Best Buy

[Tiff]

I have to agree. Fry's is ok if you have time to browse AND you're one of those people into building your own stuff. I'm in Fry's maybe twice a year. Best Buy very frequently, because I LIKE Best Buy and have never had a problem with them. I still go into Fry's and I DID have a problem with them about seven years ago with buying a component that was DOA and trying to return it. I still buy computer equipment there, but, I will go to Best Buy first, not just because it's closer, but I don't have a problem with them. Oh.. the items I've replaced just before the warranty ran out far outweighs those that died afterward. I don't buy my computers from them though, because they STOPPED CARRYING THEM.
Seriously. People still use desktops. 9.9 Mine came from HP. So have the last three laptops and other two desktops over the last five years. They don't carry the laptop that I'm typing on right now, because it's a TABLET PC, a real tablet, not those slates that they're trying to call tablets. (Rants about how Walmart had the gall to try to tell people those $99 android slates were Tablet PCs over the Christmas Season and wonders how many people seriously thought they were getting a tablet pc.)
TV came from Best Buy. Monitors, printers, scanners - all from Best Buy, all had extended warranties. But a warranty is not necessary for everything and all you have to do is say: No. It's not that hard of a word to say. No.
I will likely be purchasing an Amazon Fire from Best Buy in the future, for my daughter, and perhaps a cheap laptop. But my big expenditure this year will be for a Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet - which I will purchase from Lenovo because Best Buy doesn't carry the specific one that I want.
I did get to roll my eyes last time I was in there over an employee trying to sell someone a warranty on a VIDEO GAME. Video games tend to either work out of the box or don't. They don't 'break' for no reason after you buy them.
So no, I'd have to greatly disagree with the notion that Best Buy is going to go under. They got rid of their competition after all and their store size is perfect as is.

As for Radio Shack - they failed in their 'rebranding' to The Shack and I'm amazed they even tried to go with such a stupid name that made them sound even dinkier than they already are. I would NEVER purchase an item from Radio Shack. I've only owned one item from radio shack and that was a little radio that was given as a gift when I was like.. 10. I'm amazed they're still around as it is! Radio Shack just screams no quality + high prices to me every time I walk past one.

[Pipeline]

Where are going to get a cordless land line phone battery if not @ "the Shack"? That's where I get mine and I ain't going down to Fry's to do so. The crowds and the humongousness (a word?) of that place gives me the willies.

[Common Sense Al]

Where are going to get a cordless land line phone battery if not @ "the Shack"? That's where I get mine and I ain't going down to Fry's to do so. The crowds and the humongousness (a word?) of that place gives me the willies.

My first choice would probably be amazon.com (I get free shipping with Prime). 2nd choice Walmart or Target, maybe Best Buy. I wouldn't have even thought of Radio Shack or "the Shack".

My Panasonic cordless phones use standard rechargeable AA's. I'm glad they do and don't use the proprietary batteries.

[Uther]

Where are going to get a cordless land line phone battery if not @ "the Shack"?

batteries.com
drbattery.com
amazon.com (free with Prime membership.)

Full disclosure: I too used to rely on Radio Shack for batteries, but when their markup made them more than 50% more expensive than online plus shipping, the switch wasn't hard.

[JKTex]

I still like Radio Shack for components and little things no one else carries and are easy to find. I'm in there at least 2 times every 10 years and always enjoy just looking around at all 4 shelves and the wall rack.

(I really do like RS, I just almost never have reason to go)

[Uther]

Why Best Buy is Going out of Business...Gradually - Forbes

Consider a few key metrics. Despite the disappearance of competitors including Circuit City, the company is losing market share. Its last earnings announcement disappointed investors. In 2011, the company’s stock has lost 40% of its value. Forward P/E is a mere 6.23 (industry average is 10.20). Its market cap down to less than $9 billion. Its average analyst rating, according to The Street.com, is a B-.

One reason quoted

Walk into one of the company’s retail locations or shop online. And try, really try, not to lose your temper.

