On Friday, January 28, 2005 at precisely 9pm I entered Best Buy on Delaware Avenue in South Philadelphia to return a piece of faulty merchandise. After waiting over 20 minutes in line, a customer did not wait their turn in line, and instead proceeded to the front of the line.

I went to consult the manager, Mr. Steve Cap. I asked him if he could get help for the customer service line because all of us in it have been waiting for over 20 minutes and a customer just cut in front of the line. He told me that if I was going to speak to him like that then I can leave. I asked him like what? He said in an angry manner, we do not deal with angry customers. I said in retort, you only have happy customers then? I insisted on speaking to the store manager, were he said there was none of and he told me to leave again. I refused. He got someone from security, the man asked me politely to leave. I asked him why I should and he proceeded to tell me because ‘my boss asked me to do so’. He added that if I do not leave, they will have to call the police. I told them to call the police, solely on the basis that I refused to leave after waiting in line for over 40 minutes now, without being served on. While waiting for the police to arrive, I continued waiting in line and my turn was up so I walked up to the counter. The manager Mr. Steve Caps told his employees to not serve me. As I waited for the police to come, they asked me several times to leave. I refused to do so, unless there was reason to do so. They had to arrest me on the grounds of disorderly conduct, as they brought me to the precinct at 11th and Wharton. Officer Mjack and Simmons let me go because they had no probable cause to keep me. “They were merely pacifying me.” As one officer put it. So I would not make a further scene in the store.
While leaving the police station, one of the officers told me to try again tomorrow when they are off duty.

I ask the consumers, the paying customers of this city! What does it take to get decent customer service? Why do we pay top prices, when we get low quality service? Why do we have to work day in and out for products that consistently do not work, and only to be serviced by disrespectful employees.
Sincerely,
Kathryn S. McKinley

I can honestly sympathize with you, and it was very unfortunate that you had to go through what you reported. It is not surprising that Best Buy is taking a very uncustomer friendly stance these days.

There was an article a couple of month ago in the Wall Street Journal interviewing the CEO of Best Buy. Best Buy, among other retailers, is losing money. The article went on to describe that 25% of Best Buy Consumers are "devil consumers" - those that return merchandise, etc... And that Best Buy is going to demarket to you.

The Article was from 11/08/04

Title: "Analyzing Customers, Best Buy Decides Not All Are Welcome"

NE Philly and SPringfield Best Buys have always been good to me. Del Ave, on the other hand, is the most ghetto and under stocked place Ive ever been in.

I wonder why they are loosing money! The only reason why I was even there was to return a xmas gift from my mother. An Item I have had to return 3 times before, because of a known defect.

But I think to myself, "life is not fair". Life is not fair when you study for 3 days and still fail your exam, life is not fair when the PPA beat you to the parking meter and your time just rain out a moment before. Customer service should not be a "Life isn't Fair" issue. Customer Service should be good, or at least somewhat decent. What happened to the "Customer is always right".

In an age were companies are fighting for your dollar. Trying harder then ever to get you to shop at their stores. You would think, Customer Service would be a priority to them.

I realize I will fight a battle that I will ultimately loose because I am one person. I would like to see people send reviews to the Better Business Burearu when they get crappy treatment, tell the local news stations. At the very least complain to that Hotline number, but STOP being walked all over by major companies.

I have not been happy in that store either. I think the store is understaffed, staff are undertrained and have found stock not being availible resulting in what appears to be "bait & switch".

Bestbuy is no longer my first choice when seeking electronics or related products. Some where the company policies have been left by the wayside.

Your treatment was over the top and very wrong.

This reminds me of one of my first posts on this board, which has been deleted. I found this cached in google's search results:

CBD,

I am sorry to hear that.

I know that Best Buy is notorious for being an aweful place to work (just do a search via Google), but I have never had an issue returning stuff.

If BB is in fact losing money then Customer Service will definitely be the first thing to go as the employees already hate working there.....There is always Circuit City (though not in South Philly).

Maybe the industry is ripe for a new national Consumer Electronics chain?

I have not been to the SP location yet....though I was excited when they put it there as now I can walk to a consumer elec. store......I will give my review of that location once I get down there a few times.

-UC

You were at BEST BUY and think you paid "top prices"? Are you being serious?

CBD:

If it all went down the way you say it did (and I'm not doubting), I would retain an attorney immediately.

Its one thing for them to be nasty, unresponsive, etc. That happens too often these days - and to take a page from Five in another thread, we can walk with out feet.

But to have you arrested for disorderly conduct - that's a whole nother kettle of turnips or something. If nothing else, you ought to get a damn fine big screen tv out of it.

Unless, you really were disorderly :lol:

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Sorry to hear you had such an unfortunate experience at Best Buy. I've never had a problem. I never liked the NE Best Buy. It's dirty and the staff is not so helpful. I always would go the extra 45 minute drive and head out to Plymouth Meeting. I always loved that Best Buy out there. It's always clean and the staff was always curteous. I've never been to the one in South Philly or anywhere else in the city.

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