BB employee: manager deceived Xbox 360 purchasers
by Conrad Quilty-Harper 
{ Nov 26th 2005 at 8:00AM }
A local news channel in Portland, Oregon is reporting an account of a Best Buy employee who witnessed his store's
manager refusing to sell Xbox 360 without a bundle of software with them. According to the report shoppers at the store
looking for an Xbox 360 (priced at $299 and $399) "were told the price would be
different from what was advertised." The manager of the store told employees to tell shoppers that the advertised price
was incorrect and would in fact be several hundred dollars higher due to an unadvertised software bundle.
The report is unclear over the legality of this case and merely has statements from the employee under the alias of
Chris. "Pretty much (...) I felt that what the company was doing was unfair,
and I felt bad," he said. Accordingly, the Oregon Attorney General's Office has
opened a file on the matter and is looking for mislead consumers to help fill the file. How was your experience of
purchasing an Xbox 360? Did you witness or hear of any cases similar to this at your local Best Buy? If so, we'd love
to hear them.
[Thanks, MTigerV]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
El Perron @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Same thing happened at our local Biggs here in Cincinnati OH; you had to buy a 360, Kameo, and one game of your choice for $529.99 (not including tax).
OTAM @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Circuit City here made you buy 3 accessories to get a system,which means they were doing so to try and sucker you into this so then they could get another shipment of consoles in by showing how many peripherals they sold.
Paul @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Sony are doing this same thing in the UK for their PSP Giga Pack. The package doesn't come bundled with any games but they are forcing retailers to sell the Giga Pack only with two games of their choosing for £270 (~$540) instead of £214 (~$430).
Charlie @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
My local mom and pop shop immediately placed their xbox 360's on ebay upon receipt. Needless to say, I was livid.
Chris @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I work for FYE and we are required to sell a "bundle" package for EVERY system we sell. PSP, GBASP, NDS, PS2, XB, XB360. It is a common practice. I remember when the xbox first came out I ended up spending $550 to get it cause I was forced to buy 3 games, a disk doctor cleaner and an extra controller. I know also that my local Gamestop/EB Games also sells them in bundles. It been happening for many years now and I don't know why people didn't start complaining until now. I think its unfair and I hate having to force my customers to buy so many things at once. I can understand maybe ONE game cause you will need it anyway, but what if someone is buying a gift and someone else would be providing the games and accessories. Oh, and since the article is about best buy, my local best buy also forced people to buy an xbox bundle (original) and it had the system, an extra control, the DVD playback kit, 3 games and I think an xbox live headset for like $500 or $600. I don't remember now. I think it should be up to the employees to TRY and sell extra add-ons to a purchase. Not FORCE people to.
shawn moniz @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
i totally agree chris i mean cmon $600 is alot of money to put down for a console...i really dont think this will take off and i wonder if microsoft has anything to do with this forced buying of games...hmmmm
Billy Dee Williams @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
EBGames did the force purchase console bundles last holiday season for GameCube, XBox, and PS2 Slim.. the customer backlash was deafening, to say the least.
Trapper Markelz @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
The only thing I can add about Best Buy is that the one in Evanston, IL advertised for months a first come first serve event, handing out vouchers at 10pm. I showed up around 6pm to get in line and suprisingly no one was there... I went inside to ask if they were still doing the midnight launch and was told that the store manager decided to take preorders the week before and so now they were all sold out. I asked why they had been advertising a first come first serve launch and the answer was "Yeah... I don't really know what is going on with that now... we don't have any left as far as I know."
It sounds to me like many Best Buys just didn't have their act together.
DJ Unimpressed @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I'm in Portland and heard accounts of this going on from folks that left that particular Best Buy to join the few of us in line at CompUSA. It sounded like that situation almost came to blows when some cutomers got up in BB employees faces.
Ghost @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Circuit City made me do the same thing when I bought my PSP on launch day. I had to also buy Twisted Metal Black.
But apparently it was advertised as such, which I was unaware. It sucked, because it was not the title I wanted, plus I didn't realize I'd have to spend more.
I noticed on Best Buy's website, they only have bundles. Same with Circuit City. If you check out Walmart.com, they have the individual consoles available, but if you opt for a bundle there, you can choose the games you want (way cool!).
I think the stores are trying to improve their bottom line, by selling you more items, offering them higher returns. They also try to push the extended warranty.
It's sorta like buying a car, and not being able to find the base model, and you end up with the Griswald family cruiser.
xBenDoverx @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I had the same problem at the best buy near me. I was actually at GameStop and I wanted to get my console day of, so I wanted my money back in order to get a 360 from Best Buy. The GameStop manager informed me that they are selling only bundles at Best Buy. Thank god he told me that cause I would have camped out for NOTHING!
