A week ago, we ran details of
some pretty sleazy business practices that went down at
Best Buys around the country. Shoppers showed up looking for advertised $299 and $399 Xbox 360 units and were told by
Best Buy staff that the actual price they'd have to pay for an Xbox 360 would be several hundred dollars higher than
advertised thanks to a forced bundle. Bait-and-switch much?
According to The Mercury News, Best Buy now acknowledges that "some stores acted inappropriately." In order to make good, the company has promised that they'll give refunds for "any unwanted Xbox 360-related purchases," even though they were initially sold as non-refundable.
Still, this "apology" falls short. What Best Buy should have offered is an immediate refund of the price premium that some customers were forced to pay. The company goes on to tell the Mercury News that they've "taken appropriate measures to ensure this situation will not occur with future Xbox 360 promotions." How about the upcoming PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Revolution launches, Best Buy?
Remember this, gamers, when it's time for you to purchase your PS3 and Revolution consoles.
[Edits made to clarify the situation. Apologies for the confusion.]