Also this

As with many large retailers unable to cope with new channels and new consumer expectations, the company will continue to sputter on fumes, slowing down bit by bit until one day it just stops moving. Think of Elek-Tek, Virgin Megastores, or KB Toys.

[Uther]

Another gem that didn't quite make it down to here.

Best Buy gave its online customers just about the worst news possible four days before Christmas: Your order has not been filled.

The Richfield-based retailer said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that it will not be able to process some of its online orders by Friday, including some made the day after Thanksgiving.

- Star Tribune (Minneapolis–Saint Paul)

[Common Sense Al]

I ordered several things from Best Buy (online) during the "holiday shopping season" - mostly Xbox games as they had some really good deals.

I think they all shipped, except for one, and they send me a gift card for the value of that order, so while I agree their system probably needs improvement in not taking orders they can't fulfill, they didn't make me "mad" and even gave me a free gift certificate, so I'm not going to rat on them for that.

Now if someone placed an "important" gift order right after TG, and they didn't notify them that it wasn't going to ship until right before Christmas, then I can definitely see how that could be upsetting.

[JKTex]

Gee, I've never had a problem with online sources like Amazon or MidwayUSA. Everything ships fast and exactly what I wanted, and if there is a problem, or I find out it's just not what I expected, returns are painless, and I don't 14 kids in Blue shirts asking me one after the other if they can help me when they really don't want to help me.

And parking isn't a problem either.

I think we need to be proactive and start courting churches to take over the FM space. Anyone ever have a hanker'n to preach for cash to 4600 members of a retail conversion church?

[Uther]

Anyone ever have a hanker'n to preach for cash to 4600 members of a retail conversion church?

[off-topic]

Spoke to some friends recently. Turns out they moved from First Baptist in Lewisville to the church now in the Albertsons on 407. Guy tells me it has a band, great music and the congregation gets to wave their lighted iPhones around. Apparently they have to "dress-down" to fit in. The wife commented that she now has a set of earplugs in her Bible. I didn't say anything, but that didn't prevent me from thinking a whole lot. Just hoping my face didn't speak for me - I'm bad at poker.

[JKTex]

Even sheep follow the money.

[Pipeline]

I ordered several things from Best Buy (online) during the "holiday shopping season" - mostly Xbox games as they had some really good deals.

I trust the XBox games were gifts for nieces and nephews, you don't have a child old enough to play (unless time has slipped). As much time as you spend on this forum as the fireworks police, or on this forum in general, (not that there is anything wrong with that), you shouldn't have enough time to play Black Opps or Donkey Kong.

[Common Sense Al]

I trust the XBox games were gifts for nieces and nephews, you don't have a child old enough to play (unless time has slipped). As much time as you spend on this forum as the fireworks police, or on this forum in general, (not that there is anything wrong with that), you shouldn't have enough time to play Black Opps or Donkey Kong.

They were mostly for the family... most are still shrink wrapped for later use since we have more than we have time to play. But you're right, I don't have enough time to play games by myself. I find the forum and politics better entertainment and better "time wasters".

But my 5 year old likes to play Forza 4. It's a fun game to play together (he likes it when we crash and smash up the high-priced automobiles)... that and Dirt 3.

[Brian]

Great article.

I am building out an entire media room, dropping thousands of dollars, and BB is not getting one dollar of it. non competitive prices, lack of employee service or knowledge, lack of product choices as compared to amazon or the internet.

BB will fail. end of story. Sell your stocks while you can.

[Common Sense Al]

I am building out an entire media room, dropping thousands of dollars, and BB is not getting one dollar of it. non competitive prices, lack of employee service or knowledge, lack of product choices as compared to amazon or the internet.

So what are the specs?

There was a $1000 subwoofer for $500 the other day on slickdeals.net (a Definitive Technology SuperCube I). I thought about upgrading but decided I really didn't need to spend the money and wasn't sure how much of an upgrade it would be... plus the trouble of figuring out what to do with my 'old' sub.