Matthew Maust @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Just curiuos about this,
Could you very easily buy the system with all these accessories as these a$$holes are making you do and then go back a couple days later and return all the stuff you didn't want? They can't force you to keep it if you didn't open it. Of course, you'd THINK they couldn't force you to buy it if you didn't want it... but I digress.
Matthew
PaulBlake @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
The problem here doesn't seem to be the bundles so much as denying that non-bundle packages were available, when in fact, they were.
Just Josh @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Wow. I've never tried to buy a system near launch date, so I've never heard horror stories like these. I always thought it was bad enough that launch-date buyers always pay more than those who will wait until the first price cut (I call the price difference First-Kid-On-The-Block tax), but being forced to buy bundled games or accessories you don't want is ridiculous!
AJ @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Nothing is wrong at any of my local stores, they are selling just the system. But they do offer that if you buy one game and one accesory you get ten dollars off. What that Best Buy store is wrong, they can deffinately be sued for false advertising.
magaman @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Not surpirsed thats best buy for you always trying to make a buck and always trying to presure the buyer into buying more, when I worked there they were always pushing the protection plans and they had no problem telling us to be overly aggressive, many times I've seen people walk out cause a sales person was to agressive with a service plan, its such the wrong road to go when selling there should be no presure, oh and that whole "we don't get commission" line they like to feed you is BULL, supervisors(who are hourly employees) and up get commisions, and big ones, and others get free stuff for being good sales people.
Luke @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Why aren't we reading any story about someone who sent the manager of a store to hell, and actually buy what they needed at the time?
I would have cause a ruckus in the store yelling the "ripoff" to everyone in line behind me. Let me tell you i'm 6'3" when i speak people listen....imagine yelling!!!
Once i argued for 20 minutes over an extended warranty for a Zen Micro. She told me that that usb data cable was not under warranty by Creative and that "these kind of cable are very fragile".....what am i? a six years old??
They either con people by fear or by stupid "new requirememts".....just send them to hell....at least you'll have your dignity intact.
TBone0187 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
The very same happened at the best buy in Fairview Heights, IL. It was on the news. People had camped out all night and in the paper they advertised it for the 299.99 and 399.99 but when they opened the doors they told everyone they had to buy a bundle and they were all pretty irate. Check out the story.http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=88161
I think it was a trick they pulled nationwide.
Vinh @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
The Best Buy in Pasadena, TX (Store 357) made you purchase bundles for xbox 360's. The first 20 were just the premiumsystems then, it got kinda strange. Best buy was selling packages topping off the $700 dollar price mark forcing people to buy the basic system because they didnt have enough cash to get the bundle. I bought a bundle so that someone with less money could get a premium system then about 5 hours later, I returned it back to them.
Agntlgn @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I used to work for a electronics store. The reason they try to force people into buying the extra software and accessories is because every store is grade by there profit margin. You must know that a console like the Xbox, PS2, and the Xbox 360 has a profit of about 1.5%. Which is only about $2-$3. Retailers try as much as they can to force buyers to get extras so the "Margin" is higher. If not the store will be graded very low and probably the manager repremanded. It is the Managers job to make sure that even during Black Fridays and Product luanches that the store is green. Green with profit. That is why they try to sell the extended warranties and accessories. In fact if a sales person cannot sell the extended warranties and attach accessories they are quickly fired!
Clint @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
The Best Buy I went to didn't force you to buy a bundle.
The Captain @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Individual states have got to get their act together and impose stiff fines for stores who use these kinds of deceptive sales practices. In these situations where consumers are waiting hours in line, they have no recourse when they finally get into the store and are told they must buy something else then what was promoted. I think the states must impose penalties which would stop these tactics. Perhaps that for any consumer that files a legitimate complaint, the offending store must deliver (cost free) the original merchandise and a check for X times the original cost of the merchandise as well. AND pay the state a penalty on top of that.
Vinh @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Clarification: if you wanted to buy an Xbox 360, and the number they had set aside as stand alone systems were sold out, if you wanted an Xbox360, you had to buy a bundle. I felt bad. I was talking to a one of the kids, who slept over night at Best Buy (like the rest of us), who had to buy a basic system and then purchase the hard drive, wireless controller and HD cables to "make" a premium system cause he couldn't afford the $700+ systems that were left. Tell me that doesn't suck all sorts of ways.
little bastard @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
After waiting 20hrs in line at best buy I was 3rd. Once I got in the store there where 10 pepole who did not come close to the line ready to buy one. Fuck Best Buy.
little bastard @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
After waiting 20hrs in line at best buy I was 3rd. Once I got in the store there where 10 pepole who did not come close to the line ready to buy one. Fuck Best Buy.
