Best Buy BWAAHAHAHA

So I was in Best Buy last night picking up the new new headset (gift cards ugh) and was listening to the "computer guy" talk to a couple of college kids about the laptops.

Apparently the ASUS G750 is the top of the top in mobile gaming platforms. Nobody makes better, and nobody bothers doing custom work on them (or any laptop) because they are so very nearly perfect. And he has 2 left.

I couldn't resist. I asked about the Dragon 2. I asked about the Alienware 17. Then I asked about DS. He said "Who's that?" So I told him, and showed them the Krypton in my pack. He said it was all flash and no power for gaming. So we did a boot time comparison. Then a free 3dmark live benchmark comparison.

Then I told them how much I paid.

Then the kids left the store with your website on my business card. And I didn't get a discount on the headset.

But I did buy the nighthawk ac1900 router too, so that must be some consolation.

Yeah, I laughed at that because in my review of the laptop on this site I'd complained that there was no badging whatsoever identifying it as a DS machine beyond the serial number sticker. It's just rubberized black all around, as opposed to the 750 which have those goofy booster exhaust ports on the back.

Originally posted by Tidgxor Ah yes, Best Buy, my favorite oxymoron.

My Alienware laptop? Best flashing lights, 3K machine and paperweight ever bought.

With the rise of internet sales, big brick & mortar retailers can no longer win based solely on pricing - they have to compete on service. I've seen two approaches to this. The first is to copy the (remaining) small brick & mortar stores and hire staffers who are genuinely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the products on offer. Make sure the customer gets the perfect fit for their needs, and count on loyalty to make the sale.

The second approach is to exploit the customer's lack of knowledge to make the perfect fit for the store's profit margins, rather than the customer's needs, and hope that you can make up on volume what you lose on trust from those customers who find out they've been sold the wrong product.

Apple went with the former approach - whether you love or hate the products, their staff do know Apple products, and I've never been hit with a hard sell, perhaps because they're not paid on commission. Their stores pull more profits per square foot than Tiffany's.

Best Buy, sadly, has gone with the latter approach. I can't say that I'm sad to see them in decline.