things people never implied.

[poochyena]

1 hour ago, mr moose said:

If you thought my post meant that you could "only" buy GPU's and nothing else then you need to spend more timer considering the discussion as a whole and less time arguing things people never implied.

That is, in fact, what the word "only" implies.

[mr moose]

6 minutes ago, poochyena said:

That is, in fact, what the word "only" implies.

 

Not what the sentence says at all.

22 hours ago, mr moose said:

The whole thread is about only being able to buy GPU's if you are member of the program, 

 

The word only in this sentence does not mean exclusive.  There is nothing in that sentence that says you can only buy GPU's and nothing else.    As I said before,  concentrate on the discussion as a whole rather than twisting words so you still have something to argue.

 

 

 

Anyway,  the point still remains, if you are happy to pay $200 a year for things that are a basic consumer right then more fool you,  but don't complain when you have no consumer rights left and anything half decent is too expensive to buy.

 

 

[Kisai]

3 hours ago, Ravendarat said:

It depends on the products, at times they are at or very close to dealer cost, at times even under dealer cost, and other times at big mark up. Costco doesnt sell everything at "production cost". In fact nothing is sold at production cost there. They sell near dealer cost for some items but never true cost, they do however sell in bulk which can make it seem like a way better deal at times, and sometimes is.

Costco also lets you return things, sometimes in excessively permissive ways. Which isn't that much different from say, Walmart, which doesn't charge a membership fee.

 

Ultimately these "membership" fees aren't value-adding. You can still buy things at Costco without a membership, but you have to pay cash. So that tells you exactly what the membership is for, subsidizing (the store)'s credit card fees.

 

[spartaman64]

8 hours ago, Ravendarat said:

It depends on the products, at times they are at or very close to dealer cost, at times even under dealer cost, and other times at big mark up. Costco doesnt sell everything at "production cost". In fact nothing is sold at production cost there. They sell near dealer cost for some items but never true cost, they do however sell in bulk which can make it seem like a way better deal at times, and sometimes is.

well their financial documents show that their profit numbers are often very close with their membership revenue