Mad @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Game in the UK appear there about to force a 10 game bundle pack ( £769 ) on anyone wanting to buy a 360, even if they have pre ordered. That works out as over £1,300 !!
ZeroCorpse @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
magaman: Gasp! You mean a business was trying to make a buck? They were in business to EARN MONEY!?!? The Horror!
I work at BBY, and I don't pressure anybody into buying the PRP. Most of the time, all I need to do is mention it, and explain what it covers, and people are glad to buy it. If they don't want it, it's no big deal. We don't have quotas, we're non-commission, and there's no pressure from management to force them on anybody.
Supervisors get bonuses based on store performance, not "commissions" and yes, BBY gives rewards to people who do well for the company. It sounds like you got fired, or left because you can't handle retail. Sour grapes, man. So far, BBY has been nothing but good to me.
In THIS case, however, the manager clearly went against the company's policy and did something for which he will no doubt be in trouble with the company. His case is unusual and unique. We had a good launch at my store. People were al friendly and happy. We handed out hot drinks, and some people even bought food for all the people in line. Getting a 360 was on first-come, first served basis, but we handed out claim tickets a couple hours before the doors opened. Some employees were at the store at 5:00 AM to accomodate those people in line; And we didn't *have* to be. We didn't open until 10:00 AM.
The people in line each got their Xbox 360, and were offered the Product Replacement Plan (which, at this point, sounds like it was a good idea considering some of the consoles have had the typical launch problems) and other accessories, but NOBODY was forced to buy anything they didn't want. Among the people in the line were four BBY employees, because we were not allowed to claim any 360s without also waiting in line with everybody else. The BBY employees who did wait in line for 16 hours got along great with the other people, and made sure that the line stayed friendly and safe at all times. The only people who walked away mad were the ones who arrived late for the line-up, and the one guy who was turned away because he bragged that he was just getting one to sell it on eBay (we were allowed to refuse sale to anyone who was profiteering).
The only bad thing was that the line got egged by some jerks who weren't in it, and some guy had to go to the hospital after being hit with a frozen egg. Someone else volunteered to stand in line for him, and he got his 360 anyway.
Just because some of you live in areas with a lousy sense of community spirit doesn't mean every launch was bad. Most places had great launch days with employees who tried their best to make everyone happy.
I'm getting really sick of hearing about how "horrible" this launch was. It was no different that any other launch, and it's only the jerks who make these things difficult. That includes the VERY FEW retail managers who went against company policy on launch day.
It's funny how you never hear news stories about the happy people who got their 360, got free sandwiches and coffee from the stores, and were treated to a fun experience on launch day.
Mad @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Typo, I mean't $1,300. That's dollars dudes!
Buhda @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Best Buy has addressed this situation to every employee over their TooLKit software. The memo said that Best Buy stores where never told to sell them as packages and do not appreciate it. Also That this will not happen again because we are a fair company and thats what we stand for, Fair. Not selling them in bundles, so if hey tell you that you must just tell them back you do not. No where does it say that it must be purchased in a bundle and i work at BBY.
LordAlu @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
>>>
Sony are doing this same thing in the UK for their PSP Giga Pack. The package doesn't come bundled with any games but they are forcing retailers to sell the Giga Pack only with two games of their choosing for £270 (~$540) instead of £214 (~$430).
>>>
Untrue. The PSP Giga Pack here in the UK _does_ come bundled with games. At £269.99 you get the PSP Value Pack, a Sony 1GB memory stick, USB lead and stand, World Tour Soccer, and either Ridge Racer, Wipeout Pure or Pursuit Force. This all comes _pre-bundled_, and cannot be changed.
>>>
Game in the UK appear there about to force a 10 game bundle pack ( £769 ) on anyone wanting to buy a 360, even if they have pre ordered. That works out as over £1,300 !!
>>>
Again, untrue. Working for GAME, I can confirm that that is the "Ultimate Bundle", the max of three different bundles. You can get the machine with four games of your choice for around £500, or with Condemned and two games of your choice for around £410. Oh, and yes you can buy the system separately - we have received no communication telling us to force bundles upon customers, and I certainly won't be doing anything like that.
The only time i've ever seen anything happen in forced bundles was during the Slimline PS2 shortage last Christmas, when a regional manager stated that they could not be sold unless they were in a bundle. Of course, he was subsequently "dealt with"...
wheelsee @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
The Best Buy I went to in Columbia, MD didn't force you to buy any bundles and I walked away with a unit for eBay(link above) around 9:15 AM after spending 13 hours in line...if you were forced to buy a bundle return the items you didnt want they are SKU'd individually and are returnable per Best Buys Return Policy...I worked there during the PS2/XBox releases and Best Buy as a corporate entity vehemantly said no Bundling...but this just goes to show their corporate culture in which they will do whatever to "make numbers" but give no incentive to the sales reps who actually do the work...
nojok3 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
This dealing was bad business. Other BB stores that did this had 20 Premiums (like in some of their store ads) but the rest were sold as Bundles. The stores that sold the 20 premiums and then sold the rest as bundles were perfectly legal, but this story doesn't sound so.
Sam @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
In response to #27:
I had a reat time! I went to gamestop about a quarter till 12, and the doors were open, and people were inside. We all chatted a bit as the employees got everything ready. When It was time to get the 360, it was laid back and noone got upset. I walked out about 10 after 12 and went home to game.
In response to Best Buy:
Go to the website for your local Better Business Bureau and I will guarantee Best Buy will have several complaints about False advertising and bait and switch. Last year on Black Friday, I stood in like for 4 hours to get an ATI video card bundled with Half-Life 2 for 175. Well, I got in and picked up the card and went to checkout. I asked the cashier where I can get my copy of HL2? Do I need to mail in for it or something? He looked at me like I was crazy and called the manager over. I explained to him the situation and he told me "what you see is what you get" and then I asked him why it was advertised as such. He said if I wanted to buy it, do it or get out of the way to let the other customers through. I got pissed and he threatened to call the cops if I didn't leave. So I got home and called the corporate hq and they said they would clear this up by sending out an email, which never happened. I know because my friend works at best buy and he ALSO thought they came together and tried to buy one. So I hopped on the BBB website and checked the area. They had several complaints about this type of thing. They were also under investigation by the Kansas and the New Jersey Attorneys General office. I didn't shop at that store again until the Manager was fired(which he was about a month ago for stealing...he would take laptops home and use them for weeks at a time). Just in time to get a great deal on a HDTV. My point is, Take any of best buy's advertising with a grain of salt.
Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
ZeroCorpse, that's an awesome story. i wish i'd had the cash and been at the right place to experience that :).
The Riktopher @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
A friend of mine inquired inquiring local stores in SE wisconsin the night before. He was told by Best Buy he needed to purchase 3 controllers 3 games, a headset, memory card and something else for a premium, totalling 1000 dollars. A core cost 700 after required items.
Anonymous rep @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
What ZeroCorpse (27) describes is very similar to what happened at my local BBY. I slid by there about 8 pm prior to opening night, there were about 20 people already in line outside. I stopped and chatted with a few of them for a little while.
In what I thought was ironic, the FIRST guy in line had previously been a PS2 gamer. He was wanting a 360 because he's older now, his kids have finally left home, and he wants more grown up games - sports, first and third person shooters, and he was tired of the cutesy games on PS2. (That, and his last kid took the PS2 to college with her, so he'd been without a gaming console for three months.)
Next morning I showed up at the store at 7 am. It was deserted outside. One of the employees of the store had, at about midnight, gone outside and taken everyones name down, and the order that they were in line. At 6 am someone went outside with numbers. If your name wasn't on the list, then it went to the back of the list. There were a couple of people tried to line jump, but nothing major.
Inside, the store had everything set up so that you could buy whatever accessories or games that you wanted right there, and again, it was first in line, first served. No one forced anyone to buy any bundles, and the store had plenty of accessories available. Depending on preference, they could've run out of games - there were only a couple of copies of DOA4 available, but nothing else major.
At our local Sams Club, they opened at 7 am as well for business members. They had 20 bundle packs available, and sold out VERY quickly. Since Sams is members only, they did check your ID card. They did have a couple of guys try to get in with fake Sams ID's, which was pretty sad. (Nothing like the guy trying to get in the door being black, and the picture on the ID being white!)
All in all locally, it was a pretty smooth launch. Everyone knew the consoles were going to sell out quickly, and expected it. No eggings, pizza was shared by a lot of people, and there was support for those who stayed in line.
Sendai @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
"Depending on preference, they could've run out of games - there were only a couple of copies of DOA4 available, but nothing else major."
DOA4's not out yet.....not saying you're pulling this out your rear end, but ah, yeah, it's not out yet!
fatalhashbrown @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
my local best buy had donuts, coffee and hot chocolate for everyone waiting in line.
fatalhashbrown @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
ebgames ONLY does the forced bundles online. just add that to another reason why online shopping SUCKS. No tax, but shipping costs you an arm and a leg if you want it quick. I work there, and we had 30 people get a 360 premium system, and they personally chose what else they got, no one forced them to do anything.
Brian @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
target... my employer... sold them as is 299 and 399 but i waited for 3 hours ands didnt get one. so sad!
matt @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
no bundles required at any stores on MS gulf coast - wow you guys are really getting screwed... though I did buy my 360 with PDZ and an extra controller
Jamie @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I ordered my xbox 360 from the Game website in UK on the day they started pre-orders which was 17 august. I have been able to buy the premium console on its own and bought 1 game and 3 accessories of my choice as well. I have recieved an email saying i will recieve it all on release day and they are now getting it ready to dispatch so i recieve it next friday. I think it is just in store that they are making you buy bundles because i see this in my local game store.
Jamie @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I ordered my xbox 360 from the Game website in UK on the day they started pre-orders which was 17 august. I have been able to buy the premium console on its own and bought 1 game and 3 accessories of my choice as well. I have recieved an email saying i will recieve it all on release day and they are now getting it ready to dispatch so i recieve it next friday. I think it is just in store that they are making you buy bundles because i see this in my local game store.
justin woodward @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
A few years ago I worked at a Toys "R" Us during the holiday season when the Playstation 2 launched. We were short on numbers and the demand was huge. Since people were flooding the store for the few we did have the director told us that the store hardly makes any profit off of the console it self and insisted that we sold the system with 2 games, 2 controllers, a memory card, and a stand making the price for the package around 500 dollars, when it would have only been 300 dollars otherwise. If the directors and managers of a retailer think they can get away with making consumers buy more for a package even though it is illegal they will because they only care about the numbers.
Rootbeer22 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
A lot of you do not seem to understand what the word "forced" actually means.
When a store has a product in stock, but refuses to sell it to you for the advertised price, you need to PUT AWAY the credit card. Then go home and write a letter describing what happened. Send it to the Better Business Bureau and your state Attorney General.
If you cave to their wrongful business practices, they'll never stop.
James @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
#35
What crack are you smoking? DOA4 ain't due to ship until 12/6. Like your local BB had copies already.
Diametes J @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I would have to say that my experience was the same as Anonymous rep(#35) and ZeroCorpse(#27). I arrived at the store at 6:00AM to see quite a lot of people standing in line waiting for their 360. Several guys and myself went and started handing vouchers out around 7:30AM. During this time we chatted with the customers and took orders on what they wanted.
We didn't force anybody to purchase things they didn't want. Without even asking them, a majority of the customers asked for our Product Replacement Plan (PRP). Those who didn't ask for it, we merely explained what the cost and what it covered. If they didn't want it, no big deal. We simply accepted it and went on to accessories and games. The only "bundles" we sold were the ones customers specifically asked for out in line.
Everything they asked for was neatly placed in a basket with their number and handed to them as they walked through the line inside the store. All-in-all, I'd say every customer was in and out with their 360 within thirty minutes of opening the store.
The only problems that occured actually started and ended with me. I made the simple mistake of telling the twelve core system buyers that we had enough hard drives for them. It turns out that we only seven. The customers took it fairly well when I told them about my mistake. Some even offered to decline their purchase of a hard drive so that they next person could have one. In the end, only one person who wanted it didn't walk away with one.
In case some were wondering, I currently work at store #1038 in Flower Mound, TX.
Anthony @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
We waited at a local Circuit City... after we had been there for about 3 hours, the manager came out and told us that since "every store in the area, including Best Buy and Gamestop" are doing bundle sales, that they are going to be doing them too. Which was complete BS, Gamestop/EB never do bundles, and I know people that work at the local BB, who confirmed they were not doing bundles. By that point it was too late to go somewhere else though. Originally the manager said that we had to buy the same bundles that were on the website, but he eventually caved and let us choose our own bundles, as long as they added up to $689 for premium, and $589 for core. Pretty crappy overall... he said it was a memo from corporate and that all Circuit Cities are doing it, did anyone else have to buy a bundle at a CC?
LordAlu @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
In response to Jamie (38), GAME stores should not be forcing bundles on you, although I admit it can be confusing. It is standard marketing procedure not to advertise machines "on their own", so if you went in and looked at all the PS2 machines they'd probably all be bundles. However if you just go and ask for a solus machine then we'll gladly sell it! Any 360 customer will be able to buy the machine solus if they want to, it's just our marketing that shows them all as bundles :p
Forest @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
i live right next to that best buy and my friend who was lucky enough to get a 360 said with the premium he had to buy an extra wierless controller, a faceplate, an extra battery, and a play and charge kit